Page 44 of Autumn Secrets

Lexi laughed and looked at each of us. “I don’t know. I mean, I guess so. I didn’t expect it though, that’s for sure.”

“Do you like him?”

I think that was the first time I’d ever seen Lexi blush.

“Yes, I do.” She smiled.

I tried to look and feel as enthusiastic about it as everyone else in the room, but the truth was, I knew how I felt about Luca and I couldn’t see my feelings changing any time soon.

We spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing and playing cards. It wasn’t until after midnight that we decided to go to sleep. My room had the most comfortable bed I had ever slept in, and it didn’t take long until I was fast asleep.

I was the first one to wake up the next morning. I quietly padded down the stairs, put my shoes on and went outside. It was a beautiful morning. I could smell the damp autumn weather in the air. The forest surrounding the house and the tranquil lake were covered by a morning mist. It looked so peaceful that I decided to take a little walk before the girls woke up. I had no problem with walking in the forest alone. In fact, despite having real friends now, I still needed to spend some time on my own, with my own thoughts. As I was walking, I wondered if I’d always felt this peaceful in nature, like I somehow belonged? It was hard to tell, as I had been brought up in a big city. It surprised me a little that I’d immediately felt so connected to nature from the moment we moved back here.

I continued to walk deeper into the forest, before I stopped and stood with my eyes closed. It was so tranquil. I had been standing there a few moments, when the strangest thing happened. It was like I suddenly connected with every tree surrounding me, or more specifically, every living organism around me. I couldfeelthe energy within me, flowing and pulsating through every part of my body, as my soul seemed to expand outside my body. There was a warm sensation moving peacefully, all the way out to my fingertips. It was like an out-of-body experience and, terrified of losing control, I quickly opened my eyes.

That was such an unfamiliar and powerful feeling. I stared down at my hands, and gasped when I realised what had happened to them. The tips of all my fingers were glowing with a beautiful light. Mesmerised, and terrified that my mind was playing some serious tricks on me, I blinked rapidly, matching my pounding heart.This can’t be real…

I lifted both hands closer to my face and examined them carefully. They were still glowing with an almost angelic light. I closed and opened my eyes one more time. Still there. I scanned my surroundings, just to make sure I was alone. I could still feel everything around me, like there was alife forceof energy flowing through my body, lingering on my fingertips.

Instinctively, I went down on my knees in the soft moss, touching the forest floor with my bare fingers. I was in awe of everything around me and was flooded by an overwhelming instinct to protect it. I reached out to a sleeping plant next to me, letting my fingers touch the stem. Somehow, I knew it was a Calypso orchid, but how I knew this I had no idea. The name seemed to call to me in a cool breeze, whispering softly from the forest.

I ran my fingers over the moss. Just like with the flower, I knew its name too. I reached for the unusual orchid plant again, picking it up in my hand. The plant sprang to life, and I witnessed a beautiful pink orchid, smelling like vanilla blossom in the palm of my hand. This should have terrified me, but it didn’t. Instead, I closed my eyes, still in awe of everything that was happening. Images from my past slowly started to resurface, showing me pieces that I’d somehow forgotten. I saw an image of me and my grandmother in her garden, but now there were far more details than I’d ever recalled before.

My grandmother was telling me one of her wonderful stories, but this time another memory was attached to it. I couldn’t have been more than five years old. She lifted me up, put me on a chair and brought out a plant in front of me. When she knew that she had my attention, she closed her eyes and moved her fingers over it. An angelic light appeared from her fingers, and a beautiful flower blossomed to life beneath her hands. I clapped my hands excitedly, in awe of what she had shown me. My grandmother smiled at me and then put her finger to her mouth. It was our secret. A secret I had forgotten about, until now…

She’d been able to awaken nature, and here I was, doing the same thing. As the memory faded into the distance, I opened my eyes again. I was still on my knees on the cold forest floor, but the connection I’d felt only minutes ago was fading fast. I stared down at my hands in my lap. There was no glow and no heavy pulse running through them anymore and I felt an instant void in my chest.

It was like I’d lost a piece of something, a piece of myself. I didn’t realise before I tasted the saltiness on my lips, that I was crying. I stumbled up to my feet and wiped the tears off my face. I had no idea what had just happened to me, but I needed to go back to the house. I started running back the same way I’d come.

What had happened out there? What had happened tome? Had it actually happened, or was I dreaming the whole thing? There were so many questions going through my head, so I did the only thing I could think of. I pinched myself in the arm in pure desperation. Boy did that hurt.

Nope, I definitely wasn’t dreaming. I was definitely awake, now with a sore arm. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of something that the logical part of my brain couldn’t comprehend at all. But as confronting and strange as this experience had been, I wasn’t scared. I sensed a calmness flowing over me, and an extraordinary connection to this whole experience formed peacefully like a loving memory inside my heart.

Something was stirring restlessly in my soul, like I’d awakened a big secret, which was longing to break free. What was stressing me out was the fact that I was about to walk back to my friends. Was I supposed to tell them about this? Somehow, I just knew that I had to keep this to myself for now. I couldn’t exactly tell my friends that I’d been out awakening sleeping plants in the forest on my morning walk. It sounded way too crazy, even to me. I stepped onto the porch and was about to walk over to the door when I noticed a flower on the doormat in front of me. When I came closer, I saw that it was the same orchid from the forest – the one I’d touched only moments ago.How could that be?

I picked up the flower as my eyes searched the area around me. Someone else had seen me this morning and what I had done out there in the forest. I felt the panic grow. My eyes wandered around my surroundings one more time, just to make sure that whoever put the orchid on the front porch was gone. My first thought had been of bad intentions, but it really didn’t have to be. Maybe this person could help me understand what was going on. All that was confirmed right now, was that this was real. This had actually just happened to me.

The door opened, and Jasmine peeked out. “There you are. Come on, we’re having breakfast,” she said and pulled me inside. I followed her into the kitchen where Lexi and Mia were making bacon and eggs.

“We were almost on our way to call the ranger.” Lexi laughed.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you found one,” said Jasmine and looked at the little flower I was holding in my hand.

I swallowed. “Yeah, I…”

“Honestly, they shouldn’t even be around now. They’re hard to find. They are sacred you know. Where did you find it?”

“I-I came across it on my morning walk,” I said as I attempted another lie. God, I really sucked at it.

“That’s awesome. It’s beautiful.” Jasmine smiled. “My parents taught me everything about the plants and trees around here. We used to come here a lot when I was younger. Seriously though, this one is unique.”

“Tell me about it,” I murmured.

“You’re not supposed to pick them, just so you know.” Jasmine winked.

“Oh, okay…I feel bad now.”

“Don’t. Here.” Mia handed me a glass of water. “For the flower.”