A Blood Red Sky. Part Seven.

Hi! So, I haven't posted in a while.
I've been updating my A Blood Red Sky story, because I've finally gotten back to it. The chapters are longer, but the spelling is now much better in it and it's easier to read. So, here's the seventh part. Though it won't make much sense if you haven't read the other chapters...
But, enjoy anyways!

Chapter Five

I opened my eyes and coughed. I was on a beach somewhere and I looked around. No Dragons. Stella Ensis lay just a few yards away from me. I crawled over to it and put it back in the bag. I coughed again and looked around. I had no idea where I was. I stood and found I had wet sand and saltwater all over me. I touched my head and realized I wasn't wearing a hat. This made me frown and I stumbled up the beach. Every part of me hurt and I had a long scratch running down my arm where Ladon had scratched me. I fell over and then just laid there for some time.

“Ohmigod. Are you okay?” I heard someone call. I didn't answer. I felt someone there and so I tried to sit up, but I felt like my bones had just turned to lead, so I just laid there.

Someone knelt next to me and said “Should I call a hospital?”

“Dell. Call... Dell.” I mumbled.

“Dell? Who's Dell?” the woman asked. “I-I'm calling 911.” she said. I didn't answer.

Soon enough, I felt people all around me. I couldn't think straight. I wanted Dell. I needed to make sure she was okay.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital. I had been in one so many times, I knew one just by smelling it. I opened my eyes and pulled off the breathing mask on me and sat up. I looked around and said “Okay. Now what?”

I waited for a nurse to come in. I looked at her and said “Where's my bag?”

“What?” she asked.

“I had a bag with me when I came in. Where is it?” I asked. She took it out and handed it to me. I threw the blankets off of me and I stood up, but if the nurse hadn't been there, I would have fallen over right away.

I sat back on the bed and sighed. I opened my bag and looked through it until I came to a healing solution. I drank it and instantly felt better. I waited for the nurse to leave before I pulled on my clothes and walked out quietly. I walked out of the hospital, totally unnoticed. Of course, as soon as I reached the door, Is aw someone shout “There she goes!” and they started to run after me. I bolted down the street and into an ally-way, and they passed me. I looked around and suddenly knew where I was. But the people caught up to me. I kicked and screamed and they took me back to the hospital.

When I calmed down, they said “What's your name?”

“Rebecca Jones.” I answered. “Can I go home now?”

“We have to wait for a legal parent or guardian to come and pick you up.” said the doctor.

“Fine. Can I call that person?” I asked. He handed me a phone and I called Hannah.

“Hello?” Hannah's voice said.

“Hannah! Come and get me. I'm at the hospital.” I said.

“Becca! Oh, my God! Are you alright?” she asked.

“Just surrounded by these crazies called doctors.” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Okay, okay, I'll be there in a few minutes.” and she hung up. I put the phone down and refused to speak to the doctors until Is aw Hannah standing in the doorway.

“Are you her mother?” the doctor asked her.

“Sister. Rebecca, what happened? You've been gone for two days!” she said to me.

“Really?” I asked, frowning. “Two days?”

“Yes!” she said. “Dell came in and said that the hurricane had taken you off!”

“Well, then that's what happened.” I said with a sigh. “Can we go home now?”

As it turned out, Hannah had to do some legal stuff before we could go home and when we did, everyone gave me a hug until I finally walked upstairs to Mom's room and slipped in. I laid on the bed next to her and she said “Hello, Rebecca.”

“Hi, Mom.” I said.

“Did you hear the storm the other night?” she asked.

“Yeah.” I said. “Did it scare you?” I asked.

“No. I like storms. Did it scare you?” she asked.

“No. I'm not scared.” I said. She smiled and planted a kiss on my cheek. I smiled and said “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, Becca.” she said with a smile. “I love you too.”

Over the next six months, I didn't see any more Dragons. Or fairies for that matter. Dell and I never spoke about it, but I could tell that she hadn't seen anymore Dragons either. In the meantime, Mom was getting sicker and sicker. She had been moved to the hospital.

One day, at school, I was sitting in the back of the classroom, doodling some flowers and stars all over the page.

“Rebecca, are you paying attention?” Mrs. Ryann asked. I looked up and said “Oh. Sorry.” and I sat up. She frowned slightly and then went back to whatever she had been talking about. I looked out the window. It was a clear day with blue skies. Not a cloud in the sky at all.

I suddenly raised my hand. Everyone stared at me.

“Yes, Rebecca?” Mrs. Ryann said.

“May I open a window?” I asked.

“Why?” she asked.

“Well, it's a nice day and it's hot in here.” I said. Everyone muttered in agreement.

“Well... I suppose...” she said. I stood and opened the window and then walked back to my seat. Mrs. Ryann started to talk again and I felt a tug on my sleeve. I looked over and saw Dell passing me a note. I grabbed it and opened it.

Have you seen any Dragons lately?

I looked at her and shook my head ever so slightly. She shrugged and I looked out the window.

The door suddenly opened and I saw Hope standing there. She walked to Mrs. Ryann and whispered something into her ear. Mrs. Ryann glanced at me and I looked at Dell. Hope beckoned to me and I packed my schoolbag and followed her out.

“What's wrong?” I asked. Hope didn't answer. She took me to the principles office and I saw Hannah there.

“Okay, I didn't do anything, so why...?” I trailed off. Hannah's eyes were red and she looked up at me.

I sat down and looked at Principle Gordon. “What did I do?”

He sat down and Hannah said softly “Becca, Mom died this afternoon.”

I looked at her and swallowed. I looked at Hope and then at my principle. I clenched my hands into fists and bit my lip. I hadn't cried in a very, very long time. I squeezed my eyes closed and Hannah placed her hand on my shoulder. I stood and said nothing. Hannah took my hand, but I pulled away. Tears fell without my permission and I pushed them away, but I didn't say anything. I pulled off Stella Ensis's bag and said “I'm done. That's it. I quit.” and I placed the bag in the trash. The bag that I had carried around for a year. I grabbed my schoolbag and walked out of the school and sat on the front steps. I wanted to do something. To... Be something.

Hannah came up and sat next to me. She was holding the bag in her hands and she handed it to me.

“I don't want it.” I said.

“But what about the dragons?” she asked.

“You never believed they existed.” I said in a hollow tone.

“True, but you do.” she said, trying to hand me the bag again.

“No. I don't want it. I quit. From now on, Magistra Sanguis is dead.” I growled. “From now on, I'm just the girl who wears a funny hat every day and gets in trouble.”

“Becca, you're more than just that.” said Hannah. I snorted and she said “It's true! You've been very brave and your teacher tells me that your grades are improving.”

“Hannah, it doesn't matter anymore!” I said. I stood and said “Look, school's going to be out any second. I'm going home.”

“I can drive you.” Hannah offered.

“I want to walk. Alone.” I said and I grabbed my backpack and walked off. I heard the bell ring and I heard Dell shout “Beck!”

I waited for her and she said “What happened?”

I looked at her and whispered “My mom died.” and with that, I started to cry. Dell hugged me and said “I'm so sorry, Becca.”

I didn't say anything. The tears just kept coming and coming and Dell stood there with me, her arms around my shoulders. It took me a moment, but I realized Dell was crying too. And when I was finished, I let go of her and took Stella Ensis's bag out of my backpack and held it out to her.

“I don't care what you do with it, but I never want to see it again.” I said. She looked at it and said “A-are you sure, Beck?”

I nodded and she hesitantly took it. I blinked a few times and looked at the sky. Dell looked up at it too and for a moment, we watched as the sky turned red. We both stared and heard the roar of a Dragon, and then all was silent. But the sky remained red for a bit longer. Then, it slowly turned back to blue.

“What was that?” Dell asked.

“When the Mistress of Blood gives up her blade,

“Her Sight will vanish and all will fade,

“A blood red sky, the blue will turn,

“In her heart, the scar will burn,

“The Dragon's hope goes on at last,

“For there is no changing what has passed.” I said.

“What?” said Dell. I blinked and said “I have no idea, Dell. But I think it's over. I think they're gone. My world of Dragons is gone, Dell. It's time to be normal now. And you know what, I've had enough Dragons and Fairies for the rest of my life.”