Her Curse

Chapter 4

Haley’s POV

“HAYYLEEY! HALES! Haley, where are you!?” I can hear someone shouting from a distance but I can’t make out who it is but their voice feels soothing. Everything is still black, I can’t see anything, I can’t move, but I don’t feel any more pain. I want to call out I’M HERE! I’M HERE! But no words leave my mouth. They continue to shout my name and look for me. It has to be Gavin. He always wants to make sure I’m safe. Haley.. Haley, can you hear me? I hear a woman whisper, but I’ve never heard her voice before. I wonder who all these people are who are looking for me and why are they looking? I can understand Gavin, but I don’t know who this chick is and if anyone else is looking… it doesn’t make sense. No one cares about me. You’re wrong, Haley. A lot of people care about you and we just want you safe. The voice says almost angelically. I can feel my heart racing again as panic sets in. I can feel my body heating up and the pain returning. Haley, you need to calm yourself, the voice reasons. Calm myself? How am I supposed to calm myself when I can’t move, I can’t see anything, there is someone who is reading my mind that I’ve never met before, and Gavin is out here looking for me and I have no way to tell him where I am?! Calm myself, crazy bitch.. Maybe you should calm yourself! Thoughts are racing through my head so quickly I can’t keep up, or even be a logical person. Haley, please.. I will tell you everything, but you need to calm yourself first. The pain will only worsen to more your heart races right now. Okay, so she doesn’t seem like she wants to hurt me and her voice is really soothing. This pain is so unbearable… but how am I supposed to make that stop? Count with me and with each count breath in, then out. 1, breath in… 2, breath out… 3, breath in… 4 breath out… this continued until my heart rate began to decrease. Okay, this is crazy though, right? How are you reading my mind? What’s your name? Why are you even here? Okay, okay Haley, one at a time. My name is Julia, but you can call me Jules. She really has a way of calming a person, I think to myself. “Jules… I know I’ve never met a Jules. Who are you?” I asked her. She takes a little too long to answer, “are you still there?” I ask again. Yes, I’m here. I’m sorry, it’s just that I don’t want to freak you out and I don’t know the best way to answer that, she finally replies. “Well, why don’t you just cut the bullshit and tell me?” I barked at her. I’m starting to get more frustrated now. I just want some answers. Fine, but try to keep an open mind. I feel her pleading with me. “Fine”, I sighed. I could practically feel the desperation pouring from her. I am a part of you. I can’t give you all the details yet, but I am apart of who you will be when you turn 18. I’m not supposed to be here right now, but I had to help you. Jules tries to explain but nothing is making sense. “What do you mean you had to help me? You’re apart of me? Jules, none of this makes sense” I asked, confused. Jules seems sweet and like she wants to help, but come on, she’s apart of me? Please Haley, I have to go, I’m going to be in big trouble if I get caught. I will be back at midnight on the eve of your birthday and I will explain everything in detail then. Please trust me. Jules is begging me to find some way to understand her. It’s starting to get cold, it must be getting dark. The nights can be freezing here in Spring Ridge. I didn’t have a chance to respond to Jules. I can feel that she is gone. Weird, how can I feel that she’s gone??

“HALEY?! HALEY!! Oh my god what are you doing out here?” I heard the masculine voice call to me. I’m still unable to open my eyes or say anything. All I can let out is a mumble, the pain is coming back fast. “Uhhmm” is all that came out. “You’re burning up, we need to get you home!” Gavin, it’s Gavin. I knew it was him. He picks me up cradled in his arms and I could just feel the tension of my body melt away and the pain starts to slip away as he carries me home.

——

I feel myself running through the woods. The chill wind on my face and how quickly I feel I’m flying through the woods. Honestly, for someone who doesn’t have an athletic bone in my body, I’m a damn good runner. I don’t even feel tired. There has to be something to that, right? It is dead in the middle of the night and I can see everything, I can hear music from the bar in town and I have to be miles away by now, and the smells… Some are not so pleasant but I swear all of my senses are in hyperdrive. I’ve never felt more alive, like that little part of me that never felt normal was finally made whole again. I should have been a runner for years now. Maybe that would have saved me some heartache. I stopped abruptly, startled by what I can only describe as an angel. Beautiful, long wavy brown hair, the most piercing hazel eyes with bright specks of gold shining bright. She isn’t tall, but she’s not short either, and she’s thin but not too thin. She kind of looks like…. me? Definitely more put together than I usually am, but if I let Mia give me that makeover, I bet I would look a lot like this woman. “Haley, it’s so nice to see you”, she says to me. “Um, h-hi?” is just about all that I can think to say. How does she know who I am? I haven’t a clue who she is. Other than the scary resemblance we share. “I understand you are confused. My name is Julia” she says to me, “and yes, in human form we look the same.” The same? I don’t know who she is kidding, she is so very put together and I am so very plain jane. Wait. “Human form? Is this some kind of a joke?” I asked, my full attention on this woman now. “Haley, please, I know this is hard to believe, please keep an open mind” she says as my gaze shot back to meet her eyes. Those words, keep an open mind… and her voice is so familiar now. “Julia… Have we met?” keeping my eyes locked on hers. I can sense her wanting to approach with caution. “Not exactly, but we have spoken briefly. I have brought you here to better explain things. I can sense that you won’t want to believe this any other way.” She isn’t breaking our gaze, but I can tell she is leaving room for me to continue. “Believe what, exactly?” I asked, unsure of if I wanted to know the answer.

——

“Good morning sleepy head” a masculine voice calls from the doorway. Wow, I have never felt so terrible. My body aches like I’ve spent the night in a fight club, my head is pounding just the same. I can hardly open my eyes, it’s so bright in here. “Oh, sorry. I’ll close the curtains.” the mystery man, who I assume is Gavin, says, as I’m sure he could see the pain I was struggling with. “I’ve brought you water and ibuprofen, I’m sure you’re feeling a little weak. Geez Hales, I’ve never seen anyone shift before 18. You’ve been out for 2 days!” He lets me know like I’m some kind of hero. “Out? Out of what?” I said, still struggling to make out Gavin’s face. If he came closer that would help. “Just asleep. It’s normal after your first time.” He says nonchalantly. “I’ve been asleep for 2 days? How could that ever be normal?!” I proclaim as nothing is making any sense. “Gavin, have you seen Lydia?” I ask as the realization has set in. I’ve been asleep for 2 freaking days and Lydia is going to kill me. How could Gavin be so 'no big deal' about this?? He knows how my mother can be, and she hates it when I’m a second late… I’ve been gone for 2 days! “Gavin? Lydia? Hales, do you remember anything?” he says, seeming very confused by my outburst. “U-um… I remember being humiliated in front of my entire 7th period class by Daxton Harper. I ran away into the forest and I was in a lot of pain. I passed out and now here I am.” I said, trying to remember more and still trying to focus my eyes. “I have to go, Hales. I’ll have Reese get you home as soon as you’re feeling better.” Gavin says, and then he’s gone before I could ask anymore questions.