Complications Between Mythical Creatures

Finally, my driveway comes into view and I pull in. Completely ignoring everything inside, I kill the engine and sprint with Abby into my home. Bursting through the door we instantly get into our defensive positions, ready for anything that might happen.

Back to back Abby and I take everything in. My body is facing to the left while Abby's is facing the right. Left hand is balled into a fist and tucked in to my side, my right is stretched almost completely out with my palm flat and open. My partner mirrors my stance, we both are crouching low. Ready to spring at any given moment.

Looking around we notice that the vase that's normally sitting on the hallway table is on the carpet now. Broken. If we had hardwood floors instead of carpet it probably would be in more than just a handful of pieces. Thankfully it wasn't anything priceless that broke, just a ceramic vase that held a bouquet of flowers.

“Do you sense anything ?” I ask over my shoulder scanning the rest of the foyer.

She takes a moment, taking everything in then shakes her head, “No.” We both take a breath and relax. Making our way to the vase we notice the mirror near the front door is broken as well and a few burn marks scorch the walls leading to the kitchen. Fearing the worst I found not to look around anymore. “Mom ?!” I call out. No response. “Mom !!” I shout a little louder. No answer. “Mom !!!” I scream, my heartbeat kicking up.

“Scarlet,” Abby touches my shoulder. I look back at her, I can see in her eyes that she's fearing the worst as well. “The broken vase,” she motions toward the smashed ceramic on the floor. I almost run over to it and kneel down. Taking a deep breath I try to calm down and swallow back the tears building inside me. I snatch up one of the large pieces and close my eyes. Focus, Scarlet. Focus. I tell myself.

Nothing. I throw down the piece and pick up another one holding it tighter in my hands. I can feel the jagged ends digging into my palm, but I ignore it. Squeezing my eyes shut I hold the piece closer, Come on... Work damn it ! Still nothing.. I try to swallow past the lump growing in my throat.

Releasing that piece I grab a different one and try harder, focus harder. But it doesn't work. A premonition never comes. Realizing this I drop the piece and feel the lump in my throat swell to a larger size. “No...” I grab three pieces this time and focus as hard as I can. Moments tick by and I feel Abby touch my shoulder. My eyes snap open. “MOM !!!” I scream as loud as I can, “MOM, answer me !!!”

Letting all the fragments I'm holding go, I jump to my feet and follow the burn marks down the hall toward the kitchen, Abby close behind me. Trying to move as fast as I can, my foot catches on something on the carpet and I feel myself fumble forward. I reach forward and catch my balance on the wall. My hand touches one of the burn marks and my body freezes;

My mother makes her way down the stairs, she is holding a dark, hard covered book in her hands. There are strange markings on the spine. It looks like one of the many spell books in our library. Knowing this house inside and out, she effortlessly makes her way from the stairs and toward the hall.Turning on the lights as she goes she doesn't once take her eyes off of the pages.

Suddenly there is a mirage of a person's figure behind her. Slowly but surely it solidifies into a strange being. He is about the height of a grown man, bald with pale blue skin, black eyes, pointy ears and teeth. He is dressed in nothing but rags of clothes, all black. Without a single word he watches my mother walk down the hall. The corners of his dry mouth twist up in a nasty grin.

My mother stops, she can feel the evil presence. She whips around and drops the book on to the floor. Whipping out her hands she flicks her wrists and a small explosion occurs but the demon dodges it. Raising his right hand he creates a small ball of fire and throws it at my mother. She ducks down and it hits the wall. Trying again she flicks her wrists several times in attempt to vanquish this evil entity but he is too quick. Dodge after dodge, small explosions scatter across the wall and furniture scorching the fabric and paint.

It's his turn now. Using both hands he throws multiple fireballs at my mother. One after another she blows them up in mid air, but they are coming too quick. She isn't fast enough and one gets through. It hits her in the arm and she flies back. The demon sees the opportunity and creates another ball of flame. He holds my mother's gaze with a wicked smirk.

A rush of air fills my lungs and I am thrown back into the present. Abby is in front of me now. “Scarlet ?” she's holding me by the shoulders, “what did you see?” I look into my best friends eyes. Trying to find some sort of way to voice what I saw.

But I can't. I don't know how. My mouth opens trying to form some sort of word. I can see the worry in her eyes grow, "Scarlet. What did you see ?!?" Her grip on my shoulders tighten, it looks as if she's about to cry. “Would you please say something ?!” she shakes me a little.

“I- I....” I choke out.

“What ? What did you see ?!” the panic in Abby's voice grew.

“I... I saw...” I trailed off, trying so hard to ignore all the negative thoughts crashing through my mind. I look around, taking in every detail around me. The scorch marks, the broken glass and vase, and the book from my vision on the floor close to my foot... Is that what I tripped over?

“You saw...?”

“My little fight,” a woman's voice sounded through the air, bringing sweet relief to my ears. We turn to look behind my best friend, and in the doorway stands the most important woman in my life holding a red stained cloth to her right arm. Abby and I glance at each other, grateful. We run over and pretty much jump on her as we embrace.

“Oh my gosh, Mom ! We were so worried !” I tell her squeezing her. “Thank God that you're okay ! Scarlet was scaring the crap outta me !” Abby hugs her tight. “Okay, okay. Well I'm fine now but you two are hurting me, so please ? A little air ?”

“Oh, right. Sorry...” Abby and I release our death grip on our mentor and just look at her, glad that she's okay. My mother smiles at us wearily before making her way to the kitchen sink. Following her, Abby and I are close behind.

She takes the bloody fabric and opens it. I look at her arm and wince, “Are you okay ?” I ask taking her arm gently and looking at the burn mark closely. Abby takes a step closer and looks at it with an ugly face, “You're not bleeding anymore, are you?” she asks. My mom laughs airily at her, “No, Abby. It's done bleeding but the skins pretty damaged.” She pauses and looks at Abby out of the corner of her eye, “You're not going to faint on me, are you ?” she asked with a smirk.

My best friend looks down and takes a quick step back as I turn to the sink and begin to rinse out the cloth, “No...” she trails off. My mom and I look at her and laugh, “It's only a little blood, Abs !” Abby's face begins to turn red, “I know...” I shift my weight to one foot and look at her, “Then why are you so far away ?”

“B-b-because...” she looks at her shorts and smooths out the wrinkles. I glance over my shoulder at my mom and she just looks back at me, grinning. Squeezing out the cloth I take a step toward my best friend, “Because what ?” I ask getting closer. She peers up at me out of the corner of her eye then whip her whole head up, horrified when she realizes what's happening. “Scarlet ! Dont you dare bring that thing near me !!!” she screams running across the kitchen to the farther side of the dinner table.

I don't say anything and just continue to run toward her. Abby screams each time the cloth comes near her making me chase her around the table. My mother laughs at the sight, “Okay, Scarlet. That's enough. Dont make Abby pass out.”

By the time that my mother tells me to stop I'm dying with laughter, barely able to even go after Abby any more. “Okay....” I breathe trying to catch my breath.