Page 54 of Resurrecting the Witch
“Correct,” Dom answered. “I improved on her lackadaisical film education with my own well-thought-out process.”
“Sweet Goddess, save me from these nerds,” Lennox mumbled and then put her hand on Gioia’s shoulder. “Gioia, sweetheart, please for the love of all that is holy, go home and watch whatever movie you’re not allowed to watch just to stick it to these gate-keeping douche nozzles.”
“Hey!” I elbowed my friend. “That’s not even fair to—” I was cut off by a brutal slice of pain through my temple that brought me to my knees. I couldn’t register the pain of the concrete biting into my flesh, undoubtedly tearing my leggings and bruising or cutting my skin open.
Every sound echoed as I held my head, trying to soothe the pain. It was like I was being thrown down a tunnel until the sounds withered away into a constantly dull echo of space, until it dulled out completely.
My limbs started to feel numb, starting from my fingertips to the backs of my hands, climbing up my wrists.
Sweat broke out along my brow; my entire body felt like it was on fire, but a slow fire that was building and building.
Each second was getting worse.
Then I felt the only familiar sensation that had happened since I fell to my knees. My magick. It was stoking something to life inside me, and I couldn’t wrap my head around what was happening.
This was unlike any power surge I’d felt before.
I grabbed the sides of my head tighter, feeling my blood trickle down my fingers from where my nails carved into my skin. Anything to distract from the brutal pain of my body being shredded at the seams.
It wasn’t working.
Nothing was relieving the pain.
I let out a giant scream.
I faintly heard my name being called but nothing could make it through to me besides the power in my veins rising.
“No, no, no, no!” I screamed but couldn’t hear my own voice. I knew what was coming before I could warn anyone. I swiped my arms out to try to get my friends to back away from me, but a burst of pure energy shot from my fingertips, and I only hoped Dom was smart enough to get them away from me.
The release of power slowly calmed the splitting headache, and I was finally able to blink my eyes open.
Sounds slowly started to return.
Light filtered into my vision that still blurred at the edges.
My limbs felt dull and useless from the numbness but were slowly coming back into my control.
I checked in with my body. What hurt, what didn’t.
A lot hurt.
Everything returned in a rush. I pulled myself up off the ground slowly and turned to face where I’d last seen my friends.
“I’m so sorr—” The words ended on a choke as I saw three prone bodies on the concrete outside the theater. The blinking lights of the cinema illuminated their faces intermittently, and I just stared.
Lennox.
Dom.
“Gioia?” My voice cracked as I ran to the youngest one’s side but didn’t want to press my fingers to her in case I had another surge.
Why was this happening to me?
What was happening to me?
My fingers shook as I pulled them away. I couldn’t even check them for a pulse, but they were so still.
Their chests weren’t moving.
