Daughter of Morrighan Valley Book One Becoming Luna

My clothes were tattered and torn, feet sore, bloody, and swollen from thorns pricking my feet. I ran towards the mountain top, I felt he is there. I sense his presence and my body starts to ache, yearning for him to be near, my body aching for want of him. I run faster to the top! I stop at two faceless figures reaching out for me. I try with all my might but my body just stands there frozen... I wanted to move, I wanted to scream out, but all I could do is stand there with tears rolling down my eyes. The two figures start fighting and one falls off deep into the abyss below, dragging me with him. I grabbed on to the edge and held on for my life as I kicked the man off me. My stomach churns as tears pour as I pull myself up and run to the man on the ground. Pulling the man who was left from the fight into my arms, I cried harder, kissing his forehead and rocking him back and fourth, telling him to hold on and not to leave me. He reaches up and pulls back a strand of hair from my face, "I love yo..." his hand falls and his eyes roll back into his head, his last breath escapes his body as I scream in anger and sorrow "WHY?" I scream loudly, raspy and tearful. I sit there holding him as a jolt of pain shoots through my pelvis and stomach. I fall to the ground and hold on to my stomach as the pain comes and goes in contractions. The bushes bristle and I saw a figure lean down to hold onto me, " Protect her." was all that escaped my lips before my consciousness faded. "hah hah hah not again" I gasp as I rip off my blanket and hold my chest in hopes my heart will calm down. It is beating so fast I feel it pounding out of my chest, sweat dripping off every inch of me, even my blankets are soaked through. My Aunt Rose enters my room, 'Wake up sunshine! Happy Birthday!" she says enthusiastically as she brings over a box with a pink bow and a stack of strawberry banana pancakes shaped like hearts that spell my name on them with strawberry syrup. She pulls my sweaty hair out of my face and says "bad dream love?'' "It felt so real" "The same one as always?" I nod and breathe in deep as she pats my back and soothes me down. I start to eat my pancakes she made me and instantly my body relaxes, as the fruity fluffy goodness fills my mouth. " OK, call Dex and tell him you're skipping work today. We are leaving early. I want to spend all the time I can with you before you head to college." "Hahahaha OK, Dex already said he didn't need me, the new waitress was a quick learner. So, Mount Amos, here we come!" " But first open your present love!" she squeaks and smiles as she shoves the box in my hand. I opened the box to find a beautiful strapless blue sundress with yellow sunflowers, a green cardigan, with yellow ballet slippers. " I love it! " I said, smiling excitedly, holding up the dress and spinning in the mirror. I ran to her and hugged her tightly, " Thanks Aunt Rose!" We shared a giggle and told me to dress and pack a bag for the weekend. She heads out of my room and starts packing herself. I showered quickly and dressed myself with my new outfit dutch braid my hair tied off with blue ribbons. I packed up some clothes and headed out of my room to meet up with my Aunt. "She's ready, she sees them, you know she has just turned 18 you're gonna have to tell her! Tinks stuff isn't working anymore, it's daily now! We will tell her now, It's time!" My Aunt snarls on the phone, almost animal like. She calms herself as if she knew I could hear "We're coming there today!" she snaps and hangs up, turning her way towards the entryway. She smiles and cheers excitedly "You ready to party?!?" I smile at her, "need help packing?" she laughs and shakes her head as she walks with her suitcases out the door. My Aunt is arguing with someone on the phone about me? Even though I'm curious, I also don't want to ask because she looked so upset talking to them on the phone. I have a feeling of uneasiness running through me, but brush it off just as quickly as it comes. I trust my Aunt Rose and that is all I need to know right now. I'll wait until she is ready to tell me. HONNNK HONNNK!!!! "Jaydalynn time to ride!" she screams in the house as I brush off my thoughts and head out the door with my stuff, locking up as I exit. My Aunt in the car already blaring her music and dancing in the driver's seat. I chuckled at her and ran to the passenger's side, throwing my bags into the back seat and hopping in singing along and dancing beside her. I still wonder what is going on and what it is I need to be told, but I know that whatever it is, I'm gonna find out at the cabin! I close my eyes and pull my face to the sky to feel the sun's warmth as wind flies through our hair as my aunt drives faster and faster to what I sense is going to be an adventure! It's been about two hours since we left home and what once was music and dancing is now my aunt pondering quietly like she's at war with herself, her head twitching every time she mumbles incoherently to herself. I smiled at the sight. I love my aunt, but that's one thing she has never been good at hiding; her feelings. As for me, I know I have to give her time, so I decided to sketch her in my sketchbook and add some cool scenery that we drove by on the way to the cabin. After two more hours of the quiet, I glance over and see she's still arguing with herself internally, not being able to take anymore. I stretched my arms, " Let's get lunch at the diner over there and if your ready you can tell me what your fighting yourself about" She smiles and agrees, " My poker face is that bad, huh?" We both chuckle at her statement as she pulls into this great diner named Morties. Since I was a little girl we'd come here for weekends, vacations, holidays, and sometimes just because we needed a break! My aunt says it's because the owner is a stud but she never flirts with him, so I've never believed her. I asked her once to just move here but she always says her work is too far away. The owner, Mortimer, greets us at the door. His usual warm facade, however, is more cold and uninviting this time as he greets us, well Aunt Rose at least. All the same, he tries to hide his anger as he turns from my aunt to me and smiles, giving me a hug. "Happy Birthday Jaydalynn, you look as beautiful as the first day your aunt brought you here" I chuckle at the old man, "Thanks", I reply sheepishly as he spins me, checking me up and down like a father would his daughter he hasn't seen in a while. His son Merrick stands in a corner waiting to grab me up in a bear hug of his own "JBear! Happy Birthday!" he sets me down after spinning me dizzy, then pretends he threw his back, "Man you've gotten fat!" he chuckles as I punch his arm laughing along with him. I walk with him as my aunt talks with Mortimer. I'm pondering on whether or not to tell Merrick about the call. Merrick stops and grabs me into another hug, "Jaydalynn you can tell me anything, it'll be OK I'll protect you" Merrick squeezes me tightly to reassure me that he is there for me. I've known Merrick all my life. He's like a brother to me and he is my best friend, so I took a deep breath and decided to tell him about the dream, how I'm seeing a bit more each day and about the conversation pieces I'd overheard this morning. Then I stared at Merrick waiting for him to say something. He stares at me, his eyes wide and starts to speak but then shuts up almost instantly. I press him for the answer he clearly knows, but instead of speaking. He grabs my hand and takes me to the back of the diner where Mortimer and Aunt Rose are talking, well arguing, He then checks the diner. After he helps the customers with their orders, he escorts them out and locks up the diner. Flipping the closed sign, he turns to his dad and says,'' she knows something is up, tell her or I will!' Merrick stands by me with a firm glare of defiance in his eyes towards his dad. Aunt Rose stands beside Merrick in agreement with his decision to tell me, furthering angering Mortimer. He stands quiet and staring me down, "Jaydalynn, how many times have you dreamt the same dream?" I stand there confused as to why it matters, but he presses on. "I want to tell you a story, Jaydalynn, an important one that has yet to have an ending. I need you to sit and listen until the very end, but not here I will tonight, in the cabin when our diner is actually closed and I can show you something that is vital to this specific story. Will you please wait until then?" I nodded as I squeezed Merrick's hand. "It's OK J, promise." Merrick squeezes my hand back My aunt and Merrick share a glance of what I would assume to be their satisfaction with this answer, so I nod my head, " OK I'll wait until tonight." They unlock the shop and continue serving guests and Aunt Rose and I eat lunch and head back out to the open road. She squeezes my hand and smiles as she drives the last twenty-five minutes to our cabin. We arrive and unpack, cleaning up the place as we go. "I'm going to the store for some groceries. Would you wanna come with me?" My Aunt asks "No, I'll finish cleaning up and then I'd like to unwind, maybe take a walk." "OK, want anything special?" "Not really. I think I packed everything I wanted and needed, and the greenhouse has a ton of delicious goodies that need harvesting, thanks." "Ok I'll get the meat and staples you have fun harvesting!" She leaves. I change into my overalls and grab my garden shears and basket. Uncle Mortimer and Merrick are our neighbors, so we share a pretty large green house. They care for it while we are gone in exchange for the fruits and veggies it grows. I planted every single seed in this greenhouse. It's filled with tons of fruits and vegetables. I wanted to plant more but ran out of the room. We have three other greenhouses on the mountain but they are filled with flowers my aunt sells. That's why we own this mountain and the other cabins we own are filled with the workers that harvest them. Some are vacant towards the end of the mountain. We usually use those for vacation rentals. My mother and father owned this place and it's mine when I graduate from college if I want it. I love it up here. The fresh air and even outside our greenhouses in summer there are fields that are covered in wildflowers. The place smells sweet with the mixture of flowers out there. I truly feel at home here. The best thing is, the nightmares I have at home don't follow me here. I weed the garden and pick out the vegetables ready to harvest. We have a ton. Once I finish, I place them in the wash barrels where we soak them in clean water until we are ready to eat them. Taking what I need for dinner, I seal the barrels up and head back to the house. Soaking these veggies in the sink. I head outside and pick a bouquet of flowers for our table. cleaning up, I slip on my baggy shirt and take a nap on the couch.