It's Not What It Seems
As I was twiddling my toes in the sand,
thinking about what I had just read, I noticed movement in a tide pool nearby. I walked over and sat down partly in the water. It was then that I noticed a small cavern entrance. I swam my fingers around the pool of sea creatures until my curiosity got the better of me. I walked over to the entrance and leaned in.
“Clara? Where are you? I’ve been thinking, and was hoping we could talk,” Lawrence called.
'Oh no.' I was not in the mood
to talk to any guy who wasn’t my father or Kries just then. I quickly ran inside the cave. I ducked down behind a boulder, waiting for him to come in and find me. He didn’t come in nor did he find me. When I got up and walked around to the entrance, it was gone, leaving just solid rock behind. I started to panic when I got this awful feeling. It was a trap. I quickly sent a thought to Itnha, 'Help me. I’m trapped in a cave by Alexis’s house.'
I quickly hid behind the boulder, sat down, and waited.
'Clara? This is Itna, what’s going on? Who trapped you?' he thought.
'I don’t know but I can guess,' I thought back, sure it was Dumitro.
'Well, it’s not Dumitro, as I can see him right now.'
'Oh… I don’t know then, it must be one of his henchmen. Wait... someone’s coming.'
The face that met mine confused me like no other.
“You look confused, my dear,” said Ana.
“I am. Do I know you?”
“I am Lawrence’s cousin, Ana.”
“Your hair and eyes, I just… uh never mind. Nice to meet you, I’m…” she cut me off.
“Clara? Yes, obviously. Lawrence won’t shut up about you.”
"Go figure, ” I rolled my eyes. Then I quickly thought to Itna, 'Itna, its Lawrence’s cousin, Ana, who has trapped me. She looks like a demon, I think she is.'
“So why are you trapped here?” I asked her, stalling.
“I am not trapped. You are the one who is trapped. I trapped you, unlike my foolish brother, who couldn’t seem to do so,” she said smiling.
'She is Dumitro’s sister,' I quickly thought to Itna.
“So you trapped me, therefore, trapping yourself as well,” I countered.
'This is treachery indeed. Help is on the way. Keep me updated the entire time.' I heard Itna think to me.
Ana still hadn’t replied at this point.
She had walked off to some corner of the cave, and was obviously having a full on conversation, mentally with Dumitro. I sat back down by the boulder. 'What now?'
'Dumitro, you got my attention, now what?' I thought to Dumitro.
I walked passed Ana to the back of the cave, where I found a small hole that let light in. I sat down there and purposefully moved my fingers through the pool of water near my legs.
“What are you doing?” Ana asked curtly.
“Ignoring you,” I looked outside missing it already.
“You know I could kill you,” she said angrily.
“Visa versa, but we both know that neither of us is going to. So quit wasting my time.”
I smiled and turned back to the hole.
'Clara, my princess, I thought I would never hear from you,' Dumitro replied.
'Indeed you would not have, but as your sister has me trapped in a cave, here we are.'
'Yes, I apologize for her actions, but it was vital. You are vital and as it turns out, retrieving you required more hands.'
'If I don’t want your hands, why make me take them?' I asked, half sincerely.
'Having visions is truly a magnificent ability. Being able to see my plan is even more desirable. And in truth, the fact that Kries would give his skin for you makes it entirely impossible for me not to take you.'
I felt so much hatred burning through me at the thought of Kries hurting.
'You will not get me. I will go somewhere you cannot retrieve me from.'
He knew what I was intending
at that point. I knew there would be no way I could get Ana to kill me, if anything she would just make me a demon, which I no way wanted. As I picked up a sharp stick, I heard Itna.
'Do not kill yourself. I know what is to happen and you must go through with it. It is the only way to save Kries. I will explain more later, just do whatever Dumitro tells you.'
My jaw dropped as I dropped the stick. 'How can this be true? He's telling me to go through with it, to let Dumitro own me. I don’t understand.' I sat down and began to cry.
“Why are you crying?” Ana asked me frustrated.
“Because your nasty brother intends to marry me,” I snapped back.
“What!” she exclaimed.
You could see her confronting Dumitro in her mind, and being confirmed on it that I was indeed right.
“Told you,” I whispered.
“Fortunately for me, bad taste is not a family characteristic. He will be here in about two hours, and then we leave to Romania.”
She smirked, sitting on a rock.
“Is there any way you would let me go out by the water, at least one more time? I promise I won’t leave,” I pleaded.
Ana thought about it for a minute, it seemed like a reasonable request but she knew Dumitro would flip out.
“I’m truly sorry for you.”
She got up and walked to the other side
of the cave and sat down, facing away from me. 'Kries where are you? I miss you so much, and now I have to marry that awful Dumitro. What about us?' I rolled over facing the hole and stared outside until I fell asleep.
Just finished reading this chapter! I enjoy reading unique stories like this. It helps to build my vocabulary. I'll be on the look out for the upcoming chapters. Thanks so much and have a good one!