Supernaturals

31. Mason flies now

ANNA

Before the zombie apocalypse, there were many things I did that brought joy to my life. Just like most people who lead a relatively happy life, I learnt to enjoy the little things in life and after a while, they stopped being so little.

I was done preparing yam porridge and was quite exhausted and hungry. Though we cooked in turns at the coven, I never saw it as extra work to relieve others of their work. I mean, cooking as well as knitting, served as self-therapy for me.

I watched as smoke emanating from the pot rose to the ceiling of the illumined room that served as a kitchen. The pot was big enough to easily contain the four tubers of yam that I had used in preparing the porridge. Even as big as it was, I did not doubt that it would barely satisfy a third of us for a single meal.

The ceramic plate in my hands nearly fell as I walked out of the door, but managed to keep it balanced on my hands as food wasn't to be wasted at all.

The sun shone angrily on the grass field that was beyond the fence at the rear of the territory. There was a kind of feeling I got whenever I saw the sun shine this way on the grass. It reminded me that magic was everywhere and whether we chose to accept it or not was our choice to make.

All my life I hated the way things were. Not everything but a lot Right from my childhood, I'd always wanted something more, something better and I guess it was just me being human. It was normal to want more than what life places before you, especially when it wasn't much. As I grew it became even worse. I wanted to be rich, famous, and independent. You know, what every poor/middle-class girl wants.

Now it was worse. It was dangerous. The feeling gave me headaches at times and whatever happiness I got was more like a brief break from the reoccurring nightmare my life had become. What was worse? Thinking of making it all better seemed more of a dream than a reality.

Mason flew to the top of the roof where I was seating. Yes, he flew!

“Can I join you?" He asked, sitting down beside me before I could even utter a word.

Truth be told, I was dumbfounded for at least a minute. He just flew. Like he just flew. Since when?

“Mason, did you just fly up here?”

He nodded in utter excitement. “Yes, I did, it started yesterday, I think.”

“What!” I wailed and then smiled as I realised that I startled him. “Don't mind me, I'm just a little unsettled. Can you tell me how it all happened?”

The more pressing question was: why did one notice my kid brother was flying around?! This was serious? He could fly himself into trouble, or even worse, let up our location to vamps or demons.

How was this even happening?

I kept my thoughts to myself and asked Mason some more questions, but now in a calmer tone.

“I don't know, it just happened and it feels good.”

“I'm sure it does," I said.

This wasn't right at all. Ever since the world went nuts, many things have changed and this was one of them. With all the trouble and hardship all around, it was understandable why things like paying attention to kids weren't high on the list. Survival and safety were all that seemed to matter.

Mason bit his lower lip a little and gave me that look I knew too well.

“What's it?" I inquired.

“Can I ask you a favour?”

“Sure, anything for you.”

He tilted his head and smiled in an almost cheesy manner. “Are you sure?”

“Cross my heart.”

“Okay, can I fly out of the territory?”

Wait. . . what?

“That's a big no, Mason. You know it's dangerous out there, you can't leave this compound at all."

His face lost all the glamour it had moments ago and a fixed frown kicked away most of his usual adorableness.

“Don't be sad, when it's safe you will be taken out, I promise.”

“When will it be safe?”

“Sometime soon, I promise,” I assured him.

“That's what you say every time."

He flew down from the building where I was, leaving his meal barely touched.

I understood his sadness. He hadn't left the territory for over a year, not even for a second. Mother made me swear that Mason should always be safe and never brought out of the territory until it was all over. That was quite reasonable since Mason wasn't even ten yet.

With him being able to fly, it was more dangerous because he could leave without anyone knowing. Perhaps it was since he started flying that his desire of going out of the territory grew.

I had to meet my mother. I had to ask why the hell my little brother could fly.

I didn't even have to search for my Mum. It was noon so I knew where she was and what she was doing. She was in her chambers, observing the Medità.

The Medità was something many witches did at noon. It was observed by lighting ten candles around you and then trying to connect with nature's energy. Many found it refreshing and relaxing, while some saw it as an “unskippable" task of the day as it was believed—more like rumoured— to be able to sustain life and even heal.

I personally thought it was a waste of time and there were better things I could do at noon.

The door creaked as I walked in. Mum was in her robe as she sat on the ground observing the Medità. Her eyes were shut and it was as though she didn't know I was in the room.

“I want to speak with you," I said.

Of course, she didn't answer me. I didn't expect her to.

The candles all melted and remained as hot liquid after I uttered some words and then they went to their normal form. Mum's eyes were open now.

“What's wrong with you? You know I don't like being disturbed when I'm observing the Medità.”

“I see," I said, rolling my eyes at her. “You also don't seem to like taking care of your nine-year-old son.”

“What the bloody hell are you talking about?”

“What the bloody hell do you think I'm talking about? You have a little boy who's got very powerful magic and you barely give him any time at all."

“That's not true," Mum let out, not even trying to sound convincing.

“Oh, is it not? When last did you spend quality time with him? Huh?”

“I can't believe you're saying this? Quality time? Well since you're deciding to act dumb, I'll treat you that way." Slowly the candles were returned to their stands which were all meticulously arranged. “Anna, we can't pretend things are okay because they simply aren't. How hard is it to understand that I have to think of everyone's safety and the burden is all on me?”

I still wasn't buying any of it. We can't refuse to do what we have to because it's harder to do. Whether the world's ending or not wouldn't change that Mason's only nine years old and he needs the attention and love of his mother. Especially when he has so much power in him.

“He's only nine, Mum!”

“Trust me he'll be alive long after we are long gone and forgotten."

“What do you mean?”

Mum stared into my eyes and said, “Don't act like you don't know Mason is different."

“I do but it's just his magic, right?”

She shook her head. “No, he's made of magic— amongst other “things"."

This ought to be interesting.