Forever Changed

chapter 27



I woke with a massive headache and to three sets of eyes watching me, Landon, my mother, and my father. They were talking, but I couldn’t make out their words. My father looked amazing, no signs of being tortured and no sign of ever being beaten. Landon had creases in his eyes with a worried cast over them. My mother was smiling at me. Why was she smiling? Why she was not worried, made me wonder more.

Slowly, I started focusing and I could hear what was being said, “Elizabeth, are you ok?” Landon asked in a panic, with worried eyes.

“Yes, I am ok. Just a little weak is all.” I said, slurring my words, like I was drunk.

“I am so very proud of you Elizabeth,” my father said beaming.

My mother just stood there smiling at me and I was thinking maybe she has finally cracked. Maybe with all the stress and the anxiety was too much for her to handle. I hope not, it was hard enough dealing with a cry baby demon. I couldn’t imagine dealing with a nutcase witch.

I had realized that I was not lying on the floor anymore; someone had moved me to the bed. “How did the light turn white?” I asked looking at my father. They all glanced at each other with a look of worry on their faces. Then looked back at me, I couldn’t help, but think that they were passing signals between them. I hit my head pretty hard and could be wrong.



“Well, when you channeled your anger and concentrated on healing me instead of killing me, your ummmm witch powers came out as a light of healing, instead of hands to murder.” My father said slowly.





“Well at least I did something right. How are you feeling?” I asked looking at my father. He looked like a totally different man and I was secretly proud of myself.

“I feel like a new man and I have you to thank, Elizabeth.” He said in awe, his eyes shining a little brighter.

“Can I go to bed now? I am so terribly exhausted.” I said weakly, but managed a small smile.

“Yes, you need too! You need your strength for when the Dark Lord comes.” Landon responded. “I will take you to bed.” He gently lifted me in his arms of steel, walked out of the room, and headed up the stairs. I was asleep before we got to the fifth step.

*******

“Do you feel better?” Landon said when I opened my eyes to his smile.

“Yes, yes I do. You?” I asked looking at him grinning.

“Better, now that you are awake. I have been going crazy without having someone to talk to, besides your mother and father. Who by the way have turned in to complete love birds.” Landon said with a look of disgust on his face.

“How long have I been asleep?” I asked with a little concern.

“Six days, 7 hours, and 15 minutes. Would you like the seconds, too?” Landon asked, looking a little snooty.

“Are you kidding me?” I asked in horror. “Have I really slept that long? Has anything happened? Oh no, I haven’t even had a shower. I need one now.” I didn’t give him time to reply. I got up and headed to the bathroom. Landon laughed the whole time.

*******

I felt better after taking a shower and getting some food in me. Wow, six days is a long time to sleep without food. Everyone sat and chatted as I stuffed food in my mouth as quickly as I could.

“You better slow down girl, before you make yourself sick,” My father said with a little force behind his voice. He was right, I was not even tasting my food. I was starving, so bad that I was pretty much inhaling it.

I slowed down a bit to taste my food and actually enjoy it. I was still very pale and I knew that the food would work wonders on that. I knew that I didn’t want to be sick; hanging over the toilet. Slowing down was a must.

“Yeah, keep eating like that and you’re going to turn into a cow, Elizabeth.” Landon said while laughing. I smacked him. At the exact same time I did that to him, the doorbell rang. My father got up, still laughing over Landon’s joke, to answer it.





“Say that again and I will dunk your head in your milk and drown you.” I screamed at Landon, through fits of laughter, while we played back and forth hitting each other.

Landon stopped and the look on his face had changed. He was looking past me. My mother’s laughter stopped as well. She looked in the same direction as Landon. I looked up and my father was standing in the door way leading to the dining room, with a very serious look on his face.

“What’s ……?” I never finished that sentence. There was a person standing behind my father that I hadn’t noticed before.

When my father walked into the dining room, a police officer walked into the place my father had moved from. My heart stopped, or well at least skipped a few beats.

“Elizabeth, I am Officer Benton and I have come to ask you questions about the disappearance of Lucas Sheath.”