"A tree?" This is what Andy was so hyped up to show me? I try to find something special or significant about it. It's very tall I guess. Taller than the house. It's in a beautiful garden, at least. The tree sort of sticks out like a sore thumb. Compared to the gorgeous flowers, and bushes, and sculptures it's a taller ugly dying thing.

Maybe that was the point then. Maybe it's here because in a place filled with beautiful things, there is one ugly dying thing. The tree could actually be the pretty thing and the rest, ugly. It's a metaphor.

"It's not the tree that I want you to see," he says, grinning. "It's what's inside."

He kneels to the ground and closes his eyes. He starts to mutter words in a language unknown to me. I've never heard anything like it. The lull of his words hypnotize me. His dark eyelashes flutter gently as the strange, dark language pours out into the cold night. I rub my shoulders to warm myself up. My breath forms into clouds and disappear into the dark. The wind seems to be getting stronger. It whips at my hair and dress, sending goosebumps up my arms and bare legs. My chest constricts, and I feel it getting tighter and tighter. I choke out a breath, wondering when this will stop. I can still hear Andy muttering but it's muted now by the roaring wind. What the hell is he doing?

"Andy--"

Black is all I can see. It knocks me to the ground and my chest constricts even more. I'm pressed to the ground flat. I can't breath... I can't think... think. The blackness represents raven's wings beating in a swirling pattern, turning it to a tornado. I want this to be over. Finish it. Now.

And then there is silence. Complete, utter, unsettling silence. No longer do I hear Andy's strange dark language. No more raven's wings. No more roaring wind in my ears. I can't even here the hum representing the lack of sound. Just complete, utter, unsettling silence.

Can I get up? Should I get up?

"Jinxx."

Jinxx? Who the hell is Jinxx? What the hell just happened? What the hell did Andy just do? What the bleeding hell?

Groaning, I prop myself up onto my elbows with much effort. Standing before the tree is a figure. I only say "figure" because I am unsure of whether he is even man or not. He seems completely inhuman.

He wears a long black coat and a top hat rests on his black haired head. I can not see his face. I hear a caw and I scream. I try to stand so I can run. But all I do is stumble back to the cold ground.

The startling noise had come from a raven who perched itself onto the figure's shoulder.

I should not have screamed.

The black figure raises his head. I can tell that he is young, but there's an air of mature wisdom to him. He looks somewhere around Andy's age, maybe younger, but he just seems older. He stares right into me. My brain feels as if it is being pulled apart, piece by piece. His blue gaze is compelling. Now that I can see his face I notice that his eyes are lined with kohl. His long silky hair brushes his shoulders.  Whatever spell he has on me breaks when he turns his gaze to Andy. I choke. Once air finally fills my lungs again I audibly take in a long breath.

"Andy," the figure says, his voice breathy, yet mysterious and dark at the same time. "Why did you summon me?"

Summon him? Did Andy just summon a demon? What. The. Hell. Is. Going. On.

"She's the one, Jinxx. I knew it from the first time I saw her." The demon-man-jinxx-thing looks over to my pathetic body lying on the grass.

"She doesn't look like much," he sniffed. "Are you absolutely sure it's her? I can't read her."

"Well she doesn't know it yet. The only thing you're reading is probably her fear."

Read me? I'm not quite sure what that's supposed to mean but since this is coming out of most likely a demon's mouth what am I to expect really? What was I expecting when I said yes to going on a date with someone I hardly knew? Surely not any of this. I should run, I need to, but I'm frozen with fear and that dark blast left me paralyzed.

The raven, its claws digging into Jinxx's shoulder, squawks once more before Andy speaks to him again. "She is. I can feel her power." I stay quiet, though I'm not sure I have enough energy to talk anyways. "She's pretty closed off at the moment. The black matter took a much bigger impact on her than it should have. If she's really this weak then it couldn't be her," Jinxx says, blowing a lock of black straight hair out of his eye.

"She's not weak."

"Do you even know her name?"

"Of course."

He raises a silver tinged eyebrow. "And?"

"Quinn."

"Full name?"

"I...uh..." Andy falters. He clears his throat.

Jinxx has a smug expression and even his bird companion looked as if it were smirking. It gave me an eerie feeling. "This girl is not her. You only met her--when was it--yesterday? You could have at least tried harder for me, Prophet. You could have tried harder for Alara. You have wasted our time." He swirls, facing the tree and his cloak swishes when he turns.

Andy's face looks crestfallen and I can't help feeling sorry for him. I failed him. I don't know how but I know that I did. My heart sinks.

Jinxx raises both of his black clad arms elegantly. Like a composer of an orchestra. Like he's done it hundreds of times. Jinxx looks back at Andy to say one last thing. "You know, Prophet, Alara will be very disappointed. As am I. I would've expected a lot more than this from you, Andy."

Andy hangs his head low, like an injured animal. "I'm sorry, Mystic." He looks up at him. He can't stand Jinxx being upset with him. I can't take it. I pull my arm up, despite it screaming in pain, and thrust it in Jinxx's direction and shout. "Wait!"

Fire shoots out of my open palm and it hits the tree. Jinxx ducks just in time. His hat falls to the ground. His eyes widen.

"I believe you," he pants.

Song: Overture - Black Veil Brides
I only added this song because this chapter was featuring Jinxx so I wanted some of his stuff to be in here. Stay happy, not crappy :))
Chapter published: January 2, 2017