Rebirth:Tale of a Young Witch

Chapter Two

The chill of the night air froze my very core as my white lace nightgown did little to protect me from the elements. My feet stung as ice cold rocks sliced the bottom of my feet leaving a small trail of blood as I traveled.  The wind whipped my red locks behind me as I wrapped my arms around myself.

I squinted my green eyes trying to see a path as the moon light filtered through the bare trees. I wandered around the woods for what seemed like hours. A river glittering under the moonlight seemed so angelic. “Finally…i can rest..” I mumbled through frozen lips as I dropped to my knees on the riverbed not minding the rocks I rested on.  My legs felt like lead, my fingers were numb, my throat was on fire.

I cupped my hands together and dipped them into the crystal clear water ignoring the cold. Carefully I brought my hands to take a sip. What should have been a satisfying gulp of water felt like poison. My pulse began to quicken as the fire from my throat slowly spread to my chest, I grasped my throat coughing.

A deep growl was heard nearby, I closed my mouth and covered it with my hand as I tried to hold in my coughing. I slowly looked to my left, and immediately saw a pair of red orbs looking right at me. I tried to scream but my throat was still in flames. A large paw stepped out from the shadows under the orbs.

Sunlight beamed through the sheer floral curtains, I groaned softly in frustration as I turned away from the window. bringing my fleece blankets back up around my shoulders as I started to drift back to sleep, despite the cold sweat I was covered in from the night terror.

Wait..sunlight.. My eyes flew open as I shot up right in bed and frantically searched my sheets for my phone.my heart beating out of my chest as I found it peeking out from under my pillow. I attempted to check the time but found my phone was dead. “ f**k f**k s**t fuck.” I stammered out loud to myself as I flung the blankets off my bare legs and scrambled out of bed knocking over the picture frame from my night stand in the process.

I quickly flug my door open letting it slam against the wall as I ran down the hall and into the kitchen. Relife settled in slightly as I saw the time “ only 8 am…” I sighed softly as my heart beat slowly returned to normal.

I pulled a white glass canister away from the wall and unscrewed the wooden lid. I opened the black coffee maker and started to fill it with coffee grounds. I yawned softly as I grabbed the glass pot and took it over to the sink and began to fill it. Dumping the water into the water reservoir I closed the top of the coffee maker before replacing the pot on the heated bottom and pressing the start button.

the kitchen cabinet squeaked softly as I opened it. I reached for a coffee mug but paused in front of a familiar red christmas mug.”pawpaws favorite coffee mug” I wrapped my fingers around its handle. The rim of the mug had a few chips but it was still funcunal. Placing it on the counter gently as the kitchen was slowly being filled with the welcoming aroma of coffee. I inhaled deeply and sighed happily.

I filled the red mug up with the bitter liquid, steam billowing from the mug. I blew across the top of it gently before taking a sip and immediately fliching, as a small amount of coffee poured into my mouth burning it in the process.

Cup in hand I started to walk down the hall to return to my bedroom, once I reached the narrow hallway I paused as I felt something crinkle under my foot. I lifted my foot slightly, careful not to lose my balance as I looked down.

A faded red envelope laying hapshardidly on the hall floor in a now slightly crinkled state. Stepping back for a moment I looked around the hall searching for where the mysterious could have appeared from.

With a growing headache I bent down slowly careful to keep the coffee mug upright so as to not spill the presouise contents as I reached out and grasped the thin paper. It crinkled quietly in my fingers as I stood upright. I sat my coffee mug down on the wooden entryway table before smoothing the envelope in my hands. I turned it over and I saw that it was addressed to me written in what appeared to be my grandfather's handwriting.

Setting the coffee mug down on the hall table, my hands trembled in grief as I ran my fingers over my grandfather's hand writing before turning the red envelope over and began to gently peel off his personal wax seal.

Carefully I removed the aged folded stationery. I unfolded the paper and smoothed it tenderly with my fingers, my vision blurred as my eyes fell upon the handwritten letter. Briskly whipping away my tears I began to read hearing my grandfather's voice in my head as the words came to life in my hands. 

12/21/1995     3:00am

“ To my Dearest Granddaughter, Serenity

Today I received the best gift a daughter can ever give her father; a granddaughter. You came to us a little sooner than expected, you are small and need lots of care. Even now as I write this I'm watching the nurses tend to your weakened body. I am watching you fight everyday for your life. This is a fight I know you will win, despite your weakened body and everything going against you I know that you are strong. 

If you are reading this, hopefully you are a young adult with a bright future ahead of you that I'm imagining for you. However, I am writing this letter today, so that you know the truth. It was your mothers wish that we conceal the nature of your bloodline from you, so that you may have a normal childhood. I disagreed with her on this matter, but I will respect her wishes even though I believe this will hinder you later in life. Please don't be too hard on your mother, the bloodline trait skipped over her so she does not fully understand what she was keeping from you.

Our bloodline goes back to nearly the beginning of time, the majority of our ancestors were hunted down due to our special abilities. our branch of the family is one of few that survived, You have magic flowing through your body. It is intertwined and embedded into every fiber of your being. I knew it from the moment I saw you, my own magic abilities decreased when you took your first breath. You will become stronger than even I was, if you choose to accept what you are and go down the path that was made for you.

I'm in the process of making you a bracelet that will be given to you on your 13th birthday. I am  creating a spell that will prevent your magical abilities from blooming until you decide you are ready to become what you were born to be.

You are a genuine, full blooded witch. I know this may sound ridiculous given the sheltered life you have led up to now, but this is no joking matter. I'm sure you have lots of questions, however i have a feeling i wont be here to answer these for you, and for that i am greatly sorry. I have included a key, it goes to the room in our basement. You will find all your answers and truths there.

Serenity, no matter what path you choose in life, just know I will always be proud of you. No matter what.

              Much Love,

                          Pawpaw jack.”

My eyes clung to his signature at the bottom of the page as I slid down to a sitting position in the middle of the lonely hall. Setting down the paper onto the hall floor, I grabbed the red faded envelope and shook it out into my hand, and sure enough an antique looking key fell into my palm. “okay..This cannot be happening right now.” I picked up the letter and envelope, smacked it on to the hall table and set the key on top. “ I have too much going on today.. And I cannot handle this right now.” I grasped the handle of the now lukewarm coffee mug and trotted down the hall to my room to get ready for the day.