Becoming (Chapter Three)

3. Falling in Faster1


“Can’t you at least try to interact, Jade? You just sit there and isolate yourself! How am I supposed to help you if you won’t even try to make friends?”
I didn’t answer. I could say her perspective was wrong, but it wasn’t. I just didn’t want to be friends with anyone. I liked my solitude, the ability to reflect without the constant worry of friendships and drama. I had my own world, how could I let others in?
The counselor, Abby, sighed dramatically. See? There was drama that I did not need. Even in a small counselor’s office, I was exposed to the world in a way that made me cringe and back away.
Abby glanced at her watch. I’m so sorry, I’d go if I could, but my mother won’t be here for another hour today.
“Okay, I’m going to take you home, so you can finish that painting of yours. Remember to show it to me!”
“Of course, Abby, but I have to finish it first…”
She sighed, and grabbed her keys. “All right dear, let’s go.”
I followed her to her convertible, something that I was very jealous of. My foster parents only let me have their boxish car thing that collected rust. I don’t even bother to remember what it’s called.
I love the ride home, but I think Abby always believes it’s awkward to be silent. I never got that, really, because I love just sitting there, feeling the peace and quiet, and watching the cliffs go by. It’s the most interesting to see the town die off as we go into the mountains. The best part is seeing the huge mansion with it’s large glass widows appear around the corner on the hill. When the sun is just right, the red of the house and the glare of the sun on all the windows makes it look almost creepy.
I know better because I’ve felt the warm and loving air that my adoptive parents give off. I didn’t need the counselor, but we were friends, and it was nice to have at least one.
I don’t think she understands that when you’re home schooled, it’s almost impossible to make friends.
“Here you are. We still on for bowling tomorrow night? I’ve got a cute guy I want to you to meet.”
“Abby, I don’t want to be set up!”
She smiled. “Come on, you’ve been avoiding this forever. It’s only one guy. He doesn’t even know you’re coming!”
“Fine. But I’m only going on the condition that I get ice cream afterwards.”
“Only if you come.”
“Duh.”
She laughed.
“God, how do you do that?”
“Do what? She said, with a wink.
I rolled my eyes. “I swear, you’ve got too many tricks up your sleeves.”
“It’s part of my job.”
“Of course,” I said as I got out of the car. “Bye, Abby!”
“See you tomorrow night, and look nice!” I slammed the door, pretending to be mad. I didn’t really mind she was doing this, because I didn’t have to do much work to be social. She brought them to me, eliminating the hardest part.
I saw her wide smile as she backed out and drove away, and I lost sight of her when she was behind the cliffs. I turned and went inside the house, my plans for tonight forming in my head.2

“Jade, you can go out, but make sure you have your flashlight, radio, and above all, dress warmly. You know how the weather is in the mountains,” said Laura, somewhat hesitantly. I had gotten my homework done, though, and she promised to let me go for a hike after it was done. “Oh, and take your pocket knife too, I don’t like you going out so late.”
“Thank you!” was all I could say, as I tried to shove my boots on, almost falling over. I grabbed my warmest sweatshirt, and pulled it over my head. Running, I got to the kitchen and snatched the small, bright flashlight and my pocket knife was already safe in my jean pocket. “Bye Mom! Love you!” I yelled over my shoulder, almost ran into the glass door because I wasn’t paying attention.
“Oof!” I exclaimed, dodging the door quickly, by opening it. Outside, it was beautiful. The sun was not setting yet, but it was right about the mountains. The tips were just turning purple.
Breathing in deeply the dry mountain air, I thanked God for no humidity. I wonder if He even heard you.
Of course He did.
I sighed, and began my trek. I decided I would go to my favorite viewing places. It was a dead end, and you had to be very careful not to go tumbling down the small hill, to be pitched into the air. You would fall more than one hundred feet.
It was worth the scenery though, and the flowers there were deep shades of purple and pink. One time, I even found an orange one. You’d think that if I loved nature so much, I would learn more about it, but I love the mystery of it.
I could name the flowers, or I could think up names that fit them better. Dandelions? No, I shall call it… Lion’s Sun. I mean, some names don’t even fit the plants, or the insects.
I reflected on this, as I walked down the trail. When I got to the fork, I took a less traveled path, which required me to plow through some bushes. Before I could though, I spotted a small fawn down the trail. Gasping, I quickly covered my mouth to keep from scaring the small thing. Her mother couldn’t be far away.
The fawn wobbled unsurely on her legs, but then leaped into the foliage, disappearing, perhaps forever. I found myself smiling broadly, because I had never seen such a small deer, and that close too! She had been less than twenty yards away, or a quarter of a football field.
Still smiling, I plunged into the bushes. They scratched, but it wasn’t anything fatal, so I just ignored the tiny stabs of pain the wounds gave.
Out of the bushes, I face a very, very large spider web. Now, I don’t mind observing spiders from a distance, and seeing their webs with droplets of dew on them in the morning. However, I do mind coming face to face with a colony of spiders that build an amazingly intricate web across my path. It took me two seconds to react, because I didn’t like the though of the large group of spiders crawling on me. I dove to the right, because my momentum from coming out of the attacking bushes was still there. Where I landed, there was no web, but I had a strand of it on my arm, from when I brushed it while diving.
I hated the feeling of spider webs on you. It was like there were a million little bugs tickling you, and you couldn’t see them! I quickly brushed them off, probably looking very hilarious slapping my hand and jumping up and down, squealing. I burst into laughter, directed at myself, of course.
And you swore you were a nature freak, but now you’re freaking out about a spider web on your hand!
I stopped laughing, and looked at the sky. You’ll have to hurry if you want to get back before midnight.
Taking a step in the direction of my ‘hideout’, and musing over how the large group of spiders came to that certain spot, occupied all my attention. I hadn’t realized my surroundings until I ran face first into a rock wall.
It took me a few seconds to re-organize my wits, and my body. My head was going to have a large bump on it. Thankfully, I don’t walk with my head up, so my nose didn’t get hit. I carefully felt the bruise, and there was no blood, but it hurt like hell. Gritting my teeth, I slowly sat down.
Okay, you obviously can’t go any farther, but you can’t go back yet. You should at least try to walk though.
However, even sitting up, my head pounded, weighing me down unbearably. The pain was beginning to feel so intense that I wondered if dying would be better. You haven’t felt this horrible since… that night.
I groaned, but I knew I would survive this, with hardly any memories of the ache, so I forced my self to stand.
“Ooookay, bad idea,” I muttered, sitting back down again. My closed my eyes and tried to stay conscious as my vision went black. Don’t faint, don’t faint…
My vision returned to normal, and I finally began to feel less and less dizzy. The pain, however, stayed, throbbing continuously.
“Stupid head, why did I ever claim to be apart of you?” I said to myself.
I leaned back, but was much surprised to find the rock wall had disappeared. Gasping, I fell back, trying to sop myself by tensing my muscles. This only caused farther problems, and I knew immediately, with regret, that I had pulled a muscle in my back.
When I looked up, I panicked, dragging my whole body into the emotion. I hyperventilated, and shook my head in disbelief, begging my imagination was just spilling over in the dark night.
Above me, high in the sky, bright and shining, were two moons. One was red, and one pure white, the red behind, and slightly larger than the white one. What the heck?
Before I could speak, a cold and clammy hand slapped itself on my mouth. This was followed by a whispering “Shhhh!”
I tried to struggle, but my attempts were very poor because of the sharp pains I received from moving. So I just kind of mumbled into the hand.
“Mfft wartf fou dofwing?”
“Sush! They can’t catch me!” He sounds pretty desperate. I decided to comply. I wonder who would catch him if I screamed.
Faint voices were drifting to my ears, getting louder, and obviously, closer.
“He can’t have gone far, Lord Pennington,” said a small, meek voice, but low and resounding all the same. There was much distain in his voice, and I knew that I couldn’t even move, for I couldn’t let this man catch my… restrainer.
“Yes, but we need to catch him. You know well how easily he can outwit us with his black magic and sorcery.” Oh. I re-thought my screaming idea, but this man’s voice was even worse, the first picture that came to mind was a man with red eyes. I shuddered.
Above me, from my position on the ground, my restrainer took his hand off my mouth. “Yes, he is a horrible man,” my restrainer whispered. With my eyes adjusted to the strange moonlight, I could now see that he was a boy, about sixteen.
The voices made small talk, and I began to think they weren’t very diabolically genius trackers.
“Well, thank you for staying quiet; I just had to get away from them.” He began to get up.
“Hey, wait!”
He stopped. “Yes?”
“Ummm… hello?” I said, now annoyed. “Isn’t it quiet obvious I’m in pain, and won’t be able to get up? I need someone to take me home!”
“There are no villages around here,” he spoke, sounding confused. Villages? Crap. I was beginning to think that my imagination was reality.
“It’s just by the highway!” My voice was already starting to rise.
“What’s a highway?” The boy threw up his arms, clearly annoyed that I was keeping him.
I grabbed the leg of his… leggings, in panic. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.”
“What?” he snapped.
“I think I jumped reality.”