All Chapters of Beckoned: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

My breath rushed through my lungs, the sound of it caressing my eardrums as the air swept through my body. It calmed me in the complete darkness of sleep. The air escaped past my lips, the other sounds finally coming to my ears. At first, they were muted tones before they rose in crescendo. The chirp of crickets, the rustle of branches and leaves moving against each other heightened until the air around me came alive, dancing across my skin in gentle strokes. My mind hummed as awareness of one fact entered my thoughts... I was not in my bed.A shudder slid through me as I forced my eyes open. My heart sank as I faced the one fact I did not want to confirm. I had been sleepwalking…again.I touched my chest with the tips of my fingers. My heart beat a steady rhythm beneath them. The skin on my arms tingled. But through it all, I was calm. It made little sense, making me wonder if I were going crazy. After all, walking in my sleep five times in a month seemed to be proof of my insanity.

The dream came almost as soon as my eyes closed. My name floated across the air and wrapped around me, hugging me in its shadowed arms. I was entranced, wanting to get closer to the one who beckoned me.A tremble slid down my spine at that realization. How could I want to get closer to such danger when there was no doubt I would die if I succumbed to the impulse?Terror settled in my chest, causing me to suck in a breath. With the action, the trance was gone. Only terror remained. I forced my eyes open, convinced I would find myself sleepwalking again. It would explain the strange desire to be closer to danger if I had still been caught between dream and reality, but as I opened my eyes, cold, dark fear enveloped me, causing a sob to tear from my throat.I found myself kneeling on soft, dark green grass in the middle of a vast forest. Large, gnarled roots surrounded me in an almost perfect circle. Beyond the trees was darkness so thick, no light penetrated it. My mind shied away fro

Tears already brimmed my mother’s eyes before she even sat down. A lump formed in my throat as I watched her with wary curiosity. I had never witnessed my mother cry as much as she had in the last few hours, which only frightened me more. Were the secrets she kept from me that bad? She stared at me with eyes that were too bright as she sat across from me at the little table in the dining area of our motorhome. She took a deep breath, clasping her hands on the table.“Do you believe I love you?” she asked, desperation evident in her voice. She inhaled a shaky breath and held it as she waited for me to answer.I smiled at such a ridiculous question. “I do, Momma,” I said, reaching forward and taking her hand as she released her breath. I hoped the action would comfort her, but at that moment, I realized nothing would. She was too tense, too frightened. I kept my smile in place. “Nothing you tell me will convince me you don’t.”She raised her eyebrows and shook her head. The tears she h

I should have been trembling in fear or running away. Instead, I silently walked next to my mother toward the bonfire. Though I appeared calm, I was terrified. Worse, I dreaded meeting Andre again. Would he still be angry with me? The thought almost caused me to stumble, but I pushed it away before the panic rose. I took a deep breath and pushed it out between my lips, knowing I had to stay strong. I closed my eyes for a moment and then opened them again, focusing on what was happening around me. Laughter, music, and conversations reached my ears. It was all so jovial.How can people celebrate when I feel so horrible?“Aurora, are you okay?” my mother asked, wringing her hands together in front of her.My mouth dropped open as I turned to her. How could she ask that question when she knew the answer? I shook my head, angrier than I had ever been at her.“Yes, Momma,” I said, narrowing my eyes, allowing sarcasm to seep through each word. “I’m okay. After all, forcing me to marry a ma

Andre walked beside my mother and me as we made our way home. My father’s visit made everyone tense, and I noticed Andre continued to glance over his shoulder every few seconds, as if expecting to find him there. He kept his hand wrapped around mine, ready to pull me behind him at any moment. I stared at our interlocked hand as I wondered what caused his need to protect me. It was probably a sacred duty included with the marriage. For some reason, the thought depressed me. I hated that he viewed me as a duty…A burden.I sighed, shaking my head and pushing the thoughts down to the bottom of my mind where I wouldn't face them for a while. The reason did not matter, as long as he was willing to help. Still, a certain sadness flowed through me for our lost dreams. We were at the mercy of everyone around us.I was still deep in thought when we reached our motorhome. My mother gave me a look and nodded slightly at Andre, then walked inside, closing the door behind her. It was obvious that