A Homecoming

The rooms that were given to us were beautiful, beds had big beige-colored headstands with floral carvings on them, the sheets and pillows were fluffy soft and had beige-colored embroidered borders, and there were comforters too.

On the right side of the headstand was a wall that had a window almost a foot below the ceiling with the pointy arch and the bottom was almost an inch higher than my knees, it had enough space for two people to sit.

On the left side of the bed was a dressing with the same beige color and floral carvings, its mirror going all the way down to the ground, and on the left and right it had beige-colored desks with white drawers and the same colored handles, it had all the luxurious makeup accessories, skin care accessories and all the things a woman can only desire at once.

On the left of the dressing table was a compartment in the wall and there was a handle as soon as I turned it, it opened like a portable stand that had many foot wears, on the left wall was the door where I entered from and while turning to the left again I saw a big strong door.

When I opened it there was a wardrobe and there were different kinds of outfits and in the middle of those outfits, in the end, there was a mirror.

I was already admiring the room but the thing that attracted me was the cozy bed, as soon as we hit the sack we drifted off, even though we knew we were surrounded by strangers.

In the evening my eyes opened with the sound of the knock, it was hard for me to open my eyes, I fell down from the bed and quickly stood back up in embarrassment I pushed myself toward the door "Who is it?" I asked.

"It is me Zee! Open up!" It was Cris as soon as I opened up I saw her all dolled up, in a red off-shoulder gown winged eyeliner, and her hair open, she turned round and round to show off and smiled "How do I look?" I felt good watching her smile like that.

"Woah! Gorgeous!" I giggled.

"And I can see you are still a mess" She pursed her mouth and stared at me from head to toe "Go get ready and catch me up in the hall!" She blurted and rushed toward the end of the walkway.

I got back inside and freshened up, I opened the wardrobe and smiled while I slipped my fingers on the dresses hanging inside from one dress to another my fingers kept traveling until they stopped, it was a turquoise blue gown with a long mermaid tail floral end.

There was something about that dress I felt drawn toward it, I pulled it out and changed into it.

I stood in front of the mirror and smiled while turning round and round I giggled I enjoyed watching the bottom twisting and as soon as I stopped my eyes fell on my own reflection, I saw a flash of my past where I was getting ready for my parents' anniversary.

My smile vanished and my heart began pounding, that was the last time I ever got ready like this, I wanted to rip off my clothes and everything around, but I controlled my emotions, I thought that if it was a new beginning, I did not want to ruin everything on the first day.

"I do not want to have a breakdown, I hate breakdowns…" I mumbled to myself and quickly began to brush my hair, I was so afraid that I didn't even put so much effort into it instead I just turned around and left the room.

I paced up until I realized that I reached the hallway, I stopped and realized people will be watching me, and I was right when I looked around I realized everyone was staring at me, I kept standing there like an idiot, the hallway was four steps lower, but I stood by the highest step.

A woman with a golden French Twist came from the back and stood beside me "Zinnia?" She called my name and I looked at her with surprise before my curiosity could build up she spoke out "I am Head Mistress of the Mist Wood High School, Evangeline Leonardo!" She exclaimed extending her hand toward me.

She had a strange kind of sparkle in her eyes, and excitement filled in her voice.

I noticed her hair were not actually golden but they were dark brown in the roots then in the middle they had a light brown shade then on the tips they were yellowish golden, "I like your hair" I could not stop myself from complimenting her.

"Thank you" She smiled, while we shook hands.

"I so wanted to meet you" I smiled at her.

"I know but you were so tired and I was not here then, it was best for you to rest" She faced the hallway while she picked up a drink from the waiter passing by "At least we got a chance to meet"

"Can I ask why is everyone staring at me?" I faced the hallway while my eyes kept bouncing through every corner of the room.

"Isn't it obvious? You are a new face here, you look pretty and your dress is pretty" She blurted.

"Aww, baby dearest is wearing her mommy's gown tonight?" A voice came from behind and just as I thought I found out it was Robin when I turned back.

When I was done swallowing her bitter accent the reality struck me "What?" I realized what she said "My mother's gown?" I looked down at my outfit with surprise.

When I raised my eyes I saw Mrs. Leonardo giving Robin a death glare, she quickly looked at me and smiled "Yes Zinnia, it was your mother's!" She sighed.

I wanted to ask so much but before I could say or react, four hands grabbed me two from each shoulder It was my friends, they started gabbling and I lost Mrs. Leonardo in the crowd, I tried to peek but she was already gone.

When I turned to my friends I realized Dominique's gaze was stuck at me, even though he was trying to look anywhere else but he could not, his eyes kept bouncing through every corner of the room but they ended up on me every time.

I held my fingers with my other hand I was feeling nervous now, and when my concentration returned back to my friends I realized Cris was complimenting me.

"Thank you, but am I the only one who's worried about our families? I mean, I have tried calling my aunt multiple times but she is not answering, I have talked to mom though" I shrugged.

"Yeah I called my Nana and Shawn contacted his parents and we told them that we all are on some kind of research assignment gone someplace as archaeologists" Cris and Shawn laughed "Hey do not worry maybe your aunt is busy?" Cris grabbed my shoulder in a sweet way.

"And what about you Dom?" I looked at Dominique when his face turned long and I saw emptiness inside him.

"Remember the car crash I told you about? My mother and father died in it too."

His answer left me ashamed this was the second time I made him feel sad like that "I am sorry I…" I wanted to say more but he stopped me.

"It is alright, I have learned to live with that" He shrugged "Anyway what about Mrs. Leonardo, what was she talking about?" He asked.

"She said this dress I am wearing belongs to my mom" I looked down at my dress "This is surprising, even for me because she never told me anything about MistWoods" I was still thinking.

Ryan was also there and he was lost in deep thought when he snapped his fingers "We may have a way to find answers to our questions" He stepped forward "Remember the mage I told you about?"

He could have said something further but Cris interrupted him "Oh that scary guy? I am so ready to meet him!" She frowned.

"I will take you to him but you should know that he might scare you all" Ryan was still saying but Cris interrupted him again.

"Ugh! Not this again!" She facepalmed.

"No you have to understand, this isn't a joke anymore, he definitely has answers for all your questions but when he is reading he turns really scary… even gives me chills!" Ryan shook his head the way I do when I am having goosebumps and this time he seemed really serious.

We decided to go at last. He took us to the end of the corridor to the far left side and from there we found a small door that opened into a stairwell, there were too many stairs only looking at them made our legs hurt.

"I am not going up there!" Shawn stared at his leg as if he had not still recovered.

"It is okay! Hold my arms all of you!" Ryan stood in between, we had no idea why he was asking us to do this but we did what he said.

We stepped on the first stair with him and heard him whispering, then we felt the wind, even though the stairwell was closed from everywhere we still felt the wind on our faces, strong enough to blow our hair.

When I looked down I realized that the stairs were moving as if they are folding up on one another.

Before we knew we reached the topmost step, to be honest, we all were very impressed by Ryan's act.

We found ourselves standing in front of a small wooden door, when we opened it we saw a room like an attic, it had windows vertically spread throughout the room except for one area, that had a lot of darkness on it.

We stepped inside, then the moon came out from behind the clouds the moonlight reached the darkest corner of the room, and we saw that there was a man locked inside a cell.

A man with a white long beard and mustache, he was wearing something similar to an overcoat, a strange overcoat with too many pockets, I wonder what he used them for.

He was sitting on a bench while his head resting on the wall and his eyes were closed, for a moment we thought maybe he is asleep but before we could act he inhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes.

"Ahh! Isn't the moonlight beautiful?" He stood up and stepped forward when he came into the light we realized his eyes were white as a pearl.

"How…" I had just opened my mouth when he interrupted me "Zinnia my child, you finally came!" A big smile spread on his face, a genuine happiness could be seen but why? And how does he knows me? I could not understand.

"I know you, I knew your father, I knew your family!" It was like whatever I wanted to ask he was already answering me.

"I do not see around but I see behind, within, and beneath, like this moonlight, I see it as it touches my skin I feel it as it absorbs in my skin, in my soul, just like that I can see you!" He held the bars of the cell.

"I can sense another presence, it is strong…" He thought for a minute then extended his hand toward Cris "Wait? Who's the other girl? I can not read her name. Come here, child?" He called out to her.

Cris stepped forward even though she was shaking, as soon as she got close enough he grabbed her hands.

"Ah… I know you?" He smiled "But… wait! How is it possible?" He turned his face to his left as if someone is whispering in his ear "A harbinger of death! Born from the ashes of Death Valley. You are the first one of your bloodline!" It looked as if he was looking straight into her eyes.

"What are you saying? I do not understand!" Cris was feeling uncomfortable and scared.

"Listen to me! You didn't kill him! You predicted his death, what you were having was just an episode, getting close to the school triggered your powers you are a Harbinger of death.

I recognize you! A long time ago when you weren't born you had a very rare disease that had no cure, except one! Your parents came to me! Asked me for a flower that only grows once a year in death valley.

I told your parents it will treat any illness no matter how incurable it is but it will give your child a cursed life.

I can see you will be pulling on this burden very gracefully" He smiled at her but within a minute his smile vanished and he seemed worried.

"There's something else I can see! Listen! Do not fall for fake promises. Every hand that reaches you is not of a friend!! Get a hard hold on your gifts do not let them consume you!!" His eyes started turning red there was anger in his voice and his grip on Cris's hands started getting tighter by the minute.

"I will give you all support, as much as I can!!" He blurted then turned his face my way "Zinnia! This girl must survive because she'll be your crutches when you can not walk, she will be your light in the dark" Right after saying this to Zinnia both Cris and the old man fell on their knees and looked up, their eyes were completely white and within few seconds they both fell unconscious on the ground.