Chapter 15: Awakening

DANICA

I couldn’t recall how I ended up there. I found myself standing in the heart of a forest, lost and disoriented. Yet, in that moment, my location seemed insignificant.

I was at the foot of a mountain that towered above the treetops. The necklace I wore began to sear my skin, but it was a comforting kind of burn.

Something was different this time, I could feel it. Without much thought, I reached my arm toward the sky. As if on cue, the stars began to streak across the night.

I pulled my arm back and the sky returned to its tranquil state. I was controlling this. I extended my arm again and the stars rained down like a celestial shower.

Raising my other arm, the entire sky began to whirl. I held my arms aloft, letting the sky erupt into a frenzy as the stars ignited. I focused on one falling star, willing it to explode.

It burst into a billion particles of stardust, showering down upon me. My breath hitched, I was struggling for air but I kept my arms raised. The sky was a tempest, its energy crashing into every corner like waves in a stormy sea.

My head spun from the lack of oxygen, the energy coursing through my veins was overwhelming. I drew my hands to my chest, gasping for breath. But the celestial storm raged on, growing stronger.

I didn’t know how to stop it. The trees began to sway in rhythm with my racing heart. I spotted a bright golden light flickering in the sky.

As it drew closer, I realized it was a star, hurtling toward me at an alarming speed. Escape was impossible. I stood frozen, holding my breath.

The light grew so intense that it was all I could see, my eyes locked on the object hurtling toward me. Bracing myself for the impact, I closed my eyes.

Suddenly, a massive wave of energy knocked me to the ground, stealing my breath. I was left gasping, barely breathing. My eyes were closed, but I was still seeing things.

I found myself in an unfamiliar, dark place. The ground was damp, the sky pitch black. A man stood with his back to me.

To my left, a woman. She was stunning, and strangely familiar. Beside her was the man from the park bench, Death.

My guardian had told me Death was my father. Could this woman be my mother? And who was the other woman?

A young woman approached me, she bore a striking resemblance to me, but her hair was a rich brown, not black. Her style was ethereal, almost nymph-like.

“Who are you?” she inquired.

“D…Danica…,” I replied hesitantly.

“Who are you, Danica?” she repeated.

I glanced at the man with his back to me, then back at the woman. “Who are you?” I countered.

She smiled. “I’m a forest nymph,” she revealed. “Who are you?” she asked again.

“I’m…no one,” I confessed.

She looked away, disappointment clouding her features. “Won’t you save us?” she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes.

“How could I ever save you?” I was bewildered, but she offered no response. I turned to where the man had been standing, but he was gone.

Suddenly, everyone else had vanished too. I noticed a faint light in the distance. “Hello….” I called out.

Something was hurtling toward me, a flicker of light. I leaned in for a closer look when a gunshot rang out, but it missed its mark.

I moved toward the light, still approaching me, when a man leapt in front of me. He spun me around, cradling me in his arms. It was my guardian angel.

I looked for the light, but it was gone. I turned back to him, his white shirt now stained with blood. He’d been shot. He’d taken the bullet meant for me. He’d saved me.

I reached for his wound and he collapsed. Without hesitation, I dropped to my knees beside him. “I’m afraid you’re not going to make it,” I told him, my hands cradling his face.

I leaned in, pressing my lips to his. His kiss was gentle, as light as a feather. His lips tasted like sweet, forbidden sugar. I knew it was wrong, but how could something so beautiful be so bad?

It was a gift, a high I’d never experienced before. I pulled away, his eyes were a lifeless gray. I leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “Goodbye, Hugo.”

My world began to spin. This wasn’t real, I realized. It was all a dream. My senses snapped back to reality, a chill washing over me.

I felt a hand on mine. I opened my eyes to see my guardian beside me. “Hugo,” I murmured. I pushed myself up into a sitting position.

He looked shocked, his face pale. “What did you say?” he asked.

I looked at him, unsure. “Danica, you said my name. What did you mean?” he asked again.

“You heard that?” I asked, my voice heavy with sleep. “It was just a dream, not your name,” I said, confused.

The memory of my dream brought a wave of guilt. “Danica, say it again,” he urged.

“Hugo,” I whispered, but this time he heard me clearly. His expression shifted to one of confusion.

He stood up and walked away from me, leaving me alone on the ground. “What’s wrong?” I asked, pulling myself to my feet.

Did he not like the name? It wasn’t like it was my fault. “Did you have a vision?” he asked.

“I… I don’t know if it was a dream or a vision,” I admitted.

“What did you see in your dream?” he demanded.

“Why does it matter?” I shot back. I didn’t want to tell him what I’d seen. I knew he wouldn’t like it, knowing how seriously he took the rules.

“Just tell me!” he shouted.

“I saw Death, a woman beside him, and a forest nymph,” I explained, watching as he listened intently.

“What did they say?”

“The forest nymph was the only one who spoke. She asked me who I was. I told her I was no one. Then she asked me if I would save them,” I said, unsure if I should tell him the rest.

He knew I was holding something back. “Danica, I need you to tell me everything.”

I took a deep breath. “I saw you…you were shot with a bullet meant for me. And then…we kissed,” I said, watching his reaction closely.

I saw his Adam’s apple bob and his jaw tighten, but his expression remained cold. “Then you died and I heard your name. I hope it’s your name,” I added.

The name suited him. It felt familiar.

Suddenly, I remembered the dreams I’d been having for years, dreams of him. I’d known his name for a long time, I just thought it was a meaningless dream.

“Shit!” he yelled in frustration.

Was he upset about the kiss? I wondered. I knew he hated the idea of us being together, but it wasn’t my fault.

“Why are you so angry?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. He just walked over to a tree and leaned against it, burying his face in his hands.

“It’s not my fault I dreamt that we kissed…it’s just a dream,” I said, but he just laughed.

“Do you think that’s why I’m frustrated?” he mocked.

He’d once told me how wrong it would be, so yes, that was my first guess.

“Then what?” I asked.

He walked closer to me. “I can’t protect you from this one,” he said, looking up at the sky. “Everything I’ve done…it was all to keep you alive.”

What had he done? He spoke as if he’d moved mountains for me.

“Maybe I should have kept you in the human world. Hidden you from your powers.”

“What are you talking about?”

His gaze hardened on me. “Hugo is my real name! The one my parents gave me! There’s no way you could have known that, but somehow you did. They asked you to save them,” he sighed.

“And those marks on your hands, why they never fade. Danica…you’re one of…one of…,” he tried to explain, his voice filled with panic and pain.