Story- Turquoise

 

TURQUOISE

Staring into the enemy’s coal black eyes, I felt, we felt our strengths powering us. Earlier, I was forced to question on why we were brought upon this situation. Now, it all made perfect sense. It was our fate, our destination. We were born to make an impact. With this, I still had hope in my mind.

It was the 31^st of July, our birthday.

My name is Alyssa Evans, I am 14 years old. I have a twin, Arianna Evans. We both are people meant to be together. We can read each other’s minds. It was our 14^th birthday when our Mother, Miranda Evans decided to go out on a picnic. It was our Stepfather, James Evans who proposed a new, surprise place for picnic. Our Father died when we were born and our Mother married his younger brother to support our family. We all got ready and left our home. Who knew we were seeing this place for the last time.

We grew more and more exited as Father drove out of the city lights. We were soon travelling on lone roads but the sunlight didn’t make them feel scary. We stopped where the road ended. Around were just thick trees but one could see a small, narrow trail amongst them. “James, where have you brought us?” asked Mother in her perfect, chirpy voice. “Wait, Miranda, it is a surprise.” said Father in his deep voice.  If I had not known him well, he could have almost scared me with his voice.

He led us on the bumpy trail. I could feel my surroundings becoming eerie. I clutched Arianna’s hand. We reached a meadow but it felt scary. Only a shade of sun’s rays could reach us. I looked in front of us and Father stood there turned his back towards us. Mother was behind us. I could feel her being surprised too. He slowly turned towards us but he felt more unfamiliar. When I saw his face, it seemed strange as his eyes were coal black instead of being their usual grey. He looked pale and he felt evil. Immediately, Mother came before us and pushed us back as if to cover us.

 “I suppose, Miranda you did not expect this.” said Father in a mocking voice. “What is this, James? I thought you understood the importance of keeping this secret.” replied Mother. I looked towards Arianna and her eyes met mine. We both could sense each other’s confused expressions. “I cannot pretend to be good any more. For 14 years, I have waited for this moment and now I can have all that I wanted and you cannot stop me.” He threatened.  “I will not give to you what you want. I trusted you. All your family is the same. Only Alexander did the right thing.” She replied. It was surprise to hear our real Father’s name after such a long time. It was hardly ever mentioned.  “Alexander was a fool and so are you. Now hand over to me the girls and the scrolls. I know you always carry them with you” he said. I was startled and I could feel Arianna’s shock too. What good could we, 14-year-girls bring to him? “NEVER!” she screeched back. She held our hands tightly and before we knew we were surrounded by turquoise smoke. We were speeding away from the scary meadow and I could see that he wasn’t following us. I didn’t even feel good calling him ‘Father’ anymore.

We stopped on the roof of a dilapidated house somewhere near the highway.  I was about to ask what was going on when Mother said “James could be arriving here any minute. I don’t have time for any questions. She pulled two lockets out of here pocket – both silver coloured and studded with turquoise gemstones. “Wear these and never remove them. They will protect you.” She said. She removed her bigger turquoise necklace and gave it to me. “Alyssa, Arianna, this is a very important necklace. Don’t lose it. I am sending you someplace. There, first of all bring this necklace near to your mouth and say together ‘Show me the light’” she said. She waved her hands into the air and suddenly, a vortex sort of a thing opened. She motioned us to get into it. As we turned around, I saw James in a cloud of black smoke approaching us. “I love you both. Stay together and don’t lose hope.” she said lovingly. She motioned the vortex thing to close and before we knew, Mother had disappeared and we were in a tunnel of black silence.

Arianna and I were dumbstruck. So much had happened so quickly, we didn’t know how to react. We started to move forward not knowing were to go.  After about a few steps, I could see a small twinge of light. “Look, Arianna, I think that’s our way out.” I said. We ran towards the light and lo! we could feel the sun again. We were all of a sudden in a strange place.

It seemed liked a town but the people didn’t look like normal citizens. They had a different aura around them. The buildings were spherical like fortune telling balls. We looked here and there and I spotted a huge wooden board which said ‘Witch’s Meadow’. “Oh! Alyssa, we almost forgot the necklace that Mother gave us.” Arianna said. I quickly took the necklace out of my pocket. A small tear appeared in my eye for my Mother but I quickly wiped it away. “Show me the light!” Arianna and I said together. For a moment nothing happened. Suddenly, turquoise light shone from the necklace. Turquoise smoke started surrounding us and then the small gemstone latched open. Inside were numerous, tiny scrolls of different colours. “What colour do you pick?” Arianna asked. I looked and picked a small scroll of turquoise colour – Mother’s favourite colour. As soon as we touched it together, it enlarged. Arianna opened it and read.

“Dear Alyssa and Arianna,

I kept a secret from you. It was to protect you.

I am a Witch.

I lived in Witch’s meadow and met your Father there. He was a wizard. We wanted to live a normal life in the mortal world. But your Father’s family was against it. There was a fortune that the eldest child would have a chance of acquiring great power and he seemed the most suitable. So we decided to live in the Meadow until you were born. On the eve of your birth, your Father was out and before long, witches found your Father’s dead body lying near the town fence. No one could know what happened. Your Father’s family disappeared after that. James was a good person so he married me to protect you. We left the Meadow. I knew this day would come. You need to find a Mrs. Bonnie in the Meadow and tell her all about yourselves and me. You will know everything then.

I love you.

Mother”

Tears flowed from my eyes and Arianna’s too but we were too shocked to say anything. I stuffed the scroll back into the necklace and we went out to look for Mrs. Bonnie.

Witch’s Meadow was the strangest town ever. People were buying odd looking brooms and eating slimy things. There were witches and wizards but they were ancient attire. We decided to ask a person about Mrs. Bonnie. We saw a friendly looking lady walking on the roadside. “Excuse me, can you tell me where Mrs. Bonnie lives.” I asked. “Mrs. Bonnie. Oh! The Mayor, sure, you will find her in the Town Hall.” the lady said in a friendly voice. We wandered here and there and found a place that had a board saying ‘Town Hall’. We went inside and saw a door with ‘Witch Mayor’ inscribed on it. We knocked and heard a faint ‘come in’ and went inside.  Behind a mahogany desk was a lady of our Mother’s age. She looked up and we could see our Mother’s reflection in her. “Oh! Alyssa and Arianna, you have grown so big. You look so much like your Mother.” she said and rushed towards us. She hugged us and we felt safe somehow.

I started to say something and she interrupted “You don’t need to say anything. I saw everything in my glass ball. I had a feeling that this would happen to Miranda sooner or later. We don’t have time for adventure.  I just saw Alexander take away your Mother to the Dark Island. We’ll have to leave for it.” “Wait, what is happening? Are we witches too? Why is James against us and who are you?” Arianna asked. “Miranda has been captured by James, Alexander’s brother, a black wizard. I know he wants the fortune your Father was to get. Yes, you are Witches too and the most powerful witches of the century. You and your mother are the rarest witches - Turquoise witches and they are the most powerful. I am your Aunt, a faun witch, Bonnie Black. I know it’s confusing but we need to hurry up. There is no time to tell you or teach you. We just have to find your Mother.” Aunt said.

We could now connect to what was going on but we just wanted to find Mother. “Where do we find them?” I asked. “Not to worry, he is coming here. You see, he needs your Mother’s scrolls to call upon our ancestors and take their powers but he also needs you to carry upon that magic as only two same aged turquoise witches can do that.” She said.

“We can do magic?” Arianna asked.

“Yes.”

“But we don’t know how to!”

“There are no incantations for it. You just need to meditate on what you want truly and you’ll get it”

“How will we defeat him?”

“Anyone can do anything but they should have the power to do it. You have the power. Your memories have the power.”

Suddenly, a witch entered the room “Ms. Mayor, James has arrived with Miranda.”

We went outside and ran towards the town’s fences. The sky had turned black and James was flying in the air holding our unconscious Mother. “Leave her alone, James. You will never get what you want.” Aunt shouted. She started to conjure smoke from her hands but before that James waved one hand and everyone including Aunt dropped down unconscious. “Alyssa and Arianna come to your Father and help him gain ultimate power. You see, Alexander was a fool to decline the great power but I can have it. I will be the greatest wizard of Black magic if you obey me. I will then release your mother.” He shouted.

We remembered Aunt Bonnie’s words and looked up. “You are not our father and we will never obey you.”

We understood that we were born to make an impact.

We didn’t try to distract him as the heroes in the books do. We just touched each other’s hand and closed our eyes. We both knew what to do.

We thought of the happiest memories of our Mother. Her smile, her voice and demanded God to make her free. We opened our eyes together and turquoise coloured smoke started to erupt from our hands. It wrapped around James and our Mother and brought her down. We ran towards her forgetting about James and before long, it started raining heavily. Gradually, all witches and wizards opened their eyes and Aunt Bonnie ran towards us and hugged us tightly. Our Mother opened her eyes and she took our faces in her hands. Aunt Bonnie got up and a few moments later brought a glass jar in which we could see black ashes. “The turquoise magic destroyed the black magic.” Aunt Bonnie said. No one said anything. We walked towards the town to be what we truly are, to be Witches.

 This was truly the most Turquoise Birthday Surprise Ever!