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Chapter 1.
Abby looked in the mirror and smiled-today was going to be a good day. She could just feel it. It was her birthday after all; everyone is suppose to be nice to you on your birthday. And being an only child Abby was always showered with gifts.
She looked in the mirror one last time inspecting herself before she went downstairs. Her brown curly hair was extra bouncy this morning, her skin was a nice warm tan and her eyes were dazzling green. She gave herself a smile, “ happy 18th birthday to me”. And with that she hopped down the stairs.
Her mother was sitting at the table with her father. Oddly enough there weren’t any pancakes or presents and the mood seemed gloom instead of happy. She had the sudden urge to go back upstairs and try that entrance again-something was off and she could feel it.
She sat at the table and gave a smile, “Mom-dad- what’s up? Why the long faces?” she asked cheerfully. Maybe they’re just trying to psyche me out she thought. Make the surprise even better.
But her dad just looked to the wall and her mother wouldn’t meet her eyes as she spoke,” Abigail, there is something your dad and I have been wanting to tell you for a long time and since it is your eighteenth birthday we thought … well… you’re an adult now so you have a right to know.” Her mother explained slowly still unable to meet Abby’s eyes.
Abby looked back and forth from her parents confused, “ What is going on? What are you talking about?”
Her mother cleared her throat and looked down at her hands, “ Abby-honey- you were adopted. But we love you like our own child. You are our child, you are our Abby.”
Abby’s eyes went round with shock, she felt her world slightly tilt to the left, she struggled for the right words. “ I’m adopted- what? No… this isn’t funny mom… come on! You’re kidding!” she stammered. It was impossible, she looked just like her mom. Same eye color, same curly hair. Yeah they didn’t have the same taste in a lot of stuff but that was because her mom was from the 70’s and … well … it just couldn’t be true.
Her dad stood up and walked to the counter and balanced himself against it, taking deep breaths, “ No Abby, we are not kidding. We couldn’t have kids by ourselves and well- your real mom, “ he paused and took another breathe” your real mom couldn’t raise you, so we told her that we would raise you until your 18th birthday-today.”
Abby was sitting the gawking at her dad trying to figure everything out. Just five minutes ago everything was perfect, everything was right in her world and now? Her parents were feeding her this really bad joke. “ Look it’s not funny anymore. I get it- ha ha ha birthday prank. Seriously guys, cut it out.”
Her mom started crying into her hands and her dad went to put her hands on her shoulders. “ We’re not joking… let me… let me tell you from the beginning how you came to be in our lives- to be our Abby.”
“ it was 18th years ago that Sarah and I wanted a child. We couldn’t conceive our own child… and we had heard rumors, silly superstitions of a woman who could help. I didn’t want to go but Sarah” he looked down at the woman crying in the chair uncontrollably, “ –Sarah wanted a little child so bad. So we went to see this woman in Thicketwood.”
Abby took in a breath. Thicketwood was a dark place, rumored to be where witches and mages still resigned. Rumors of course because no one dared to go there. It was one of the last places in America where it was said that they still practiced open magic.
Her father continued, “In Thicketwood the witch told us that in order to conceive a child we would have to… do terrible things. It wasn’t an option. We couldn’t practice magic- it is outlawed in the states everyone knew that. And we weren’t mages or witches or anything….Just... a happy couple wanting an addition.” He took in another breath. “Well as we were leaving a woman approached us, she was in rages and battered. She had a small child in her arms – you. She begged us to take you; she had overheard us talking with the witch. She said that we could raise you to be our own, that we could have a precious baby.”
Abby nodded trying to take everything in. She looked at her mother who had stopped crying. Her mother opened her mouth to finish the story. “And from the minute I held you I knew you were my baby girl, the baby I had always wanted. But… your mother warned us that on your 18th birthday someone would come looking for you. Someone would want you back. That we could have you as a child but not as an adult.” Her mother began to cry again.
“So is my … real mother here or something?” Abby choked. She couldn’t believe what was happening. The world kept spinning but she felt like is should explode or that sirens should be going off. It was too quite for everything that was happening.
“No, I am.” A voice from the corner said. That was the first time she heard his voice, and it sent chills throughout her.
She turned around to see a man standing in the corner; he couldn’t have been there long because she hadn’t seen him when she walked into the room. He stood at 6 foot 4 at least, long dark hair that passed his shoulders, his eyes were a startling deep blue and he had the smoothest skin she had ever seen. “Who are you?” she questioned.
“Who I am is not your concern at the moment. What should be your concern is to go get three days clothing – jeans and t shirts should suffice.” He answered calmly.
Abby looked to her parents – adoptive parents and back to the man. “What is going on?” she asked scarred for the first time.
Her mother ran out of the room crying unable to look at her. “ Dad… dad… what’s going on? What is this guy talking about? Who is this guy?” she rambled. She felt like she was going to faint. The world kept tilting more and more.
Her dad just looked away and didn’t respond. “ what’s going on.. what… what is happening?” she screamed.
Then the world went black.
She could hear voices but she couldn’t bring her mind to the surface, she couldn’t make her body move. She lay there, she didn’t know for how long. But it was long enough.