Elara woke up disoriented and feeling lost. She sat up and took in her surroundings. She remembered touching her drawing before passing out. She was about to stand up but saw her body lying on the wooden floor.

What in the world is happening to me? she whispered getting on her feet. Maybe it's just a dream.

She heard the giggles coming from outside just as the door to her treehouse opened and a little girl ran inside holding her teddy bear tightly. The little girl had fire-like red hair, the biggest green eyes, and light freckles on her cheeks and nose.

Elara froze realizing this little girl was in fact herself when she was five years old. She rested her back on the wall looking back and forth from her body on the floor to the little girl sitting at her desk drawing happily.

I'm having an out-of-body experience. Just great!

Closing her eyes, Elara was trying to wake herself up but snapped her eyes open when the little girl briskly got up from her chair, the movement causing it to fall on the wooden floor. Elara looked at the door and saw her mother coming in and approaching the little girl slowly and carefully.

"Elara, baby it's me, don't be afraid my love."

"How are you here? You are not supposed to be here. You are not my mom."

"I am baby, I'm sorry I had to leave. I still have to, but before I do, would you let me draw with you?"

The little girl was hesitant, but she missed her mom. In a matter of seconds, she was hugging her mother tightly.

Elara's mom went down to her level and cupped her face, "I missed you so much, my baby girl"

"I missed you too mommy" she cupped her mother's face and the cutest frown formed on hers. "Why are you crying, mommy? Are you upset with me?"

"No honey, I'm upset with the world."

"I want to see you happy mommy. What can I do to make you happy?"

"Maybe you can draw a place for me where I'll be happy and at peace, somewhere I'll be safe from the monsters of this world."

"Yes!" she placed the chair back in place and sat on it grabbing her crayons. She started drawing happily. "Would you like to live in a castle?"

"That would be lovely Elara."

"Do you want there to be animals?"

"Of course honey" Elara's mother was smiling while looking at her daughter lovingly. She also had a look of regret and guilt.

"Here, all done mommy." The little girl showed her what she had drawn with so much pride.

"It's beautiful Elara. If I show you some people, can you draw them as well?" little Elara nodded and looked at the pictures her mom had lay out on the desk before she started drawing again.

How is my mom here? She's supposed to be dead!

"What do you want this world to be called mommy?"

"Libertas" Elara's mom whispered "Say it with me Elara"

"Libertas" they both said together. At this point, Elara's mom was crying, knowing she had to leave again.

"Baby, you can't tell anyone I was here, I'm going to erase your memory, for your own good and security. No one can know what you are capable of... now I need you to touch the drawing and say creatio mundi"

"creatio mundi" Little Elara said a few times as she touched her drawing until it illuminated. She saw two men and a woman walk inside her treehouse which suddenly felt too small for her. She cowered in the back wrapping her arms around herself.

"That's my little girl, come don't be afraid, those are my friends. Look you drew them".

The little girl approached her mother who kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly "I'll always be with you, and always be there when you need me. Even if you don't see me, I'll be by your side. I love you my little enchantress, and I'm sorry but I have to do this" she kissed both her cheeks and hugged her once again before touching her forehead "obliviscatur".

Little Elara closed her eyes and her mom lay her down on the sponge mat. She held out her hand to her friends and touched the still illuminated drawing before they were all sucked into it.

"Elara! Elara wake up!"

Elara shook her head blinking a few times adjusting to the sunlight blazing through the window. "What happened?"

"You tell me, I found you passed out. And you were crying. I've been here for like ten minutes and you wouldn't wake up." Nora said really concerned "Are you okay?"

Elara ran a hand through her hair and nodded "Why are you here?"

"I found your English workbook with me, I must have taken it when we were studying in the library."

"Oh thank you" she rubbed her eyes and took the book from her.

"Are you sure you're okay? I feel bad leaving you like this. Where is your grandpa?"

"He's probably in the house. Yeah, I'm fine don't worry, I'll just grab my stuff and go home." She gave her new friend a reassuring smile. After taking her backpack, they both walked out of the treehouse and climbed down the steps. Elara's mind was still foggy. Her mom came here when she was supposed to be dead. She called her enchantress, and she told her no one should know what she's capable of. That was a lot to take in.

Saying goodbye to Nora, Elara went inside and saw her grandpa in the living room watching TV. She sat next to him silently.

"How was your day kiddo?"

"It was good, I missed you at lunch. Are you okay? You don't usually sleep at that time of the day."

"I'm perfectly fine sweetie, I was just a little tired."

They sat together for another hour talking about their day. Elara retired to her room claiming she still had homework to do. But the truth was she just needed to be alone and process what just happened to her. Was it another vision? She's been having a lot of those since the attack. Was her mind playing tricks on her?

She glared at her meds and threw them in the bin under her desk. She couldn't keep taking them if they would make her see things. What happened earlier was clearly a hallucination. Her mom was dead, she couldn't be there, and Elara was no enchantress. Everything just felt so wrong.

Tuesday morning, Elara clumsily climbed into Laura's car dropping her bag twice and hitting her foot with the tire. Sophie was still a no-show.

"Morning sunshine!" Laura said gleefully turning the car on "Sophie texted me, she told me to pick you up since she won't be going to school today."

"Morning" Elara said resting her head on the headset and closed her eyes.

"What's up? Tuesday's vibe?" Laura teased.

"Lack of sleep and too many visions. Also" she opened her bag and pulled out the book of African witches "This!"

"Why is it still with you?" Laura turned off the car and stared at the book.

"What if I told you I gave it back to Barbara on Sunday? I found it in my bag yesterday, took it back to Barbara, and this morning I found it on my nightstand. Would you believe that?"

Laura closed her eyes momentarily "Yes actually I would. It happened to me too when I borrowed that book."

"Oh..." they both stared at each other for a while "And how did you get rid of it?"

"I didn't. I stopped returning it and one day I couldn't find it."

"But how? Isn't that freaky?"

"It is but sometimes you just have to let it go. So let it go and forget about it."

"Did you read about the great Shaman and his enchantress?"

Laura nodded adjusting in her seat sensing it was going to be a long discussion. "You mean the witches of Tiassale?"

"Yes, the enchantress linked the Shaman to a wolf resulting in the creation of wolfmen as they put it."

"Yes and then there was more wolfmen and more enchantresses and they coexisted together for centuries protecting each other. What is so special in that tribe? I mean why were you looking at that particular tribe?"

Elara stayed silent playing with her nails and looking out of the window.

"Is it because of what happened to you? You said it was a wolf. Is it why you're reading about werewolves?"

"Werewolves?"

"That's what Wolfman means. Part man, part wolf."

"It makes sense, but no. I wasn't intentionally reading about wolves."

"So why witches? you never seemed interested in that subject. I remember trying to talk to you about magic but you always said it wasn't real and you didn't believe in magic."

"I'm seeing my mom Laura. Since the attack, I've been seeing her a lot. The visions are so vivid to the point I feel like she's really here with me. I can feel her touch..." Elara glanced at her friend who was quiet all of a sudden. "I know you think I'm crazy, I think so too and I'm scared. I'm seeing things that shouldn't even have happened, and yet they feel so real."

"No, not really. What does your mom talk to you about?"

Elara nodded "She told me to look for the Tiassili elders, I don't know what that means, so I did some research burning my computer in the process and while researching, the Tiassale tribe was the closest thing I could find. When I found the book at the library, I took it without hesitation, thinking I would get the answers I'm looking for."

"Tiassili elders" Laura whispered and let out a sigh "Did you find anything relevant?"

"No, the last page was blank."

"Okay, let me tell you something, when I took the book, I was looking at another tribe, and it had blank pages too. And one day, the page I wanted to read so badly filled up. I don't know if you'll trust me, but maybe it's the same for you. Once you're ready to learn about the truth, the page will fill up and you'll see it."

"My mom said I'll find the elders when I'm ready..."

Laura nodded "Then just wait till you are. Don't force things. And if you experience something weird, you can talk to me."

"Thank you Laura." Elara felt better after sharing this with her friend, but she also felt troubled. How does she know all this? And why was she interested in witches? "Now will you tell me why you read that book?"

Laura smiled "I don't think you're ready for the full story, but I can tell you that I'm special, and different. And I have a feeling you are too." The engine roared up to life "And now we're going to be late" she laughed lightly trying to change the subject.

"Are you a witch?" Elara bluntly asked her and Laura stepped on the brakes briskly. "Hey look out! Drive Laura don't stop in the middle of the road like that!"

"Well don't shock me like that!" she shook her head and drove to school silently. When she parked the car and Elara was ready to climb out of it, Laura stopped her "Wait"

Elara looked back at her with a raised eyebrow "Yes?"

"Don't tell anyone about the book, or about the visions. Not until everything becomes crystal clear to you."

"Of course I won't, I don't want anyone thinking I'm crazy."

"You're not. You're special." She gave her a small hug before they got out of the car. They were late as predicted and were running inside the building laughing. The hall was almost empty with most students already in their classes. The girls couldn't care less though, they had spectacular grades and were on most of the time punctual, except for a few times this month. They also were always on their best behavior so they had every right to be late once in a while.

After talking to Laura about her visions, her mom, and the book, Elara felt lighter. And for some reason, she believed Laura about being special. She didn't know what it really meant, but she decided to take her time and wait until she was ready. Whatever that meant.

"Hey tiny! Watch out!"