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It was dark. I was standing at the doorway looking into a room. The dim ceiling light from the hallway gave a faint illumination of the dark interior of the room. The only thing I could make out was a silhouette of a person lying on a bed. For some reason, I knew who it was and where I was. This was the hospital and on the bed sleeping was my uncle.
“Uncle Ned?” I called out softly.
I called to him again, this time a little louder, and got no answer, just silence. I squinted when I saw movement.
“Uncle Ned, are you awake?”
I heard a small flutter. Then a sharp squeak before another movement caught my eyes. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. A chill ran down my spine and I could sense someone else was here with us.
“Who's there?” I demanded when I saw a movement at the corner. My breath caught. A set of glowing red eyes appeared near the bed. Then several more eyes lighted up in the darkness. It was not human. One jumped onto the bed.
“No!” I shouted to the figure looming over my uncle. “Get away form him.” I tried to moved, but I couldn't. I was frozen in place as I screamed for it to get away from my uncle.
“Leave him alone! Don't you dare hurt him! Don't!”
It lunged forward at me and I woke up screaming and flailing my arms to get away from the attacker.
“Cassiea, it is me, Von!”
“Get away from me!” I shouted and at the same time, a burst of energy came through my hands sending a shock wave that knocked Von to the other side of the room. He mumbled something before the room was filled with light.
“Von!” I screamed and scrambled out of bed to go to him.
He groaned and tried to stand.
“I am sorry. Here, let me help you.” I put his arm around my shoulder and helped him walk to the bed. Gently, I laid him down.
“I am so sorry. I don't know what happened. How did...was it me? I...” I didn't know what to say to the guy who saved me and I almost killed him.
“Cass.” He held my hand and waited until I looked at him. “It is okay. I am okay.” He slowly sat up. “Are you all right? I heard you screaming.”
I took two long breaths trying to settle my nerves. Then I started to shake all over. He hugged me close and tried to calm me as best he could.
“What happened, Von? Did I do—How did I...?”
“It was your magic. Somehow, subconsciously, you were able to use it when you felt threatened.”
The magic? Then everything they said was real, I thought. How could that be possible? “Is this going to happen often when I am in danger? What about other times when I am not in danger? Am I going to send someone flying across the room even though they did nothing to me?”
“Do not worry, Cass. All you need is training. Once you learn how to use your magic, this will not happen again.”
I nodded as I leaned against him. It felt good wrapped in his arms. He had to be in pain, but I didn't want to move away from him.
He kissed the top of my head and said, “Did you have a nightmare?”
I nodded. “I was at the hospital, by the doorway of my uncle's room. There was something wrong, I could feel it. Something was moving in the darkness. Whatever the thing was, I just knew it wanted to hurt him. I tried to move, but I couldn't. I was frozen in place and as hard as I tried, I couldn't move. I started to yell and scream, but—” I could not go on.
“It is all right. It was only a dream. It is over now.”
Yes, it was only a dream though I could not help but wonder if my uncle was really okay. There was a feeling of urgency inside me. I had to go to him. If I didn't, something terrible would happen.
“I have to go, Von. I have to see my uncle to make sure he is all right.”
“Cass, everything is fine. If anything happens to him, we will know. We have people watching over him.”
“Please, please help me. I shouldn't have stayed here.” I got up and started pacing. I couldn't stay still anymore. Somehow, I had to find a way to get back to my world.
He got up and held on to my arms to stop me from moving. He waited until I looked up at him before saying, “I will help, but I need a few things from my room and I need to let Shuron know where we are going.”
I nodded.
“I don't think this is a good idea,” Shuron said when we told him about what we were going to do.
I tilted my head up slightly and stared up at him in defiance. “I am going no matter what.”
“I can see that,” he said to me before turning to Von. “You agree with her?”
“No, but she is determined to go. I do not think we have a choice. I was hoping you can join us.”
“I am sorry I cannot; at least not right away. Larsid has not returned from his scouting. Our lord wants me to personally look into it, but I will join you as soon as I can.”
Von placed a hand on his shoulder. “Be careful, Shuron, this is not the first one of our people to go missing.”
“I will say the same to you brother.”