Semi-Charmed: Book I

THIS WAS A life-or-death situation. Bunny knew that much.

What she didn’t know was why. Why was she the one in this situation? There was nothing really that special about her–not compared to the others.

Bunny also knew that she’d been in this dark, confined room for a long time unable to see or hear anything that could aid her, and she’d better start figuring out how to get herself out of this mess.

What was it Mrs. Sandzya had told her? Mentally sifting through the notes she’d taken, she tried to locate the answer, but it just wasn’t materializing. The fear of who or what would meet her on the other side of that door scattered her thoughts in a million directions, and she didn’t have the presence of mind to wrangle them back.

Was this terrifying new world something she could survive?

Was this what her life was meant to be now?

A voice in the back of her mind pushed forward, No! But did she believe it?

When Bunny had first arrived at the finishing school meant to teach her manners and etiquette, social skills and scholastics, when she’d met the girls in the dormitory, had become friends with Lauren, she’d never dreamed she’d soon be facing the perils of the last few months. All culminating in this moment.

Trying once again to shake through the nervous scramble in her brain to collect herself and to formulate a plan, she heard the voice of Mrs. Sandzya coming to her rescue: “Breathe, Bunny. First and foremost, breathe. Focus on the simple act of centering yourself in a moment of calm. Then begin to draw your strength through that calm, ball it up as tight as a fist in your core and then release it throughout your body–picture an explosion of light–and summon your power from that explosion. You can do it. I believe in you.”

“I believe in you.”

But it was harder than it had ever been before. Only once had she conjured enough energy in a moment of terror to make her power as effective as she needed it to be now.

Drawing in a deep breath, she began. Slow exhale, deep inhale. She pictured Mrs. Sandzya standing in front of her, encouraging her as she always did. Slow exhale, deep inhale. Bunny tried to still her mind, to let a blanket of darkness fall over the worries racing around inside her head. Almost shocked when it started working, she could feel the blanket weighing itself down, down along her shoulders, her arms, her fingers, working its way through her legs. Slow exhale, deep inhale. After a few long moments, the stillness covered every inch of her body, her mind opening like a blooming flower while a shimmering, glowing trail of light curled around the corners of her consciousness and moved like a snake down into her body, circling tighter and tighter into a coil at her center. It was working! It was actually working! Slow exhale, deep inhale. Her breathing became labored, more rapid, but she forced her focus on the trail of light from her mind into her core. The strength was building; her body began to pulse with it. She imagined the core of light spinning around and around itself in all directions, a force of power so great, no man could overcome it.

And then it happened.

The explosion–just as Mrs. Sandzya had promised–shot through her body, energizing every muscle, every cell. Bunny gasped as her body reverberated with the power. She’d never felt anything like this before. A strength in her bones and a clarity of mind she hadn’t known possible. Mrs. Sandzya had promised her she’d help unlock her gifts, and she had.

Thank you, Mrs. Sandzya! She released the thought out into the universe.

Bunny suddenly realized she could now see in the lightless room in which she’d been held. Blind before in the dark, she knew the room still had to be, and yet she could see. Not as well as if there were actual light, but she could see well enough to assess her situation, the tiny room she’d been shoved into by someone she’d thought was a friend, by–

The sound of the bolt scraping across the door, enhanced, echoing in her ears, pulled her attention and her head snapped up in that direction. Was her hearing heightened in addition to her eyesight? What else had she elevated within herself? She was eager to find out. She stood and moved to the middle of the room, braced for the fight of her life.

The heavy metal door swung loudly open with a creaking and a clang, and real light from the hallway bathed the room, nearly blinding her. The light cast a shadow around the large figure in the doorway, and it took her a moment to adjust her eyes and make out any features. A gasp tore up her throat when she recognized the face.