Chapter 2

***Chapter 2 ~ Weather***

***Twister Bay***

***~***

***Alki Beach, Seattle, Washington State, United States of America***

Dark clouds began to fill the sky as I dug my board into the brownish-tan sand. As I held my phone between my ear and shoulder trying to hear my siblings' voices over the sound of the crashing waves, I then shielded the remaining sunlight when I looked up at the sky.

“I'll be back in about an hour, tops, promise, there are some of the most perfect waves here there and I just can't miss 'em.” I said, a little loud as to be heard over the crashing waves.
“Since when have you been that into surfing??” My younger sister, Alice asked in disbelief.
“We live by water and I got bored, so I thought “why not?”, the summer is almost over so better get it in before the water freezes over.” I objected, shrugging a little.
“Since you're not home....does that mean I'm in charge?” Oliver, my brother asked hopefully. Alice and Oliver were six years younger than I and were fraternal twins. Ollie being a few minutes older than Allie and he never lets her forget it no matter how hard she tries.
“For once, can I be in charge, for god's sake??” She asked impatiently.
“How about you two be responsible teenagers and be in charge of yourselves? Keep the house in one piece and don't burn it down and maybe I'll pick up dinner on the way home.” I offered.
“And if we don't?” Oliver asked hesitantly.
“I'll disown you, leave the two of you on your own on the streets and use the insurance money to buy a boat-house in nice hot Miami.” I replied.
“You wouldn't dare.” Alice snapped.
“Wanna bet? Hold on, the wave of all waves is coming in, I'll be home after this one, promise.” I said quickly and hung up. I tossed my phone onto my pile of stuff on the sand and - change and to a comma? grabbed my board and rushed out towards the water as the rain started to fall. I held the board against my chest as I braced myself for the water. Even on the shore, I knew the water would be cold but when I got in it didn't feel like August Seattle water but December Antarctic water.-optional exclamation mark My teeth began to chatter but that didn't stop me from continuing to paddle farther from the beach. The further I got, the harder the rain fell and that didn't stop me either. Finally the wave I had waited for started to peak and I was ready for it.
I dove under the water and bounced back up just as the wave started to curl its end in front of me. In my head I was ready for the wave, but somehow I timed it wrong, it crashed on me, pushing me under and sending my board over my head, which prevented me from getting air. The rough waves and storm tossed me around and kept me under and the struggling only made it worse. Soon I began to run out of breath and it didn't look like I'd be able to get to the surface any time soon. And finally,everything started to fade away into black nothingness.

“Twister, wake up, it's time to go.” A voice said in my eyes in an almost sing-song tone and a thick Russian accent. I slowly stirred, mainly surprised by the fact that I was still alive and somehow still breathing even though the last I remember was being in water. It felt like there was a bubble around me allowing me to breathe and I struggled against the soreness of my body to stand up. More to my surprise, the voice could be heard perfectly, not like a bunch of inaudible mumbles from under water.
“Who-who are you? How am I alive?” I asked fearfully, looking around the black for a sign of life.
“You may call me simply, the Essence. You are alive because you hold a purpose that you, and only you can fulfill.” The voice explained.
“P-purpose?” I stammered, still trying to take it all in.
“A purpose you must fulfill because it won't let anyone else be its host.” He replied. Out from the black, stepped a figure in a long black trench coat and a matching black fedora that covered up the top half of his face, from the bridge of his nose up. Hanging from his neck was a dark turquoise colored gem stone that could fit in my palm. From his pocket, he pulled out a piece of tan parchment like paper with black cursive writing and a thick black line at the bottom.
“All you have to do is sign on the line.” He added, as he holding the paper out to me.
“And if I don't sign?” I asked, skeptically.
“You're acting like you have a choice, you can either die like a normal human or live as a king.” He said.
“A king?...” I repeated slowly. “What about Oliver and Alice, what about my siblings, what will happen to them after this?”
He nodded, smirking and pulls out a small knife before handing it over to me, but not in a menacing way. “Trust me when I say this Twister, they will be in good hands.”

“And the knife?” I asked, eyeing it slowly.
“This isn't a normal deal, it needs proof its you, all it takes is a simple prick of the finger onto the line.” He explained. The blade was a perfect silver and roughly jagged on one side, engraved on was Russian Cyrillic writing that I wouldn't be able to translate it even if I knew.
“So....do we have a deal?” He asked, holding both closer to me.
I looked at it and back to him when I noticed that the gem had changed from the turquoise color to deep reddish. Soon, I wasn't the only one in my body,I was out of control and reached for the blade and dug the tip it into my fingertip until the blood started to stream out. I let it drip onto the line at the bottom of the paper. Almost instantaneously , a wave of pain coursed through my entire body, worse than I had experienced before. Everything started to spin and my eyesight went black.

When I finally managed to open my eyes, I was on my back surrounded by a clearing of trees. The only thing I could remember was a name; Twister. Though it felt like I was alone in here, it didn't feel that way in my head; there wasn't a voice, but it just didn't feel like I was alone in my head. My world was empty without memories. My head was still aching and it felt as if my left wrist was burning and itching. I groaned and rolled over to examine my wrist, to try to understand why. On one side was the imprint of an angel wing, with a storm cloud and rain making up the wing itself, with my other wrist was the same thing but it seemed to be a much calmer kind of weather. My whole wrist ached and itched and making it too much to ignore.

Where ever I was, I knew I couldn’t stay in one place long, so I heaved myself to my feet, still being wary of my head and my wrists. I knew my best chance was to see if there was anyone else here who could help me, if there was anyone else here. I pushed on, down what to me looked the most like a path in any direction. Above me, the weather was spastic in the sense that it was changing from cloudy to sunny and various forms of rain, hail, and snow began to fall around me.

Through the weather and snow dusted trees, a clearing stood ahead with what almost looked like houses, all set together in various rows.

“Hello?....Is there anyone here??” The only response was my echo bouncing back at me from the wooded walls.
I wandered down the path through the grass for the houses, peaking closer at them to see if there was anyone inside; no one but various colors and lighting through the shaded windows. On each door were various designs of leaves and water and what looks almost like nerves from a body. I stopped in my tracks when I noticed a very...peculiar engraving on a door, wings like mine. This was the only form of explanation I had for what was going on here, so needless to say, I didn’t hesitate to go closer.

The door was cracked open, as if it was waiting for me. I couldn’t help but run my fingertips over the engraving, feeling every depth and raise in the grains, all while the door was swinging open against the weight. What was inside was nothing like I even expected, full of wood carved furniture and plaid covers. It all looked like it came from the harbor, the bed frame, couch, and light fixture in the center of the ceiling were all carved out of wood. Dark turquoise curtains hung by the wind behind the couch decorated with a white pillow and blue anchor painted on. I had to climb up a small ladder to reach the top floor where the bed waited for me and a small night table, a matching turquoise lamb sitting there. All of this was as if someone knew I was coming and was waiting for me and obviously many more given the other cabins fitted around my own. What my purpose for even being here was beyond me, and everything was too much of an aching blur that sent me tumbling onto the sheets which accepted me with welcoming arms.

I didn’t want to think anymore, everything hurt too much; my head, my arms, my entire body all at once. I just wanted it to go away, wherever home was before waking up in that forest. My eyes and mind struggled to stay awake with the stress of all and I welcomed the looming darkness all over again, just for this to go away for one more moment and soon it did, sleep took over me with a silent embrace for the new day.