The Box

We grab all our things and arrange them in Kali's truck. He starts the car and we start riding back home.

"We should jump off the cliff one day.." Kali suddenly utters.

"Do you have a death wish? It's too high and there could be rocks down there." I object.

"We'll do a protection spell before jumping?" He offers.

"No way. I'm not doing that."

"You're no fun." He pouts.

I roll down the window to the passenger's seat and stick my head outside letting the cool air hit my face and hair.

This is bliss, I love car rides and I never want us to reach home.

The car ride doesn't last as long as I wanted it to and that makes me sad. Now I have to say goodbye to Kali.

"Let's go back." I tell him once we're out of his car and on my front porch.

"Babe, it's late. And you have to rest. How about we go out for your favourite ice cream tomorrow?" He asks while hugging me.

"That sounds nice."

He kisses me goodbye and I watch him get into his car. He starts the engine and drives away. I miss him already.

I sigh and unlock the door walking in.

"Mom, I'm home!"

I see her come out come out from the living room already in her pyjamas.

She must've been waiting for me to get back before going to bed.

"How was the date honey? You two had fun, I hope." She asks.

"Yep, and we did the Mending spell. It was easier than I originally thought."

"Spells require focus and I taught you well how to do that. That's why it comes more naturally to you than others. And young Kali is a very gifted warlock." She says and I simply nod.

"I'm going to go wash up and get ready for bed mom, I'm pretty tired." I tell her and make my way upstairs to my room.

I get out of my clothes and head over to the bathroom. I need a warm bath.

I get into the shower and start scrubbing, thoughts of Kali intruding my mind.

Once I'm done I step out and look in the mirror for a while.

As I'm about to turn my head away from the mirror, my eyes suddenly turn completely black and I can't move.

I don't have control of my body anymore. I can't react.

What is happening?

I try to move my hands, my head, my feet. Nothing is working. I try to scream but my mouth won't budge.

"Let me out. Let me out. Let me out." A voice resonates in my head and I wonder in panic where the voice is coming from.

"LET ME OUT!!" The voice says louder, screaming and I feel a sharp pain in my head, but I still can't move.

"Let me out.." The voice fades into a whisper and I start gaining control over my body again.

I fall to my bathroom floor, suddenly feeling so tired, like all the energy was drained out of me.

What the devil was that? What just happened?

My eyes water and my vision is blurry and nothing makes sense.

Did I just imagine all that? No. I know what I saw, what I heard.

"LET ME OUT!" The voice suddenly screams again and I start feeling lightheaded. Those are the last words I hear before passing out on my bathroom floor.

I'm in a dark forest now, still in my bathing robe. What? Where- where am I?

I almost can't see anything. I'm surrounded by trees with no leaves, im walking bare foot on soft black muddy ground, the only source of light being the moon.

I'm so scared.

I feel someone breathing heavily behind me and I freeze. I close my eyes and pinch myself hoping that will wake me from this nightmare, but it doesn't work.

I turn around and meet a pair of dark eyes and... it's a girl.

It's me... Just like the reflection I saw earlier. It's me.

"Let me out."

I wake up with a gasp and look around my bedroom. It's morning? How is it morning already?

And, when did I change into my pyjamas. How did I get in bed?

The last thing I remember is looking in the mirror and seeing a dark pair of eyes.

Did I dream all that? Why can't I remember anything?

I put my index fingers on both sides of my head and slightly massage the corners of my head.

What a horrible dream. I think to myself.

I get out of bed, brush my teeth and grab my phone before heading downstairs. I start texting Kali.

Me : I had a terrible dream last night. There was a girl who looked exactly like me except her eyes were completely black.

Kali : You have an evil alter ego?

Me : Very funny.

Kali : I'll pick you up at 1p.m and you can tell me all about it.

Me : Okay.

"Mom?" Where is she? Is she still asleep? She's always up and in the kitchen reading one of her newspapers by 8a.m.

I head over to the fridge to take orange juice out of the fridge when I see a note stuck to it, in my mom's handwriting.

The note reads:

"At the Academy. Meeting with the elders."

Hmm, I wonder what was so important she had to leave so early on a Sunday morning. I hope everything is okay.

I start drinking the orange juice when I have a familiar feeling.

It's the feeling I had last night when I looked in the mirror, the one where I didn't have any control over my body. It's back. I knew I didn't dream it.

I start moving but not of my own will. I can't talk, I can't grab my phone. I can't control any part of my being. I feel this magical pull on me and it's forcing my body to move upstairs. It's like I have control of my body but I don't at the same time.

We get to my mom's room. I- or better yet, it pushes my mom's door open.

I feel myself walking over to my mom's wardrobe.

What the hell is happening??

I slide it open and see a safe. Whatever it is controlling my body is probably trying to get into that safe. But I don't know the combination and I bet it doesn't too.

I feel my hand move and as soon as my fingers touch the safe, it unlocks. There's money, a gun and... the box. The box where my mom put half of my magic in. I haven't seen that in a long time. I never wanted to see this box again.

Why am I here? Why did this force bring me here?

"Let me out. Let me out." I hear that voice again.

I'm still not in control of my body.

I watch my hands grab the box. My mom sealed it with a spell only she can undo but somehow as I grab it, it clicks open and all the magic that was sealed in there finds it's way inside of me.

It passes through my nostrils, my ears, my mouth and I feel it rushing through my veins.

Oh no. What have I done?