Nox Inferno

Chapter 3: Fly Away

Knock, Knock

I groaned in resentment. When my alarm did not wake me up, my parents would bang on the door and wake me up. God-forbid they came into my room and wake me up nicely.

Knock, Knock

“I am up!” I shouted to the knocking figure behind my door. The sound of heels clicking away from my door, told me that it was my mother.

I peeled off my tank top and immediately when I felt a sharp pang on my lower back. Believing it was a sore muscle, I stretched but that caused the pain to intensify. I scooted over to full length mirror and turned around.

There staring at me was an owl tattoo. Not just any owl either, the one from my dreams except this time there was no flames surrounding it. I would have screamed, but my parents might have gotten angry. I just stared at it, then it did the weirdest thing. The owl blinked and ruffled its feathers.

“I might be going, just a little bit crazy.” I ran my hand over the owl. The owl’s face scrunched up and it pecked at my fingers with its beak. My fingers turned red, as if I were really pecked by the bird. “This is just another one of my crazy dreams.” I muttered.

In a daze, I pulled on a navy-blue hoodie that said, “Dragon Alliance.” and a pair of high waisted jeans. Glancing at the owl on my back every now and again to make sure it was still there. “Twyla, we need to leave now, or you will miss the plane.” Dad shouted from what sounded like downstairs.

“Coming” I said as I pulled on a pair of comfy UGG boots. I grabbed the travel bag and exit my room. I did not turn back for one more glance. I was leaving. I had no regrets and I did not feel any emotional attachment holding me back.

I pulled my suitcase behind me down the stairs and out the door only to be greeted by Adrian and Jasmine holding a poster that said, “Don’t 4get us!” I smiled and tears began to build up. I needed to be strong. Refusing to cry, I hugged them instead

“How could I forget you guys.” I muttered. I looked up at the sound of sobbing. At first, I thought it was Jasmine, but it was Adrian. In all the years we have been friends, I do not remember the last time he cried.

“There, there.” I said as I pat him on the back, while

“Oh my gosh, your crying.” She choked out in between her fits of laughter.

Adrian stopped long enough to scowl. “Am not!” He protested and swatted at the tears still left on his cheek.

“Where’s my phone.” She laughed while patting her jeans pockets. Finally, pulling out a red case, she snapped a photo of Adrian, a crying mess.

“Delete that.” He growled and lunged for the phone, but Jasmine already placed it in her back pocket.

He was about to lunge after it, until he saw where it was. Quickly he retreated his hand and blushed, hard.

“Aw, isn’t this cute. Adrian is blushing too.” I cooed and he blushed a darker shade of red. I’m going to miss teasing him.

“I need new friends.” He muttered and someone cleared their throat.

I turned around to see my father standing there with a frown, “We need to go. Now.” He urged rather forcefully.

“Yes, sir.” I muttered and pulled my friends into one last hug.

We finally broke apart and I went inside the car, while dad puts my bags in the trunk.

I waved at my friends as we drove off. I did not stop waving, until their figures became no more than a speck of dust in the distance.

Turning around to face my new future, dad grumbled, “They were here since three o’clock this morning. Do you know how troublesome that is?”

I rolled my eyes, “Don’t get me started on that girl’s hair.” Mom chimed in. She wanted everyone to be perfect and nothing less.

After a good twenty minutes of them complaining, “my friends are never getting anywhere in life” and “anyone who wants to be friends with me just want to use me and make me suffer”, I was about ready to take my stuff out of the trunk and walk to the airport.

When we finally arrived, I have never been more relieved. I swung open the car door and rushed to get my bags. I walked behind the car and I felt a strange flutter on my right forearm. I rolled up my sleeve to reveal the owl staring at me blankly.

‘What the hell?’ I thought as I pulled the sleeve back down, in hopes my parents did not see it. I looked up at my parents now exiting the car. Anger etched over my father’s face. Never a good sign. Please, don’t change your mine

“I’m going to be late.” I muttered and pulled them both into a hug. Hugging them felt strange and uncomfortable. I was all to happy to break the hug.

“Yeah, take care sweetie.” My mom whispered before turning and walked back to the passenger seat. I had the slightest feeling she wasn’t going to miss me.

“I will watch you go in.” Dad said as he grabbed my suitcases out of the car.

‘Great.’ I thought as we entered the airport.

“Now remember, don’t cause trouble, and watch out for boys.” He began.

I could practically recite the lines in my head. All he did was say the same things repeatedly. Do not trust anyone. Do not talk to anyone. Anyone who gets too close to you will rape you or hurt you. He is kind of the reason; I have trust issues. Maybe when I get to Ravenwood, things will be differen.t

We reached the gate, “Bye dad, love you.” I took the suitcase from him. I continued straight, facing my new future and did not pause even for a moment.

My phone buzzed in my back pocket, but I was so enrapt with my book, I did not bother to check it. Knowing if it was my parents, I couldn’t get in trouble for not giving a speedy response.

I felt another flutter, this time on my left arm. Closing the book, I pulled up my left sleeve. The owl stared at me with a bored expression before blinking.

“Oh my god, I am going insane.” I muttered and poked the moving bird. Couldn’t this have happened before I left?

“Woah, nice tat.” A girl with sea blue highlights said.

“Thanks.” I smiled up at her before pulling the sleeve down. This way she wouldn’t see it move.

“I’m Lyra.” She said extending her hand for me to shake. The owl began to move at the sound of her name.

“Twyla.” I stated before shaking her hand, ignoring the owl.

“What an unusual name. Is there a reason?” She asked while taking a seat next to me.

“I don’t think so.” I muttered, trying to remember if my parents ever mentioned anything about my name.

“So, Twyla, what brings you on this trip?” She was making small talk. I can do this.

“I got an acceptance letter from a school, maybe you have heard of it, Ravenwood.” Her eyebrows shot up before inhaling.

“Wow that is crazy. My parents finally convinced the Dean to let me in.”

“That’s great.” I beamed at her, “I finally know someone who is going there, so it won’t be a school of complete strangers.”

“Yeah.” She said and we fell into an odd moment of quietness.

We sat there for a good while, I could tell she wanted to get up and move but felt to uncomfortable to do so.

“Flight 1498. Is ready for boarding.” A voice said on the intercom.

I sighed as I finally had a moment to break the silence, “Well that’s me.” I said and got off the chair.

“I know, me too.” She muttered and followed behind me.

We walked closer to the flight attendant, as she said, “Pre-boarding, any customers with disabilities.”

“So, what group are you in?” I asked hoping the air of awkwardness would disappear.

She looked at her ticket, “Group B.”

I looked down at mine, “Oh me too.”

She looked like she was going to say more when the flight attendant said, “Next to board, is anyone from Group A.”

“Where are you sitting?” She asked.

“23 D.” I said.

She grimaced at her ticket, “24 D” She said quietly.

“Looks like we are going to be buddies.” I said and she just made a noise of agreement.

The flight attendant spoke up again, “Next is anyone an active military member.” A few people got out from their seats.

“Thank you for your services.” I said to those who passed in my direction.

Lyra looked at me strangely, “Do you always do that?” She asked.

“Oh.” I said realizing she was talking about, I responded, “Yeah I do, I figure it is respectful and I should be grateful to those in the military for doing their best to serve the country.”

“Oh.” She said quietly, “Do you thank every protector you see?”

“A protector?” I asked pulling my eyebrows together in confusion.

“Never mind.” Her smile brightened a little too much, but it was obvious she was hiding something. But it wasn’t my place to ask, “So on...”

She was cut off by the flight attendant, “Now boarding, anyone traveling with a child in a car seat or stroller.”

“So...” She began again, “On the plane, I normally like to read.”

“Oh no problem, so do I. But I am probably going to take a nap.”

She turned to me with interest, “Why? To excited to sleep for today.”

I could have lied, especially because she was a stranger, but I did not, “No I had a weird dream.”

Her eyebrows shot up, “What did you say your name was?” She asked.

“Twyla Chantelle.” I asked warily, “Why?”

“No reason.” She replied casually but something in her eyes told me otherwise, “So what was your dream about?”

“Now boarding Group B.” The flight attendant said, saving me a reply.

“Come on.” I said and we got up out of our seats and boarded a plane.

“When did you get the tattoo?” She asked.

“Um...” What was I supposed to say, I woke up with it? That I have a magical tattoo that moves? I wasn’t planning on telling this girl who will be attending school with me, that I might be a mental case. I pretended to be very interested in finding my seat. As luck would have it, I got the window seat. Sighing placed my carry-on overhead.

“Lucky you.” She muttered and placed her sea green suitcase on next to mine before taking a seat next to me.

“Good night.” I muttered, mostly because I did not want to talk about my tattoo but partly because I was so tired that my eyelids became increasingly hard to keep open.

“I’m a sea-nymph by the way.” She muttered so softly that I almost did not catch it.

Slowly the world faded into darkness. But I forgot that even dreams were not peaceful.

I was standing in a field of something that looked like red snow. There was nothing but a blackened tree in the middle. Where a single bird perched looking at me.

Its owl from my back.

“Hi.” I muttered and walked closer to it; it did not move. Not a single inch, it just stared at me, never blinking.

I kept walking closer to it but never seemed to get anywhere. So, I stopped moving. Owl flutters its wings and a fox emerged out of nowhere and sat down right below the tree. A snake slithered up the tree and rested on another branch, still below the owl. Next a wolf came out of thin air, nudging the fox. A monkey was holding onto a bear as they both sat beside the tree. Finally, a raven flew onto the tree and sat down, right next to the owl. They are were pitch black, the only color again them was there eyes, which varied from hues of colors. Three pairs of blue eyes, a pair of green eyes, and oddly enough two pairs of pink eyes. As well as my owl with red eyes.

All the animals turned to look at me before the red figure with horn walked behind them, they did not flinch or make a noise. They just stared ahead, as if he was not there, finally the red figure turned to me.

“This is your family, Twyla.”

Suddenly the floor opened, and I fell into the pit. I stared up at the hole as, the light slowly became smaller and dimmer. I was blanketed in darkness. Suddenly, a mirror appeared. Inside the mirror was me, but she was not me at all.

Her dark black hair was out and falling in curls around her face. On top her head, was a black spiky crown adorned with red rubies. She was wearing a red and black dress, that went down to the floor. But what startled me the most was her, burning red eyes that seemed to pierce into my soul. She extended her arm and my owl perched on it looking back at me. She smiled at me and everything faded away once more.