The Enchanted

Chapter-11

"You're not a hallucination?" I blurted out. Sabrina and the old woman stared at me as though I had lost my mind.
"Um, sorry. I mean I think I've seen you before. On my first day here."

"Of course you saw me," she muttered as though she couldn't believe how dumb I was being.

I stared at her, thinking of something to say. If this old woman was real, it meant the other things I had seen were real. But then why had I been sick at the party? It was like nothing I had ever felt before. Wait, was I actually seeing her or was this another illusion. I bit my lip in frustration. I was overthinking my overthinking. It felt like I was going mad.

"You're real?" I burst out. "Like a real person?"

Both of them stared at me looking bewildered.

"Adriana are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?" Sabrina asked knitting her brows together in concern. "Are you feeling ill like you did at the party?"

"Of course you are real." I murmured, leaning against the wall and closing my eyes. The humid air inside the shop felt heavy. Perspiration trickled at from the back of my neck as I thought hard.

"She can see you too which means there really was a hand at the back of the car, I couldn't possibly have imagined that..." I rambled on, ignoring her.

"Adriana, can you hear me?" she asked sounding really alarmed.

"And those howls are real? No, No, can't be. There was this stalker and this rabbit..."

"Excuse me, I will buy this later. My friend here is not feeling well," she said, dragging me out of the store into the cold night air.

"Not everyone and everything is who they seem to be, little one," she yelled after us and cackled. "You have a lot to learn after all."

"Adrina, listen to me. Do you know who I am?" she asked.

"Of course. Don't be stupid. I'm fine." I said, trying to escape her grip. She didn't budge.

"Who am I?"

"You're Sabrina. My new friend. We are currently in Audersbury, my name is Adriana Flamrose, I am twenty-one years old, my hobby is reading, my favourite colour is navy blue and I freaking hate broccoli. I'm alright okay?"

She stared at me for a long time and then sighed. Together we started walking home.

"Adriana?" she said.

"What?"

"Do you really hate broccoli? Wow, we have even more in common than I thought." She rubbed her hands and attempted a half-smile at me.

We walked in silence for about two minutes when she started talking again.

"Man, it was weird at the shop. You were acting all freaked out on seeing Sarah's old grandma like she was some ghost. I know she's pretty eccentric but no one has had such a strong reaction on seeing her. Maybe you are just sensitive."

"Sarah?"

"Yeah, her granddaughter. She's about the same age as us. And not only you, even that old bat was acting hella strange. She doesn't usually talk much except to yell at kids who ruin her yard and to explain things to Sarah. As soon as I took you out, she said something. I was like, what the hell. Why are you giving us cryptic warnings grammy? But I was more focused on you. If you had been okay, I would have chewed her out."

I felt myself beginning to smile. 

"What?"

"You might act all macho but deep down I know you're scared of her."

"No way. Why are you smiling at me? I'm not scared of her"

"You so are."

"Well, maybe I am. But hey, she is creepy okay?"

I just nodded. We soon reached and I waved Sabrina goodbye.

"Call if you need anything or feel sick," she said anxiously.

I gave her a hug and walked in my house. I was feeling exhausted. Climbing into bed, I closed my eyes. This town was nowhere near the quiet and relaxing place I had imagined. I had a lot to think about but I just forced myself to push it out of my head. I was not in the mood to deal with it. Not tonight.

I lay there for about twenty minutes when I realised I had forgotten to get gas for my car. There would be no time to do it tomorrow.

Sighing, I got up and pulled on a jacket over my pyjamas. Tying up my tangled hair, I went out and climbed in my car. If it was cold in the evening, it was freezing at night. Rubbing my hands, I made my way to the gas station. I was halfway through to the station when I realised how stupid I had been. It was dangerous to go out at night usually and in this town- I didn't even want to imagine it. I decided to continue on ignoring my dark thoughts.

I reached the gas station which was mostly deserted. I hurried as much as I could and climbed back inside the car.  I was about to drive away when I spotted a commotion at the far end of the huge station. Intrigued, I drove closer, despite knowing what a terrible idea it was. But two days of almost no sleep had left me feeling a bit reckless. Stopping my car a few feet away and stared hard.

To my surprise, I saw Ethan and Elara standing there arguing with a group of kids standing there in leather jackets. With a start, I recognised the back of one guy's head. It was Moro. I couldn't be sure but I felt like it was him. A guy leaned over and tried to push Ethan who grabbed his hand at astounding speed. Then he flipped the guy over smashing him hard on the concrete floor. The guy didn't seem to be moving.

I started backing away in horror. What had just happened? I didn't want to see this at all. Ethan must have heard the sound of my car because he looked up at me.

And glared at me.