Chapter 34
Amity POV:
The scream is what wakes me, and I let out a shriek of my own when I recognize the silhouetted stranger who made the noise. I don’t have long to fixate on Serena’s reaction though, as another surge of electricity passes through me, and my vision goes black again. I feel myself writhe in pain against the wooden table, kicking and screaming as though this is the end.
Eda’s voice attempts to calm me, but I don’t listen to the words she says. I can’t listen. Every part of me aches and screams for the pain to stop, but I allow it to continue its course through my veins, as Luz squeezes onto my hand supportively. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids are too heavy. I want to see Luz’ face. I want her familiar brown hair and hazel eyes to bring me some kind of comfort, but they can’t. I am alone in the darkness.
“Amity!” I hear my own name echoing around me. The pain dulls more and more until it’s gone, and I am left lying alone on the cold surface beneath me. I open my eyes.
It’s dark, so dark that I can’t see anything at all. Sitting up, I rub my head, looking around in the blackness for signs of anything at all. The only light I can see comes from the end of a seemingly endless tunnel.
“Amity!” the voice calls out again. I know that voice; it’s Luz’ voice.
I am running now. I don’t remember standing up, but it seems my feet are running now. Only, I am stuck in the same spot, moving nowhere. Shrill laughter surrounds me, bouncing back in a torturous echo. It takes me a moment to realize it is my own.
I stand, frozen for a moment, my mind racing while my legs should be. Then, all at once, I come back to life, running again. Only, this time, the walls around me move too, blurring as I pass them by. I head for the light at the end of the tunnel that only seems to move further away the closer I get to it. I am running away from the footsteps that sound from behind me. I don’t know who it is, but I don’t want to find out. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know why I’m here. This doesn’t make sense. None of this makes sense. Maybe it isn’t supposed to.
As I turn the corner, my feet give out beneath me and I tumble to the ground. I close my eyes tightly, reaching a hand out in front of me to soften the inevitable blow as I hit the floor, and it does, sending a shock of pain from my wrist. The light from the tunnel is gone, and I’m plunged into darkness again. As I clutch my injured wrist, I let out a strangled cry, my voice eaten up by the nothingness that surrounds me.
Then, somewhere amongst the darkness, a gentle flicker of light illuminates the blackness, like a match holding a single flame. It sends mysterious shadows up the cave walls, moving like lonely ghosts as the flame glows. I watch as its purple light crackles and dies before me.
Trying again, I summon as much strength as I can. This time, the flame is bigger, brighter, and it lights up the whole cave. Holding it in my hand is a gift. Knowing I created that fire is a miracle.
I stagger to my feet, concentrating all my energy on the purple fire in my hand. A gentle breeze passes through my hair, making the light dance a little, but it does not blow out. Turning to face the direction of the wind, my eyes settle on the light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, it feels as close as it should be. I walk towards it quickly, my pace becoming faster until I am running. The flame in my hand douses, and I let it, filled with the newfound hope that the exit gives me.
As I break out into the sunlight, I am hit with warmth. The distant sounds of birdsong fill my heart as my bare feet greet with the soft grass. A gentle breeze caresses my cheek, moving through my hair. The sky is the brightest shade of blue I have ever seen, unlike its usual orange or pink. Light fluffy clouds, as white as white can be, drift along the breeze. Never before has a scene looked quite so beautiful, as though I am in an Azura book.
The grass beneath me is stained a luscious green, and it takes me a moment to notice the human sprawled out across it like it is a mattress. She’s watching the sky, the clouds decorating the skyline. Before I know it, I am lying down beside her and taking her hand in mine. As our fingers entwine, I let out gentle laughter, pure joy escaping my lips.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” I ask between giggles. I tuck a run away strand of green hair behind my ear with that hand that isn’t holding hers.
She looks up at me, her hazel eyes laced with love and happiness that I’ve never seen in her before. “Eres hermosa.” she tells me, a smile finding its way onto her own face. Although I don’t speak her language, I know exactly what she means.
As I gently squeeze her hand, I know that I am safe here with her. It’s so comfortable, so warm. But soon, it is gone, carried away along the breeze.
Pain surges through my body again, burning inside of my chest. I can’t seem to move, but if I could, every part of me would be tense and I would be writhing in agony. All at once, I know where I am again. Reality hits me so suddenly, it hurts. My body starts to shiver as the heat runs from my head down my spine. I can feel Luz’ hand still latched onto mine like a lifeline, only this time, that might actually be true. I keep reminding myself that there is so much left to live for, because if I don’t, I might succumb to the pain and just let death take me. Instead, I fight, with everything I am, to make it out of this. I will be okay. I have to be okay. I don’t have a choice.
I can’t give in to the seduction of safety and simplicity, because if I do, where will I go? Where will I end up? What will happen to the people who I leave behind?
My body aches, my lungs burn and I can hear my own screams deafening me. How badly I want to tell myself to quiet the noise.
For a moment, I almost believe that the breath will find its way back into my body and I will shudder back to life. That I will sit up laughing at the absurdity. That maybe, just maybe, we can keep each other breathing.
Before I know it though, I’m sinking, falling down beneath the waves that swear to drown me. I am strong, putting up a fight, but the wintry waves keep on coming, each one seemingly larger than the last. They spin me around, lifting me high into the air and hurling me back down into the freezing depths below. They force me deeper and deeper down until the light from above the surface of the water seems even further away. Even in the few terrified seconds I manage to break through the surface, I am shaking so badly I am only able to catch half a lungful of breath, before I am pulled back under. It isn’t enough, and it grows less each time. My lungs burn, and I feel a terrible yearning in my chest as I ache for more air to breathe. The icy tide pulls me further out to sea with every wave, pushing me away from the beach. I know I’ve drifted too far from the shore to make it back. I know it’s too late for me. I will die, and I will die alone.
Another wave pushes me down, and this time, I can’t swim back towards the surface. I’m sinking, down and down until the sinking becomes falling. I keep falling down into the darkness that surrounds me. The water is gone, I can breathe again, and I am alone in the nothingness once again. I close my eyes tight, praying to wake up somewhere else, praying for the blackness to go away.
I don’t open them when I feel warm fingers curl around my hand. I don’t open them when Eda’s familiar voice fills my ears. I don’t open them when I hear my own name being softly whispered. I don’t open them, because this is all a cruel trick, a joke or a dream.
“Come on, Am’, wake up.”
A warm hand cups my cheek, stroking in circular motions on my skin.
Cautiously, I open one eye, then the other.
Sunlight invades the room, stinging my eyes, but I blink away the pain. Instead, I focus my vision on the dark haired girl who still strokes my face gently. She leans over me, her hazel eyes framed with concern. When she realizes I am awake, she lets out a sigh of relief, sitting back a little, but keeping her hands close to me.
“Oh, gracias Dios.” she breathes, clutching my hand.
“Did it work?” I try to ask her, but the words catch in my throat. I sit up as much as I can, coughing away the weight that lays on my chest. Then, I try again. “Is it over?” My voice comes out quiet and hoarse, but she hears it and so does Eda.
“Yeah, it worked.” the Owl Lady tells me from where she stands at the table. “That can’t have been easy for you. You're a brave kid.”
I am hit with a sense of pride that travels through me. A weak smile finds my face, and I offer it to Eda. She smiles back. My attention returns to Luz, as she lifts my hand up to her face and kisses it gently.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Does someone want to tell me what the hell is going on here?” Her voice fills the room like a reminder no one asked for. She stands, breathing furiously at the door, her fists clenched like a warning. Eyes burning red, she turns to Luz. “What the hell did you do to her?”
“I’ll give you guys a minute.” Eda tells us, before gathering a few things and slipping past Serena out the door.
Luz stands, leaving me behind. “We gave her back the magic that YOU helped the Emperor take from her.” she tells Serena, her voice a low growl. “Or have you forgotten that you’re one of them? That you’re the one who did this to her?”
Serena says nothing, instead pushing past Luz and moving towards me. Her expression melts as soon as she reaches my side. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
Luz glares angrily behind her as Serena gently strokes my hair. I’m thankful that she doesn’t say anything. I still need some time to figure out what to tell Serena.
“I’m fine.” I smile, sitting up properly. My body aches, but I’m not as tired as I feel I should be. I guess my magic gave me some of my strength back. “I need to talk to you about something though.”
Serena looks surprised for a moment, before responding. “Actually, I need to talk to you about something too.”
With a nod of my head, I turn back to Luz, who is still seething in the corner. “Luz, maybe you should…?” I motion towards the door with my arm, and Luz takes a step towards me, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I don’t want to leave you in here.” she tells me, her tone set. I know what that really means.
Serena smirks, her eyes glowing. “She said back off, Noceda.” Her tone is taunting and a certain level of spite is hidden among her words.
Luz uncrosses her arms, instead clenching her fists. “I got this, Luz.” I tell her, ignoring Serena’s comment. “Please, just trust me?”
She hesitates for a moment, her emotions clearly shown on her face. After a moment she accepts defeat, nodding her head in response.