Chapter 2
I woke in an alley.
The sun was shining on the busy street through the
narrow gap between the buildings, but I was lying in shadow, one of my heels in
a puddle of some murky fluid.
My head was throbbing, my mouth so dry my tongue stuck
to the roof of my mouth. The rough wall
behind me scraped against my palms as I used it to help me get to my feet.
My legs felt like they weren’t attached to my body.
And I was alive.
I waited for the dizziness to pass before forcing
myself upright and stepping toward the street.
I made sure to move gingerly, not wanting to make the headache any
worse.
I stumbled out onto the sidewalk, the glaring sun
making me duck my head in self-defense.
Shading my eyes with one hand, I scanned the area.
About two blocks from my apartment building.
Turning left, I walked as quickly as I could, slipping
past droves of people determined to get where they were going without making
eye contact. Rounding the corner, I
reached out to steady myself.
A searing burst of pain.
I pulled my hand back quickly on a sharp intake of
breath.
I looked over to see what I had burned myself on, and
found a window with charms still up from the night before.
What…?
With a sinking feeling, I brought my hand up to my
face.
A perfect imprint of a star-shaped charm was seared
into my skin.
I stared at it dumbly.
People began giving me odd looks and a wide berth as I
stood there, staring.
Get a grip, Sara.
Tucking it out of sight, I continued in a half-run,
the colors and sounds around me blurring as the burning pain in my hand melded
with the pounding in my head and chest.
I had flashes of the night before as I reached the bright
door, but it opened smoothly into the lobby.
The door itself was supposed to be charmed, but I touched it without
thinking.
A sharp nip on my hand had me jerking back, but it
didn’t hurt nearly as much as the burn.
Maybe I should report it to the Super.
Luke, you should really get the door checked. It only hurt me a little, you see.
Keeping my head down, I rushed up the stairs instead
of using the elevator, not wanting to run into anybody.
Reaching my apartment, I slid a hand into my pocket
and pulled out my keys with a laugh bordering on hysterical.
Couldn’t forget to keep my keys handy when facing
certain death.
Then again, I hadn’t died, had I?
Careful not to touch the strings of little bits and
pieces I’d accumulated over the years, I tried to insert the key. It jumped around, the clicking of metal
hitting metal sending a shudder through me.
Using my other hand to help, I tried again.
It slid in.
I closed my eyes in relief.
Shutting the door behind me, I turned the deadbolt
with a snick.
I looked around the neat little living room and
kitchen area in a daze. My burst of
energy drained from me in a rush and suddenly all I could think of was the bed.
I dragged myself down the short hallway and collapsed
on the rumpled comforter.
The original confusion at waking up alive had been
replaced with dread. The charms only
worked against...
I’d handled them my whole life with no problems.
Until now.
Something was very wrong. But my body wasn’t going to let me think
about it anymore.
Closing my gritty eyes, I fell into an exhausted
sleep.
