“No more games, tell me about your home.” Instantly Michael’s mind fills with images of the ocean. Beach, seagulls and a beautiful small house facing the sea. “Got it. Hold on,” he says and they are gone.
Ayva watches them go and sneers in disgust. “This is not going to happen! I have not spend five hundred years preparing for this to have it ripped from me by some, human!” She tosses her long black hair over her shoulder and fury fills her black eyes. She strikes out at a tree with fury and slices into it with her long red nails. “I will have to stop her, before she comes into full power! I am the Winter Queen! No one will stop me from reaching my destiny!”
She smiles when she steps from the trees and starts walking towards the house. “Ohh, while the mouse is away, Ayva will play.” With a clap of her clawed hands she begins her spell.
“Memories and dreams, hopes and fears, your sorrow will grow and bring me your tears!” She lifts her hands to the sky and begins to chant.
“I take the power I desire! Power from water, Air from the sky, Power from the earth and the Fire of Desire!” Aiva draws on the elements and creates a massive fire ball and forces it away from her body, straight through the large bay window! Glass explodes, as fire detonates the house.
Inside Baron runs, yelping into the back of the house and leaps through a back window! Glass explodes outwards and he runs to escape the raining debris. Fire licks ups the walls, catching quickly it begins a deadly rampage. Memories, hopes, and dreams, burn as Baron runs for the shelter of the trees.
Ayva laughs and sends another fireball into the garage, destroying the sleigh Michael had worked on with his father. “Excellent, time to go. I have so much to do to prepare for my reign as Winter Queen.” With a toss of her long black hair, she disappears.
Baron’s distress reaches Noel, and she yells for Nick. “Oh, NO! Michael!” she screams thinking they are still at the house. Noel leaves and arrives in the front yard. She stands staring in horror at the house of flames. She screams for Michael and gets no response. Nick follows closely with workers from his shop.
“Nick! I can’t find Michael!” Tears are streaming down her face as she stares at the house. She calls on the element of water and sends a steady rain over the house to put out the flames. In the background she can hear Baron, whining. His barks have grown hoarse.
“Stay here, Noel. I will check the house!” he orders. Some of the workers go with Nick, to search the house. Finding it empty he looks for Baron. He would not have left the humans, Nick thinks. That is when they notice the back window. The glass is pushed outward, Baron escaped but where is his son?
“Michael!” He yells telepathically. “Where are you son?”
“Wow. No wonder you moved here Serenity. The view is stunning!” he says staring at the ocean from her front porch. Her cottage style house is a rental. She lucked into it after the family staying here decided to move to Florida. She loves the view and sound of the ocean.
Serenity works quickly throwing her clothing into a duffel bag. Her bathroom accessories go into a large plastic bag and she tosses that into the second bag.
“You should see the sunrise over the ocean, Michael. It’s breathtaking!” She drops two duffel bags on the porch and her guitar case, then walks over to stand beside him. “I love to sit here and write my songs,” she inhales deep pulling in the ocean air.
Michael watches her with sad eyes. Their worlds are so far apart, would it even be possible to breach that? Does he have the right to hope for more? He looks away and watches people play on the beach and smiles. “The boys would love it here.”
“I would love for you to bring them for a visit. We could spend hours on the beach, I could teach them how catch lobsters. We could take a ferry ride to the lighthouse and go frog catching at Capisic Pond! There is nothing like eating fresh Maine lobster on the rocks at the Lobster Shack…” she slows down and looks at him blushing, “Sorry, I get carried away sometimes.”
Michael starts to say something when he feels his father’s panic. “We have to go now!” Serenity doesn’t argue, she simply steps into his arms and they are gone. Before they arrive her power begins to build. Serenity feels a darkness watching them as though waiting for them to arrive. On the air she hears a chant, Memories and dreams, hopes and fears, your sorrow will grow and bring me your tears. I take the power I desire! I am the Winter Queen! She reaches out with that same power and rips Serenity from Michael’s arms.
Michael fights to hold onto Serenity, and yells in fear when she is torn from his embrace. She spins through time, whirling and twirling with no end in sight. Serenity stops screaming when she hears Noel’s voice. Use your gifts Serenity, picture Michael in your mind and call to him!
“Michael! Help me, Michael!” She screams and feels his instant response. His arms close around her and they fall in a heap to the snowy cushion below.
“Are you hurt, can you talk? Serenity speak to me!” he yells out to her unmoving body.
“Can’t breathe,” she mumbles and inhales deeply when he leaps off her body. He runs his hands over her legs and arms searching for any breaks. “Michael, I’m okay. How are you?” she asks sitting up slowly.
“I’m good, but I
