— •⚡️ Isabella ⚡️• —

Nathan. Was he watching me? I turn and run into the forest, with him hot on my tail, chasing me like a game of cat and mouse. I stop suddenly and turn to face him, but I'm not met with his usual warm chocolate-honey eyes, instead, I'm met with cold, angry, amber ones. His intense gaze stops on me for a second before looking behind my shoulder. I turn and glance. What the heck did he see?

Shit.

Wolves.

I turn back around only to see Nathan was gone. That coward! What the shit am I supposed to do now?

Just when I'm about to give up and accept fate, four wolves come running past me. Straight into the original ones. Wow. They're really defending me? Or are they just defending their territory? Which I'm stood on...

I turn and flee not knowing their intentions. Stumbling over a tree root I jolt awake.

That dream felt so real. What the heck!

I nearly got eaten by wolves on my 16th birthday. I bet not many people can say that even if it was only a dream.

Omg. It's my birthday. I'm 16!

Don't get too excited child, it's not all fun and games.

What do you mean?

Just be careful. Don't trust anyone.

Ummm...

Promise me you won't tell anyone about me? Promise me you won't reach out to me? I speak only when I need to.

Okay, I promise.

Good. Have a good birthday Izzy.

I will... Umm...

Athena.

Athena. That's a pretty name and thank you.

Okay so I'm either still crazy or I do have a real voice in my head telling me what to do.

I shake my head and get up. I throw on some grey jeans and a pink and white tank top. I braid my hair and apply a little makeup.

Being a traveller doesn't give me much chance to buy makeup so I only used mascara, eyeshadow and highlighter. As well as a little lipstick, but only faint. I don't really like the sticky feeling it leaves on my lips.

I walk over to my mother who has just woken up. "Hey, mum." I say quietly.

"Hey darling, you look wonderful." She says smiling. "Any special occasion?" She asks now smirking.

"Mum!" I groan.

"I know I know, I'm not going to forget your birthday, especially your 16th."

"Go enjoy yourself with your friends. If you need anything and I mean anything. Come talk to me." She says giving me a hug.

"I will." I say, heading out of the tent flap.

"Oh and Bella. Happy birthday, darling." She says smiling.

"Thank you." I reply before turning and running towards my friends who are stepping out of their tents bleary eyed.

"Omg, happy birthday girl." Abi says, running over to me and giving me a massive hug.

I wince in pain. I'm aching all over but I don't want to let that ruin my day. It's probably from training the other day.

Lucas comes out of his tent. He looks straight at me then frowns. I smile at him and beckon him over.

He changes his expression and walks over happily. "Happy birthday Bella." He says.

"So how does it feel to be 16?" He says.

"The same as being 15." I say laughing.

"Come on guys, we need to watch her open presents. That's if she got any." She smirks. "Definitely not off the twins after yesterday."

My cheeks go hot. I didn't mean to hurt the twins. When they came back from the fight they slept all evening and all of yesterday. They finally got out of bed yesterday evening. I was worried, I didn't want them to miss my birthday, they helped plan it and they were really excited about it.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt them." Lucas says. Defending me.

There is a silence then Abi mutters under her breath but I can't quite hear what she said.

"Come on, let's go see Paige and all the adults. I wonder how many people will realise it's my birthday." I say bounding over to Paige's tent.

Her black and brown German Shepard lifts its head and softly growls, but when she realises it's us she wags her tail, panting and licks my face.

I wipe away the saliva. "Urghhh, gross Hollie. Stop it." I say laughing.

Abi justs laughs. "I think she's wishing you a happy birthday."

"Yeah. I would have preferred an actual present though Hollie." I say joking around.

She wines.

"No, no I was joking girl. I love you and your slobbery kisses."

She barks and jumps on me again. Licking my face all over.

Now everyone was laughing. Great.

I turn my attention to the tent at the sound of a zip. Paige pops her head out. She looks cute. "Shh... my mummy and daddy are still asleep."

"Okay." I giggle a little. "This munchkin keeps licking me."

"Ah well, she loves you that's why." Paige says.

"Yeah." I say. "Paige, you ready to judge the competition later?"

"Yessssss! I'm going to be the bestest judge ever." She smiles brightly.

I was about to tell Paige to be quiet when her mum and dad pop their heads out of the tent in a similar fashion to Paige.

We all run away laughing.

"Come on, quick before they get the chance to shout at us." I say as we run.

We stop when we get to the stage that was built 2 days ago for the dress-up competition.

"Paige you go with Abi to finish setting up the competition. Jamie and Jack go with Lucas to finish setting up the food. I'm going to sort out the music.

We all go our separate ways.

Something bad is going to happen. I can feel it.

Okay, well I'll be on the lookout.

Be careful, always be careful.

I will, Athena.

Who are you by the way?

That is not important right now. You will know when the time is right.

Okay...

I stop when I reach the blue and green caravan.

"Mark? You in there? I shout knocking on the door.

I push the door open and walk in.

"Mark?"

"Oh hi Bella, I didn't hear you. Sorry." He says apologetically. Whilst moving his long brown fringe out of his eyes.

"What did you want Bella?" He says moving and sitting on the fold-out couch.

"Umm, you still got that speaker?" I ask.

"Yeah, one sec. let me go find it."

"Sure." I reply.

It was 10 minutes later and he still hadn't come back.

Athena? Are you there?

...

Athena?

...

Urgh, whatever.

I waited, sat on his dusty couch for him to get the speaker.

Seriously, does this guy not clean his caravan?

"Bella, I found it." He says smiling returning to the couch.

Finally.

"Thank you so much, Mark." I say returning the smile.

"It's my pleasure, Bella." He says.

"Well, I better go. Got a party to set up and stuff." I say, shuffling out of the caravan.

Once outside I walk towards the forest. I don't know why. Just a feeling.

Hiding behind a tree, I put down the speaker and take a deep breath. Why am doing this? I'm so confused.

I have something to tell you.

What?

I'm not just a voice in your head.

Okay... then what are you?

I can't tell you yet.

But I can only talk to you when no one is around.

Why?

Just because. I can't tell you yet.

I know, but I hate not knowing.

So when you need me, don't call me. I won't come so you are just wasting your time.

Is that why you were ignoring me earlier?

Ah... yes... I'm sorry, I really didn't want to but I have to. You'll know soon I promise.

Okay.

Also, just so you know, someone is in danger.

WHAT?

WHO?

Just go find your friends.

And don't forget to shut me out. But those 'feelings' you get are me guiding you, just because I'm not talking doesn't mean I'm not there.

Okay, talk later Athena.

Talk later, Izzy.

I shut my mind by not thinking about Athena and turning my mind blank.

That work?

...

I guess so.

I turn and run into the camp. I wait at the fire pit.

Abi runs up to me crying.

"Abi?" I ask, both worried and nervous.

"I'msosorryididntmeantoilostherandimsosorrypleaseforgiveme." She says all in one breath.

"Abi, please repeat that but slower this time." I say.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. I lost her and I'm sorry, please forgive me." She says, tears streaming down her face.

Now I'm panicked.

"Abi?" I say sternly. "Who did you lose?"

"P...Paige." She says, crying even harder now.

At first, I was angry.

"How the fuck could you lose her? You should have stayed on-site you dumb fuck. She's only 7!" I yelled.

She just put her head in her hands.

I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry for yelling, it's just, she's like a little sister to me."

She nodded, not saying anything.

"Come on, we might be able to find her before someone bad does." I say hopefully. Even though I'm currently shitting bricks.

— • ⚡️ • —

2 hours later.

We still haven't found Paige.

I walk into the forest to clear my head. I can't lose Paige. She is like my sister, she's too young.

Athena, what the fuck do I do?

Let your mind go blank and follow your instinct, I'll guide you without anyone finding out about me.

Why is-

Not the time Izzy.

Paige. Remember?

Okay.

I clear my head and close my eyes. I start to walk and I feel my body relax at the peaceful sounds of the woodland.

Birds singing, bushes rustling, water gurgling and someone crying.

Wait...

Someone crying?

I open my eyes to see Paige sat there, head in her knees, sobbing away.

"Paige?!" I half shout and half whisper. I'm ecstatic to finally find her but I don't want to scare her.

Her head pops up and when she hears me.

What she says next breaks my heart.

"No! Don't come near me! I'll hurt you." She shouts crying.

I took a step closer. "Paige... I promise you, you won't hurt me. Just come home." I say slowly.

"No! Don't you get it? I WILL hurt you, I'm a monster." She says. Her voice cracks and she breaks down into a hysterical sob.

I run over to her and scoop her in my arms. I hold her against my chest as the tears roll down.

After about 10 minutes, the tears have stopped, just an occasional sniffle.

"Paige? Why do you think you are a monster?." I ask whispering to her.

"B...because, I killed t...them." She whispers back, burying her face in my top.

"Killed who Paige?" I ask.

"The people who took me." She says.

"Can you show me where they are Paige?"

She nods her head and runs off, stopping beside a tree.

There on the floor were two dead men. Two dead men from the camp. John and Peter.

How the fuck did she kill two fully grown men at the age of 6?

I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. She killed two fully grown men. Like what the heck?

"Come on, I say turning away from the bodies, let's go home."

She nods her head and we walk back to camp.

"Paige don't tell anyone about what happened okay? It's our little secret. Just say you got lost in the forest. I will fix everything else." I say quietly to her.

"Okay, Bella." She replies.

— • — • —

"Omg Paige!" Abi screams, tears streaming down her face. "Are you okay? What happened?" She asks, checking her over for any injuries.

"Abi, I'm fine, I just got lost in the forest." Paige says giggling.

"You silly. Well, come on then. I believe we have a party to arrange." Abi says happily.

I head back into the forest. No one noticed when I slipped away.

Athena? What do I do? Do I tell someone? Take the blame? I just can't ruin it for Paige, if it gets found out it was her I don't know what they're gonna do.

At this point I'm almost crying at the thought of losing Paige, she really is like a little sister to me.

You could either take the blame or say you found them like that, but maybe try to coax some animal out to eat it a little so it doesn't look like they were actually killed by a human. Even though it doesn't to be honest, it's almost like they were killed by something else but I don't know what.

So I either dump them in the lake or tell Charlie I just found them?

Maybe dump them in the lake, if you tell Charlie he'll interrogate you.

Yeah. I'll do that.

After dumping the bodies in the lake, I head back to camp. I was careful to make sure I had no blood on me, cleaning it all off whilst I was in the lake.

Little did I know there was someone watching me, following me the whole time.

— • ⚡️ • —

It's 1 hour into the party. Everything was set up a while ago.

"Hey, guys. So you like the party so far?" I asked, walking towards the boys who had drinks in their hands.

"Yeah, it's been great." Jamie says, taking a sip of his drink.

"You wanna dance guys?" I ask. "The DJ set is getting turned on." Signalling towards the wooden stage where Mark is setting up the speaker.

"Yeah, come on!" Lucas grabs my arm and pulls me towards the makeshift dance floor.

"But I can't dance!" I exclaim.

"Who cares? It's your birthday. Own it." He says laughing. Spinning me under his arm.

He then proceeds to do some sort of weird robotic dance. If robots could be on loopy juice, that's what he would look like.

I laugh at Lucas's stupid dance moves. Starting to enjoy myself. I run and grab Paige and twirl her around in the air.

She screams in laughter.

I put her gently on the floor. "Paige, I think it's nearly time for the dress-up competition. Go to your mum, she can tell everyone to get the costumes on."

"Yes!" She shouts before running away.

That child has the energy of an animal I swear.

20 minutes later and Paige is choosing the winner of the competition.

"Hmmm. Okay, and the winner is Hollie!" She shouts.

"Umm Paige. I think you have to choose a person." I whisper to her.

Her face goes red and she hides her face in her hands.

"Okay, I choose Jamie." She says shyly this time.

"Paige chose Jamie." I say, louder for everyone to hear.

There are claps and Jamie walks forwards. He takes a bow.

He says in a posh English accent. "Why thank you my lady. It is an honour."

Everyone bursts out laughing.

"Everyone, there will be more music and drinks, so help yourself." I start. "Have a great night."

I hop off the stage and make my way over to a log at the edge of the camp.

I'm so lost in my thoughts, I don't even notice when someone comes to sit beside me.

I was expecting it to be Lucas or Abi. But instead, I'm met with Paige.

"Why aren't you dancing like everyone else." She asks full of innocence. You'd never know she killed two guys.

"I just don't want to dance."

"But you're a princess, ever princess dances at her ball." She says smiling.

I giggle at her and her fairytale dreams. Paige is always reading stories about princesses and fairytales, one day she said she's gonna be a princess and I believe her.

"Fine, But can we dance here. Our own little ball. Two princesses instead of one." I say smiling at her.

She sighs then smiles and starts twirling around me like a ribbon.

"Wow, Paige you're a really good dancer."

"I know." Is all she says, throwing me a look of pure sass.

I laugh at her and start spinning around in an attempt to dance.

When the sun starts to set I head off to the lake to stargaze. It's beautiful there, the stars reflect off the water like a glittering mirror. You'd never know there were two bodies hidden beneath it. Two dreadful mistakes hidden behind the pristine blue.

Word count [2784]

1What do you think to Bella hiding the bodies? Do you think it's a mistake? Let me know what you think.

- Bri xox