On The First of Fifteen Days

“One more round, you filthy animals!”

Sebastian returned, three mugs somehow clasped between his fingers and not a single drop spilled from the bar to the private booth they all shared. There was a sense of satisfaction from the clink of the glass on the wooden table. Anna's attention sloshed like the golden-brown drink in front of her. A wispy smile on her lips while her cheeks reddened. "Hey thanks, Sebs."

She blinked away a wave of dizziness that haunting her periodically since the turn of the evening and the early celebration of her own birthday. Tipping forward, she turned her head to the side, hoping to flash a bright smile at the man beside her. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was already slumped forward onto the table. As fickle as any wisp, her smile tugged into a frown.

“Oh, he's out. I’ll just call a car to pick him up after this last round.”

He was now thumbing through his phone to set up a trip for his friends. Once he had finished his business, the phone slipped back into his pocket. He caught her staring at Ted and then shook his head. “Well, I think it's time to call it a night, Anna. Ted's out and you're not holding on any tighter." That caught her attention. “No! Not yet! I’m not a lightweight! I am... twenty-two. That’s two twos.” She giggled, trying to stifle her amusement at her own joke. “Tutus. Did I tell you I did ballet before?”

“Only for the twenty-secondth time now.” He responded, slumping against the booth couch, savoring his drink. “You know Ted’s out cold right? Nicki and Nick left as well.” He waved his hand to the seats next to him, empty. But it looked like she had just noticed that fact.

A good long moment passed before she spoke. “Oh! They did! Cute couple. Like me and Teddy!” She sounded so proud about that, almost as though she could have pat herself on the back if she could manage it. Sebastian was reaching for some fries to go with his drink. “They’re great for each other.” Sip. “What about you then?” The question rolled right off Anna's tongue without a second though.

“What about me?” He looked over to her. "When are you finding your one and only?" She flashed him a cheeky grin as she pulled her phone out. "You know...I think I know some ladies who'd be interested in you." He waved his hand to dismiss the idea and reached for another handful of fries. "I'll find her when I find her, Anna. I got years. Also, c'mon, don't go harassing your friends so late at night."

She put the phone back in her pocket after what felt like some moments of contemplation and then reached for some more fries herself. "Okay fine. Yeah, you're right." The pair and a half spent the last round for the night in relative silence. Relative, save for the late night bossa nova that still filled in the silence. Such was the ambiance of their selected birthday venue.

The silence was eventually broken when he pulled his phone out of his pocket. A frown tugged his lips. "Well, doesn't seem like anyone's keen on taking the trip." She huffed and whined and was just about ready to speak her mind. "Don't worry about it, Anna. I'm still sober. I think." He reassured. "And honestly, neither of you are in any state to drive. I'll get him up. You can swing by for Ted's car tomorrow." She tried her best to stand, he seemed to hold his liquor well enough to attend to their unconscious friend.

"Hey, Sebs?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for tonight."
"Don't mention it, Birthday, I had a good pay day."

Once they were out, the rest of the staff cleaned their booth up and the "closed" sign was set against the door. The trio made their way to the sedan parked in front of the bar. They were both seated at the back, just so they could at least take a nice nap in the car together and for space and leg room. Before long, they were cruising down the lit streets of a sleepy town. The storefronts they passed were dark save for a few venues specifically for the night life.

It all passed by in a blur as the alcohol finally took effect. She could vaguely remember being helped out of the car and carried all the way to the living room. There was the familiar sensation of couch cushions against her head and back. She curled up and held one of the cushions tight to her chest. Slipping deeper and deeper into her sleep.

Until she found herself in a dark room. While she could define the limits of the room, it was hard to make out any specific detail.

“Hello? Anyone?”

The sound of wood scraping against wood groaned from behind her. She stepped away, yelping from the sudden noise as she turned to find what looked like a gnarled, wooden "chair" behind her. It was more like a withered tree trunk that was barely shaped like one. There was a sickly blue glow that raced along the whole structure.

SIT.

She felt a force shove her down onto the chair. It stung hard and the irregular shapes didn't make it any more comfortable for her. Her breathing was hard and fast, her heart raced against her chest as panic won out. Just before she could say anything at all. The room boomed once more.

SILENCE.

Her lips felt like they were sewn shut. Held together by some sort of vine that bound tightly together. She glanced down as she felt a prickly pain stab into her arms. She witnessed the tree-seat sink roots into her arms, fusing her against the armrest if it could even be called that.

Daughter of Avalyra! Thine blood is blessed with the python’s boon. Thine burden is the legacy of her sisters.

She could barely keep up with what was happening. Her senses were overwhelming. The hissing of snakes seemed to come from somewhere in the room. It mingled with even more sounds of wood grinding against wood. Sprouting before her impossibly fast from sapling to an ancient tree so big she could barely fathom the size. The tree glowed from several purple marks that were carved into it.

Mark well the slumbering tree. Sharpen thine wit and fangs. A fortnight and a day. Wake the slumbering tree, thine mother's mothers know the way. Wake the slumbering tree ere shadows herald the void in full.

The roots softened, even the slightest struggle was enough to make them crumble. She pushed off the chair only start falling as everything including the room crumbled. She was screaming her lungs out as she dropped into the darkness.

“ANNA!”

She snapped awake, jerking up. Her head crashed against another as she was forced onto her back on her bed. "Ow! My bed...Ted?" She reached up and wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. Her voice cracked as she tried to find some word. Her shoulders felt impossibly heavy. He held her tight. A warmth washed over her. The cozy kind she was wholly addicted to.

"It was just a nightmare, Anna. A really bad nightmare." He did his best to comfort her. "Hey, it's alright. I made something downstairs. I think it'll cheer you up."

She took another long moment to hold onto him. "Okay. Okay I'm good now. Wait, what time is it, Ted?"

"It's 1pm. Supposed to be 1pm."
"1pm?! Why didn't wake me sooner! I gotta head out to work!"
"Relax, Anna. I already called your office. Besides, I don't think any office is open today."
"Why wouldn't they? It's a Monday! You know? Mon...day...Blues......"

She stared outside her window. It was still as dark as night outside. Like it was a new moon. A chill ran down her spine as she closed the curtains and reopened them. “It’s still dark!” She looked right back at him, as if he had some explanation. “Yeah, It’s all over the news. They’re advising everyone to stay indoors for now.” He had an answer at least. “It's trending everywhere, really. Supposed to be like this for the next two weeks or something. Some scientists were going on and on about a strange solar phenomenon no one's seen before.”

"Pop Quiz, Ted."
"Blindfolds. Yeah, they're in the drawer."
"No! Nothing like that. Yet. Maybe. I just woke up. No, what's a fortnight mean?"
"It's an old timey way of saying Two Weeks. What? Got some writing inspiration?"

“Something like that, let me go wash up. I feel sweaty.” She pushed out of the bed and made her way to the bathroom. She splashed herself with a healthy handful of water. Toweling it off, her brows knit together. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. "Hey, Teddy? Did you put contacts on me while I was sleeping?" Every single day, she could have sworn her eyes were brown. "No? Is this some joke? You know I can't drown in your deep brown eyes if they weren't brown!"

All the same, despite his response, some blue-eyed girl who looked just like her was looking back at her in the mirror.