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Chapter 2

I looked around frantically though my eyesight was gone. Completely gone. It was like someone had blindfolded me and pushed my into a dark cave, though I knew I was still at the fat man's campground hellhole and began hyper ventilating just at the thought. What if we had to stay here the rest of our lives, blind?!

“Let them go,” the fat man commanded sounding almost too amused.

I was released and I began to crawl around to find where Maya was sitting, I didn't see her when we were pushed into the tent, but I knew she was somewhere around me--- my thoughts were interrupted when I felt myself bump into a pair of legs, those probably of the wizard. I tried to let out a "oof" but my voice wouldn't make the sound.

“What do you say now Ina?” the fat man boomed with laughter. “Your two daughters can’t see a thing! And there’s nothing you can do but watch them be confused and helpless!”

I heard the wizard standing above me mumble something that sounded a lot like 'I'm sorry', but I couldn't hear properly over my irregular breathing and as of this moment, I didn't really care.

“Candace, Candace come here hunny,” I heard mom call as I crawled away from the stupid wizard and into mom's open arm, Maya sitting in her other arm.

I sat as close as I could to Maya, trying to calm my breathing with no avail. All I could think of was my family and what we were going to do to get out of here though nothing came to mind.

“Calm down hunny, it’s going to be okay, calm down,” mom whispered to Maya and I reassuringly.

What if we never got out of here? What if I had to live my whole life in darkness? What if we all die and we don't even know it because we're blind? I began panicking as mom stroked my head to calm me down.

“How could you?” Mom asked, her voice sounding furious.

“Easily, now are you going to come willingly or do we have to get rid of their voices too?” The fat man chuckled evilly and I felt my throat hitch, tighting my throat so it became hard to breathe.

“Mommy?” I whispered in a squeaky voice. I don't want to lose my voice too!

There was an eerie silence as I gripped onto mom's arm tightly, wishing to get out of this place, to go anywhere else.

“Well? Say something you annoying witch hag!” yelled the fat man.

And mom did, she said another one of her spells. Although it was one I hadn’t heard before, it must have done something to help us because I could feel myself being lifted off the ground and carried off by mom. I thought we’d get caught again, yet to my surprise I didn’t even hear them call that we were escaping. Suddenly in no time, the smell of old wood came to my nose. Mom put me down and moved me forward, trying to put me under something when a thought hit me. What if mom left Maya behind?!

“Duck your head babies,” she told me, assuring me that Maya was indeed with us.

I did as I was told, feeling another body sitting next to me.

“Maya?” I asked cautiously, feeling around for her hand.

Maya took my hand, squeezing it lightly, announcing silently that she was next to me.

“Can you see?” I whispered

“No,” she answered her voice not shaky at all.

I took in a small breath, wanting to know what happened. Why can't Maya and I see anything? Is there something different about my eyes, or my face?!

“Mommy, what happened?” I asked consciously.

“He made your eyes black,” mom explained as she stroked my face gently. “All you can see is black?”

I nodded. I don't know if Maya had nodded, but since she was silent and we were both under the same spell I assumed that she had also nodded.

“I’m scared,” I heard Maya whisper, mostly to herself.

I looked to where she was sitting in an awe. This was the first time I heard Maya say that she was actually scared. Usually she would try to cover it up with some lame excuse that never quite covered it.

“Hush,” Mom whispered. “Now I want you two to stay still as I cast the spell.”

I felt a rush of relief run through my body.

“You can fix this?” I exclaimed, more than happy.

“Yes, but you two have to stay still.” She instructed.

I nodded slowly, taking in a small breath.

“Mom, what spell did you use?” Maya asked quickly.

“I slowed time around us for a bit, they couldn’t be coming for at least another five minutes,” she assured us.

I always thought that mom was very powerful, but never really did anything to prove it, until now. I kept as silent as I could as mom began to recite the spell. A important note about casting spells is you have to have good concentration. I wondered if mom could undo the spell, but her words were much different than what the wizard used and when you undo spells it's usually about the same words, just in a different order.

I don't know how long we were sitting for, but I could feel my legs going numb from sitting on them. About five minutes passed by as I could hear the soldiers beginning to yell stomp their way to find us.

“How are my babies?” Mom asked sweetly, probably hearing the soldiers too.

“Mommy I still can’t see,” I spoke quietly.

“Okay, but your eyes are starting to show through,” she explained and I tilted my head to the side. Were my eyes showing?

“What do they look like now?” Maya asked and I tried to imagine myself with black eyes.

“They’re very light blue and green,” Mom said as she shifted to sit better. “It means we're halfway there.”

I felt something drop lightly on my foot, and melt away, running down my foot as I giggled at the contact

“What’s so funny?” Maya asked in a harsh whisper.

“Something tickled my foot,” I said innocently smiling, though not that she could see it.

I wiggled my toes as drops of something landed on each one in turn. I let out another small giggle as mom then explained what was landing on my toes.
“It’s snowing,” she spoke, taking in a breath. “You two ready?”

“Yes,” Maya and I chimed in unison.

Mom started mumbling her spell again, much quieter than before. I took this as a sign to be quiet so mom could concentrate. I began to close my eyes, not that it really made a difference, but then suddenly mom’s whispers stopped I flashed my eyes open.... And I still couldn't see. What happened?

“Mommy?” I called out into the darkness.

There was no response, except for a scream. Maya stumbled out of the trunk, and I followed her closely behind. Maya then called out for mom again as we both looked around frantically.

“Girls quiet!” came her voice.

She was a ways away and as I was about to run to her, but Maya quickly grabbed my hand, preventing me from doing anything.

“Girls run away! Get away!” she yelled.

“Not without you!” I yelled, trying to wiggle my hand free from Maya's grasp.

“No! Candace, Maya get away,” Mom yelled again. “Please let them go, I’ll go with you just let them go! I don’t know if you have children, but you have to understand. You’re not one of them.”

It was probably that stupid wizard that had blinded us in the first place. I couldn't be sure but he was the one who came to mind when mom said that he wasn’t 'one of them'. The next thing I heard was a gasp escape mom’s mouth. I freaked out, what if he stabbed mom or something?! I tried harder to pull my hand free of Maya's grasp, but she wouldn't let me go to help her.

“Mom?” Maya called out.

“Maya I’ll be fine,” she said “Get your sister out of here and take care of her.”

I frowned at the thought, wasn't she going to come with us?! I was about to protest again, but Maya wrapped her hands around my waist and began running away with me tight in her grasp. I tried to kick and wiggle my way out of her grasp, but she didn't falter. I was about to try to slap Maya, but Maya suddenly pulled me into a bush. I was about to scream because a thorn had cut my foot, but Maya slapped her hand over my mouth instead, shutting me up as I could now hear the thugs coming close to us. I listened to them walk right past us, the snow hopefully covering our tracks.

Once the footsteps ceased, Maya took her hand off my mouth.

“Are you hurt?” She asked me in a whisper.

“I think a thorn cut my foot,” I explained then paused. “Why’d you leave mom?”

Maya was silent for a second, sighing.

“Candace there wasn’t anything we could do! Besides, she’s strong, remember? We’ll see her again,” She promised to me as she stroked my head and I nodded.

“I’ll hold your word on that,” I sniffed.

I was thinking that I had forgotten something, when it hit me in the face. Literally.

“Neva!” I shrieked as I opened up my white bag that had hit my face.

I opened the zipper carefully since I couldn't see and Neva came fluttering out, the light from her wings giving us light to see her.

“We can see!” Maya exclaimed joyfully.

“Sort of,” I added.

Neva's crystal-blue wings were now a simple gray color.

“Maybe we can only see in the light, remember the spell was halfway through,” Maya spoke wisely. She was probably right.

I saw a faded outline of Maya’s body from Neva’s light. She really is a unique butterfly. Maya’s hair was a mess, her cloths ripped and I noticed that she had no pupils - just plain white eyes. I probably look something of the same sort and shuddered at the thought. This would take some getting used to.

“We’ve got to find someplace to live,” Maya grabbed my hand and I nodded. “We’ll become strong like mom and get her back when we’re older!”

“Promise?” I sniffed. We just had to get mom back.

Maya nodded back at me.

“I’ll hold you to it,” I warned her, truly meaning it. I then looked to Neva in hopes that she could help us.

“Can you lead us to a safe place, Neva?” I asked sweetly.

Neva made a motion with her wing to follow her and we followed suit. It was nice to get out of the bush, my cut from the thorn already healed somehow. I didn't pay much attention to it as Neva flew slowly, making sure we kept up with her as she became our personal guide for the night.