The Trees

Landry smiled at the group of people surrounding her.

Chewy smiled and leaned against a tree.

It was a few weeks later and Hadley was sure that she had perfected the spell. She had made sure that this was the only spell that she memorized. It had to be perfect she only had one shot at this. She thought about letting Leo know, but she didn't want to put him in harms way should anything go wrong. Tankeing a calming deep breath, she casts the spell and the misty being appears before her, "I'm ready." She says to it. The creature stars to steam the dissapears, and for a moment it seems she is alone, then she hears a familliar voice call her name and a figure steps out from behind a tree. Hadley's heart felt like it stopped as the figure comes into the light. "Dad?"

Leo walked into the trees and stopped as to not disturb Hadley.

He steps out and walks around her, and starts to speak In a terrifyingly sweet voice, "You got my letter. You never wrote back. You can try to hide all you like, but you still belong to me." Hadley starts to breath heavily, "You don't own me any more. I'm not yours!" The figure disappears. Hadley takes a deep breath as she finished the first task. Then, the figure changes, to a disfigured person, covered in blood. At this Hadley starts to cry, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She says repeatedly, before the figure speaks again, "You didn't even know me. And you killed me."

Leo watches in horror as Hadley goes through all this. He wanted to step in but he knew he couldn't.

Hadley's cries turn into sobs, "I was a kid. I had no idea how to control my powers. I was scared."
The figure gets closer to her, "You used your powers and killed me. You never asked my name. My death is your fault." The wind around Hadley picks up as it also picks up dirt with it and swirls around her as she sobs.

Leo couldn't watch. He lloked away.

Slowly the winds die down, "I forgive myself." She speaks slowly. " I was a kid. I was scared. I couldn't control my powers. I forgive myself, But I wont ever forget what happened." She says as the mist figure slowly disappears and gives her a chance to gather herself, before the final task.

Leo was still standing there but he couldn't bear to watch. He was looking away.

Hadley prepares for a monster to be the next task, but instead a misty boy walks out. At this point Hadley was wishing for the monsters. Hadley sighs, "Jacob McCoy." She says with a frown. The boy smiles, "So you still think of me? I'm honored." He says with a sly smile. Hadley frowns, "Don't flatter yourself. Its not in the way one should hope to be remember as."

Leo looked up when he heard the voices.

The mist boy smiles, "Oh come oh Hadey. I was the best thing that could have happened to you. You wont find anyone else like. Besides, what makes you think you will be good enough for anyone? That new boy you have? Chances are he is going to drop you like a hot potato once someone prettier and more interesting comes along." Hadley frowns, "If he didn't think I was good enough then pick me at all? Leo isn't like you were Jacob. Besides even if he were, I only have one more year here any way. The only one I'm focusing on improving is me. Others has imperfections that are their concern. Not mine." The mist boy disappears and in his place, a dark shield.

Leo had clenched his fist at what the mist boy had said. He watched as he disappeared.

Hadley watches as the shield turns into a bracelet. On the back is the word Apáti. The Greek word for deceit engraved on it. She picks it up carefully and hears something in the bushes. She turns as her bracelet turns into a shield again, "Who's there?"

Leo appears from the darkness. "Your wonderful boyfriend."

Apati turns back into a bracelet. Hadley sighs, "How much of it did you see?"

"Not much." Leo said, lying.

Hadley sighs, "Well...what did you see?"

"The last one only. And now you have this." Leo said.

Hadley looks down at Apati, "I guess so. Do you...have any question's? About what you saw?"

"Yeah. Who in Hades was that dude? I wanted to punch him in the face." Leo asked clenching his fists.

Hadley sighs, thankful that he only saw the last one, "He was just this jerk I had dated for a while. When he found out about my powers...well, he turned out to be like the rest of them."

"Scared?" Leo asked.

Hadley shook her head, "Worse. He used me to get what he wanted."