Leaving The Nest

I always knew that growing up would mean that one day I’d be taking trips without my parents, but I never thought that day would come so soon. This will be the first time I’ve ever left the state without them.

I sit at the edge of my bed, holding Celly in both hands. Everything is tidied up and pristine, as if no one lives here. It feels more like a hotel room than my bedroom.

Celly wakes up in my hands. “Is everything ok, Selena?”

“This is where it all started,” I say wistfully. “This is where I had my first prophetic dreams about Yukiko. Back then, magic was just something I fantasized about. Now it’s my whole life.” I run my hand over the purple comforter. “Now I’m heading off on a real adventure, all because of what started here.”

“This is where I gained sentience, too,” Celly says. “This room feels like my cocoon.”

“Selena!” Mom’s voice calls from afar.

It’s time to go. I walk to my desk, where my backpack sits open. I slip Celly back into my pocket and check the bag; Yukiko’s notebooks, my art book, my charger, snacks, and a small jewellery box all sit inside, just how I left them. I take the box out and open it, revealing a silver ring with a blue topaz cradled in a crescent moon.

I hesitate for a moment, staring at the ring. I take it out and slip it onto my left ring finger. It’s cold to the touch, but comforting, despite the strange magic I feel inside it. Originally, I thought the power inside was connected to the moon, but the stronger I get, the more I feel something different—something more ancient and dark.

Just one more secret Yukiko left for me to figure out. I sigh. I wonder if the woman we’re going to see will be able to finally give us some answers.

Alice Alabaster, the Witch of Darkness.

“Selena, come on!” Mom calls again.

I zip up my bag and sling it over my shoulder. My feet are dragging as I step out of my room. I’m excited and nervous all at once.

Mom waits at the bottom of the stairs, watching me as I descend. I can’t meet her eyes without feeling bashful. I stop right in front of her, and from the corner of my eye I can see her smile, though her eyes look sad.

She brushes through my hair with her fingertips. “I can’t remember the last time you’ve cut it this short. Look at you, it barely touches your shoulders.”
After everything that happened last term, it felt like the right time to make some changes.

“A haircut before an adventure means good luck, right?” I was getting tired of my hair blowing in my face every time I use my faerie wings spell, anyway, and the shorter cut keeps my neck cooler in the sun.

She giggles. “That’s during a storm, Gummybear.”

There is a moment of awkward silence between us. There feels like a lot of things I should say right now, but I don’t know how to begin.

“I’m going to miss you,” she says finally, her smile dropping. “Ever since you started learning magic, you seem so happy and passionate… but every day it feels like you get further and further away from me.”

She looks away to try and hide the tears in her eyes, but even just the glimpse of them breaks my heart, and I hug her on instinct, burrowing my face in her neck. She hugs me back, and I can feel her pushing down the lump in her throat.

“I love you, Gummybear,” she coos in my ear.

She’s going to make me cry. “I love you too, Mom,” I say as we pull apart. “I’ll call you every day.”

She nods and wipes her eyes. “Be safe, ok?”

“I will.”

I step outside, and the midday sun catches me off guard. I shield my eyes for a moment and blink excessively until they adjust to the light. Seath leans against a dark-blue hatchback with his sleeves rolled up and his arms crossed, his hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. His left hand is exposed, and my sigil is branded on him just like Yukiko’s used to be. He’s talking to my dad, but I can tell even through his sunglasses that Seath’s glancing at me. He looks better since his injury, though he moves a lot slower.

Dad shakes hands with Seath and comes over to me with his arms stretched wide. He catches me in a tight embrace and squeezes me until I squeak.

“Right when we finally get you back home, you have to leave again!” he says, releasing me. “You look so beautiful right now. The haircut is very pretty–very lady-like. You’ve matured so much this year, honey.”

I look away sheepishly and smile.

“Always remember, no matter how big you get, you’re still my little girl. I am always just a text away, okay?” I look at him and nod. He kisses my head and walks past me to the door, and as I look back, he says, deliberately too loud, “I love you!”

“Love you too,” I say, waving as I go.

Kiran and Cara peek out from the back of the car. Cara came with me to get my hair cut and got hers snipped into a playfully messy bob. She seems just a bit taller and more sophisticated in her emerald sundress and straw hat. She smiles at me and takes off her comically large sunglasses.

“Hey! Your parents wouldn’t let you go without a teary goodbye either?” she says.

Kiran rolls his eyes. “Mine bragged that they were gonna have a staycation and go on dates every night.”

“Oh, come on,” Cara laughs, playfully elbowing him in the ribs. “That’s adorable.”

Kiran finally looks comfortable with the weather in his loose black T and beige linen pants. Summer up here may not be as warm as what he’s used to, but at least it’s no longer winter.

“Alright, let’s go,” Seath says from behind me.

As I walk around to get into the car, I notice a big, fluffy face staring at me from the window.

“Oh, yeah,” Kiran says, coming up behind me to open my door. “Sovanna is coming too.”

The dog gleefully pokes her head out of the window to sniff me as I pet her. I wasn’t expecting her to come along! Celly pops up out of my pocket, floating into the car as Sovanna mindlessly cranes her neck around to follow them.

“If she’s going to be a bother, you can sit up front instead–”

“No, it’s ok,” I say, smiling. “I packed snacks for Cara and I anyway, so it’ll be easier if I sit in the back.”

With some gentle nudging, Sovanna backs up enough to let me climb into the car with my backpack at my feet. With Cara and I both petting her, the dog huffs in utter bliss.

I look around Sovanna and Cara and find my parents standing at the entrance of our house. I wave to them, but I’m not sure if they can see through the dark windows.

“Alright,” Seath says, turning to face us. “It’s a sixteen-hour drive to North Carolina, and I wanna knock at least eight hours off before we stop for the night, so if anybody’s forgotten something, or they have to pee, or they need another hug or whatever, speak up now. Otherwise, we’re not stopping till dinner.”

When none of us say anything, he pulls out of the driveway and onto the road. As we drive toward the edge of town, a sense of melancholy starts to take over. This is really it, we’re off to find the Witch of Darkness. I never would have guessed this is how I’d be spending my summer vacation.

An upbeat tempo starts abruptly, and Cara pokes my ribs. She and Celly have clearly decided to kick off the road trip by annoying Seath as much as possible by way of loudly and terribly singing along to pop songs on Cara’s phone. I stifle a laugh and jump in with them on the next song. We even take Sovanna’s front paws and have her dance along with us.

Things in the car settle down after an hour—we’re bored of singing, nobody can think of anything to talk about, I can’t stomach any more snacks, and the dog has dozed off, her head in Cara’s lap. The repetitive scenery outside and the gentle hum and vibration of the car beckon me to drift off to sleep, though I try to resist as much as I can.

As we travel along a road flanked by farmland, I see Kiran tense and sit up straight from the corner of my eye.

“Is that–”

“Yeah,” Seath interrupts.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I lean between the two front seats, suddenly awake. “What is it?”

“Look out your window in about five seconds,” Seath says. “You’ll see.”

I do as he says and scan the wheat fields. At first, I can’t see anything out of the ordinary, but then my eyes drift to the barn—and the familiar eagle perched on its roof.

My heart sinks in my chest, and a feeling of panic starts to set in. The seatbelt is suddenly very restrictive, and I feel like I’m choking on my own breath.

“She’s been following us since we left Kalpana,” Seath says in a grave tone. He’s gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are starting to go pale.

“Is she going to attack?” Cara asks.

I look back at Seath, studying his scowl through the rearview mirror. “No. She would have pulled us into a subspace if she wanted to attack. I suspect she’s just trying to figure out what we’re up to. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

Despite saying that, the way he grips the wheel and keeps glancing out the windows tells me he is worried about it. It’s impossible not to be. Knowing she’s out there, watching, hangs over my head. I find myself scanning the skies, trees, and powerlines, looking for her eagle.

As we keep driving the presence of the Sun grows weaker, and yet every time I start to relax, I’ll catch a glimpse of the eagle following our car from the sky.

I finally lose sight of her as we cross state lines, and not long after she fades from my senses fully.

I want to stay alert and keep an eye out for here, but the car is cozy and my eyelids start to feel heavier with every passing second.

My eyes close for a moment as I lean back in my seat, and when they open again, we’re in a completely different place. I yawn and check Celly; 4:48 pm. I must have been sleeping for a few hours. I guess there’s not much else to do on a road trip.

Seath pulls off the highway into a rest stop area surrounded by trees. There’s a gas station and convenience store at one end, and at the far end is a pair of fast food places.

As he stops at the pumps, he turns the engine off and looks around the car. “Alright, get out, stretch your legs, have a pee, get snacks and dinner, whatever. You’ve got forty-five minutes to do whatever, and meet me over there.” He points to the fast food places. “If you’re late, you’ll be hitchhiking the rest of the way.”

I didn’t realize just how sore my joints are, but as I take my first step out of the car, everything aches. I groan and stretch my arms and legs.

“I never wanna see the inside of a car again,” Cara whines, walking around to my side.

Kiran finishes his own stretch and sighs. “I have to take Sovanna to do her business. I’ll get her running for a bit, too.”

“We could use more snacks. I want something crunchy in my life,” Cara says. “Why don’t you get us snacks, and I’ll get us food? I know what you like.”

I nod in reply. “Good idea. Kiran, I’ll get you chocolate pretzels.”

As he reaches into his pocket, Cara is already shaking her head. “Don’t do that gender role nonsense, you’re not paying for everything the entire time we’re down here.”

“At least let me pay for mine and Selena’s–”

“No! We’ll all take turns. Today, I’m getting dinner and Selena’s getting snacks. Tomorrow, you can get dinner,” Cara says, smiling as she playfully bosses him around.

On one hand, he’s being so sweet, but on the other hand, I’m glad Cara said something. I’d feel guilty if he paid for me the entire summer.

Defeated, Kiran bows his head and takes Sovanna out of the car on a leash. I head off toward the convenience store.

Through the window, I can see a couple that seems to be arguing. The man is lanky with long, tight curls and a pointed beard. I can’t really get a good look at the woman until I reach the doors and enter.

She’s tall and gorgeous, with dark glossy hair and perfect skin. Something about her is mesmerizing—I can’t seem to look away. Her sleeveless turtleneck leaves her incredibly muscular arms exposed.

Her hazel eyes lock with mine, and her gaze makes me freeze mid-step. There is an intensity in them that makes me feel small. Her presence is intimidating, like her spirit is an insurmountable wall of stone I dare not even approach.

As she breaks her gaze from me and returns her attention to her partner, it feels like a spell over me is broken. My senses return to me as I stand there, blinking absently. I quickly turn my attention to the snack aisles to get sweets, Kiran’s pretzels, and Cara’s Fritos.

“Well, I don’t see why we don’t just get another one–” I overhear the man saying.

“How is that my responsibility? You’re the one who forgot. Why do I have to fix it?” the woman fires back. “I’m not your mom!”

“You sure act like it when you feel like criticizing every little thing I do,” the man snaps at her.

I couldn’t imagine getting into an argument in public like this. I’m not even involved and the second-hand embarrassment makes me want to hide my face and run away.

She huffs. “If you don’t want to be criticized, don’t screw up so much.”

“So I forgot the chargers, it happens. You can either get new ones or let your phone die.”

“Oh, go away! I’m tired of listening to you.”

I’m so glad they’re done arguing. I did not want to have to walk around them to check out.

As I take my items to the register, the man walks out of the store and the woman saunters over to the fridges to look at sports drinks. Peripherally I see him lean against the window and pull out a cigarette.

Snacks successfully bought, I step outside. The man peeks down at my hand from the corner of his eye, still smoking his cigarette. “I like your tattoo, kid.”

Instinctively, I look down at my sigil. “Oh, thanks.”

I glance around for the others, but the only one I can see is Seath, who’s paying at the gas pumps.

“We came up from Florida, figured we’d go someplace less humid for the summer. That’s your daddy there, right? The big feller?” He’s a bit nosy for a stranger, but I don’t get any weird vibes from him. People back home can be overly familiar too, sometimes.

“He’s more like an uncle.”

The man has a cross on a gold chain that dangles over his white tank top. Despite the heat, he wears a black leather jacket and fingerless gloves.

“Where are you all headed?” he asks innocently, blowing his smoke away from me.

“We’re… vacationing down south,” I tell him, trying to be polite without over-sharing. I catch Seath’s eye and he gives me a little nod. “I should go.”

“Safe travels, young lady,” he says.

I wave goodbye to the man and walk across the parking lot to the fast food restaurants. I look back for a moment, but the man is gone, and I can’t see the woman through the store window either. It’s as if they both vanished.

A shiver traces down my spine. Looking up at the power lines, I can see the eagle familiar perched up high, watching us, and the sense of dread I felt leaving Kalpana returns. My heart pounds in my chest, and I scurry back to Seath for safety.