Kristen Day - Chosen

A crisp, biting wind swirled through the open window; lifting the thin sheet draped over his aching body. The night surrounding his isolated room was dark and still when the roar of the ocean’s waves was interrupted by an entrancing melody. The full moon shone into his tired eyes as they cracked open at the faint singing; its silver glow pulling at his conscious. He wrapped the tattered sheet around his body and slowly made his way to the window. The night sky above glittered with the dancing of stars, while the radiance of the moon highlighted the rolling waves below.

The bubbling surf raced up the beach until its energy was spent; tugging on the sand and rocks below as it retreated once again. The cool breeze swept through his white beard and he squinted his eyes at the beach below. With each fallen wave, the glow grew brighter. Hundreds of magnificent blue lights sparkled within the water, creating a magical blanket of effervescence along the water’s edge. He had only seen this phenomenon once before…many, many years ago. It was a type of plankton that glistened a beaming blue when it became stirred up; however, he knew that it was typically found farther out in the ocean. Its unexpected arrival on land had his suddenly guarded eyes scanning the beach. That’s when he saw her.

The sheer white fabric of her flowing dress drifted in the breeze as she glided in a wide circle, dancing and spinning with a power he could feel down in the core of his tired soul. She was spellbinding and beautiful - and deadly. The captivating symphony of her voice cascaded down the stone walls of his prison and whirled around the crescent-shaped beach below. Her wild, curly dark hair was accentuated by streaks of silver as it blew around her pale face. Eyes closed, her skin shimmered silver in the light of the moon above while she continued her trancelike dance. Loose silver ribbons lifted from her wrists, ankles, and hair where they were loosely secured. They created an illusion of fire; its sparkling flames shooting up into the air and around its writhing center. He shook his head and closed his eyes to snap himself out of her allure.

As the singing faded slightly, he looked on as she stopped twirling and raised her thin arms into the air with closed fists. She tilted her head back; her dark hair falling down her back, her body now fully embraced by the moonlight. She herself emanated an eerie glow. She wasn’t just dancing amongst the night, she was a part of the night. The moonlight that caressed her angelic face also shone from within. She stood perfectly still for what seemed like hours, while the ever-moving world around her continued its pace. Finally, she slowly dropped her arms and flashed open her palms.

What appeared to be small crystals scattered around her onto the sand. They shimmered and flickered as they brightened further.

She raised her arms again very slowly, making the circle of crystals hover in the air around her. As they started to spin, they took on the appearance of a solid ring of light. Her arms continued to lift, taking the ring of light higher and higher. A bright flash caught him by surprise and he stumbled backwards; shielding his face. After regaining his balance, he approached the window once more; only to see the ring of light had disappeared as well as the glowing plankton. All that remained was her.

She stood rigid and silent as the surf swept over her feet and rushed back toward the waves.

She swayed gently from side to side and he realized how innocent she looked. Her small stature was a reminder of who she used to be, but he knew better. He knew what she was capable of. In a flash, she twisted her head; locking him in her chilling glare. The startling silver of her eyes chilled him to the bone and had him slowly backing away from the window. Amongst the dark shadows of his room, he stared at the long ray of light cast across the floor by the moon. He knew what her witching hour display meant. He knew it with certainty. A creeping cold slithered up his spine and squeezed his heart. They were running out of time.

Sleep. Too often our nightly slumber full of dreams and rejuvenation is taken for granted.

The mind and body deplete quickly if they’re denied that all important intermission. Unfortunately for my body, my weary mind refused to rest; refused to give in. Sleep was a luxury I couldn’t afford.

When the most important person in your life has had their soul ripped out and stolen by the evil princess of the Underworld, sleep drops to last place on your priority list. It had been five days since Finn’s eighteenth birthday. Five days since Nadia had taken his soul. My nights were spent jumping from reverie to reverie searching for him. My days were spent in class, trying to numb the pain that followed each unsuccessful night. Although Charon and the Sons were searching vigilantly as well, they had yet to find their new Prime. Nadia was clever. She was cunning. They could be anywhere, but I wouldn’t stop until he was found. Until then, nothing else mattered.

I reminded myself to breathe as I painstakingly opened my eyes. My hope was instantly squelched by the crushing disappointment that caused already pooling tears to trickle down my cheeks. Finn’s bedroom. Again. I sighed as I took in the large black and white rendering of a skull and crossbones hanging above his bed. Although the room was dark, the moon’s light fought its way through the closed curtains. I ran my fingers along the soft comforter and thought back to the night of our argument. My heart shattered all over again. His intended sacrifice had woven a net of powerful love around my heart that could never be unraveled, even if I tried. At the moment, that love was the only thing pushing me forward.

The silence of his abandoned bedroom was deafening. I missed his voice. I missed his eyes. I missed his arms and the warm darkness he carried with him. The very darkness I now carried within my own soul. I carefully sat down on his bed and closed my eyes. Why wasn’t this working? I had the ability to find Finn in my reveries long before I knew what they were or who he was. I had been able to find Nadia through a reverie a couple of weeks earlier. I should have been able to locate Finn easily, but I consistently found myself appearing in only the places we had been together.

I had a bad feeling that Nadia had something to do with my continued failure. She had the ability to manipulate my reveries, so it would only make sense that she’d be able to block them as well. It was becoming apparent that I had to find another way. I put my head in my hands and decided it was time to go back. I thought about the cool sheets of my bed, the familiarity of my own bedroom and tried to ignore the utter defeat that laid heavy on my heart.

A high-pitched, off-colored laugh woke me from the few hours of sleep I had allowed myself to indulge in. The sun was just beginning to make its way over the horizon and my empty stomach was already growling. I threw the tangle of blonde and aquamarine hair on my head in a bun and tugged on a sweatshirt before making my way out to the living room of our suite.

“Phoebe, get away from her! You’ll only make it worse!” Willow was gripping Phoebe’s thin arm; her wide blue eyes examining Carmen as her frown deepened. Another hysterical laugh gave Phoebe the strength to wiggle out of Willow’s grasp and lunge toward Carmen in a panic. Before she reached her, I wrapped my arms around her waist and was able to hold her back. Willow was beside me in a flash, and we wrestled her onto the couch where she slumped over; eyes remaining fixed on Carmen - a Carmen that, as of several days ago, had grown unrecognizable.