╔════════════╗
My vision...
Life continues whether we want it or not,
She continues to flow like a torrent.
Be ready to navigate murky waters,
Because she will carry you away
╚═════════════╝

The light of the crescent moon softly fades over the forest.

I stand alone at the entrance of a small hole, lost in this unfamiliar forest. The cavity is too small for an adult to walk comfortably. I am amazed by the sturdy roots anchoring the ground around me. The tree seems to be guarding a secret, creating an aura of mystery. The surrounding area is noticeably different from all the places I have come across in the last few days.

I am uncertain of my location. The bare trees and conifers remain silent, usually rustling when someone enters their territory. I am familiar with this behavior, having befriended a few trees back home. As the only child in the area, I had the opportunity to do so. They seldom communicate with mages, even the influential ones. I was fortunate to have such knowledgeable companions.

Here, they stand still, as if some magic washed their souls clean. I wonder who possesses such magic and why it was done. Any witch needs nature to help restore their source of power. From where I come, we nurture nature...

'What is this place?'

My eyes fill with water a property I ignore I had, and anxiety invades my body. This entire journey has been an adventure. The woman, whom my Dad asked me to call my mother, instructed me to remain here, hiding with the other kids. She had to go back and look for Dad; I miss him already.

While other children cry, I remain composed and do not allow my emotions to control me. I believe that crying is a sign of weakness and can corrupt the magic within. As I pull away from the others, I stand in the light of the moon.

Suddenly, a pair of hands grab my clothes. I attempt to run, but strong arms hoist my body into the air. I inhale, preparing to recite an incantation, but a hand covers my mouth, preventing any action.

My heart races uncontrollably in my chest."Shh," the person whispers in my ear. "Your mother will arrive shortly. She instructed you to remain concealed. Why are you here?" He asks in a stern tone, moving back to the other children.

I notice his dilated pupils with a red crescent growing in them. His wolf is ready to show itself if needed. Why is he so stressed about this trip? After the trip on those sealed barrels down the waterfall, we did not have any further adventures.

The sudden movement startles me, and I instinctively slap at his arms, wanting to break free.I see men and women are walking backwards  on their fours out of the hole. Among them is my mother. The tree roots are now forming a semicircle around the cave entrance and is gradually sealing its entrance. The crunching of the roots unites the witches  song and sway to the rhythm of the song.

The children, who had been hiding until then, run to the man's legs, trembling with fear.I step back a few feet, feeling trapped by the commotion. After finishing their chant, the cracks and tremors subsided, leaving the entrance completely concealed by roots and earth.While watching the action, I recognized the woman whom I was to call Mother among them.

All the adults rushed to their children. My mother's hood fell, revealing her true emotions. She rushed to me and buried her tear-streaked face in my chest. Kneeling on the floor, I felt her warm tears soak through my clothes. I pull away, unsure of what to do, I met her only a few hours ago and followed her as ordered by my father. She releases me and covers her devastated face with her hands, crumpling to the floor. Her cries become muffled. In a daze, I ask,

'Why are you crying?Where is Papa?Where are we?'

I repeat the questions like a broken record, struggling to return to a deep sleep without finding any answers. I let out a sigh as I realize I'm having that recurring dream again. Although it seems to be trying to convey something, its significance eludes me.

Suddenly, I'm awoken by the sound of the coffee machine. I rub my eyes and try to shake off the remnants of the strange dream. My heart races with anticipation as I hurriedly walk to see my mother. "Mom!"

As I slip on my slippers, I call out again.   "Mom!"  My desire to see my mother is intensifying, causing me to forget everything else. Last time we crossed paths was a week or so ago.

My eyes are still adjusting to being open for the day, and I stumble against the wall. I rub them with one hand to steady myself and search for the ramp with the other, as my vision is blurry.On the top step, I see her. She appears too thin for her size and despite her beautiful long brown hair, she looks frail. I am still unsure if this is really happening, until she gazes at me with tenderness in her eyes, despite the dark circles around them. This is a rare occurrence lately, it can't be a dream, it fills me with love. It has been a while since I have seen her look at me in such a way. My heart is pounding in my chest, ready to burst. I have missed her.

I rush down the remaining stairs, hoping to catch her and hold her for a few minutes, but she is quick to move away. A heaviness settles in my heart making my shoulders heavy, until she gently caresses my hair. My heart flutters but too soon her touch fades. A kaleidoscope of emotions tint my eyes and face, but before I can muster a word out or react, she was already gone.

I swallow the bitterness in my throat. Today was a good day for her. I had hoped to ask her why she had suddenly changed towards me over the past few weekends. She's become distant. She doesn't smile when she sees me, and she seems to avoid every family dinner for the past few months. Sometimes I wonder if she ever goes to sleep.

My fists clench. Is she angry that I'm not going to college? How could I do otherwise? I need to be there for my brother and sister. If not me, who? We rarely see her now; it's been weeks since she gave me the cold shoulder, and I can't figure out why.

The alarm on my watch jolts me out of my dark thoughts. I sigh.

it's time to get going. I walk up the stairs, slapping my face to relax my muscles. I smile as I enter my mother's room, where Julie is still fast asleep.

Again, I try my best to find solace in solitude. With only 17 years of age, I was in charge of my younger brother and sister, but we had an apartment and facilities were being taken care of. We have each other and as long as we are together, we can wait for our mother to get over whatever was weighing on her.

Today I get to play Mom again.

I pull the blinds aside and look at the green leaves on the tree in front of me. Today is the last day of school and life as I know it, since I won't be attending next year.
I lie down and crumple the sheets on Mom's side of the bed. I don't regret my decision. I can always pick up where I left off later. I take a deep breath and run my hand through my little sister's hair.

They need some normalcy in all this family chaos. It was my choice.

"Wake up, beautiful," I say to Julie. She looks so much like Mom, except for the curls.

Like me, she inherited them from Dad. I smile and kiss her forehead before tickling her.

——
Mom
——

Today is a sad day. I've already said goodbye to the younger ones while they slept, but I wanted to see her eyes one last time. Neither gray nor blue, the colors would change depending on the emotions she felt. I could lose myself in those eyes, they reminded me of their father and the life that was taken from us. The button machine pressed. All I could do was wait.

My heart grows heavy with hope as I hear her stumble toward me. Little does she know that this is goodbye. My throat tightens as I think of the audacity of life. I lost her so many years ago, missed her for years, yearn for the day we would be together, only to leave her years later, of my own accord.

I shake my head and see her hurrying down the stairs. I haven't been a mother these past weeks. They deserve better, at least they have Annie.

I take a sip of coffee, taking the cup with me as a token of this day. I brush her hair one last time and leave her for good. It's about time.

Julie and Luc will grow up well with Annie around. She's a good girl. Now I just have to find a replacement for myself.

I turn without a word and leave the apartment, clutching the cup, hiding the emotions she has no right to see, hoping to keep up the pretense.

At the top of the outside stairs, I notice the driver on full alert, waiting for me, as well as the team surrounding the split-level apartment. I make a sign to show I'm in control and hurry to the car, dumping the rest of the coffee on the grass.

The driver opens the door and bows.

"Madam."

I nod and get into the car, noticing the hairs on his hand bristle as I pass him.

I take one last look at the building through the window and wave to the driver through the magic-proof glass, noticing his shoulders relax a little as we pull away.

Note:

Please note that this book contains no sex.

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