I frowned slightly. Skye has given me a lot to think about. I’d always thought that I knew everything there was to know about myself, my brother, my parents. But when Skye said that I don’t know anything about what I am, what, not who, I’m suddenly unsure. She wasn’t asking me she was stating a fact. Yet when I asked her what she meant she just said that she would explain everything later. So now I’m just waiting to get off this stupid plane.
The engine of the car hummed as we sped around the sharp winding roads twisting and twirling through thick forests. Eventually Skye broke the silence. “We’re nearly there. I promise that I’ll explain everything before you meet anyone else here.” She pulled off the road and headed through the slightly thinning trees, past lakes, nature is everywhere. I marvel at the deer, foxes, bears, as we drive past, noticing the slight decrease in speed. The light vanishes and I look up to discover the reason. A huge white marble mansion stands majestically in the middle of the clearing. It looks strange there as though it looks normal and in a different place, it would be normal, but situated in the middle of a forest, makes it strange and foreign, I loved it at once. It feels familiar, and it’s like this one building, sums up my very existence. Skye laughed emptily at my obvious shock, and approval, my dropped jaw. The red light from the setting sun casts a rosy glow around the building. It’s welcoming but when I turn my head it looks as though the mansion is alight with flames. I turn away from it completely, shivering, and wait for the car to pull up in front of my new home.
The gravel crunches and the grass sways as I jump out of the car and head to the back, ready to retrieve my suitcase. “Where have you gone?” Skye’s gentle voice questions my whereabouts and is unexpectedly loud, making me jump. “Leave your bags. I’ll give you a quick tour and then you can meet everyone at dinner. Your bags will be in your room when you go up to bed tonight.” I take a deep breath then follow her up the stairs and through the huge front door.
The tour took hours. I was shown every room, every nook and cranny, including hidden rooms – for safety and escape routes. Skye told me ‘just in case’ when I asked why they are even there. I was then shown the outhouses and gardens, and given a thorough tour through the forest, beach and town. By the time I got back to my marble mansion I ignored the clattering of plates, and the hungry chatter intimidated me so I went to bed. I remember noticing my suitcases, sitting in the corner of my room, like Skye had said, before my eyes closed.
Opening my eyes in the morning it took a while to adjust, for a moment, panic overtook me as I wondered where I was then realisation hit and I sank back into the comfy bed, finally understanding at least one of my dreams. I climbed off the bed, pulling the thick duvet with me and opened the window, breathing in the unfamiliar chill. A quiet knock on the door interrupted my peaceful thoughts and I answered vaguely “Come in.” a shy face appeared round the doorframe and a small child entered, looking around in amazement, while trying to avoid eye contact with me. “Skye says that you need to get up, it’s time for breakfast.” Came his quiet voice. “Okay.” I replied, getting up off the window seat and placing the duvet back on the bed. I followed him to the unknown.
As I walked into the room the careless babble ceased to exist and all eyes turned my way, looking at the new girl. I felt my face turn red, but kept my head held high as I stepped across the room and waited in the queue for my breakfast. I chose a bowl of porridge and a slice of toast, before turning around and searching the huge room for a seat. I couldn’t find one. People inconspicuously placed their bags on to the chairs next to them, to prevent me from sitting next to them. I glanced around the aroma filled room trying to spot at least a friendly face, everyone avoided eye contact with me and I wondered what Skye could have possibly told them about me that would make them ignore me like this. I went outside to eat, sitting on a picnic bench in the wood, surrounded by nature I felt at peace and finally calm, without everyone else staring at me. A faint rustling had me alert, but I decided that it must be a deer or something and thought nothing of it. The voice that followed the rustling though, was nothing but human. A slight figure materialised from the trees and stepped coyly towards me. She stood there looking me up and down, like a tiger watching its prey, searching for its weakness. Apparently she found one. A sly smile slipped across her face until she had the appearance of a Cheshire cat. “And who are you?” she snarled at me. My eyes widened in surprise at this hostile appearance and her pretty face twisted into something hideous. I opened my mouth to answer her and received a further snarl. “Don’t look at me like that.” She spat “why don’t you just go home? No one wants you here, you’ll just cause unlimited trouble. But then again, no one wants you at your own home do they?” she asked spitefully then stalked off to find her next victim. I stood for a moment with my mouth hanging open then turned in a sudden foul mood to hunt down an explanation and an apology.
I opted to find Skye to demand an explanation. She had promised me that when I first saw the other inhabitants of my new home and my new classmates, I would be up to speed with why I was there and what was going on. But here I was, as ignorant as a child and alone in a foreign country with no friends and no family. By the time I reached Skye’s office I had practically changed my mind, and timidly knocked on the door, hoping that there would be no answer.
There was one. Skye quietly told me to enter, and I stepped silently into her room. She looked up and realisation danced across her eyes. “Oh, Brooke, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot. I’ll explain everything for you now.” I hesitated then sat in one of the huge chairs positioned at her desk, sliding into it. I looked up from my hands and found her staring at me, watching my every move and examining my reactions. The room was large with a huge desk dominating the back and shelves overflowing with books covered the sides of the room. A tall door opened into a bedroom and a wide window overlooked the gardens. The light was a dull brightness which suited the mysterious room perfectly. I opened my mouth to speak, but found myself doubting what I thought I wanted to know. What if I was here for some really horrible reason? What if I had been wrong to trust a stranger, just because I had seen her in my dreams? She could be a complete psychopath and I willingly left my home, country, friend and came with her. I felt the panic overwhelm me and fought against the instinct to run and never look back. She smiled sympathetically at me then told me my story.
Thinking back on that conversation I can’t help but feel stupid. How could I know so little about myself? Skye told me everything, about how I and my brother were adopted, after our parents disappeared. That even my best friend had been adopted. She told me that my parents had been highly respected and wealthy, and that she had been assigned to keep an eye on us to make sure that no one tried to kidnap us or something. That made me laugh, why would anyone possibly want to kidnap me? Then she got started on why I was there, I already knew that I was strange, and that I didn’t really fit in with the other kids my age. Looking back on my life now, knowing the reasons why I knew things and why my parents held no interest for me, but the truth was shocking and left me speechless. Well the cats out of the bag now. I’m a witch.