The Moon Oracle - Chapter one- Nightmare

Chapter 4 – First Impressions

“W-who are you?” I stammered.

The strange man smiled again, revealing a set of a perfect set of shining white teeth. He took a long step backwards and spread his arms into a wide and welcoming arc.

“My name is Jake,” He introduced himself.

I stared at him nervously. I wasn’t entirely sure if I should run and call for help or stay and see what this ‘Jake’ wanted. In the end his eyes made the decision for me.

They were bright green with flecks of brown and gold scattered through them, like a mini galaxy. They seemed to welcome me, drawing me into a lull of false security.

Snapping my gaze away from his I demanded, “What do you want?”

He gestured grandly towards me with his right hand, “I’ve come to collect what’s mine.”

I pressed myself against the door, feeling behind me for the handle.

“I-I’m not yours!” I said in a high pitched squeal.

Jake chuckled softly and tried to hide the smile that was creeping across his face.

“I meant the book.”

“Oh,” I whispered as a realized the book was still clutched tightly to my chest.

My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as he reached out to take the book from me. For the first time, I noticed what he was wearing.

A dark green cloak made of rough velvet hung majestically from his broad shoulders. It was so long that the edges were ragged from dragging along the ground and it was fastened tightly under his chin with a large green brooch that matched his eyes.

“Are you a sorcerer?” I blurted before I could stop myself, instantly making my cheeks burn red once more.

He chuckled again, a low friendly sound, but he didn’t answer me. Instead he raised his left hand with the palm facing upwards and twitched two fingers towards himself, as if beckoning me.

I gasped as a suddenly I felt something tug at the book held firmly against my chest. He beckoned again and this time the book tugged so violently it slipped instantly from my grasp. It floated eerily away from me and into Jake’s outstretched hand.

I stared at him in a stunned silence as he quietly stowed the book inside his cloak and then smile widely at me once more.

“That’s not yours,” I retorted, “it’s- I mean it was my sisters.”

“She borrowed it,” He said dismissively.

I glared at him as he continued to smile at me with his eyes twinkling. The minutes passed by and we continued to stare at each other. I began to wonder why he wasn’t leaving seeing as he’d obviously gotten what he’d came for.

“I suggest you leave now that you’ve collected everything,” I said with as much authority as I could manage.

“Not exactly…” He mused.

“What do you mean?”

“Well you were right before, I also have come for you.”

A sudden panic rose in my throat and I found myself groping blindly behind me for the door handle once more.

“M-me?” I managed to whisper.

“Yes,” He said calmly, no longer smiling.

Despite the raging fear surging through every inch of my body that was telling me to run, I was curious.

Forcing myself to breathe calmly, I asked, “Why?”

A crooked smile returned to his face and his eyes bore into mine twinkling mischievously.

“Well actually… I want you to die.”