Birth - CHAPTER 2

I am a what?

    "It's another one", a soft voice whispered close to Acantha's ear. 

    She could hear dozens of murmurs circulating around her. She kept her eyes closed, scared to find something that she didn't want to see. A touch on the ground next to her startled her.

    "Wonder who she is? they always look scared, we are not monsters you know", someone with a whimsical voice spoke with a hint of annoyance. 

    In her minds eyes she imagined a group of people hovered over her, examining her clothes, her body... her body she remembered. Her wrist, with a panic she lifted her body into a sitting position. Without looking around or at anyone, her eyes first landed on her wrist. The marks, they were gone. Something wasn't right, her veins. 

    She gasped in horror as she saw the blue lines form floral designs under her skin. They were not bulging but they could be seen clearly. Unlike before she passed out, her skin was pale. Like ivory, smooth and glowing. She pressed a finger against her skin, and like liquid the veins under her skin rippled without her skin creasing. She gulped as she saw that the floral pattern was all over her body, under her skin. They were very light, almost invisible. The big surprise was that they didn't feel odd, they felt some what natural. 

    Acantha was scared, panic grew like a disease in her heart. What had happened to her? Closing her eyes and swallowing she looked up and let her eyes digest the view. 

    Acantha's eyes widened like an owl searching the night. People... or more like things stood around her in a circle. They looked like humans but with more grace. Sharp looks pierced her own, as she stifled a cry. Where was she? The beings had pale skin like hers, with thin blue lines that ran under their skin. Some of their floral patterns were bright as light, and some blinded by their pale skin and were almost invisible as hers. She looked at her hands, pale smooth with flawless nails, and then at them. While she examined and somewhat admired her hands, she looked at the ground below.

     Scared and astonished, her hands flew out in front of her to clutch invisible objects, as her natural reflex for falling kicked in. The ground below was not there, it was all mist. Mist with bright objects shining in them. She felt her hands around the moisture, trying to find the ground. There was none, she felt like she was sitting on ground but it was nothing. Nothing more than just a cloud of mist which stood compressed making her feel as if it were solid ground. As her hand rose from the moisture, a small object glowed in her hand. It was as tiny as a small glitter but it shone bright, lighting her face with a golden glow. 

    "What is she searching for?", the same whimsical voice spoke. 

    "Be silent", another voice broke out, this time the voice came from behind. 

    "this is just a dream... .. a dream that's al..l", Acantha thought out loud, trying to grasp a grip of what she thought was reality.

    "I am in the woods, dreaming... i'll wake up. Wake up", she spoke to herself and her hand flew to her cheek.

    Some one caught her hands, and in front of her a pale face she saw the figure looking at her. It was a female, gray eyes which spoke age and pink thin lips were carved in flawless and crease less skin. 

    "You are not dreaming", the voice spoke enunciating every word perfectly.

    "What are you called by?", the female asked as her lips twitched upwards into a friendly smile.

    "Acantha", Acantha called out never shifting her eyes away from the face.

    "Do you remember anything?", the female spoke once again.

    "I was in the woods, by the river.. the river and then i was bleeding.. and then the blu..blood it disappeared into it", Acantha spoke stumbling over her own words. 

    Her hands moving and shifting in the womans grasp, as she tried to put her memory together. 

    "Who are YOU?", Acantha questioned as her eyes bored into the woman's.

    "I am Jasmine Light", the woman spoke as she held Acantha up by her arms.

    Acantha looked below her, scared to take a step thinking she will fall. Looking up Acantha saw men, women and children stand in a circle around her and Jasmine. A certain fear jolted up in her heart, she couldn't find a familiar face in the crowd. They were all different, they wore beautiful light gowns which looked too expensive to buy. Their hair stayed perfectly still, many wore ornaments and jeweleries. Some tall and lean, other short and a little plum but none flawed. 

    Jasmine had grey eyes, and the same pale skin as others. Her hair was curled and shone a luscious orange, the small glitter like objects gave her hair a golden glaze. She wore a beautiful cream one shoulder flowing gown, which rippled behind her. The cloth on her shoulder was held by a butterfly, it was as if the butterfly was a fossil. It was, Acantha quickly noticed.

    "I have to go back... i have to get home, i need to go back to Washington", Acantha replied as small tears fell from her eyes.

    With a flick of Jasmines finger, the tears vanished.

    "Washing.. tan? What is that?", the whimsical one spoke once again.

    The voice was finally given a face, it was a slender girl of Acantha's age. Her blond hair was tied in a bun which flared like a sun over the glittering objects. 

    "Lisa!", Jasmine shrieked at the slender girl. 

    Lisa sunk back into the crowd, with her face glowing a bright red. 

    "You are one of us now", Jasmine replied moving back and spreading out her arms, she pointed out what she meant by "us".

    "What are you? this is not real.. this is a dream", Acantha exclaimed as she stumbled backwards.

    "We are sprites, we dwell in eden.. here", Jasmin replied with a grin.

    "I am not a sprite, i am human", Acantha replied stumbling.

    "As far as i know, sprites don't even exist... it's fairy tales not reality", Acantha yelled as she threw her face in her hand.

    "I know it is hard for you to grasp, but you are meant to be one of us", Jasmine answered. 

    "I don't want to be one of you, i want to go back to my world, my reality", Acantha replied as calmly as she could.

    "Well i am sorry, but that's not possible", Jasmine said coldly. 

    There was something about Acantha that bothered Jasmine, she wasn't like any other new born sprites. She questioned everything, something that Jasmine didn't enjoy.

    "Acantha, i think you should get some rest. You probably had a rough time. It will soon all make sense.", Jasmine said moving towards Acantha.

    "But i want to go home", Acantha cried out as she fell to the ground.

    "This is home and the sooner you realize that the easier your life will be, You will be residing with Lisa", Jasmine announced.

    Lisa appeared in her white corset gown which was laced by vines. She threw a sympathetic smile in Acantha's way, as she tried to hold Acantha up by her shoulders. The crowd soon disappeared and soon only kids were seen playing with birds and catching butterflies. The mist seem to be dimming the glitter like objects by hovering over them. Acantha stood up on her feet and for the first time took a glance at the new world. 

    Acantha saw that it was turning dark and there was no moon overhead, there was no sun either when she had arrived just those glitter objects in the mist. As she took one step forward the mist moved under her feet and formed a cloud on which she could step on. On the sides of the misty roads were houses, some were bright and covered with moss all over, some made out of wood. The path on which Acantha and Lisa were now walking on was like a street. There were vines that grew and formed into a lamp post except instead of light bulbs there were fireflies that were captured, in the vines cage like formation.  

    "Isn't there anyway i can return to my home?", Acantha whispered as Lisa walked next to her.

    Lisa reached down in the mist and grabbed a handful of glitter objects.

    "What exactly is this home of yours? i mean ever since i can remember this has been my home", she replied as she blew the bright objects into the air once more.

    "You don't remember home? how did you come here?", Acantha asked as she saw in amazement at how dark it was getting. 

    She feared that in a few minutes, she would barely be able to see anything in front of her. In seconds the fireflies lit up and the glittery objects now gave off a silver glow.

    "I was like you, i woke up here. This became my home, all i remember is waking up and finding a crowd around me like you did... although some say that there is a place called...", Lisa stopped and bit down her lip hard.

    "Well never mind..", She replied shifting her gaze to Acantha.

    "What is it?... don't you remember anything about your home? about earth?", Acantha asked as she carefully took each step, still expecting to fall.

    "Don't say that", Lisa shrieked as she stopped in her track.

    "What? earth --", Acantha tried to repeated as she raised her eyebrow and shoulders in question, but Lisa covered her mouth and pulled her to the side.

    Lisa and Acantha now stood between two old fashioned Victorian houses, the roofs touching and closing out the sky above them.   

    "Look! i don't know about this ear..th or whatever. All i know is if you don't want Jasmine to lock you up, you better keep your mouth shut about your home. Jasmine doesn't like it when you question her about eden. Eden is everything to her and she wants it to be the only thing for every sprite who lives here. So if i were you i would pretend i don't remember anything, that's what Cael has been doing for years now", Lisa explained as she let go of Acantha. 

    "Whose Cael?" Acantha asked as Lisa stepped out of alley of the house.

    "Oh you'll see. First we need to get you something to wear... you'll be able to fit in my clothes i think", Lisa questioned herself as she titled her head and bit down her lip.

    She sprang out of the stance in a second and was skipping down the path in front of Acantha. Acantha was trying to catch up as best as she could, while she adjusted to the mist. She wonder how Lisa could walk so carefree on nothing solid, then again she didn't know what earth was.

    "I have one last question", Acantha said stopping.

    Lisa turned around and sighed a great big deal.

    "You have a lot of questions, i have a feeling that you and Jasmine will never get along", Lisa predicted as she placed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

    "What are these?", Acantha questioned grabbing a whole bunch of glittering objects in her hand. 

    The bright light illuminated the space between her and Lisa and Lisa's smile came into the light.

    "Don't you know? They are stars you silly!", Lisa replied as she giggled and shook her head back and forth in amazement. 

    

 

Author's Note

ENJOY and REVIEW AWAY.. Next chapter will be up soon!

Reviews

[NinjaPi]

I love he way you write. You are so discriptive but with out being wordy. One line in you story was a bit counfusing ' "What? earth --", Acantha tried to repeated' are these words in the right tense and does tried belong here. This is the only mistake I found in what is an amazing chapter. I can't wait for what comes next.

[Kon™]

I think you have the start of an amazing story developing here. I love the fantasy side of the world that people never really think of this much, and you really created it amazingly. I could imagine the scenes and this was like a movie rolling in my head, your description was great. The only thing that maybe I could critique on was the dialogue. Maybe you could capitalize on the dialogue, and the comma goes before the end quotation. But that's the only thing I spotted, and it's minor. Other than that, I love this story so far, please continue :)