Semi-Charmed: Book I

This was a life-or-death situation. Bunny knew that much.

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

            Bunny also knew she’d been in this dark, confined room for a long while 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? She sifted mentally through the notes she’d taken, trying 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, had met all of 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 to this moment.

            Trying once again to shake through the nervous scramble in her brain to collect herself and formulate a plan, she heard the voice of Mrs. Sandzya coming to her rescue: “Breathe, Bunny. First and foremost, breathe. Focus on breathing, 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 then summon your power from that explosion. You can do it. I believe in you.”

            “I believe in you.”

            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. Slow exhale, deep inhale. She pictured Mrs. Sandzya standing in front of her, encouraging her as she always did. Slow exhale, deep inhale. She tried to still her mind, to let a blanket of darkness fall over the worries racing around inside her head. It was 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, she felt the stillness in every inch of her body, and her mind opened 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 the center of her. It was working! It was actually working! Slow exhale, deep inhale. Although her breaths were getting heavier now, more rapid, she continued to focus on the trail of light from her mind into her core. The strength was building; her body began to pulse with it. She remained focused and 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. She felt a strength in her bones and a clarity of mind she hadn’t known was possible. Mrs. Sandzya had promised her she’d help unlock her gifts, and she had. Thank you, Mrs. Sandzya!

            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 a bolt scraping on the door captured her attention. The door to her left she could now make out in the darkness. The sound was enhanced, echoing in her ears. Was her hearing heightened in addition to her eyesight? What else had she elevated within herself? She was eager to find out.

            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 to make out any features. She gasped when she recognized the face.