Emerging From The Haze Novels & Stories

Six months later: Every morning I wake up, I stare through the skylight at the trees overhead. I watch them sway with the wind. The seasons have changed while I have been here. The leaves were plentiful and green. I have watched them change from green to brown, to completely gone. I think it is January now and the cold has crept in. The snow has been falling for quite some time. I am sure there is probably a foot. Even if someone knew where I was, I doubt they would be able to find me in this weather. Today is just a day, same as all the rest.

"What does that mean?" "It means that she could be in a state of temporary coma and it's common after having a severe head injury. We just need to wait patiently but the good thing is, she is out of danger," he explained and I let out the breath that I was holding. 'Out of danger' that's a good thing. I felt my shoulders slump down as I relaxed for the first time since last night and mentally thanked the gods for putting her out of danger. "Can we see her?" I asked hesitantly as her mom was shooting daggers at me.

She rode speedily alongside the southern wall of the capital, becoming only mildly aware of the change in atmosphere as she went. There was a dark haze which seeped up from the ground, lessening visibility and sunlight. It rose higher the nearer she came to the city and its gates, becoming darker and more prominent until it engulfed everything in sight with its grey spectral hue. The change had been so gradual that she had hardly noticed it until she had nearly reached the western gate and there was darkness all around her. She looked up at the sky to see how the day was passing, expecting the sun to have been heavy with the burden of night but only to find it still filled with the vigor of

I graduated from a top university, had a job that could support me, was tall, had a good personality. Lily told me, "Elara, you really are a wonderful and talented person." Even the lady from the restaurant downstairs praised me. "When you first moved here, you always looked so sad. I wondered why such a pretty girl never smiled.” "Look at you now. You smile so much more, and you look so beautiful!" She said this on a sunny day after the rain. The clouds cleared, the sun peeked out from behind them, and the puddles on the ground reflected rainbows.

"I shouldn't have." A grin formed on Hazel's face. "Okay." She turned to Orion, who nodded. Without another word, she stepped around Ryder and moved toward the chamber where his mother lay. The room was faintly lit with a smell of sickness on the air. His mother was almost too weak to be seen. Hazel put her hands over her and closed her eyes. A soft, golden light emanated from her fingers and soaked into the woman’s flesh. The crowd in the room gasped as the slashes across her body smoothed over, and her skin resumed its normal hue. A moment later she inhaled deeply, then opened her eyes.

I sat upright in alert and stared at Enzo for an explanation before staring at the road. Enzo took in my confused state and nodded towards the road, "Something's not right." I furrowed my brows at him and looked back to see what he was talking about. The town's usual hum was oddly muted. A faint haze curled ahead, just off to the right of the road. It was smoke. It slithered out from the mouth of the alleyway, thick and grey, rising lazily against the backdrop of old brick buildings. I took off my seat belt and moved to open the car door when Enzo stopped me. "Wait, what are you doing?"

//end of Flashback// Then I was pulled back from my reverie when I heard a loud car honk. I sigh then got out of my car, I entered Zion's store and got what I needed. [Hestia] Eleanor and I just finished shopping at Fifth Avenue and now we're heading towards the New York Times Square. Hanging out with Eleanor today was fun. It was a much-needed break, no royal duties. Just like 5 years ago when I'm free and no royal rules or protocols to follow.

Hazel stepped out into the fresh air with a smile on her face but that smile disappeared quickly as her eyes fell on a shadow of a figure. Hazel threw her eyes and her mouth opened as she let out a scream.

After a brief moment of shock, Hazel quickly shifted away, embarrassed by the sudden closeness. ***