SWNOVELS Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
Tossing my keys onto the black metal computer desk across from my twin sized bed, I look around my dorm room and briefly wonder where my roommate, Rifqa might be. Not overly concerned that she isn’t here, I make my way to the small bed, flopping backward onto my black satin comforter. An exhausted sigh escaping my lips, I close my eyes with the intent to just rest them for a couple of minutes.
The dream starts off sweet and innocent enough. We had arrived at the Church of Covens and found Alina. She took me around and introduced me to her new friends, one of which happened to be Devon. As my eyes connected with his ocean blue eyes, my heart flipflopped, fluttered and jumped against my chest. I had to force my eyes away from his and then my dream began to shift, becoming the nightmare I am accustomed to.
As though in slow motion, I can see the battle rage as the witches and the hunters are fighting one another. Me, James, and Natalie have aligned with the Silver-Heart Coven, and we are doing our best to keep the hunters at bay. Waiting all the while for Ali and Nic to make their presence known.
They are the key to ending the war that has taken place for centuries. Once they arrive, they make their magic entwine with one another until it has become one unified, whole. A blue, white light begins to glow and swirl around the pair starting at their feet and moving upward. Their unique magic encompasses them, surrounding their entire beings. We stand to the side and watch in awe at the amazing spectacle. Suddenly an explosion of light, so bright I was unable to keep my eyes open, exploded from them. The air exhaled sharply from my lungs as I collided with the dirt and grass beneath my butt. Every single person had been knocked to the ground!
Once we were all able to move and right ourselves, after the initial shock wave, we all began to look around trying to figure out what had just happened. To my surprise and I am sure to everyone else’s as well, all of our weapons had disappeared and all who were wounded or dead, were healed and amongst the living again. All the witches that had come to help us fight off the hunters began to surge upon Ali and Nic. Words of congratulations, cheers of happiness and jubilation could be heard throughout the crowd.
Trying to push through the throng of people proved futile so I held back as all gathered around celebrating. I stood by Mr. Hopkins and watched the different emotions and expressions run across Alina’s face, laughing from the sidelines knowing deep down, she wanted to get away from the overwhelming crowded atmosphere. Looking at her, I just bid my time because I knew eventually the crowd would start to thin out and I’d be able to make my way up to her.
Suddenly her face contorts in pain, or fear, I’m not quite sure which. Now more than ever I wish the crowd was gone so I could make my way to her. Before I am able to reach her, she crumbles to the ground, and I can hear Dominic shouting out her name. I stand frozen unable to get my brain to cooperate with my body so that I could get to her. Nic’s Grandma was able to come to her aid and had Nic place her flat on the ground. I stood dumbfounded as he repositioned himself to one side of Alina’s body while his grandmother kneeled on the opposite side of her. The most horrifying sound if ever there were one, was when Nic shouted out in anguish, “NOOOO!”
My world began to shake. I looked around trying to figure out if it was an earthquake, but no one else was being shaken like I was. Tears slip from my eyes as I realize Alina was dead. I keep shaking and cannot seem to figure out how to put a stop to it. Darkness starts to consume me and then I find myself staring into two liquid chocolate pools of brown. “El, Ella, wake up you’re having that dream again.” Rifqa states as she continues to shake me from my dream.
Opening my eyes, I find myself staring into her light brown ones, full of worry over me. “More like a nightmare,” I mutter and then add; “Okay, you can stop shaking me now. I’m awake and I’m alright.” I move myself so I am sitting on the edge of my bed, my legs dangling over the side because being only 5’4-Ish, I don’t have a chance in hell of resting them on the grey carpeted floor unless I stand up completely. “Sorry, Rif. I hadn’t even realized I fell asleep.” Rifqa raised an eyebrow in a skeptical look as she continued to gaze at me. Rolling my eyes, I offer her a smile, “really Rif, I promise. I’m good.”
“Yeah, okay. Whatever.” She sighed and then turning to her side of the room, she began to rummage through her dresser drawers before she turned back to me. “I just worry about you El. The dreams tend to pull you down, making you depressed afterwards.”
Giving her a genuine smile for her kindness, I haul myself off the bed. I take the step or two it takes to be by her side and wrap her up in a bear hug. “I love you girl! Thanks for caring about me but I promise, everything is okay now and I’ve got great news to share with everyone at the Academy.”
“Ugh, let me go! I hate when you get all lovey-dovey on me!” She squirmed her athletic build from out of my grasp and we both laughed. “So, spill. What’s this great news you’re going to share?” Rif takes the hair-tie she had been looking for a minute ago and pulls up her reddish-brown hair into a high ponytail while she listens to my news.
“Okay, so, Devon had picked me up from the airport and as he drove us back to his parents’ house, he told me that there was a really awesome surprise waiting for me inside. Of course, my mind began to swirl with all the possibilities of what this surprise could be. But let me tell you, none of my thoughts were even close to what was really there.” My eyes go wide with giddy excitement as I begin to share my astonishment with her. “As we got ready to walk through their front door, Dominic opened it from the inside and there Alina stood. Flesh and blood, whole again!”
I have to look up to Rifqa (literally), because she is nearly five inches taller than me. Her tan-colored skin heightens the gold flecks in her wide brown eyes as she stares back at me in shock. Seeing her expression, I jump up and down in happiness, causing my curly blonde ringlets to bounce around my pixie shaped face.
“W-what? How is that even possible?” She stutters slightly as her brain processes the news I had just shared.
“It’s true, I swear! Apparently when Dominic disappeared, he found himself in New Orleans for a while where he happened upon another coven of witches called the Night-Sky Coven. The leader of the coven, some girl named Raegan, and her brother Vince discovered a way to bring Alina back from the spirit realm. And now, she’s a living, breathing, human!”
“Um, wow. How does one respond to being told people were able to resurrect a body from the dead? That’s so freaking crazy!” she exclaimed but as she continued to ramble in her disbelief, my stomach grumbled, loudly. Laughing at me, Rif asked; “would you like to go to the chow hall and get some dinner? I was headed that way when I stopped by to grab a hair-tie. Then I got sidetracked by trying to wake you up.”
“Yes, I’m famished,” and as if my stomach wanted to emphasize my statement, it rumbled even louder, the sound ending in almost a growl. I drape a hand across my stomach trying to tame it from gurgling with hunger pains. Rifqa’s eyebrows sprang up nearly touching her hairline before she smiled widely and nodded her head. Turning to the door, she swung it open and stepped out of our room; I followed her out of the room, shutting the door behind me. Once outside the main entrance of our dorm building, we began to make the small trek across campus to the cafeteria.
*
Wednesday dawns with blue skies and sunshine. I grab my dark blue winter jacket, slipping into it before wrapping a light blue scarf around my neck and placing a light blue beanie on my head. Walking across campus I make my way over to the cafeteria so I can be one of the first in line for breakfast. Wednesday’s the staff typically serve bacon and even though we are on break the kitchen staff still maintained scheduled days of what to be served. Walking into the cafeteria, I inhaled deeply and sighed appreciatively. The aroma of bacon filling my nostrils is one of the most pleasant experiences to have ever had, well in my book anyway!
Eagerly I hop in line, not bothering to remove any of my winter gear, and leaving it at ‘my’ table like I usually wood. My mind is too focused on bacon to think about my typical routine of claiming a seat, leaving my stuff in ‘my’ spot, and then going to get in line like I normally do. The lunch lady sees me and gives a genuine smile of happiness causing me to smile just as brightly as she was. “Your usual Wednesday plate, Ella?” she asked as she piled a mound of bacon on a plastic plate, grabbing another plate for my other breakfast items as I nodded enthusiastically at her, my smile only growing wider as I watch her stack the crispy flavor sticks.
Once I have got my breakfast in hand, I make my way over to an empty table and take a seat. Before I dig in though, I send Ali a text message telling her about my dream and needing reassurance that she is still alive and kicking.
Ali: You’re a dork, but yes, I’m still here.
Me: Sorry. Just a moment of panic. I still have a hard time believing you’re back on earth.
Ali: L. O. L.
I sigh in relief as a smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Holding my phone in my hand, I want to respond with something witty, but my mind has gone blank. BACON!Instead, I gave into my hunger, the scent of bacon wafting across my nose was just too enticing to ignore.