Welina-Grace and the Forest Uglies

WG - Chapter11 - Stranger Things

Zinah woke with a start. She slowly looked around and realized she wasnʻt in her room. She quickly sat up and tried to see if anything looked familiar but nothing did. She scanned the room, ordinary…hmm. Bed, bedside tables, lamps, side table with chairs, couch in what looks like a sitting area, fireplace with a cozy fire burning, two doors, assuming one is a closet and the other a bathroom. It wasnʻt until Zinahʻs eyes stopped at the bedroom door did she realize where she was. On the other side of the secret door in the library.

Panic started to fill her. Her first thought was of Crimson. Zinah frantically looked for her daughter but she was nowhere in the room. Then the room door opened and a woman stepped in. Zinah froze.

The woman didnʻt acknowledge Zinah and, in fact, didnʻt even realize she was in the room with her. The woman's long hair was blocking her profile and though she kinda looked familiar to Zinah, she couldnʻt place her. The mysterious woman walked to the bed and sat down. She opened the book that Zinah had just been reading and started drawing in it.

“Excuse me,” Zinah said, but the woman didnʻt answer

“Excuse me,” Zinah said louder but still now answer

Zinah reached out to touch her shoulder and her hands went right through the woman. Zinah was horrified but the woman continued doing what she was doing as if Zinah wasnʻt even in the room.

ʻI must be dreaming” Zinah thought as she walked around the room, watching the woman carefully

She continued to watch for a little bit before the door opened and a man walked in. He walked up to the woman and gently kissed her head. She lovingly looked up at him and smiled. The man reached down and rubbed her belly and smiled. It was then that Zinah realized the woman was pregnant. The man also looked oddly familiar to Zinah. She continued to watch them. Their mannerisms, she just couldnʻt place them.

The woman then began to touch the page in the book and Zinah felt the touch on her face. Zinah realized the woman was touching the picture of her, just as she did before she fell asleep. Again Zinahʻs world began to spin. She laid herself down on the couch to stop herself from falling over. The room began to darken and Zinah knew sheʻd be unconscious soon. Just before she closed her eyes she looked toward the woman, who was looking directly at Zinah as she smiled. Zinahʻs heart skipped a beat before her world went dark.

Zinah jumped up from her sleep to find herself on the floor and Crimson shaking her awake crying.

“Mama! Mama! Wek up! Mama!” Crimson screamed

“Iʻm up, Iʻm up hunny!” Zinah said as she grabbed her scared little girl

“Iʻm so sorry baby. I didnʻt mean to scare you. Mama had a bad dream”, Zinah told Crimson

“No Mama, no dream. Real Mama! Man and Lady is real!” Crimson sobbed

“Did you see them, Crimson?” Zinah asked her

“Yes Mama, lady want take you away, I no let her. Me bite her Mama. She let you go, I no let her take you” Crimson hyperventilated through her words

“Oh, baby! Thank you! Thank you for saving Mama” Zinah said but deep inside Zinah was freaking the f**k out!

ʻWhat in the f**k happened to me?ʻ ʻAnd who were those people?ʻ Zinah thought as she looked at her daughter

What would have happened if these people had taken her? What would have happened to Crimson? Just the thought of being kidn*pped and her daughter being orphaned started a raging fire deep within Zinah. Her eyes began to glow as well as her hands. When she looked down into her daughterʻs eyes, Crimsonʻs eyes and hands were also glowing. Zinah quickly relinquished the raging fire. She had to keep it under control. Both herʻs and Crimsonʻs. She couldnʻt let Queen Dessa know they possessed this power. Zinah knew if the Queen did, both she and her daughter would be made war slaves for the Queenʻs army.

Zinah stood to carry her daughter to her bed and caught sight of a shadow just outside her window. She acted as if she wasnʻt aware she was being watched and placed Crimson in her bed. She quietly walked past the doorway leading to the balcony and reached out and grabbed the person just outside her window!

“Who are you? And what do you want?!” Zinah hissed as a blade that pushed through her palm was held against the culprit's neck

“Duskin!” Zinah shrieked

“We need to talk….NOW!” Duskin said when she released him

“WTF Duskin!” Zinah told him. “I could have slit your throat!”

“Where did you get that book, Zinah?” Duskin questioned, pointing to it

“This?” Zinah said as she grabbed it. “Crimson found it in the library”

“Donʻt lie to me, Zinah! That book was locked away!” Duskin accused

“Iʻm not lying! Crimson found it behind the shelves while crawling around. She was after another book and these were back there as well. Now tell me, Duskin! What is going on? And does that secret door have anything to do with this book?” Zinah asked

Duskin sighed heavily…

“There surely are things happening in our world. Things beyond my control. I had hoped to keep it at bay forever, but it seems that is not to be” Duskin began

“Duskin, youʻre not making sense, and youʻre scaring me. If this is something that affects me or Crimson, I need to know and I need to know now!!” Zinah challenged

“Zinah, this castle wasnʻt always Queen Dessaʻs. It belonged to her sister, the true Queen. Dessa had an arranged marriage with a prince from a neighboring kingdom but when he visited the castle, he fell in love with the true Queen instead and the Queen fell in love with him. They had an ongoing secret affair while the prince stayed on for months. Dessa thought he stayed because of her until she found out the truth. She was livid! Dessa disappeared and promised sheʻd wage war on her sister and the prince. And that she did. She visited a dark sorcerer whom she quickly learned from and within months she was back with a vengeance. During Dessaʻs absence and in anticipation of her return, the true Queen created the magic room to keep the book and other magic items safe from Dessa. She knew if Dessa got ahold of it, there would be a world of waste at her hands. When Dessa returned, the Queen and her castle were quickly overwhelmed. She banished the pregnant Queen, but not before cursing the child she carried and transforming her lover into a supernatural. Some twisted sh*t that she thought was funny. The Queen was satisfied that the magic room and all of itʻs contents were protected and Dessa would never find it. The door was never visible to anyone. But apparently, there is a reason it is for you” Duskin finished

“Iʻm sorry Duskin” Zinah said

“Sorry for what?” Duskin mused

“You are the prince arenʻt you?” Zinah asked as Duskin nodded.

“I am forever doomed to serve Queen Dessa for my transgressions against her” Duskin said

“And the true Queen is Rissa?” Zinah asked and Duskin again nodded

“I can never visit her, the Queenʻs curse does not allow me outside of the forest” Duskin says

“What of her child? I saw no one else when I visited her” Zinah asked

“Children, she carried twins,” Duskin said as Zinahʻs eyes widened as she thought about it for a minute

“The black panthers?” she probed and again Duskin nodded

“Yup, they nearly killed Rissa during birth with their claws. But fortunately, she survived” Duskin said “Iʻve never had the luxury of setting eyes on my sons” Duskin sadly said

“Well, they are magnificent, beautiful creatures. AND, they totally love Crimson” Zinah said, hoping to lighten the mood as Duskin smiled

“Duskin, you lied to me. Well somewhat, anyway” Zinah said and Duskin nodded

“Before Rissa was banished she told me a child would come that would be Dessaʻs undoing. When I found this child, I was to send you to her and she would take it from there. But I had no idea sheʻd turn you to a witch!” Duskin said “are you mad Zinah? Iʻm sorry”

“I just wish you had been truthful Duskin. Of all the supernaturals in the forest, it was always you and I. I feel betrayed but I do understand why you did it” Zinah said sadly

“Wait, so how are you and Junie siblings?” Zinah asked off the subject.

“Junie doesnʻt know. Her parents were killed in Dessaʻs war when she was just a baby and I raised her as my sister. No one knows I am the prince. Just Dessa, Rissa and now you” Duskin explains

“But Queen Dessa treats you fairly, doesnʻt she?” Zinah asked

“I think deep down she truly did love me at one time, but now just tolerates me as a constant reminder of the betrayal of her sister and I against her” Duskin remarks, and Zinah nods in understanding

“Well, what now? And why was Rissa trying to take me in my dream? She scared Crimson something awful!” Zinah irritatedly said

“That wasnʻt Rissa Zinah, it was a dark manifestation of her that came from the book. You need to be very careful with it Zinah” Duskin said

“Then you take it!” Zinah said

“I canʻt. It wonʻt let me. You are itʻs new owner, just as Rissa was itʻs former owner” Duskin says

“But what is it? Whoʻs is it? Who wrote it? And why is my picture in it?” Zinah asked

Duskin continues, “All great questions. But I only know one answer, the rest you will need to figure out yourself. Keep it safe Zinah, itʻs the magic book of Hecate”….