Blue Crescent

Welcome Back, Adrian

Maddison

“Adrian? Where have you been?” Hannah said, seeing Adrian standing at the gate.

Adrian just looked at him and didn’t respond.

“Adrian . . . hey!” she called as Adrian swiftly ran away.

“I saw Adrian at the gate. I am pretty sure it was him, but he seemed distant and afraid and then he was gone,” Hannah said, sitting on a bench with us.

“Really?” Olivia responded. “And he didn’t even talk to you?”

“No. I just . . . I can’t explain the look in his eyes. What if he's in danger . . . and he needs our help,” Hannah said.

“What do we do now? Shall we go ahead and go on with the plan? Print his pictures and post them on the streets?” Arthur said. “Maddie? Are you alright?” Hannah asked.

My mind was somewhere else that I didn’t hear my friends talking. Sitting beside Hannah, her voice was loud enough for me to hear, but my thoughts were lingering back to the nightmare that happened to Michael and me on the highway.

“Maddie? Thinking about Michael?” Olivia smiled. “So, how was the date? Did you guys already make it?” she added.

“Oh gross, Olivia. Come on. Your questions are oftentimes off,” Hannah dismissed.

“Why not? We are all grown ups. You are . . How old now, Maddie? Sixteen, right?” Olivia asked. “Besides, Michael is so damn hot.”

“Michael is so damn hot,” Arthur echoed with his eyes on his mobile phone.

“Hey, are you jealous?” Olivia asked.

“Why would I?” Arthur replied.

“Well, we all know that you have a thing towards Maddison, and now that Maddie has found a guy, you’re being jealous because you didn’t make your move. Loser,” Olivia said, making an L gesture with her fingers on her forehead.

Arthur just looked at her and didn’t say a word. He continued playing his online game. I remained silent and let my friends say what they wanted. In a moment, I suddenly felt the same excruciating pain in my stomach and groaned.

“Maddie, are you okay?” the three asked in unison.

I pressed my stomach harder and vomited. My fingers are twitching, and the pain got worse. The wind blew, and when I raised my head, Adrian was in front of me.

“Adrian?” Everybody exclaimed in shock.

“Hello Amara.” Adrian grinned.

‘What?” I uttered as I remembered the familiar name.

“Amara . . . what?” Olivia asked.

"What did you just call Maddie? Amara? Who's Amara?" Hannah asked.

“Adrian, we’ve been looking for you,” Arthur said.

“Yeah, we are so worried about you. Come on, tell us. What happened to you in the woods?” Hannah asked.

“Hannah?! There you go again! Why are you so obsessed about the camp?” Olivia huffed.

Adrian chuckled. “Look around you. Isn’t it familiar?”

We looked around and were shocked to see ourselves back in the woods where we had the camp with Mrs. Shaw. I, on the other hand, was still groaning in pain. The pain felt like it was burning my insides, and I could only scream for the agonizing pain. I laid on the ground, holding my stomach before my friends’ panicked eyes. It was exactly the same scene on the highway.

“Why are we . . . here?” Olivia asked, shaking.

“I told you guys, there was something odd about the camp, but you won’t believe me.” Hannah was shaking in fear. “Adrian, what is happening with you?” Hannah added.

‘You gotta tell us. Let us help you, we’re your friends,” Arthur and Olivia uttered simultaneously.

“Oh, I don’t your help, bit**hes! You lousy creatures," Adrian said.

Before anyone could speak another word, Adrian extended his hand towards Olivia and threw the latter backwards with such a strong force. Her body hit the thorny bushes and left several cuts on her face. She screamed in pain as she landed on the ground with a thud. Our jaws dropped in shock, and we could only utter Olivia’s name and freeze.

“No, stop. Stop it, Adrian,” I begged.

Hannah helped me stand up while Adrian clapped his hands and stretched his neck from side to side.

“You know, I really don’t like this body. But I had no choice. I need a body to use my powers,” Adrian said with a smirk.

“Oh, I feel like losing my mind,” Hannah said.

“Yeah, me too,” Arthur added.

“I don’t really need you. I want you,” Adrian said, pointing at me.

‘I told you I am not Amara!” I snapped.

“Ha ha ha! You really think you can hide away? Your mother Ambrosia was such a brilliant bi*** to hide the truth away from you.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” I said through gritted teeth.

Adrian smirked before throwing Hannah and Arthur towards Olivia.

“No!” I cried.

Adrian’s eyes turned black as the wind strengthened. He raised his arm towards the darkening sky, and the rain poured heavily. Just then, fire started to surge around us as thunder and lightning flashed and roared in the atmosphere. I clenched my fist, suddenly feeling the pain transforming to strength.

“Your eyes are black that means power, Amara. Too bad you have no idea how powerful you are.” Adrian smirked.

“I . . . don’t know . . . what you’re talking about,” I said boldly before glancing at Hannah, Arthur, and Olivia who were lying unconsciously on the ground.

“You don’t know? Really? Hmm . . . How shall I start?”

“Once upon a time, there was a woman named Ambrosia. She gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Amara.”

"Oh, yeah. That’s the name you’re calling me.”

“Ah huh. However, Amara’s mother was a traitor. She killed the ruler of supernatural beings to steal immortality that belonged to the vampire king, my father. She was so angry when her son, Damien, did not succeed as the ruler of all beings. So, she sent her daughter to the future. And here I am, facing her to kill her.”

“You fu****g crazy? I bet you can write a book in an instant for your wild imagination. How does that relate to me when I am not this . . . Amara . . . whatever!” I laughed in disbelief, but my laughter died down when I suddenly remembered the camp. “What do you want from me?”

“You are Amara, my arch nemesis. And you shall die in my hands!” he said, extending his hand and threw me into the air.