Book of the Past, Chapter Three

                I could see it as clearly as if I were there. The images hung crisp in my head as I was jolted back into reality.
         I was in the old lady’s cabin now. It was nothing like homes in my world, as the elderly lady would say, yet it was cozy and homely.
         “What is the matter?” the lady asked briskly, quickly walking to my bedside.
         I sat there trying to comprehend what I had just seen, trying to take it all in.
         “I was running through a vast, dark forest. There were men on horses charging after me. They had long, silver blades that already bore evidence of a few killings.”
         I staggered to get the words out of my mouth. I was panting heavily, sweat dripping off my face.
         “My foot got caught in a hole dragging me to the ground, easy prey for my hungry hunters. They encircled me, their horses moving slowly, patrolling the area around me.”          
         The largest man slowly got off his horse. He was wearing a ton of silver armor, as was his accomplice who stared grimly at me from his post on his horse.
         “ ‘Why have you returned?’ he asked me. I stared up at him angrily and silent. He used his sword less hand to smack me across my face. ‘I don’t ask twice, why have you returned?’ he bellowed. I replied with only silence. ‘Take her into custody. We’ll take her to Wolfram, let him have a shot at her.’ Then I woke up with sweat pouring off of me.”
         “I think you have discovered your power, Master,” the old lady said happily and with awe. It reminded me of those treasure hunting movies, at the precise moment when they discover the long awaited treasure.
         “Please don’t call me that,” I requested, a little irritated.
         “Yes, Mast. . . I was only doing it out of respect,” she bowed her head slightly.
         ‘What do you mean I have found my power?”
         “I think you have the uncanny ability to see things before they happen. What you just explained to me seemed a lot like a premonition. You’ve never experienced what you just saw , am I correct?”
         “Yes, but why would it just appear now? After all these years?”
         “Well, it is a bit strange, but it could be that you weren’t in tune with your inner self. Have you had a lot of mixed feelings lately? Feelings of uncertainty?”
         “You don’t even know half of it,” I yawned.
         I thought to myself, I sure am taking this well.
         In the past two weeks I’ve discovered that there is a mysterious book that houses souls, it is a family heirloom, and I am the only living descendant of its creator. I’ve also learned that there is a group of people known as the Yewlejest, that will kill me if I step on a path anywhere near one of them, and now I learn that I have the ability to see the future. I guess it hasn’t really sunk in yet.
         “Why don’t we go get you something to eat,” the old lady suggested. She put out her arm out to help me meander my way to the kitchen. How ironic, I thought, that the elderly woman is helping me. I should be the one guiding her fragile body to a comfortable chair.
         The whole table was full of meats, vegetables, breads, and desserts. The table appeared set for Thanksgiving dinner.
         A stout, round lady with white hair sat across from me, and an elderly man was seated to the right of her.
         “Please, Master, tell us what you saw.”
         I cringed at my new title. It just didn’t fit; those titles were reserved for gods and such. I was no god and I certainly did not want to be worshipped.
         “He prefers to be called by his first name, Alexie,” the old lady with the cart explained.
         The rest of the dinner consisted of very little eating, except for me, and my mysterious vision. All of the lady’s guest were absolutely ecstatic.
         “Well, with your new power, how long do you think it will take you to discover your mother’s whereabouts?” The question had caught me off guard. It was amazing how easy it was to forget where I was. Maybe that was one of the magical aspects of this new land called Gulso.
         “Ummm. . . Not much longer, I think,” trying my best to boast confidence in my voice. I don’t believe I fooled Alexie, the elderly lady sitting across from me.
         The lady from the cart quickly came up behind me and lifted me from my seat.
         “Why don’t you join me for chores today? I’ll show you around Gulso.” At least part of that sounded enticing.
         “Alright.” I was only  slightly enthused by this invitation. If there were Yewlejest on the lose, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be anywhere near that town.
         She seemed to sense the hesitation in my eyes. “It’s ok,” she started, “You are in no danger when you are around us. No Yewlejest would dare attack with an audience.”
         She had me help her load several crates of assorted fruits into the back of her cart.
         She hooked the horses to the cart, and before long we were on our way to town.
         The ride flew by surprising fast and we soon arrived at the heart of a bubbling metropolis.
         “You get off here, dear,” the old lady said. I realized I had been practically living with this lady and I didn’t even know her name.
         “Excuse me, but what is your name?” I asked as I walked around the side of the cart to receive a small bag of apples.
         “Oh my goodness! Of course! My name is Jenny Olsen.”
         “Nice to meet you, Jenny.”
         “You, too. Now, you are to take these only to Mr. Olivanders,” Jenny instructed.
         “But, what about the. . .” she quickly cut me off.
         “They won’t attack while there is an audience, remember? You’re completely safe.” I looked around me. It was true. There were people everywhere, but somehow that didn’t seem to change my attitude. I was slightly reluctant.
         “Alright, where is Mr. Olivanders?”
         “Right. Its on the north side of town which is in that direction,” she pointed to my right, “There is a large sign out front. You can’t miss it!” I hated when people said that because I usually could.
         I head off towards north, trying to meander my way towards the shop.
         It was odd. I could shove into these people and they would continue smiling happily. There was not a dark bone in any of their bodies. They all stared at my eerily with a smirk.
         I shoved my way farther towards the north, struggling against the current of bodies already coming at me.
         All the people here wore ancient cloaks that would have swept behind them majestically if there were not caught up in the crowd, as I was.
         It felt like I was waging an endless battle, one that had already been won. By the crowd.
         That’s when I noticed a tall man in his early forties looking decisively at me as I struggled through the obstacle of people.
         His cloak was completely different from the cloaks of the other Gulso citizens. It was a much tighter outfit, especially for a guy.
         He caught my eyes and stole off into a dark alley. As he did, I noticed a large Y on the back of his tightly fitted clothing.
         My heart fell to my feet, and I was immobile. I started to get jostled backwards in amongst the crowd.
         I grounded myself back into reality. I started my arduous struggle once again, and tried to place the tall man outside of my head. However, he kept floating back in. His image was frozen on my eyes as I arrived at the heart of the city.
         There were fewer people here and I could move around them more freely. I looked oddly different from the other people without a cloak, and I made a mental note that if I was to be here much longer I must have one.
         I started looking around for a large sign that read Mr. Olivander’s. It was supposedly large. I couldn’t miss it? Once again, luck was not on my side.
         I tried to read the fancier signs farther down the main road. There! It was fairly large, wooden and read the name I was looking for.
         I started to stroll towards the entrance, my eyes following the sign down to the elegantly carved wooden door. I froze.
         The tall man was leaning against the side of the shop. I contemplated about going back to Jenny, but after much deliberation decided against it.
         She had already told me they wouldn’t attack with an audience. There was definitely no large crowd, but there was however an audience.
         Oddly enough, I felt safe with these people. Even though I knew none of them, I truly believed they were all my friends, and I felt a calming peace rush over my body.
         I continued walking towards the entry, trying to appear inconspicuous as I walked into the dark, dusty shop where Mr. Olivander’s lived. I never even noticed the tall man sweep in behind me.
         The shop was very small and appeared a lot like a bar. There was a long counter straight in front of me, and several tables were plotted around the room carelessly.
         “Mr. Olivanders”, I bellowed. My voice echoed off the back wall.
         I heard a board creak behind me and I whirled to face the tall man.
         “He’s not home,” he stated flatly. His build was large and muscular. A man not to be reckoned with.
         My voice was slow to return, “Umm. . . Okay. Thanks.” I started to walk past him, but he stepped to the side blocking my exit. I almost bumped into his chiseled chest.
         I looked up at him cautiously.
         “You didn’t think you’d get out of here that easy, did you Master Revers?”
         I was fairly sure he was a part of the Yewlejest, and I was fairly sure he wanted me dead.
         Conclusion: Get out of Mr. Olivanders shop. But how?
         “How do you know who I am?”
         “Oh, Master! The Yewlejest have followed you since your birth from that dirty mother of yours.” I didn’t know my mother, most less even seen  a picture of her, yet that comment still offended me. How ironic?
         My life seemed to have turned into a large chess game. And it was my move.
         “Shut up.” I brought my fist up with the greatest force I could mustered, but it was caught with his hand. He swung my arm around throwing my body into a back flip.
         The next thing I knew I was laying on a broken wooden chair. I slowly regained my senses and stood up.
         I glowered at my new found enemy.
         They lured my into a trap- a trap with out an audience. I wondered if Jenny had known this all along. Was she part of the sinister plot to get me killed? Had she deceived me as the floating soul had, almost two weeks ago?
         I brought my arms up into a defensive stance. The tall man just stood there with a small grin creeping into his face. That one small notion was enough to make me charge at him with all my might.
         Luck wasn’t on my side. He whisked me over his shoulder. I flew belly first onto a table behind him, and slid off onto the floor.
         Blood began trickling from a wound on my forehead.
         The tall man had had enough. He was tired of being on the defensive and suddenly went on the offensive.
         He pulled out a gun from a holster on his ankle. I was staring down the barrel that could be the motive for my death.
         Why couldn’t this just all stop? I asked myself. The man pulled the trigger before I could even think about an escape plan. It all happened so fast.
         The bullet came to within a few inches of my nose, and froze. My mother’s instincts suddenly took over me.
         I had the power to stop bullets? The man looked at me, horrified. I thought- calm down, calm down.
         The man’s breathing slowed and his eyes returned to normal. He stole once last glance at me before turning and walking out of the shop.
         So I had two powers- I could see the future, and I could think what I wanted to happen, and it would. But why did I have these? Things were happening way to fast for me to grasp.
         With danger subsided I took a seat at one of the dusty, wooden tables. I was utterly exhausted after the brawl with the Yewlejest.
         Suddenly, my vision faded to a dark, moist room. Probably in a castle; the walls were gray and made of stone.
         I lay on the ground. The man from the horse stood erect beside a man with a stronger build and more authoritative stature. This must be Wolfram.
         “Why have you returned?” this new man asked me once again.
         “Meredith, I will not ask you again,” the man commanded an answer, with little mercy in his voice, “Why have you returned to Gulso?”
         “You Yewlejest disgust me,” I stated flatly.
         That was when I noticed two things. The clues had been there all along.
         ‘Take her into custody. We’ll take her to Wolfram, let him have a shot at her.’ Her. It wasn’t me I was seeing. It was my mother. My visions have been through my mother’s eyes! How could I be so ignorant?
         I had to get back and tell Jenny, if she was truly my friend. . .
         I never could have guessed that I had all these powers, all these protective pawns, just waiting to ambush the king standing ready to checkmate me.