You’ve Been a Naughty Girl

A piercing sound invaded my world and tore me away from the dream. Before I turned the alarm off, I hugged my arms tight to my chest, trying to hold onto the sensation of Michael’s arms securely around me. It didn’t work.

With a groan, I reached over and smacked the clock radio. I flopped onto my back and stared at the ceiling. My stomach roiled and my mouth stung with a bitter, metallic taste - the remnants of a Remembering. But how could I have Remembered when I hadn’t gone through a Door?

And instead of the cold fear I usually felt after Remembering, my body felt warm - truly warm.

I reached for the spark and found it filling my heart, shining through every part of me. I gasped, suddenly overcome with what it might mean. Throwing off my blankets, I sat on the edge of my bed facing the windows. The early morning light streamed through the panes. Another sunny day in heavenly C-A, as Lucy said.

Ice pierced my heart, shattering the warmth and filling me with shivering cold.