lilstar242

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse- 13

The mirror was within Giselle’s reach, but she still couldn’t bring her arm up to touch it. Giselle’s reflection was in a pale blue dress, her curly hair tied with a butterfly pin. She was smiling, her green eyes sparkling. Giselle found the courage to touch the mirror, but as she did the reflection changed. The dress turned to a black hoodie, ripped to the thread, accompanied by muddy jeans that stuck to Giselle’s legs from the cold. Her hair was a tangled mess, her eyes were tired and rough.

“Finally, you’re awake.”

Giselle sat up, squinting at the morning sun. Willow stood in front of her, leaning on a tree and looking down on Giselle. She rolled her eyes as Giselle made an effort to get up.

“By the way,” Willow said, her blonde hair blowing fiercely in the wind. “We’re leaving now.” She gestured for Giselle to join the pack as they walked an opening in the forest.

“Giselle!” Adrian exclaimed as Giselle and Willow walked towards them. Willow brushed past them, not even taking the time to notice how tired Adrian and Giselle were.

“Hi, Adrian.”

“You look tired,” Adrian stated. “And you’re acting like it too”. He added, teasing Giselle. She glared back at him, putting her hood up to avoid eye contact.

“Yeah, I’m tired.”

“You know Giselle, I will always wonder how your mood changes faster than a bullet.”

Giselle was about to protest but her eyes wandered to her surroundings. They had a reached the edge of the forest where it gave in to a desert; iron red rocks, shallow hills of sand and a cloudless sky that brushed over with a rich dust.

“Where are we?”

“The desert of Crescent Island.” Adrian replied as the pack began to descend into the wasteland. Nothingness surrounded them, but there was something deeper in the atmosphere made Giselle feel uneasy. Her eyes were growing heavy from the lack of sleep, her back was warm from the blazing sun, her hair frizzy from the strong wind. Dust blew into Giselle's face and her legs were tired from walking the day before.

“Careful...” She thought she heard Willow say. “The desert here likes to play tricks.”

A shadow rolled over Giselle as she looked up to see the clouds growing darker. Giselle was certain something was right even if nothing on Crescent Island ever seemed alright.

“Ignore Willow.” Adrian said, rolling his eyes. “She’s joking.”

Giselle barely took notice of Adrian's words, she gripped onto the little bottle Clarissa had given her that was still present in the pockets.

The sky became darker as Giselle found it hard to see. It wasn’t the beautiful starry nights Giselle had witnessed on Crescent Island. It was a bleak, shadowy type mist that seemed to surround them. The others didn’t seem to notice the layer of ash and dust among them, even Adrian continued to walk on as usual. The mist grew thicker, turning from a light shade of grey to a pitch black. Giselle clutched onto the bottle, struggling to see anything as she coughed loudly.

“Adrian?”

“Yeah.” Adrian said so faintly Giselle wasn’t sure if she heard it at all. “Giselle?”

The world spun and her eyes closed, out of her control.

A woman. A crow. No, the same thing. It was the only thing present in Giselle’s vision.

Someone shook her, Giselle jumped and her eyes opened suddenly. The black mist seemed to have disappeared and Adrian was standing in front of Giselle, his arms on her shoulders.

“Are you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” he joked, but Giselle felt too uneasy for jokes. Although the mist had gone, she still felt it all around her. Although it was light, her mind was still trapped in darkness. She felt claustrophobic despite being in the open.

“What is it?” Giselle said weakly, staring into space. The whole pack had stopped to wait for Giselle.

“What’s what?” Adrian said, trying to catch her eyes.

“The mi... the... mist. The black one.” Giselle stumbled across her words as Adrian tried to make sense of them. His face turned serious.

“Adrian...” Willow pulled his arm. “We need to...”

"Get back!” Demarcus suddenly growled. A large black figure jumped from non-existent shadows and pounced on Willow. Adrian grabbed Giselle’s hand and ran through the sand. Giselle looked ahead at Adrian's back, she couldn’t even imagine what the figure was. The terrain made them slower, Giselle trusted that Adrian knew where he was going.

They ran until they reached trees and grass. Giselle ducked behind a tree as Adrian took his place in front of her, one arm out protectively. Giselle could see the edge of the desert through the trees, but dust covered it so Willow’s fate was unknown. They were away from the action, it was quiet. But Giselle still felt the fog on her skin, in her bones. Adrian was on alert, the panic of his breath seeping into the atmosphere.

The ground suddenly shook, something powerful hit a tree nearby. Giselle didn’t wait for Adrian she instinctively ran the opposite way, deeper into the thick of the forest. Adrian followed her, his speed catching up with her. He looked back. A black panther had pinned Willow to the ground, who was in her werewolf state. Willow struggled, shaking her head and growling at her attacker. The panther growled back, its razor teeth showing. Its paws were on the Willow’s chest. Its teeth went closer to her throat. Adrian stopped. A wolf never give up on their pack.

So he turned back.

He whistled something in the air, loud and short. His face formed into that of a wolf’s.

Giselle continued to run. Her legs ached, the little potion bottle jolted about in her pocket. Despite being parched, hungry, out of breath, she carried on running. Giselle reached sand, and it instantly slowed her down. She fell to her knees, the sound of her blood pumping in her ears. Giselle looked up once she had caught her breath; the sea was so close but it wasn’t one she recognised.

Giselle reached the edge of Crescent Island. Giselle lay in the sand for a moment. She felt dizzy and closed her eyes.

Something trapped itself tightly around Giselle’s body.

Giselle jumped, trying to escape from the gridlock as it slowly lifted her into the air. Giselle looked around, struggling hard to get the potion from her pocket as her stomach dropped. She was high above the ground, exposed to a new view of Crescent Island. She froze, her heart beating against the scaly black chains that held her. Giselle felt gushes of the powerful wind at her sides as she tilted her head upwards. The throat of a large animal came into view. Giselle’s hands shook, her breath quickened. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look down to see how high she was. She tried hard to hold on to the unfathomable claws but her entire body was weak.

But she felt herself slowing down, like a pleasant ride. Giselle, still panicked, cautiously opened her eyes to glance down. She was closer to the ground now, and a patch of land that contained several buildings.

The claws around Giselle became relaxed the closer her feet fell in contact with the ground. They had landed aside from the houses she saw, but she knew they weren’t far.

Once she had landed, Giselle looked round to see the creature that swept her away from the forest.

A dragon closed its wind, the air rushing as it did so. The dragon then laid down, tucking its hind legs underneath the wings. Giselle stood there, amazed, as the dragon lowered its head so its eyes were level with Giselle’s. She stared into the eyes; the big, black irises that looked friendly, not threatening. The dragon laid still, its eyes never leaving Giselle, its wings never once moving. Conjuring up brave energy within her, Giselle put her hand on the dragon’s nose, stroking it gently.

“Thank you...” She whispered.

“You’re welcome.”

Giselle jumped back in shock.

“Err... you.. erm...” Giselle stuttered.

The dragon lifted his head in response.

“What? Is not what you say when someone thanks you?” The dragon laid down again, this time on his side so his head nested in the grass. “I think I might stay here for a while.” His voice sounded more like an older boy rather than a powerful dragon.

Still amazed, Giselle nodded. The dragon raised his head again, but remained in his position on the ground.

“You gonna keep staring at me like that?” He said accusingly. “It’s scaring me.”

“Your a...dragon. A talking dragon.”

“What? You never seen a talking dragon before?”

Giselle shook her head, and the dragon laughed to himself.

“Well, I’ve never known Adrian to have a human friend.”

“You know Adrian?”

“Good friends I guess. But you still haven’t told me your name.”

Giselle took a seat on a nearby rock, watching the dragon inventively.

They introduced themselves to each other as if they were two normal people in a normal circumstance. The dragon introduced himself as Raphael, who Adrian called for to take Giselle to the village.

“I’d go if I were you.” Raphael said.

“Go where?”

“The Fisherman’s Village. That’s where you wanted to go right?” Raphael’s magnificent head nodded towards the houses that laid out on a patch of land before them. Giselle scanned around at the houses, the people, the streets. She realised that she could never share this moment with Ashley, who wanted to come to Crescent Island so much.

“What?” Raphael said, getting up from his relaxed position on the ground. “Was the Fisherman’s Village not the place you wanted to go?”

Giselle looked up at the large eyes of Raphael.

“I... I don’t know. When I came here,” Giselle explained. “This is all I wanted. But... I’m not sure now.”

“Please decide.” Raphael said. “I would like to rest now.”

“Okay.” Giselle said, not wanting to cause Raphael anymore trouble. “I’ll stay. Thank You, Raphael.”

Raphael nodded his head in reply before spreading out his midnight-black wings and taking off into the daylight. Giselle prayed that Adrian was okay and took a deep breath. She walked towards the village. Although she had no money, nothing on her except the little bottle Clarissa had given her still tightly in her pocket. She hoped the villagers were kind enough to point her in the right direction. And so she descended to the small, peaceful settlement of the Fisherman’s Village.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse- 12

Even though the pack still offered to take Giselle to the Fisherman’s Village, they were more quiet and shifty than they had been before, particularly towards Giselle. Even Adrian, who was usually quite talkative, was silent for the journey on the separate side of the mountain. The witches had agreed to let Giselle through as they realised that she was not there to cause harm to the island, but Izmeltri told Demarcus privately to watch her closely.

They reached the edge of another forest after a long, painful trek of silence. The sun set, the dark settling in to the island.

“On the other side of the forest,” Adrian said to Giselle, surprising her as the first thing he had said since the incident at Witch Mountain. “It the desert. We have to go across to get to the village.” He explained. Although Adrian was speaking like his normal self, but with an element of weariness in his voice.

“Okay.” Giselle nodded and Adrian turned back to the path they were walking. “Adrian?” Giselle then added, unknown of his reaction. Adrian turned around.

“What?” He said bluntly.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Was all he said before he quickly turned back round. Giselle thought she saw a small smile occur on his lips, but it was so quick, she might have imagined it.

Giselle looked up at the stars, wide awake and unable to sleep. She wondered if Ashley was up there, looking back at her. He would probably be smiling at Giselle’s pathetic attempt at living on the island. All the things that happened made it feel like forever since they had been lying side by side underneath the silver diamonds of the sky. But now, whenever Giselle thought of Ashley, her heart ached. Tears filled Giselle's eyes, and she couldn't hold back from crying as the pack were asleep.

“Giselle?” Adrian whispered, surprising Giselle. Adrian laughed a little and Giselle could see his shadow from where she was laying. She sat up, doing her best to save any more tears from running down her cheeks. Adrian sat down next to her, bits of grass tangled in his dark, messy hair.

“Can’t sleep?” Adrian had the same sly smile he had back when Giselle met him at Eagle Beach.

Giselle nodded, sighing heavily. She stared into the space in front of her, eyes still blurry from tears. Giselle rubbed her eyes before noticing a pink object underneath some trees nearby. She walked towards it, gazing at the large rose-coloured petals the protected the seedlings inside.

Adrian watched Giselle in confusion as she picked up the flower and carried it back towards him. He examined the flower, he had thought he’d seen fairies use it before but Adrian never understood why.

Giselle placed the flower in front of her, sitting cross-legged and facing Adrian so the flower lay in between them.

“Cassius taught me a game,” Giselle explained. “He used this flower, it opens when someone’s lying.”

Adrian nodded, although he was unsure what path Giselle’s words were going. She looked up at him, her green eyes delving into Adrian’s blue ones.

“Do you want to play?”

“Play what?”

“The game that Cassius taught me.” Giselle looked at the flower, she felt a connection with it. Adrian raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t play those fairy games.” He said cooly.

“It’s not hard, we just ask each other questions.”

“If I must.” Adrian murmured.

“Okay,” Giselle said, kneeling in front of the flower in her ripped jeans that were still muddy from the treacherous journey. “What did the witches tell you?”

“Nothing about you.”

The blossom opened, its petals unfurling to show Adrian’s lie. Giselle stared back at him, waiting for a real answer. Adrian sighed and leant forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“Okay, they mentioned something. Something about you and a curse. I don’t really believe it though.”

Giselle nodded, but remained silent on the subject.

“It’s your turn now.”

“Oh, I don’t know...” He looked around, trying to think of a question to ask. “What were you doing with Cassius?”

“He gave me a place to stay after this weird creature attacked me, he offered to help me get to the village.”

Adrian frowned as the flower remained closed. He had hoped that it would open at Giselle’s claim, but he wasn’t sure what he wanted the real answer to be.

“Why are you helping me?” Giselle asked, not once taking her eyes off the flower.

“Because I like you. Willow does too, but you won’t hear her to admit that though. Everyone likes you.”

The edges of the flower’s petals curled.

“That’s not true...” Giselle answered.

“No, it is! Well, maybe not everyone likes you but I don’t understand why they wouldn’t.”

Giselle stared at the flower, a tear rolling down her cheek as she thought about her mother. She knew her mother probably hated her, despised her for leaving and detested her for not going back.

Adrian’s hand reached out to Giselle’s cheek and stroked her face, wiping away the tear with his thumb. Giselle looked back at him, surprised by his sudden contact. Adrian pulled away quickly as if nothing had happened.

“It’s my turn.”

Adrian's shocking eyes found Giselle's, and she noticed how kind and beautiful they were, as opposed to the sharp ones she had first encountered.

“Giselle, are you...” He paused. “Are you human?”

“Yes. Yes I am.” Giselle replied, shaking her head as she thought it was obvious.

“I don’t think you are.” Adrian smiled, nodding his head towards to the flower. Giselle followed his gaze to the flower that had opened, more than Giselle had seen it before.

“But I am human! It’s lying!” Giselle picked up the flower as it remained open. Adrian burst out laughing.

“I knew it!” He said, practically in tears. “Why would you deny it?”

Giselle could feel her anger rising inside her, and the fear. The flower must have been opening for the previous answer, Giselle was human.

“Adrian!” Giselle stood up, glaring at Adrian furiously.

“Giselle,” Adrian said more calmly. “I’ve known for ages, you can tell me.”

Giselle was about to protest, but Adrian's words made her stop.

“Wait, what do you mean you’ve known? What am I then?”

Adrian laughed and Giselle hoped it was a joke just as the faulty lie detecting flower was.

“I wish I knew.” Adrian shrugged. “You’re no werewolf, fairy or witch that’s for sure."

“I don’t understand.” Giselle said, laying down in the grass to look at the stars, hoping it would calm her. Adrian was silent for a moment before she heard rustling where she assumed Adrian had laid down too. Although Giselle was worried, she smiled to herself at the idea of her being something extraordinary, with powers and supernatural abilities she never knew she had. The mystery that surrounded her excited Giselle more than it panicked her.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-11

The black peak loomed over the lake, shading it to create mysterious shadows underneath. Giselle stared into the endless darkness.

“Welcome to Witch Mountain.” Adrian whispered to Giselle.

“What do they call it that for?”

Adrian paused. “You’ll find out.”

They came to a deep cave that continued into the creak of the mountain. Demarcus went ahead, followed by Jason and then the others. Giselle kept behind Adrian, out of the way. The cave was dark, besides the glimmer of light that represented where they had entered. Despite the cave being much like a larger and more daunting version of the one she had witnessed with the Chimera, Giselle wasn’t afraid, but curious.

The further they went, the darker it became. Giselle tried to focus on following Adrian's shadow, but it was hard to see among the darkness. It then grew lighter again, but it was a deep blue rather than a blazing white.

They came to a blue shield that covered the interior of the cave so it was impossible to go around it.

“This is the Mountain’s Force field.” Adrian explained.

“What is it protecting itself from?”

“Demons, mostly.” Adrian said. “And humans.”

Giselle shot Adrian a worried look.

“I’m joking,” Adrian laughed. “The Force field only protects the mountain from darker forces of magic.” He then added. Giselle stared at the Force field, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. An unexpected pain in her chest rose, the same feeling she had the day that Ashley died. A mixture of anger, panic and sadness.

“Giselle,” Adrian whispered in Giselle’s ear. “Are you okay?” He asked, reading her pale face and tense body.

“Yeah,” Giselle replied, although she was anything but.

Demarcus stepped through the force field, his shadow disappearing to the other side of the blue light.

The others followed him, Giselle noticed the way each one of them did it carefully.

Giselle walked towards the force field after them, so close that her eyes could see the tiny waves on the magical shield. She took a deep breath whilst telling herself that everything would be okay.

Giselle's hand reached up and felt the force field. But as she did, a high-pitched sound rung on both sides. Giselle clasped her ears at the pain. It turned to a darker colour that spread like ink.

“Giselle!” Adrian shouted, trying to get back through to where Giselle was, but the force field became a black screen.

Giselle hit the force field, struggling so hard to break through. Every time she touched it, the horrific noise sounded again. Giselle gave up as the dark mist extended to her feet. Giselle backed away as its presence pushed her further and further towards the entrance of the cave.

A bolt of bright lightning appeared in front of Giselle. The purple light was still visible inside her eyelids. The mist instantly disappeared, the force field went back to its original blue colour.

“Giselle!” Adrian said as he returned from the other side. “What the Arizona happened there?”

“The force field sealed up.” A blunt voice answered. She turned around to an older woman.

“Izmeltri...” Demarcus said as he too went back through the force field. “Long time, no see.” He seemed to be talking to the woman, who smiled psychotically.

“Demarcus, dear.” She replied. “How lovely it is to see you.”

“No it's not.” Adrian interrupted. “The force field closed, what did you do?”

Izmeltri ignored him. She dismissed him with a wave of her hand, covered in rings and bangles. She turned to Demarcus.

“May I have a word? With your pack?” She pointed towards the others, who had now emerged from the alternative side of the force field.

“You may.”

“Without the girl.” Izmeltri hissed. Demarcus nodded and gestured for the pack to follow Izmeltri into another path in the cave. He approached the confused and dazed Giselle.

“Stay there.” He instructed to Giselle. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

Giselle nodded, not prepared to disobey him.

She leaned against the wall of the cave. Something bad happened, and Giselle knew she was part of it. For the first time since leaving her home, Giselle felt alone. Memories of Ashley and Victoria Cliffs sprung to her mind, and for a moment Giselle wished she had stayed there.

Giselle stared at the force field, loosing herself in the deep mist. A dark shape moved the opposite side, before emerging into a human figure coming towards Giselle though the force field.

“Giselle?” A familiar voice said.

“Clarissa?” Giselle replied, her voice a whisper. Clarissa walked up to Giselle and looked her up and down as she were inspecting her. Clarissa’s eyes met with Giselle’s and she felt a sense of anger at Clarissa.

“What are you doing here?”

Giselle opened her mouth, but struggled to think of an answer. Instead, Giselle ran up to Clarissa and hugged her tightly, relieved to see a familiar face from home.

“Clarissa, I... I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just so confused and...”

“Giselle.” Clarissa interrupted, pushing her away to meet her eyes. “Someone told me to tell a human girl what is going on, but I didn't know it would be you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Giselle,” Clarissa sighed. “You know that the entrance to the cave is to protect itself from elements of the curse?”

Giselle nodded, frightened for what was coming next.

“The force field has never stopped a human from coming through before.”

“Am I not human?”

“It’s not that,” Clarissa said. “Giselle, we think the cursed affected you. We don’t know why yet, but you are.”

“I’m...cursed?”

Clarissa nodded as Giselle tried to make sense of the situation.

“Giselle,” Clarissa said sympathetically. “Can you remember a time when you might have been in contact with anything related to the curse, or perhaps you had a close relationship with someone that is cursed?”

Giselle tried to cast her mind back. There were many possibilities: the chimera, the river, Eagle Beach for all Giselle knew.

“I don’t know.”

“Are sure nothing happened at all?”

Giselle thought back to that dreadful day. The day Ashley died. It was so unexpected, so painful. Giselle felt sick as she connected everything together.

“No.” Giselle shook her head in denial. “No, Ashley wasn’t cursed. He couldn't have been.”

Even though it fitted together perfectly; Ashley’s plan to go Crescent Island suddenly made sense.

“Giselle,” Clarissa said, breaking Giselle from her sad realisations. She looked up at Clarissa. Clarissa was holding up a tiny transparent bottle that contained a deep purple liquid.

“This may protect you from any other forms of the curse. Please, only use it if you feel as if you are in danger, it’s the only bottle I have.”

Giselle nodded and took the bottle.

“Thank you.” Giselle whispered, holding the bottle up to her face so she could see the liquid in the bottle closely. She then looked back up Clarissa, but she was gone.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-10

Giselle sprinted through the forest, the beasts chasing her. Adrian was inches away from Giselle’s back, his sharp teeth grazing it where the Chimera’s snake bite had been. Giselle kept going, her heart beating faster, until she couldn't run anymore. Giselle fell hard on the ground as she felt the shadow of the werewolves take over body...

Giselle jerked awake, her palms sweaty and her breath short. She was under the pitch black, buried in the grass. She looked up, and saw Willow asleep next her, and others scattered around her, also deep in their slumber. A wave of dread and anxiety come over her.

Giselle fumbled, unable to see in the darkness. She got up as some leaves rustled behind her. Giselle’s walk broke into a sprint at the sound, and she ran in the dark, following the river as she went. Every fear she ever had ran through her head the moment as she heard someone running closely behind. Giselle's dream began to unravel, it was recurring in her mind. Staying with the wolves was no longer a choice, she knew it wasn’t safe, even if she trusted Adrian. Giselle didn’t dare glance back at who was racing after her, she hoped they would give up soon enough. Giselle continued to follow the river, remembering Cassius’ directions. But she halted as the trees screened the moonlight, so she couldn’t even see the river.

Something cold touched Giselle’s shoulder.

“Giselle.” Jason said. Giselle carried on panting. The way he said her name was sly, with anger and bitterness hidden within it. “You didn’t think we’d let you get away that easily, did you?” His features became visible from the shadows. His jawline was sharp and angular, his hair fell over his face and his red eyes glared at Giselle.

“I just want to find the village. On my own.” Giselle said, shrugging off Jason. He reacted by pulling her violently towards his face.

“Listen,” He said through gritted teeth. “Adrian made us help you. Don’t think I wouldn’t have killed you instantly if I had the chance. Jason let go of Giselle, pushing her back but remaining where he was.

“Jason?” Giselle heard Demarcus behind them. Jason shifted to face him.

“She was trying to escape.” Jason snarled. Demarcus stared at Giselle with a hard look.

“It is my decision what happens with her.” He declared “Get some damn sleep.”

Jason walked away, showing his crystal teeth at Giselle just before he left.

Giselle was ready to give to an excuse to Demarcus. But he interrupted Giselle before she had the chance.

“We’ll take you to the village. Even if you’re not a werewolf, you need to be loyal to the pack until we get there.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier if I went?” Giselle said, thinking of every excuse she could to go on her own.

“Of course.” Demarcus smiled, the first time Giselle had seen him do since she met him. “But I would have thought it would be easier for you. Do you really think you can survive on your own in Crescent Island? You’ve already had a Chimera attack you and there are worse things out there.”

Giselle looked at him, both stunned by his knowledge and angry at his accusations.

“How did you know about the Chimera?”

Demarcus laughed. “I know how to get words out of fairies.” He left, leaving Giselle to sleep.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-9

“Listen,” Cassius said to Giselle in a serious tone as Cassius shut the door of his little hut. “I will take you up to the edge of the forest. After that, you can find your own way to the Fisherman’s Village.”

Giselle had woken up to a breakfast of some sort of soup dish stewing over the fire. Cassius had prepared it, and ate it with Giselle whilst apologising about the large quantity of vegetables and the lack of meat and dairy in the dish, for he was in fact a vegan. But still, every time Giselle turned to the game they had played the night before, he directed the conversation. Now, after they had eaten, Cassius was explaining his plan to Giselle as the two of them walked into the forest.

“How will I know where to go?” Giselle asked, wanting to make sure she was certain as to exactly how to get to the Fisherman’s Village.

“Follow the river, that way.” He pointed. “Whatever you do, don’t go off track. There are worse things in this forest than that Chimera, trust me, you don’t want to come into contact with them.” Cassius adjusted the strap of the bag on his shoulder as Giselle once again followed him through the forest.

They walked for a while in silence. Giselle thought back to her home where a sick feeling came over her. She knew how worried her mother would be but Giselle also knew she would have to be away from her mother either way.

There was a sudden rustling among the trees. Giselle jumped, as she remembered her encounter with the Chimera. Cassius stopped suddenly, listening to the noise carefully. He looked around in the trees, for something. For someone.

“What i-” Giselle started.

“Shh.” Cassius interrupted. Giselle held her breath until the rustling stopped for a moment. She had never seen Cassius so tense.

“Werewolves.” Cassius whispered, his sea green eyes scanning the surrounding area. “Stay back for a moment.” Giselle took a few steps backwards obediently. There was a deafening silence, where Giselle froze, too scared to breathe.

A black figure jumped out of the bushes, knocking Cassius straight to the ground. Giselle gasped loudly, closing her eyes in hope it wouldn’t come near her. She opened them again cautiously when she noticed Cassius was silent. A black wolf had Cassius pinned to the ground, growling in his face. It then backed away, but it’s eyes remained focus on Cassius’. He put his hands out steadily, calm as possible. Giselle panicked, worried for Cassius. Her quick, shallow breathing turned the wolf’s attention to Giselle, leaving Cassius to get up on his own. The wolf had sharp, sinister teeth; but the thing that made Giselle sick with fear was the bright blue eyes, scanning her like prey. Another wolf emerged from the bushes, joining the blue-eyed werewolf. That one looked even more scary, it’s eyes red as it snarled. Giselle backed away slowly as more wolves joined behind the two existing ones. She kept going, until her back scraped the bark of a tree. They had surrounded, trapped her. The blue eyed werewolf suddenly jerked up, slamming it’s front paws on the tree, just above Giselle's head. She screamed and turned her head away, closing her eyes. She waited for the moment where the werewolf went at her throat. Giselle knew this would be where she would die.

But the wolf’s breath slowed down, it lowered its front legs and stood back slightly. Giselle opened her eyes, turning her head in confusion.

A pair of piercing blue eyes met hers.

“Giselle,” Adrian said, smiling. Giselle stared at him, confused. She noticed a group of people standing behind him, along with the werewolf with red eyes. The werewolf then, to Giselle’s amazement, formed into an ordinary-looking guy. It suddenly clocked in Giselle’s brain what was happening. Adrian, the boy who had saved her at Eagle Beach, was a werewolf. And this, the few people standing behind him, were his pack. Giselle said nothing, staring at them all with her mouth wide open.`

“So you made it?” A girl with yellow eyes and thick, blonde hair said, coming up behind Adrian. Giselle couldn’t tell if her tone was sarcastic or friendly. “The fairy has gone.” she then said, to a more muscular man. He had silver hair that slicked back, and he looked much older than everyone else. Adrian laughed a little.

“Welcome to the pack, Giselle.” Adrian said, standing back so she could see them all. There was only four of them; Adrian, the silver-haired man, the blonde girl and the red-eyed one, who glared at Giselle, making her feel uncomfortable.

“We talked with the fairy.” The blonde girl said. “He said she’s going to the village.”

The silver-haired man chuckled.

“Out of all places.” His voice was deep and rough, and Giselle wondered what was so wrong with the Fisherman’s Village that everyone should talk negatively of it. Giselle looked around, realising that Cassius was no longer there. How could he leave her with a pack of werewolves, in the middle of the forest?

“I...I...” Giselle stuttered.

“Must we take her with us?” The red-eyed man said. He was tall and looked a lot older than Adrian. But he still had something left of his youth as his hair was still a vivid jet black. His deep crimson eyes continued to stare at Giselle, but she tried to avoid his eye contact and focus on Adrian.

“Shut up, Jason.” Adrian snapped. “She has survived this island long enough. It won’t hurt us to take her to the village.”

“Are you a villager?” The silver-haired man interrogated.

“No.” Giselle replied.

He hesitated then turned and ran through the trees, Jason and the blonde girl following him rapidly.

“Are you coming?” Adrian asked, gesturing for Giselle to join them.

“Where are we going?”

“Where you want to go.” Adrian smiled as he grabbed Giselle’s wrist and ran through the forest, leaving Giselle no choice but to follow him. Adrian slowed down to a walk when he realised Giselle was quick to run out of breath and let go of her wrist.

“Adrian,” Giselle said, breathing heavily. “Where did Cassius go?”

“Cassius?” Adrian repeated. “Oh, he went off somewhere. Willow convinced him we would take you.”

“And you did this without even asking me?” Giselle said, anger rising up within her.

“What? You think one fairy is going to be better at protecting you than four werewolves?” Adrian laughed. Giselle thought about how Adrian was right. But she thought even more about how Cassius was a fairy. Giselle had known he wasn’t human, but Cassius being a fairy in human form wasn’t a surprise either.

“What is so bad about going to the Fisherman’s Village?” Giselle then asked, frustrated that people gave her such limited information.

“It’s not that interesting.” Adrian said. “But I mean, you can go wherever the Arizona you want.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a werewolf?!” She persisted.

“Do you really think you would have believed me Giselle?” Adrian answered in the same tone. “I probably would have just scared you off, anyway.”

“You almost scared me off, anyway.”

Adrian shrugged, before switching to a different matter. “What were you doing with that fairy, anyway?”

“He helped me.” Giselle said.

They then caught up with the rest of the pack, Giselle tagging along at the back whilst Adrian walked at a fast pace in front of her. Adrian looked back at Giselle before slowing down so he could walk beside Giselle.

“By the way,” Adrian said. “Our leader is Demarcus.” He said, pointing to the silver-haired man at the front. “And then Jason, and Willow.”

Giselle nodded. Adrian resumed his place in front of Giselle. She stared at Jason’s back. He wore a black trench coat that made him look like a shadow. The more she stared at him, the more sick she felt. For some reason she couldn’t shake of the uncomfortable feeling of Jason’s presence. Despite this, she carried on, following the small Crescent Island pack of wolves.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-8

Giselle watched as Cassius went straight in, without unlocking anything.

"You don’t lock doors?” Giselle said. She could barely help question Cassius as her curiosity got the better of her.

“No, not this door.”

“This door?” Giselle looked around. There was only one room, with an oak floor. A wooden bed was placed at the back of the room, with a wardrobe. A large fireplace was opposite, which poured with ashes. Besides the door they had just come through, another large door dominated the room.

“Don’t people steal things if you don’t lock the door?”

Cassius laughed a little at Giselle’s question. “No. People don’t steal things. Besides, you think anyone would want to steal anything in here? On this island, you learn to trust everyone.”

“Or no-one.” Giselle added. For a moment, Cassius looked at Giselle in silence. He then walked towards the other door in the room.

“Now this one,” He said. “This one is locked.” Cassius placed his hand firmly in the middle of the door. Giselle watched as Cassius muttered some foreign language under his breath. The door lit up, a sea of green light descending from underneath his hand. The door clicked as the dim green light turned into a blinding white one that forced Giselle to shut her eyes. When she opened them, the door had opened and Giselle followed Cassius into the place that this door held.

Maps, drawings of unidentified plants and other written work covered the whole room, despite the lack of furniture. There was a small desk covered in various papers and books.

“Don’t mind the mess.” Cassius said, as he looked through some papers to find something. Giselle took the chance to stare at some maps on the walls. They looked identical to the scrolls Giselle had found in the chest, some torn, some new and brightly coloured. Every single one was a different part of Crescent Island. The mountains, lakes, rivers, forests, beaches and caves were mapped and detailed. But as much Giselle looked, she couldn’t find a single map that showed the Fisherman’s Village.

“Can I ask you questions now?” Giselle said unsurely. Cassius turned around and smiled. He sat down at his desk chair and leaned back.

“Well actually,” He remarked. “I was thinking we could play a game.”

“What kind of game?”

Cassius smiled again, his eyes glowing.

“It’s called Gemini.”

“I thought that was a zodiac sign?” Giselle raised her eyebrow in confusion.

“We call all our games after zodiac and star signs.”

“We...” Giselle echoed before Cassius pushed everything on his desk to one side. He pulled the desk out into the middle of the room and went out. He returned with another chair and a large pink flower. Cassius placed the flower in the middle of the desk. Its petals were closed together, like it hadn’t blossomed yet.

“Take a seat.” Cassius said, gesturing for Giselle to sit opposite him. Giselle sat down cautiously, staring at the luscious flower. Cassius leaned forward on the table, visibly excited.

“Ask me a question.” He said, smiling. Giselle stared at him in confusion. “Go on.” Cassius nodded.

“What is it?” Giselle asked, referring to the flower.

“It’s a special flower. The game, it’s where we take it in turns to ask each other questions and the other person answers as honestly as they can.”

“And how do I know that you will tell me the truth.” Giselle said, thinking she was outsmarting Cassius. “How do I trust you?"

Cassius laughed to himself loudly.

“You really don’t trust people, do you?” He said, making Giselle blush in embarrassment. “The flower blossoms the more lying it detects.”

“It detects lying?” Giselle said cynically.

“Was that your first question?” Cassius replied. “You go first.”

Giselle stared at him for a moment. “Okay,” she said. “Are you on your own?”

“No, at the moment I’m with you.”

“Wait, no, that’s not what I meant, I meant do you live here?”

“Ah ah ah,” Cassius tutted, shaking his head. “It’s my turn. Why are you here?”

“I ran away. Where do you live?”

Cassius hesitated.

“Everywhere. But nowhere. I have several places around the island. How did you kill the Chimera?”

“I don’t know.” Giselle answered. In all honesty, she didn’t know. “Why does it matter to you? Giselle said underneath her breath.

“Just wondering.” Cassius said. Giselle looked up at him, horrified.

“Oh, no, that wasn’t my question!”

“Are you human?” Cassius said, ignoring her.

Giselle stared at him. She felt offended, did she not look human?”

“Yes. I’m human!” She retorted. “What? Do I look some sort of animal?”

“Humans are animals.” Cassius shrugged, as Giselle realised she had wasted another question. Cassius seemed to enjoy the fact that Giselle was failing the game. “Why did you come here?” He then asked.

“I told you. I ran away. Plus, I know this island.”

“But you haven’t been here before?”

“I haven’t,” Giselle smiled. “Now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

“You’re getting good.” Cassius commented.

“Are you human?”

There was a brief silence, which kept Giselle tense with curiosity.

“I am at the moment.” He said. Giselle was dying to ask more, but Cassius stood up abruptly. “Should we end this game? It’s getting dark.”

“Okay.”

“There’s only one bed.” Cassius explained. “You can sleep in it if you want.”

“Where will you sleep?” Giselle hesitated, observing the only bed.

“I don’t sleep. I have work to do, anyway.” Cassius said, before opening the door to go outside. “I’ll be back before you wake up, probably.” He disappeared into the forest, but Giselle barely questioned what he was doing. She was thankful for shelter and somewhere to sleep. Giselle laid in the bed. Although it was basic, it felt like a luxury compared to the rough conditions she had been through the last few days. After all the exhaustion, she drifted off into a light sleep.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-7

“Are you okay?”

Giselle could hear a gentle voice and for a moment, Giselle thought it was Adrian's. But this voice was deeper and softer. Giselle opened her eyes. The world went a little hazy and bright before coming into view. Giselle sat up and leaned on her arms, looking around. A man was leaning on a tree nearby. His clothes were plain; tan coloured jeans, a brown shirt and hunter boots with a dark leather bag slung over his shoulders. His hair was a tangled mess of blonde curls and his eyes were a deep, sea green.

“Few people are lucky enough to escape an encounter with a Chimera alive.”

“A what?” Giselle asked, dumbfounded. Her memories flooded back to her as she thought about the fierce, two headed, snake tailed creature that had attacked her.

“Chimera.” He said “It bit you, that’s why you fainted. It must’ve had a good go at you, you look like it has clawed you quite a few times.”

Giselle struggled up, aware of how awful she must have looked, not that she cared much. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat burned the words. The man pointed to the river as Giselle coughed.

“The water’s drinkable.” He stated. Giselle staggered towards the river, too thirsty to care. She kneeled down by the river bank and cupped her hands to drink. It felt so good to have the soft feeling of the river water going down her throat. She took a moment to realise that the river she was drinking from seemed different from the river that connected to the sea where Giselle steered her boat.

"Did you do this?"

Giselle turned around at the man’s question. He had the head of a snake in his hand. Blood dripped off it’s long tongue and seeped into the grass.

“I...I don’t think so.” Giselle stuttered. She hadn’t remembered killing the thing, just encountering it.

“Weird.” He shrugged. “You know, sometimes I wonder if this island has a mind of its own.” He dropped the snake head on the floor and looked at Giselle. “I’m Cassius by the way.”

“Cassius Fireson?” Giselle said out loud and without thinking.

Cassius gave Giselle a weird look.

"So you must be...a witch? That’s how you know my name right?”

“No, I just...” Giselle’s voice trailed away. Her mind as not in a state to be questioned. Cassius dropped the conversation.

“Did I tell you before? My memory can get quite bad.” He said, looking down at a scroll. “Is this yours?”

“Er...sort of. I kind of found it.” Giselle tried to wipe of all the guiltiness in her voice.

“You mean you stole it?” Cassius questioned, raising an eyebrow as he opened his map. Giselle opened her mouth to say an excuse, but Cassius filled in silence.

“It’s okay. I won’t be angry.” Cassius around and looked deep into the forest. “Where are you trying to get to?”

“I don’t know, if I’m honest.” Giselle replied sadly. Now she had got the Crescent Island, she wasn’t really sure what she was supposed to do next. She remembered the place in Ashley’s books: the Fisherman’s Village. The one place on Crescent Island that had humans inhabitants that had visited Crescent, and never dared go back. “The Fisherman’s Village?” Giselle said unsurely.

Cassius stared at her, making Giselle feel slightly uncomfortable.

“Are you sure?” He said and Giselle nodded. “Out of all places.” He then muttered to himself. “Yeah, sure, I can take you there.” He put the map in his bag and pointed out into the forest. “It’s through this forest and then the other side of Witch Mountain.”

For a few moments, Giselle simply followed Cassius in silence.

“Do lots of people live in the Fisherman’s Village.” Giselle said, cutting through the silence.

“Well, yes, lots of people live there.” Cassius said. “The Fisherman’s Village is what it is. A village for people that fish for food. It can be bland and simple, but I guess it’s an easy life.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you’re part of the village, you’re part of the village. There’s going in and out if you know what I mean.” Cassius said. He seemed to have limited knowledge, but he had confidence in the things he did know.

“You mean, you can’t leave.”

“You can leave. But it’s not like you come back.”

Giselle looked at him, confused.

“You must be able to go back, where else would you?”

Cassius didn’t answer at first, staring straight ahead at trees. Giselle noticed how calm and neutral his sea-green eyes looked, despite being with a stranger. It reminded Giselle how different they were to Adrian's piercing blue ones.

“I’m different.” Cassius answered, giving Giselle a short, non-explained sentence. “And you might be too.”

Giselle contemplated Cassius’ answer. She couldn’t work out what he meant when he said Giselle was different.

Giselle didn’t question anymore, but instead looked around the forest. It was enclosed, yet bursting with life. Trees of every kind covered the bright sky, colourful flowers of all shapes and sizes covered the ground. Many birds hung about in the trees and there was no path. Despite this, Cassius seemed to have confidence in where they were heading.

“How can you tell where are you going?” Giselle asked curiously.

“My grandfather was the first person to walk this route, I walk it without thinking.” Cassius gently pushed away some bushes and step through, Giselle following him.

After a while, Giselle grew tired and hungry, realising she had not eaten or slept since her boat journey. Cassius stopped suddenly, turning to Giselle.

“Listen, I need a couple of of things before we get there.” Cassius informed. He looked up as if he was checking a mental list.

“Like what?”

Cassius didn’t answer, pausing to change the subject. “You want to stop for a break?” he said, but didn’t wait for Giselle’s answer. There was one thing that still dominated her mind.

“You know when you said that you were different, then you said I might be too, what did you mean by that?”

“Let’s save questions for when we get there.” Cassius kept an ordinary tone, but Giselle noticed traces of a smile occur on his lips. Cassius then stopped again, in what felt like the middle of the forest. “We’ll stop here for a bit.”

Giselle looked around. A small wooden building stood within the bushes. A large oak tree went directly through the middle of the structure, it had no windows. The closer Giselle got to it, she noticed how old it seemed. It looked much like the chest Giselle had found: ancient, but not abandoned.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-6

There it was. Crescent Island. It looked so much bigger than she had imagined in her head, but just as beautiful. Giselle could barely breathe, her heart pounding in excitement. This was the one place she had dreamt of, the one place that simply had cured her darkest days.

Giselle could see no buildings, but she wasn’t expecting to. As Giselle got closer, she could see the vast quantities of trees and the dense forest she had always thought about. Her boat hit the shore, the sand rich. Giselle looked through some trees and spotted a small river flowing freely. Giselle steered the boat into the mouth of the river. It was so clear, pure and inviting. The whole scene looked like something out of a fairy-tale. Giselle rowed slowly, watching the river where she could see countless fish swimming around. She stopped rowing and leaned over the boat to look. She let her fingers touch the silk water. It felt soft and Giselle could see a slight shimmery colour of silver reflect off the water. Giselle spotted a large fish with aqua scales and a crescent tail. She marvelled its beauty so much that she took her hands out of the water.

The boat carried on for what seemed like forever. Giselle drifted further away from the sea, her view clouded by overcrowding willow. Giselle looked ahead of her, and saw a cave just where the river became a lake, with a waterfall. She decided that it looked like the perfect place to rest. Giselle took the boat to the side of the bank where she climbed out and onto the grass. She left the boat as a sign that the past was being left behind her.

Giselle entered the cave, admiring its beauty in the darkness. The walls were damp, and it was growing dark outside. Giselle sat down in the cave, exhausted. The dress she was in was not the most practical, and Giselle was glad she had brought her jeans and hoodie with her from the boat, along with the remaining food supply. Giselle got dressed before staring deeply into the oblivion of the cave. It grew humid, and Giselle knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep in the weather despite her exhaustion. The cave went on further, and Giselle’s curiosity grew the better of her increasingly over her sensibility.

There were several jagged rock outlines in the darkness of the cave, Giselle managed to climb over them easily enough. It grew darker the deeper she went. Giselle felt so small in such a large cave and it soon came to the point where Giselle couldn’t see anything but the small circle of light, directing the entrance of the cave. She sat down on the rock, catching her breath for a moment. Giselle swiped her hands over the rock. She could feel some sort of engraved letter or picture but Giselle couldn’t figure out what it was. Giselle tried picking up the rock and carrying it towards the small gleam of light from the end of the cave she had come from. It was heavy, but light for a rock. Giselle dragged it is far as she could through the gaps between the rocks and towards the light. She only got halfway back to her original place in the cave before she could see the writing encrypted on the rock faintly. She had not been dragging a rock, but a large wooden chest. The engraved letters spelled out the words “Cassius Fireson”. The chest looked old, but it no dust so it clearly wasn't abandoned. Giselle then tried to open the chest, but she realized it was a locked and couldn’t be opened easily. She ran her fingers along the chest, trying to find the lock or keyhole that meant it was closed.

Frustrated at not being able to find it, Giselle dragged the chest out of the cave and by the river where she could see it properly in the light. Weirdly, there was nothing that could keep the chest locked, so once again Giselle tried to open it using her bare hands. As she did, it slid from her hands and down the river bank, landing in the river as the fish swam away from it in panic.

The chest sank quickly, and Giselle watched as it sat at the bottom of the silvery water. It sat there for a couple of seconds, not doing anything. But the chest’s lid shook and, to Giselle’s amazement, opened slowly. Before thinking about how it was even possible, Giselle picked up a fallen branch from near by and went right up to the river bank. The branch only just reached the chest, and Giselle used it to push the chest towards her. Eventually, the chest was close enough for Giselle to lift it free from the water. Giselle stared at the contents of the chest. Instead of the food and water she had hoped for, there were a couple of books and many scrolls. Giselle picked up one of the scrolls and stared at it. The language was unrecognisable to Giselle and the handwriting was messy, making is completely unreadable. Giselle looked through more of the scrolls, looking for the explanations. The second scroll she pulled out contained what looked like part of a map of Crescent Island. Despite Giselle's exhaustion, she looked for more maps.

It turned dark and Giselle couldn’t figure out the old language, or find anymore maps. Giselle pocketed the map of Crescent Island and was ready to put the chest back when she noticed some rocks by the cave were knocked over. She heard a crackling sound coming from the bushes. Giselle froze, before leaving the chest and walking very slowly into the rocks, not wanting to make a sound at the thing in the bushes. Giselle quietly stepped through the small gaps in the rocks at the very edge of the entrance to the cave. She could feel something coming towards her. Giselle ducked behind a large rock and waited, her heart beating fast. The crackling sound was getting closer, so much that it sounded more like a hissing sound. Something was definitely there, in the cave with her, and it was close. Giselle felt the air become hotter. Whatever it was, it was right next to her. She turned ever so slightly so she could see what had joined her in the next to the rock.

There, a large lion head snarled. It had its mouth wide open, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. It drooled viciously onto Giselle’s left arm, but it seemed unusually calm. But that was not the last. A large ram head lined with the lion’s head, it’s horns sharp and angry. Giselle gasped silently, her eyes wide, as she realised that the two heads were attached. Sweat ran down Giselle’s back as she decided that she would have to get out of the cave somehow. Giselle suddenly ran for it, dodging the rocks on her way out. Th creature followed, it’s two front lion paws and two hind legs running after her. Giselle didn’t dare look back as flames poured out of the lion’s head. The inside the cave blazed with fire, the heat blaring out. Giselle almost dived into a thick forest and continued to run. She could barely breathe anymore as she tried hard to climb a large tree. Her foot kept slipping, her sweaty hands couldn’t grip anything. Giselle stopped as she heard the creature searching for her as the sound of the nature crunched beneath its feet. The hissing sound was so vivid and clear, Giselle could do nothing but hide behind the large tree she had just tried to climb up. Giselle closed her eyes, knowing if she made one movement the creature would instantly come at her.

Giselle’s breathing excelled as something cold slithered down her neck. Shaking with fear, her natural reaction was to flinch. The creature stood next to her, its snake tail clinging to her. Giselle tried to run away again, but the snake pierced it's fangs into her and Giselle reacted by grabbing the snake and physically trying to force the snake of her body. The thing back away as Giselle dug her nails into the snake, and the creature breathed more fire. Giselle began to ran, but her sense of direction was lost among smoke. The snake tail struck at her again, this time on the arm, through the bandage that Adrian had placed. A wave of excruciating pain buzzed in Giselle’s bloodstream and she let at a scream in response. Giselle used her other hand to take a branch that had set on fire. She snapped it and tried to hit either one of the creature’s heads. She coughed at the smoke as she felt another terrifying pain in her back. Giselle screamed again, turning around with the branch. She was dizzy, she couldn't tell where anything was. She began to ran away from the creature, but kept stumbling over the branches. Something pushed Giselle violently as Giselle hit the water. As her body submerged itself, she forced her eyes open. A fuzzy picture of teeth and red eyes flew itself in front of her. Giselle kicked the thing as hard as she could, despite her jeans weighing her down. It flinched back, and Giselle used the opportunity to come above the water’s surface and breath in. She looked around, panicking, as she tried to see which direction the creature had gone. Giselle tried to climb on the river bank, but she was still dizzy and her back was numb with pain. A splitting headache made it impossible to even know where she was, and Giselle’s throat burned. She moved up what looked like a river bank as much as she could until she collapsed and became unconscious.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-5

“We can go now.” Adrian said after what felt like forever. Giselle replied with a small nod. Her eyes were heavy as the world around her felt like a nightmare. She could barely feel her blood soaked arm anymore, it was so numb.

Adrian sighed and came towards Giselle. She expected him to speak, but no words were spoken. Instead, something lifted Giselle in the air. She opened her eyes and jolted to see herself being carried by Adrian. It amazed Giselle as Adrian held her like she weighed only a feather.

“How did you...” Giselle started in a daze.

“Please say nothing until we’re out of here.” Adrian said. He muttered something else but Giselle could barely hear it as black spots appeared in her eyes and she closed them naturally.

Giselle opened her eyes hazily. She stared at a window opposite her, on the other side of the room. The sun shone through the window and onto Giselle’s face. She squinted and sat up slowly, trying to remember where she was. The room was fairly empty, with just a window and bed. It looked rundown, abandoned for a decade.

Giselle got out of bed, her head spinning. She clasped her arm, remembering the pain it was in. Giselle slowly recalled the events from before and soon enough it wasn’t just the pain of her arm she remembered. The death of Ashley, the devastation of Eagle Beach. It came back to Giselle, and she felt sick again, wanting something to erase the images.

Giselle looked down at her arm, expecting the blood to have dried in a mess. Her arm was clean and bandaged with a thin fabric. A glint of blue caught her eye, taking them off her arm. A pale piece of cloth was draped over the end of the bed. Giselle walked over to it and picked it up. She held it up, admiring it carefully. It was a pale blue dress, laced with black along the sleeves. It looked old-fashioned, but tailored to perfection, with time and care put into every stitch. Giselle took a moment to stare at her own, blood-stained clothes. Her top was sweaty and her jeans covered in dirt. The dress on the end of the bed was unclaimed, so Giselle changed into it carefully. She left her old clothes in a sad pile in the middle of the room. The dress was tight, obviously fit for a body slimmer than Giselle's. But it fit more or less. Giselle walked around, feeling like a different person. She peered through the window, squinting at the brightness of the sun that stared down on her. It was strangely quiet, considering recent events. The scenery was bleak and depressing, despite the bright weather. There was a large amount of smoke, making it hard to see any further than the few, burnt trees that blocked the view of the sea. Giselle had to get out, get to Crescent Island as soon as possible. She contemplated what to do, a plan, for a while before deciding that it was probably more worthwhile to do rather than think. She slipped into her trainers; her pale legs bare from the short skirt of the dress. She picked up her pile of clothes, hoping she could wash them when she got the Crescent Island.

Giselle walked out of the room, down a wide hallway that led to a front door. She went outside. The smell of blood and smoke hit her as she ran through the grey ash between small rocks. Giselle coughed as the faint whisper of smoke entered her eyes and throat.

“You’re awake then?” Giselle turned around at the sound of the voice. Adrian came towards her, still in the same clothes he wore the day before. He looked different though; his hair was messier, his clothes more ripped and his hands more dirty.

“I’m leaving.” Giselle said.

“Woah, slow down. You don’t even know where you’re going.”

“I don’t need you to tell me where to go.” Giselle refused to admit that she needed help from the acquaintance.

“I’ll show the way and then you will never have to see me again. Okay?” He walked away, and reluctantly Giselle followed him.

They walked through the destruction, and Giselle tried hard to not pay attention to the grey coat of smoke. They came up to the black beach where a small wooden boat sat in the water.

“Crescent Island is half a day away. So the boat only has enough food and water for a day. It’s a straight line that way.” Adrian pointed, informing Giselle as he untied the boat. Giselle climbed in. A wave of anxiety rushed over her, but she couldn’t be more thankful.

“Adrian, why have you done all this for me?” Giselle asked.

“It’s the normal, human thing to do isn’t it?”

“Not to help someone this much. What if after all this, I don’t even make it to Crescent Island?”

Adrian paused, considering his answer.

“I don’t know, I just have a feeling you will make it.” Adrian smiled, then shrugged. “Anyway, go whilst you still can.”

Giselle nodded and sat down to row herself into the ocean. She kept rowing, determined to reach Crescent Island as soon as possible. She watched Adrain walk away in the distance as the boat grew further and further away from Eagle Beach.

It was pitch black and Giselle felt exhausted. She drank some of her water supply and stopped rowing for a moment. A few lonely stars glinted above her, almost as if they were paving the way to Crescent. Giselle guessed that the fires on Eagle Beach had hidden the stars away from her. Giselle kept rowing until she knew she was far from Eagle Beach. There seemed to be a gentle, glimmering mist everywhere. Giselle looked around. Giselle stopped rowing for a while, put out the small anchor so it dug into the ocean bed and laid down. It wasn’t cold, but a breeze kissed Giselle’s cheeks as it suddenly sank into her that she was leaving her home forever. Her head buzzed with thoughts that leaped from her home life, to Ashley to her experience at Eagle Beach. All the emotion she had held in seeped out of her eyelids. Giselle cried herself to sleep, the stars watching her sadness.

Giselle woke up when it was still dark. Her eyes felt tired, her head dizzy. She could taste the salt from her dried up tears on her lips as she tried to force her eyes shut to go back to sleep. Giselle lay there in her boat, watching the sky gradually get lighter and lighter. She waited until she could see before continuing her journey.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-4

An island came into view and Giselle squinted in order to see if it was in fact the Crescent Island she had been waiting for. Her heart cracked when she recognised the island’s shape. The island; she was familiar with, but not because of its beauty or love.

Giselle could see Eagle Beach. It looked bigger than Dolphin Bay and Victoria Cliffs combined. As Giselle’s rowing boat hit the beach, she leaned her hand out and rubbed the sand of Eagle Beach between her fingers. It wasn't golden like Victoria Cliffs, or creamy white like Dolphin Bay. Blackish from the ash, and the very few trees on the island were leafless. Giselle climbed out of the boat, looking into the distance where she was able to see smoke. Determined to find food and water, Giselle walked towards it.

She passed many houses, but none of them were complete. There were whole parts of houses missing, with burnt edges and vandalism thrived on the walls. Nobody passed Giselle, and there was a dangerous air surrounding the atmosphere. Soon, the islands of The Crystal Isles would be like this. Suddenly, Giselle didn’t feel safe or confident anymore. She carried on, her determination and curiosity getting the better of her. Giselle entered a clearing where a large fire was roaring out black smoke. She felt the heat on her face and body, keeping away from the unnatural fire. Giselle backed away slightly, and as she did a hand covered her mouth. Giselle’s eyes opened wide and her hands instantly grabbed the hands to remove them. Giselle kicked and screamed as the person holding her dragged her away from the fire and on the side of a road. The person holding her had incredible strength, and Giselle tried her hardest to escape the grip. Giselle shut her eyes a her head banged on something. The pain seeped through her body, making her sick as she could see stars. Giselle sank to the floor, wanting everything to be some nightmare, frightened for her life. She moaned in pain as her head throbbed violently.

"Shut up and listen,” Giselle heard a voice say. Giselle opened her eyes, and they instantly met the piercing blue diamonds that she had seen in her dream, but the warm feeling she felt then was not present at this moment. A male stood in front of her scarlet blood dripping from his jet black hair and onto his tanned face. “You need to get out of here, like now.” he said, panting. He shook Giselle’s shoulders, but Giselle felt too dizzy to respond. She barely even knew what to say to him, barely knew what words meant anymore. The stranger rolled his eyes and took Giselle's arm, dragging her behind a vandalised wall. He knelt down and Giselle copied him, not knowing what else to do.

“Cover your ears.” He said, and Giselle did though she was unsure why. A loud bang went off, causing Giselle to close her eyes and gasp loudly as a paraphernalia of nails, planks of wood and scraps of metal went flying in the air. Giselle put her palm firmly on the wall, her fingers aching. The stranger ran around again, walking through the destruction as Giselle followed him like a dog. The air became grey with smoke and Giselle coughed vigorously as she tried her best to follow the stranger into an abandoned building.

Giselle still coughed even when they were inside of the building and the door was shut. It was a while before either of them spoke.

“What the hell were you doing?” he shouted, his leather jacket stained with blood and his jeans ripped to the thread.

“I... I don’t know,” Giselle stuttered, still too dazed to answer. She straightened, trying to get a hold of herself despite feeling scared sick. “I’ve never been here before, I’ve been traveling all day, I came to get food and water, I wasn’t planning on staying.” Giselle said, noticing how short and quick her breathing had become. The stranger paused, leaning against the wall, out of breath. He straightened and his face became softer.

“You came to the wrong place...” he muttered before meeting his eyes with Giselle. “Do you have a name?” He said.

“Giselle.”

“Where are you going?”

“Crescent Island” Giselle wouldn’t have answered if she hadn’t of felt like she had no choice. Her sweat mingled with blood as it dripped down her forehead. The boy laughed psychotically and sat down, his back against the wall. “I don’t recognise you...” He stated, his blue eyes diving into Giselle's own eyes.

“Who are you?” Giselle interrupted. The boy smiled almost wickedly.

“It’s none of your concern,” He said. “Why would someone like you want to go to somewhere like Crescent Island?”

Giselle sat down next to him, keeping her distance. There was a weird sense of trust with him, despite his mysterious nature.

“I ran away.” Giselle said with confidence. She put on a brave face, but inside Giselle was sick with fear and depression from the reminder that she has left her island home.

The boy didn’t respond, just breathed heavily. “You should get out of here.” He said after a brief silence before getting up without warning. He took off his leather jacket revealing a large cut on his left shoulder, of which he seemed to show no signs of pain. Giselle marveled his casual tone, it was as if he was going about his everyday life. He threw his jacket it on the floor, he instantly lost it in the paraphernalia of destruction around them. He trod his way through the mess, looking for something.

“Where are we now?” Giselle dared to ask. She looked around. Despite the mess, Giselle could make out some large metal boxes, glass panels along with jewels and precious glints of gold.

“Crescent Island.” Giselle wouldn’t have answered if she hadn’t of felt like she had no choice. There was a slightly intimidating air about the person she with. Giselle could feel blood and sweat running down her forehead, it hurt badly and throbbed in pain. The boy sat down, his back against the wall.

Despite feeling slightly dizzy, Giselle was desperate for answers.

“Who are you?” Giselle plucked up the courage to ask.

There was a brief silence where he contemplated whether to tell Giselle.

“None of your concern.” He said, much to Giselle's frustration. “Why are you going to Crescent Island?”

“Where are we?” Giselle responded back with a question. She looked around at the mess that surrounded her.

“The bank...” the boy said. He stood up abruptly, unable to keep still. Giselle watched him as he rummaged around for something, before digging through much like a dog would to find a bone. He pulled out a hammer. “You’ll need money if you’re going to get anywhere on Crescent Island.” He proceeded to violently hit one of the battered metal boxes, his incredible strength smashing the lock open so that bank notes spilled out of it. Giselle stared, stunned, as he grabbed a handful of the cash and held it out for Giselle to take. Giselle shook her head.

“I don’t steal money...” Giselle said coldly.

The boy roared with laughter, generally amused at Giselle's refusal.

“You think this is stealing? It’s not stealing if nobody wants it.” He stopped for a moment. His piercing blue eyes made Giselle feel uncomfortable. “Of course, you don’t have to take the money.” He added.

Giselle hesitated, knowing it was wrong. But, she felt as if it were impossible to survive without money. She slowly took the notes of the boy, stuffing them in the pockets of her hoodie and jeans before she changed her mind. The two of them stood in silence for a while, not knowing what to say.

“Why did you save me?” Giselle managed.

“Why not?” He smiled, his blue eyes reflecting the fires outside. “You said you were going to Crescent Island”

“Yes.”

"You should leave soon. But not now.” His eyes scanned outside the whole time. There was another large bang outside, and the boy ducked as glass flew through the window. Giselle felt a shooting pain up her arm as a piece of glass sliced the skin. Giselle whimpered and forced herself to look behind her, out the remains of the window. She could see people running from a building that was being devoured by red flames. Disfigured bodies lay on the floor, covered in blood. Giselle wanted to cry, but was too scared. She closed her eyes, but the images stuck to her vision.

“Follow me and don’t go off track.” The boy said. Giselle stared at him in disbelief. This was the same person who wanted her to run into death, now he wanted her to do it again essentially. He directed her towards the door. It was hardly a door anymore, but more a few pieces of standing wood that resembled an entrance.

Giselle broke out in a fast sprint as she followed him outside. Disorientated, someone pulled Giselle into a small shed like shelter. Giselle leaned against the walls, her vision blurred. The blood was still pouring down her arm and face. A load of inanimate rubber, wood, glass and metal fell down in front of Giselle but she felt too sick to see where it came from. The boy rummaged again through the blitz before plunging his hand deep into the pile. He pulled out a small, silver key.

“That’s where I put it.” He said, pleased with himself. He stuffed the key in his pocket of his leather jacket. “We need to go, but not now.”

Giselle's pulse beat wildly throughout her body, her breathing hard and heavy.

“I... I can’t.” Giselle whimpered, she had never felt to scared yet so ill and in pain at the same time.

“That’s why I said not now.” He muttered. He then sat down next to Giselle as the surrounding noises faded. His eyes suddenly became sincere. “Look, I’ll answer your questions if you want. I’m Adrian, I live alone and I’m telling you that when I say we need to leave, we leave.”

Giselle nodded in silence, not knowing what else to say or do. In truth, she didn’t have any strength to think for herself anymore.

"You can trust who you want.” Adrian then said. “But if you don’t trust me you’ll end up dead.”

Giselle considered her options. She could run away, but she had no clue what part of Eagle Beach she was, and how to get back to her boat. Adrian seemed to know the island well and if he so far all he had done was help her.

And so she trusted him.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-3

Giselle ran, her heart pounding. She was in a forest, somewhere. The place felt familiar, yet surreal, as if it had transported her into a fantasy land. Something was chasing her, it roared violently and Giselle knew she was its prey. She carried on running, but her legs grew tired and she fell to the ground. She could feel the creature’s warm breath on her body, she closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to arise...

Giselle’s eyelids burst open, the sweat dripping down her back. She sat up abruptly, her body felt hot but her surroundings were deathly cold. Giselle looked around, trying to make sense of everything. The wind blew in her face, her hair was damp. The clothes she had slept in were covered in grass as she realised she was just behind the village park, laying in the long grass that brushed her arms. Giselle tried to remember what happened the night before, but as she did, it sent her into a wave of depression. Giselle rubbed the sleep from her eyes and combed her fingers through her hair. Giselle stared at the lifeless trees in front of her, still full of grief. It was very early in the morning, and the birds sang furiously in the bright morning light.

Giselle walked along the pavement before passing a house that was painted a brilliant red. Giselle recognised it as a house that belonged to a friend of Giselle's mother; someone Giselle had grown up familiar with.

Despite Giselle's feelings of hopelessness, she knocked on the door as if it were an ordinary morning. A plump woman with pinned up black hair and large hoop earrings answered, the woman Giselle knew as Clarissa.

“Giselle!” she exclaimed, hugging her tightly. “Come in, come in.” Giselle wished desperately that she could hug back with the same feeling of joy, but everything had drained away the happiness from her. Clarissa directed Giselle to the bohemian styled kitchen that Giselle had found herself in so many times before. Giselle took a seat by the rustic oak table, whilst Clarissa made tea for them both. Giselle had no energy, no will to live. Every hope Giselle had died along with Ashley. Clarissa handed Giselle the tea, and Giselle drank it in small sips to savor the warmth of the liquid. Despite this, she finished the tea quickly, not speaking.

"You’re not usually up here this early,” Clarissa remarked, breaking the silence Giselle had tried to hard to keep.

“I haven’t had much sleep.” Giselle said misrably. She had wondered why she had come at all.

Clarissa joined her at the table, with her own mug of tea, and stared sympatheitcally at Giselle.

“I’m sorry about Ashley, Giselle.” She said. “He died ever so young.”

Giselle nodded slowly, taking the last sip of tea.

“Ah ah ah!” Clarissa tutted. “Don’t forget to read to tea leaves.”

Giselle hadn’t forgotten, but reading tea leaves didn’t really seem the exciting anymore.

“I’m not really-” Giselle barely finished her sentence before Clarissa took Giselle’s empty cup into her long fingers. She examined it carefully, gesturing for Giselle to look. Clarissa’s, long, bright red fingernails pointed to the tea leaves. The tea leaves were in an acrhed line that had placed itself on the inside walls of the cup.

“This,” Clarissa said. “This is a bridge.”

“And that means what exactly?”

“A journey.” Clarissa said. “A very significant journey very soon.”

Giselle slumped back in the chair, remembering what her mother said about leaving Victoria’s Cliffs. She knew that that was the journey Clarissa had read in the tea leaves (even if they did tell the truth). She refused to believe that she was leaving Victoria Cliffs, not even caring if the war came and killed her on it.

"The thing with those tea leaves...” Clarissa began to say as she rad Giselle’s glum expresssion. “Is that they don’t always turn out to be what you are expecting.”

Giselle contemplated Clarissa’s words for a moment. Had Ashley still been alive, Giselle would be full of the hope that the ‘journey’ was the one to Crescent Island she had talked of so much. Giselle felt much like crying again.

“Clarissa,” Giselle sighed. “I think I might go now.”

Clarissa nodded, barely questioning Giselle’s sudden need for departure. Giselle was thankful that Clarissa had asked no questions, and she had followed Giselle to the door. Clarissa handed Giselle a patterned scarf.

"You should’ve brought a jacket, girl.” Clarissa said, before watching Giselle wrap the scarf around her and leaving the house towards Giselle’s own home.

Giselle stood outside her home. She hated the fact that she would be leaving it. Although it did indeed still look like the house Giselle grew up in, it didn’t feel like it anymore. For some reason Giselle couldn’t explain, her house felt like a forgien building. She felt so far from her real home. But she had no idea where her real home was. Giselle put it down to still grieving over Ashley’s death. Giselle walked in and ran up to her room in order to avoid any social interacton with her mother. She got changed into jeans and a black hoodie. She stared around her room, trying to think what she would take if she was going to the mainland. Giselle didn't feel like doing anything, but she didn't feel like moping around either.

She stared at her painting of Crescent Island. The water-colours blended together, themountains, trees, beaches and sea was each carefully detailed to perfection. Giselle closed her eyes in sort of daydream. She imagined that last day. That last, precious day, where Ashley had told Giselle that he would take her to Crescent Island one day. Giselle could fee tears threatening to spill, but she held them in, determined not to cry for what she could not reverse.

Giselle then looked out of her window. The sea could been seen beyond the distance, what secrets it held were unknown to Giselle, but something drew her to it. There was something out there that she needed to find. There was no second guessing what that thing was.

Giselle didn't even grab her phone as she went straight out of her house, ready to say goodbye to it forever. She barely took a moment to stare at the house before the atmosphere changed very suddenly.

Rounds of bullets rang throughout the island. Screams, shouts and many other undistigunsiable noises echoed. Giselle's breathing increased. Flasbacks of Ashley's death flew through her mind as she heard the screams, and adreline overtook her body into flight mode.

Giselle sprinted away from where she had heard gunshots. She knew the island well, and ran to the pier, knowing that it was safe with isolation.

The gunshots stopped almost as quickly as they had started, the screams and shouts slowly dispearing in the distance. Despite this, Giselle continued to run. She ran until she reached the pier, before realising the gunshots could no longer be heard. She pasued, catching her breath in the wind. She was frightened for her life, but it seemed to sound clear by now.

Giselle sat down by the pier, trying to think about what she was planning to do.

She was going to go to Crescent Island. She was sure it exisited, and the gunshots proved that Giselle could not stay where she was. As much as she missed it, she knew now that it wasn't safe to stay in her island home of Victoria Cliffs.

Giselle stared at the boats, all lined up along the beach. She had no idea how long Crescent Island was from Victoria Cliffs, but it couldn't be far. No, she couldn't go to Crescent Island straight away. Giselle thought about the island of Dolphin Bay; a smaller island closely attached to Victria Cliffs, Ashley's home. She wanted to desperately to go there, just to see the last remains of Ashley's life before she left it forever.

It was dark by the time Giselle had thought out a plan. She got up, noticing how quiet it seemed around the pier and beach.

Giselle walked on the sand in the dark. It was after midnight. She walked close to the cliffs where the boats were kept. Everything about the cliffs resembled parts of Ashley, and Giselle’s stomach knotted with extreame grief and pain.

Giselle knew it was wrong to steal. But, if she picked up a boat nobody used, a boat that was unwanted and abandoned then she was sure nobody would notice. Giselle walked along the beach, where all the boats lined up, the bright colours merging together to create a cornicopia of rainbow despite the dark. Giselle’s attention caught on something else though. The last boat that signfied the end of the long line of boats, stood alone from the rest. It was tiny, but a beautiful rowing boat anchored down. The blue wood was faded and chipped, whilst the oars laid steadily on top. Giselle marvelled at it’s beauty, before untying the rope that attached it to the pier. She reeled in the small anchor and the boat instantly pushed off into the ocean, as if it had never been let go before. Giselle clambered into the boat, taking the oars into her hands. She hadn’t rowed since she was a kid, when her father used to take her out on his old navy rowing boat. Giselle placed the oars and began to row at a steady pace, and before long the small island of Victoria Cliffs began to become smaller and smaller, further and further.

Giselle’s arms were burning by the time Victoria Cliffs began to disappear into unknown mist. In truth, Giselle was slightly scared at the sense of uncertainty she was throwing herself into, but her desire to leave was much stronger. It was beginning to grow lighter, the sun hotter. Dolphin Bay was barely mintues away and Giselle breathed heavily, her palms sweating. The boat glided across the water without fuss, creating small circles across the water. Giselle's curls fell on her face as she rowed, the sun beginning to grow hot on her back as the birds began to sing.

Dolphin Bay slowly came into view, and it looked more beautiful than Giselle had ever seen it before. The mist surrounded the deep-turquoise sea around it. The little rowing boat hit the sunlit sand as Giselle rowed to the shore and got out, her ankles skimming the the clear shallowness of the water. Dolphin Bay was right next to Victoria Cliffs, some could argue it was basically the same place due to the similarity.

There was one thing Giselle destined to do on Dolphin Bay, and she walked through the bushes onto the path she had walked so many times. She reached the street, where loads of brightly coloured hosues sat in the sunset like a pale rainbow. Giselle breathed slowly. She approached one house in particular, the windows reflecting light onto her face. Giselle knocked on the door, and a woman answered cautiously. She looked rough, as if she had had no sleep and had been crying for a long time.

“Giselle? Oh hi.”

“Hi.”

“I didn’t expect you to come here so close after the funreal.” Ashley's mum said in a flat tone.

“I...I just, if it’s okay to go to Ashley's room, I want to see it one last time.” Giselle could feel her eyes stinging with tears. But she restrained them from going any further.

“There’s not much left of it, but okay.”

Giselle walked in. It had been a while since Giselle had been in the house, as Ashley had been staying with his father in Victoria Cliffs, but the hallway Giselle was in didn’t feel as colourful or happy as it felt when she first went there. Giselle led herself to Ashley's bedroom, ignoring every other room in the house.

It looked so bare. Where the walls had been a bright blue, they were now a faded grey. The place that used to belong to Ashley's guitar was now a pile of carboard boxes. Giselle could barely see out of her tear filled eyes. She blinked and peered in on of the boxes that was already open as if someone had been putting things in there mintues before. It was long and narrow, and contained very few items. Ashley’s black gutair lay redundant, along with some old music books that were worn from their excessive use. Giselle picked it up and held it against her body. She strummed a few tuneless notes, trying hard to remember what songs Ashley used to play. Giselle wished she listened to the songs more carefully, rather than wasted her concentration on staring at Ashley, all those summer nights they’d shared together. Giselle put the guitar down gently, staring at it as if it was the only piece of Ashley left. She approached some more carboards underneath it, and she opened them slowly. One contained a photo album that was worn around the edges. The album opened to reveal a world of photography, most of which were of Giselle and Ashley. Beautiful pictures of music festivals, campfires, boatrips and walks: all of which Giselle and Ashley had spent together. Giselle ran her hands along the photos to remember them. There were even photos of the cliffs were they would sit, talk and watch the stars.

Giselle couldn’t take it anymore. She put the photo album back in the box and shut it. She couldn’t bare to see pictures of someone so happy in a place where something so bad happened. Tears clouded Giselle's eyes and she cried more than she ever had done before. The other box seemed to only have books inside and Giselle began to turn away when the title of the books caught her eye. Crescent Island. Giselle took out the books, flicking through the pages. She sat on the floor, wiping away the tears despite the fact they kept going. And one by one, she read the books, slowly, taking in all the words.

Giselle stopped reading several mintues later. She managed to leave before she killed herself in heartbreak. If Giselle wanted to get to Crescent Island before her mother found out she was gone, she would have to get there as soon as possible.

The blue rowing boat gently rocked over the waves a Giselle thought through what she was going to do. In truth, she had no idea where she was actully going. She had no idea the direction of Crescent Island, as no maps had ever been created of it seeing as no-on went there.

Giselle pulled out a map she had taken from one of Ashley's books, that had a drawn map of what Crescent Island allegedy looked like. She ran her hands over the places she and Ashley has talked about going. The map was in great detail, and if it were correct there was a small village situated in Crescent Island where Giselle could live amongst other villagers.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-2

Giselle walked along the shattered path that reflected her heart. She wore a black dress, which trailed after her like a shadow. Giselle looked up at the church. She felt as if she had never walked through it in mourn of someone’s death before.

The black coffin of Ashley stood as a centrepiece. Giselle wished that she was in a terrible nightmare she’d somehow wake up from. Giselle wished she was able go back in time; to the day Ashley died. If Giselle had known he would die, she would have held him tight and never let him go.

But there was nothing she could do now.

Giselle whispered ‘sorry’ to the coffin as she walked past, as if it were her fault he were dead. In many ways, it felt like her fault, but Giselle couldn’t explain why. Every little moment leading up to that dreadful tragedy seemed too precious to dwell on negatively. Her mother laid down roses, the thorns still attached. They sat at the front and Giselle thought about the devastation she had saw in her life. She could still remember when her dad died: it was if Giselle had woken up, seen how dark the real world was. But now Ashley was dead, it had gotten to where Giselle felt too hopeless, she might as well have just collapsed altogether.

Throughout the service, Giselle stared into space, not speaking a word to her mother or anyone. She began to think of the times they had ran barefooted on the sunlit sand and laid in the summer grass, staring at stars that felt so close. The more Giselle thought about it, the more depressed she became, the more she wanted Ashley to be alive and with her.

The first thing Giselle did when she got home was lay on her mother’s white sofa. The emotion seeped through teardrops that watered Giselle’s eyes. She wasn’t just sad; she was angry, and her head clouded with unnecessary thoughts.

“Why has this happened... again?” Giselle asked herself, not intending for anyone to listen. Her mother heard, however, replying with the response she often gave to Giselle.

“It’s just bad luck.” Giselle’s mother said, before walking into the kitchen without another word. Giselle was sure that if it was bad luck presenting gifts, then she must be the unluckiest person in the world. Giselle dragged herself up and carried her body up the stairs, to her bedroom.

  Giselle lay on her bed, in a depressing daydream. Everything seemed so bleak, so boring. The room was a pale blue and had one picture that stood in front of her bed. It held an elegant, pretty landscape painting of Crescent Island. Giselle would have liked to think the island and the curse existed, but deep down she knew it was just a story.

Giselle kicked off her black heels and took out her ponytail. Her brunette curls fell onto her shoulders in a tangled mess. Giselle swapped her black dress for shorts and a t-shirt, it was so beautiful outside which made a treasure to the storm that took Ashley so soon. Giselle didn't know understand what to do with herself, being productive would take her mind of things, but she had no motivation to do such things. So instead she laid on her bed, and an empty feeling seeped through her body. She couldn’t stay inside, it was making her more tense than Giselle was already.

Giselle creeped out of the house and into the sunset. She felt the fresh, salty sea air stroke her face as she stepped outside. She walked along the beach, barefooted. It was getting deeper into the night and her curls blew in the wind. Giselle looked towards where Crescent Island should be. Sweet memories of Ashley that Giselle shared with the place came to her mind, only to be replaced with much darker ones. One day, Giselle would find out herself if the curse was real. She didn’t care if she never came back, the determination to find the answer would always be there.

  It was dark by the time Giselle got back. Not the still, black kind of dark, but the soft and starry-night kind of dark. Giselle opened the door where heat hit her body.

“Mum! I’m home.” Giselle called through the house. Her voice echoed and came back to her amongst the silence. She walked in and shut the door behind her, curious as to the absence of her mother.

“Mum?” Giselle kept calling, looking around in each room. All the lights were on, the curtains shut and the room an empty atmosphere. Giselle took a quick look upstairs, in her mother’s room. Her mother’s clock stood on the bedside table, ticking the minutes as slowly as they seemed to feel. How long had Giselle been out? It didn’t feel like long after Giselle had watched the ocean flow in front of her gracefully. Giselle tried to think back to remember if her mother ever said anything about leaving, but Giselle’s head was full from the anger and depression of Ashley’s unexpected death.

The sound of the door opening echoed through the house and Giselle rushed to it. She saw her mother standing in the doorway. Her face was pale, and she looked distressed.

“Mum, is everything okay?” Giselle asked, reading panic all over her mother’s face.

“Sit down, Giselle.” Her mother said in a voice so quiet it scared Giselle. It was as if her mother had forgotten how to speak.

Giselle sat on the sofa. Her mother sat down with her, more formally than usual.

“I have to tell you something important.” Her mother almost whispered the words.

“What?” Giselle asked.

Giselle’s mother took a deep breath. Everything ran through Giselle's mind, as she tried to figure out what her mother was going to say. Whatever it was, her mother’s slow movements and awkward behavior meant that it couldn't of been good.

“They have declared War on the Crystal Isles.” Her mother said bluntly, the last few words coming out in a whisper as her eyes watered. Giselle couldn’t work out what this meant for her.

“There has only been attacks on Eagle Beach, but the chances are that war could come to Victoria Cliffs. So, everyone is required to move to the mainland.”

There was a silence as the news sank into Giselle. She had never been to the mainland. She didn’t want to go. Ashley, her father, everything she had ever known existed on Victoria Cliffs.

“No, I won’t leave.” Giselle refused. She could see her mother’s tears in her eyes.

“Giselle, you have to. It will only be for a short while.”

Giselle covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from screaming. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she thought about saying goodbye to the place she loved more than anything. “I don’t want to go!” Giselle said, walking towards the door. She needed to escape, her head was buzzing and she couldn’t think straight.

“Giselle!” was all Giselle heard as she ran out of the door and into the night.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-1

The soft melody floated in the air, tying in with the pleasing wind. The stars overlooked the ocean and the little houses that represented the courteous village of Victoria Cliffs. It was midnight, and the crescent moon mirrored the silver fish that swam in the deep. All was quiet, except for the delicate tune that radiated passion. All was dark, but the small fire on the beach lit up the whole island.

Ashley’s fingers danced over the strings of his guitar, but his mind were far from them. His eyes were like the fire he had made moments ago, which was still blazing.

Opposite him sat Giselle, the love of his life. She closed her eyes at the sound of music, breathing in the summer wind. The harmony spoke to her, the songs of nature moved her.

The music then stopped, and Giselle opened her eyes at the sudden capture of silence.

“I think that is enough for tonight.” Ashley said, placing his guitar beside him. “I’m tired.” He got up from his cross-legged position before tipping the contents of his water bottle onto the fire. The flame disappeared, leaving the grey ash and blackened wood. Giselle stood up reluctantly, already missing the sound of Ashley’s guitar.

“I still wish I could play an instrument like that.” Giselle said, though she had commented on Ashley's music countless number of times. Ashley smiled before going up to Giselle and kissing her on the forehead.

“You have many other talents, Giselle.”

Giselle shrugged as a response, knowing that he was telling her sweet lies.

“I’ll walk you home, Giselle.” Ashley said, but Giselle shook her head.

“I think I’ll be okay.” She said.

Ashley rolled his eyes playfully.

“Look, I know you like walking home on your own so you can be an independent woman or whatever but it’s dark.”

It was Giselle’s turn to roll her eyes.

“I’m fine, Ashley. Honestly. I live the opposite way so it would be pointless.”

“Okay.” Ashley gave in. He slung his guitar over his shoulder, grains of sand gently falling from the strap. “Just make sure you call me when you get back.”

Giselle nodded as they headed towards the village. Giselle glimpsed at the sea that she had grown up to love. Giselle’s eyes then caught something moving out of the water. It looked like a large, silver fish tail.

“Woah!” Giselle stopped. “Ashley! Did you see that?”

Ashley turned around.

“See what?” He followed Giselle’s eyes out to sea.

“A big fish tail! I’ve never seen one like that before.” Giselle said excitedly.

“It was probably a dolphin. Come on, Giselle.”

“Or maybe it was a mermaid.” Giselle joked. Ashley laughed a little.

“Yeah. Or maybe it was a shark, coming to eat you.” He teased. Giselle pushed him playfully, whilst Ashley laughed joyously.

Giselle walked into her home happily, realising that she missed Ashley already. Since he had come into Giselle’s life, she had been content with almost every aspect of it.

As soon as Giselle closed the door, she became face to face with her mother, who looked displeased.

“And where have you been?” Giselle’s mum stood, her arms crossed.

“I was just with Ashley.” Giselle replied honestly.

“And you didn’t bother to tell me? I suppose you walked home alone as well didn’t you? God Giselle, why worry me like that?”

“I’m sorry okay I’ll won’t do it again.” Giselle said as if she had rehearsed the lines over and over.

“You always say that,” Giselle's mother sighed.

Giselle took the opportunity of the silence to take herself upstairs. Giselle’s mother had never really been the same since Giselle’s father died. It was like all the energy was sucked out of her, like she had no motivation in anything any more. Most days, Giselle felt as her mother’s presence was simply just a reminder of her dad’s death. Ashley had distracted her from that, had given her something to believe in. He had given Giselle the hope of the Crescent Curse; an ancient legend that talks about the tale surrounding the mysterious Crescent Island. It told of how a wretched curse was put on the island by a Goddess from an old religion that used to be practised all around The Crystal Isles, Victoria Cliffs included. The curse caused all the inhabitants of the island to develop supernatural powers, turning them into mystical creatures that only existed in fanatical children books. As a child, Giselle’s mother had read Giselle countless stories about the island and the curse. But when Giselle’s father passed away, those stories became simply a memory that was only associated with her childhood.

Ashley had changed that. He always talked about Crescent Island, he even talked about visiting it and restarting life there, regardless of the fact that the tales they heard were probably just stories that were told for the benefit of children. But with Ashley, Giselle was reminded of those sweet memories that take off in her mind.

Giselle ventured back downstairs after changing into leggings and a hoodie. Her mother looked like a dismal scene; staring at the blaring television as it told the public of local news. Giselle sat on the staircase, watching the television through the banister. It was the same stuff really, riots and conflict happening elsewhere in the Crystal Isles whilst Victoria Cliffs remained somewhat unharmed. The small set of islands that made up the Crystal Isles were never all fully at peace any more; People who lived in either Victoria Cliffs, Eagle Beach, Dolphin Bay or potentially Crescent Island barely even visited each other. The most that happened between the islands was a few rebellious or brave people visiting the other islands every now and again. Even these factors were limited with the recent events of potential war. Nobody ever went to Crescent Island, some people didn’t even believe that it existed at all. There was so little talk about it, so little interest in it. Giselle however, hardly ever thought about anything but the island.

Giselle decided not to disturb her mother as exhaustion took her over body. Giselle walked up to her room as the wave of tiredness hit her, making her fall back on her bed and close her eyes.

 Giselle was in a forest; one that was unfamiliar to her, yet she felt calm in the mysterious setting. The place was magical, the trees towered over Giselle regally and the grass smelled sweet. Giselle looked up, and saw a boy in front of her. His eyes were a bright blue, but it was impossible to make out the rest of his features. Giselle didn’t know why, but a warm feeling spread inside her as she looked into those eyes. They invaded her mind, she couldn’t think of anything else. Slowly, the scene began to fade in a white light.

The soft rays of sunshine leaked through the window, landing on Giselle’s closed eyelids. She opened them sleepily and turned onto her back to stretch. Giselle stared at the ceiling, recalling her dream. It had felt so wonderful, even more so then when she was with Ashley

“Giselle!” A familiar voice called, making her lips form a smile. Desire surged within her and she got up, flicking the bed covers off her body. She ran to the window and was quick to open it. As Giselle peered down onto the front of her house, she saw Ashley looking up at her. He squinted, shading his eyes over with his hand as his hair gently moved in the wind. He looked like a perfect descendant of Romeo, in which Giselle was his Juliet.

“You forgot to call me!” Ashley shouted as soon as he saw Giselle. “Come on! I want to take you somewhere!”

Giselle simply nodded before rushing back to her wardrobe to get ready.

“Where are we going?” Giselle said for the thousandth time, as Ashley led her to an unknown destination. Despite her mother’s constant warnings, Giselle had agreed to spend the rest of her weekend with Ashley. His hands covered her eyes as he walked Giselle up a steep slope

“Stop asking!” Ashley answered. “You’ll find out okay! We’re almost there anyway.”

Giselle groaned, putting her arms out in attempt to feel her surroundings. She walked cautiously, following Ashley’s lead. Giselle would have been nervous, but Ashley’s voice was so calm and comforting, any anxieties she had disappeared instantly.

“Okay,” Ashley finally said, taking his hands away from Giselle’s face. “You can look now.”

Giselle opened them immediately, desperate to find out where Ashley had led her too. She gasped excitedly at what she saw: they were on top of the cliffs that their home town was so very famous for, with the view looking out onto the spectacular beach. A picnic was laid out for two; with colourful fresh fruits of mango, pineapple, oranges, bananas and grapes. There was cheese and bread and coconut pieces and various other local dishes and foods all laid out on a traditional, chequered picnic blanket.

“Ashley!” Giselle exclaimed. “This is amazing!”

Ashley smiled, brushing his fingers through his hair. “Yeah,” He said. Ashley took a seat on the blanket and gestured for Giselle to do the same.

The breeze gently floated in the air, making Giselle shiver as her brunette curls bounced around her shoulders.

“Are you cold?” Ashley said in concern. He put down the piece of pineapple he had bitten into down and took off his jacket. He put it around Giselle’s shoulders, pulling her closer. Giselle leant on Ashley’s shoulder, closing her eyes to feel the sea air on her face.

“You better eat this with me.” Ashley said, putting his hand around Giselle’s waist. Giselle stared at the food, not knowing where to start.

“It’s like we’re on Crescent Island.” Giselle said like she was daydreaming.

Ashley laughed at her reaction, his eyes sparkling with passion. Giselle tried to cover the blush she could feel from the heat on her face with her hair, but Ashley tucked it behind her ears gently.

“Giselle...” Ashley said, looking down. “What would you say...” He hesitated, and Giselle raised an eyebrow. She already all knew what Ashley was going to say, but she allowed him to continue anyway. He took a deep breath and lifted his head to the sky to avoid eye contact with Giselle.

“What would you say, to going to Crescent Island? Maybe, one day? Just me and you, yeah?”

Giselle smiled happily, before jumping into Ashley’s arms.

“Yes!” She said excitedly, hugging Ashley tightly. She didn’t even question whether it was real or not.

“Woah!” Ashley exclaimed, leaning back slightly. “You’re going to push me off this cliff if you’re not careful!” He laughed.

“I’m sorry,” Giselle said, pulling back and tucking her hair behind her ears shyly. “I’m just so happy!”

“Just one thing...” Ashley started to say. He paused suddenly.

The atmosphere had changed: the air seemed to become heavier and the sky became darker. A noise shattered the silence between Ashley and Giselle, the clouds gathering together to create a black disarray.

“Was that…?” Ashley started, staring at Giselle, who simply gasped. He got up and walked to the edge of the cliff and peered over it cautiously. “Thunder?”

A flash of lighting suddenly hit the edge of the cliff, sending it crumbling. Everything seemed to happen all at once in one mad panic. Ashley’s foot skidded on the crumbling rock, falling down completely.

“Giselle!” cried Ashley, as the cliff took him with it.

“Ashley!” Giselle yelled back, watching him as he attempted to hold onto the remaining edges of the cliffs. His fingers slipped and his body dropped. Gravity and death worked together as Ashley’s body disappeared.

Giselle could hardly shout or scream anything, her voice had suddenly gone. Giselle couldn’t feel her legs, she couldn’t feel anything, she simply looked right over the edge, not knowing what to do in this tragic yet unlikely occurrence. She couldn’t see the beach due to the mass of grey clouds, and extreme panic ran through her at record pace. Giselle wanted to run, but she simply froze to the spot as the unexpected storm continued around her. Tears burned her cheeks and she was shaking all over. Her legs finally gave way, and she fell to her knees just by the edge of the cliff. The world seemed to be spinning around her, she had difficulty breathing properly. Giselle closed her eyes and hoped it was some sort of bad nightmare. But no matter how tightly she shut her eyes, Giselle could still hear the sound of thunder like a deep sounding alarm.

[lilstar242]

The Crescent Curse-Prologue

Flames of red and orange licked the air, the fire leaving embers that formed a pentagram on the ground. But he had not summoned a demon to rid himself of his troubles, he had instead summoned a Goddess, but not the beautiful kind.

A black thickness began to consume the air, his dark hair matching his surroundings.

The smoke cleared, leaving a large black crow standing in front of him. The man stared at the bird, bowing his head.

"Greatest Arizona,” he remarked. “Please rid me of this curse, please free me from this body...”

“Why have you summoned me?” The crow interrupted hastily. “I am the shape-shifter Goddess of the Underworld. Why summon me?” The bitterness echoed from the Goddess into the clearing.

“To break the curse.” He said. This moment, he had waited his whole life for, studying hard in Witchcraft, Exorcisms, Dark Magic and Myths and Legends, hoping one day he would find an answer. He had never found it, neither had he ended the misery of his immortal life as some animal, until now.

Arizona laughed, causing her summoner's anger to rise.

“That,” Arizona said in form of a crow. “Is not possible.”

“But it must be!” He cried through gritted teeth.

Arizona spread her wings, ready to fly off, but something stopped her.

“No! Wait! Please!” He begged. “Please, tell me what I can do. Anything, anything at all.”

“I cursed you for a reason. Your suffering is because of your own actions.”

“I beg of you, take this curse away from me. It has ruined my life.”

Arizona pondered for a minute.

“How about we make a deal, my fellow werewolf?” She asked. He nodded, impatience taking the better of him.

“Anything.”

"I will bring your curse to the island, in human form.” She said.

“Will I know who the curse is?”

“Oh, you will know.”

“And what is the catch? What is the your side of the deal?”

There was silence as Arizona stood there thinking.

“I will erase your island from peoples minds. Nobody will believe it exists. The entire existence of the island will become nothing but a story.”

He contemplated the offer.

“It’s a deal.” He said.

“Oh, and another thing.” The great Arizona said. “Every inhabitant of the island will become like you, their soul stuck in the body of a supernatural creature, and they shall be condemned by those that are mortal.”

He frowned, knowing the fate of suffering he was bringing onto an island full of self-sufficient life.

“They will hate me.” He said.

Arizona flew off at his remark, the flames of the ritual turning into smoke and flying away with her.