Tobia breathes heavily, his eyes are popping out and he is still trying to figure out what just happened to him. What started as a contemplative retreat in the forest, turned out to be an encounter with a monster, one that he had never seen before, one that he did not even know could exist.
Tobia is looking around himself in all directions, he is scared that the dreadful creature might come back to hunt him, but he soon realizes that the creature must have been intimidated by the flash of his phone, as it must be intimated by sunlight, since it ran hiding in the darkness as soon as it was touched by the daylight.
Tobia is aware that the thing he has seen must be the same one that has been spying on him from his skylight window. He is scared and relieved at the same time, at least his mum and dad are going to take him seriously now. He checks that he has all his belongings with him, and starts running toward town.
In spite of the headache and throatache that he starts feeling, Tobia can't wait to leave the forest behind, so he keeps running faster and faster. The rays of the sun warming his face gives him courage and reassurance. As long as the light is shining, he knows the monster will not get close to him.
The bushes and the trees begin to leave space to the first houses, to the lights in the kitchens where people are having breakfast with their families, where the first talks of the day are made and where children are getting ready for school; birds are returning to chirp and dogs are barking as Tobia keeps running in the empty streets of town. Tobia's pace is rapid and steady and he manages to reach home in just a few minutes. He throws open the entrance door and starts yelling in search of his parents. His dad had left already and he can only find mum, who was chopping some herbs on the kitchen counter.
Cornelia was convinced that both his kids were still in their beds sleeping, so she is caught off-guard when Tobia rushes in the kitchen shouting. She immediately realizes that something bad must have happened, as Tobia is not the type to throw a tantrum for no reason.
Cornelia walks toward her son, who has stopped right at the entrance of the kitchen, trying to catch his breath. She has never seen his son so weary and worried before; Tobia looks terrified, he is tired for the running, and lets himself go in his mum's arms, so she drags him to the sofa and lays his body down.
Cornelia prepares a herbal tranquilizer while Tobia starts telling the whole story: «Mum, you won't believe what just happened! I went into the forest early this morning, I couldn't sleep because I had thoughts in my head and I wanted to clear them up, so I went there to talk to Florian. I went straight to the old olive tree, I put down all my stuff and I hugged the tree in search of a connection.
I could hear that the birds were not singing and that the entire forest was unusually quiet, but I didn't give it much attention at first, I was concentrated on my thoughts and I just imagined that maybe the birds were still asleep. So I stayed there talking to Florian for probably half an hour, as I realized that I started to feel observed. I looked around and I couldn't see anyone... or anything. I wanted to leave at that point when, suddenly, I noticed a dark spot in the branches, probably an animal, I thought. I went closer and I realized that it was indeed an animal, a wild board, a dead one, its body was torn apart and ravaged, hanging on a branch with its blood drooling on the earth, forming a red puddle underneath.
I decided to take a picture of that because what kind of animal could do that to an adult boar? I wanted to show it to you and dad, but as soon as the flash triggered, I saw it. I saw it with my own eyes. The most terrifying creature I have ever seen. It wasn't a human, but it looked like one. It had long black hair, its eyes were red and it moved like an animal, it made noises like an animal and it looked at me like only an animal does. In a few seconds it jumped off the tree and went hiding where the forest was more dense and the sunlight could not reach it. It disappeared in the bushes, and I ran home.
It was the same thing that I have seen staring at me from the window, I'm sure of that, mum, so please don't even begin to tell me that it is normal and it is only a dream. I have just seen it in real life, and it was so damn scary!»
«Tobia, I trust you, I would never, ever leave you alone and I would never want you to feel in peril. We will look into this and we'll find out what is going on, I promise you honey!»
Tobia abandons himself in his mum'arms. He is safe now, but he can't help shaking, as his mum strokes his hair as she used to do when he was little. Nothing can beat a mum's hug at the right time.
When Olivia returns home in the afternoon, he finds his brother sleeping on the kitchen's sofa.
«Mum, why hasn't Tobia come to school this morning? Is he sick?» asks Olivia to her mum.
«He is not sick, baby, he just had a bad morning! Hi Bianca, my dear, how are you? And how is your father?» Cornelia is always the kindest with guests.
Olivia took Bianca home for lunch. The two have been friends for some weeks now, Olivia has also been to Bianca's already and she met both her father and her aunt. She is happy that she has finally found a friend.
«Bianca, you will forgive me, I have to talk to my daughter in private, I'll give her back to you in just a few seconds, ok darling?»
«Yes, sure Ma'am, don't worry, I'll be staying here.»
«Mum, what do you have to...», «Shhhh! Your brother is still asleep, come with me!», Cornelia smiles gracefully at Bianca as she takes her daughter's hand and brings her to the living room.
«Olivia! You have to tell us if you want to bring an Ordinary at home! Imagine what could have happened if I had left all my herbs, roots and potions out in the kitchen! You have to be more thoughtful, you can't improvise like this, Olivia! I know that you miss having friends, we all do! And based on what you told me Bianca seems a pretty good person, and she looks kind and smart, but still! You can't put us, and her, at risk! Remeber that we are not like them! We will never be! So you can be friends with them, but you can't...»
«Aaaaaah!» Tobia's shout interrupts mum and daughter's conversation. They run quickly into the kitchen where they find Bianca on the floor, her hair is all over her face and she is pressing her hands on the floor, as to stabilize herself after the tumble, meanwhile Tobia is standing still, next to the sofa where he was sleeping a while ago, he is holding a porcelain vase tight in his right hand.
Cornelia and Olivia run to Bianca and help her stand up, she's fine.
«What is wrong with you?!» yells Olivia to his brother as she moves Bianca's hair off her face.
«I'm so sorry, Bianca, I thought...» mumbles Tobia, deeply upset.
«You think way too much, Tobia! Get yourself together for once!» Olivia continues.
«Oh no, it's my fault, Olivia! I was looking at those colourful liquids on the counter... I didn't mean to scare you, Tobia, it's my fault! Sorry!» Bianca is a very considerate girl, and she hates it when she is the cause of misunderstandings.
«You are such a dear girl, Bianca! Tobia has been feeling bad all morning, it wasn't his intention! Excuse me for just another moment!» says Cornelia to Bianca as she touches her arm and checks that she is all good, then proceeds to grasp Tobia's arm and takes him upstairs, leaving Bianca and Olivia in the kitchen.
«I'm sorry, Bianca!» mutters Tobia smiling at her, embarrassed, as he is dragged upstairs by his mother.
Bianca smiles back at him and watches the entire scene with an amused look.
«Tobia, what happened?!» exclaims Cornelia as they reach Tobia's bedroom.
«Nothing, mum! I was sleeping, I heard some chit chat so I woke up, and the first thing I see is this head with long dark hair wandering around our kitchen. I just got scared... I didn't mean to...»
«I know you didn't mean to scare her, honey! Look, we're going to wait for your father, so we can tell him everything that happened, he'll know better! Agreed?»
«Yes, mum.»
«Get some more sleep in your bed, sweetheart, you need it.»
YOU ARE READING
Triora's Trial
FantasyLife as a teenager is hard, but for teenage witches and wizards it is even harder.
