“Hand it over, now!” ‘Never’ she cried a wild desperation in her eyes. They would never get her never. She pulled out a bottle quicker than the flash that was emitted when she smashed it on the ground. A large cloud of black smoke filled the air lasting long enough for Serena to slip out of there with the child bundled in her arms. She runs full speed into the dense forest. Hopping over tree roots like the back of her hand Serena flies through her home back to the one place she knows they will be safe. Those men never had a chance of keeping up with her. They didn’t grow up in this forest with pixies for friends. They lived in the towns that exiled witches. They feared Serena and her powers. The howls rode the winds. The pack was tracking Vera. They wish to protect her too they feel it is their duty. The werewolves were her guards. The great tree is close. Once inside it’s oasis no one could get them.

The morning was a normal foggy gray. Just what Serena expected. The lambs bleated quietly in the morning light. Little Vera gathered food from the garden. She smiled when her eyes met Serena’s. The little rascal was always moving about first. It must be her faerie blood that keeps her going. Her lustrous wavy brown hair matches the bark of trees perfectly. Her skin may look pale but that’s just a glimmer to hide it’s true green color. Vera was special and Serena was her protector. They lived quietly on the edge of a human village that also sat along the edge of the faerie forest. The part of the forest where the far reside is blocked by brambles to keep humans out and fae in. Vera will return to her rightful place amongst the faerie but not until the coven has figured out how to fight back against the darkness that is slowly consuming all living creatures.

I crouch behind foliage at the edge of the woods. The traveling humans danced around a fire. Their drums and metal instruments beat quickly as they flew around the fire dancing in a way that was reminiscent of my pixies. I feel eager to join them. I focus on their faces, dark and auburn, their hair all black and long, even on the men. Their clothing shines in the light, their jewelry adding to the music, their feet setting the rhythm. I feel the magic wash over me as I match them but not exactly the same, I learned not to mimic a person exactly as they are or else trouble will follow. I slip out from the trees slowly. I enter the throng of people moving about. Some are eating and drinking others are tangled together like animals but a large portion of people were running in circles around the large fire. The sight was astonishing to behold. I found myself gravitating towards the people dancing. I let my hand be grabbed by a young girl, a huge smile on her lips, it felt contagious, I smiled back. I ran with her until she let go. I found my self moving alone but with everyone. They were celebrating. I caught my eye on a woman who stood taller than the others, even the men couldn’t compare. Her hair was black and curled in ringlets around her head. She smiled heartily at everyone around, they seem to treat her with great reverence. Her deep red eyes meet mine and I freeze my breath is caught but the beat takes me the people move me. I can feel the air enter my lungs once more. I am engulfed in the crowd.

The guardian laid motionless on her pedestal. The woman approached with caution holding her breath. Was this truly the same person she danced with all that time ago. As a dragon her life was eternal. She mistook the guardian for a human and so quit searching for her. ‘I regret not finding you sooner my love.’ She took the pale green hand of the guardian into hers, god it was so much smaller than her large calloused hand that was darkened by the sun in her desert homeland. She pressed her lips to the small knuckles and then leaned forward to leave a kiss on her forehead. She pulled back not knowing what would happen next, if anything. Liza swallowed her tears but wouldn’t take her eyes off of her love. Suddenly a burst of energy emanated from the guardian. It pushed Liza back slightly. Then the guardians eyes flashed open. She looks around only to find Liza standing there staring at her with her mouth hanging open. The guardian smiles, ‘I’m glad it’s you.’ She tries to sit up but fails to sit up on her own. ‘Goodness how long have I been asleep? A thousand years? I feel so stiff.’

I hear the leaves crunch under our shoes. A pine cone rolls away after being kicked by the boy ahead of me. The girl giggles as she slides down the path. I breathe deeply, the fresh air comfortably fills my lungs. I listen to the leaves rustling above our heads. ‘What’s that?’ The girl asks once she notices several leaves falling to the ground. ‘Not sure. Maybe a squirrel or other animal ran across that branch.’ We all look up in the hopes of catching a glimpse of a darting animal above our heads. No luck. We keep walking. ‘I hear water.’ The boy states. He’s far ahead so I can’t hear the bubbling water yet. The girl runs up to him and points. ‘I see it.’ She hollers. I catch up to them to find a small waterfall in the stream. The water flowed around large boulders meant for the bridge. The boy was crouched down with his hand under the running water. The girl was crossing the rocks back and forth. I crouch down and place my hand in the water. I felt the smooth and cool water gently flow over my hand. I smile and splash the boy. He laughs and splashes back.

“Ellie, was it?” I ask walking up the short dark haired cutie I had plucked up the courage to ask out. She turned and smiled, though for a second it seemed to quiver at the edges. I became instantly nervous but after an exhale of oxygen I came back to me. “It’s Jennifer,” I hold out my hand a bit awkward but it was the first time meeting. She sighs “Jennifer I have just got to say that you don’t seem much different from back then.” “Excuse me?” I furrow my brow completely bewildered by her remark. “I didn’t think it would actually be you.” She pulls a thin red and white book from her bag. “But when we matched on the site you looked familiar and it hit me. We went to middle school together.” “What.” My throat is so dry I can’t even say how I don’t want to think about middle school most of my coping mechanisms began manifesting then. My hand is bunched together the pressure of my fingers on each other distracting me from my racing heart. “Well, “ Ellie pauses “back then you asked me out as Elijah.” Like an anvil had fallen through my stomach, the realization hit me hard I was on a first date with a girl who I had asked out back when I was in the closet. Maybe we both don’t need to dwell on the past. A grin graces my face finally able to relax from all the nerves that had racked up. She was about to open the book but I placed my hand on it. I smiled. “It’s nice to meet you Ellie. It’s hard to say this but I don’t want to think about past me. I’m completely different. I figured most of the people from our past are completely different too. So I just give everyone a blank slate if I ever see anyone again. So wanna get a drink?”