Message from author: Hey everyone! It's been quite a while -school has been a bum- ;) but no worries, I'm back with another story, this one is in the genre that I'm not used to writing (fantasy) so I hope you all still enjoy it. Take care, and happy reading!

Prologue

The windows were rolled down and the atmosphere inside the car was happy and relaxed... the way I had enjoyed it. I had peeped behind my dark hair at her and caught sight of her wind-blown hair, carelessly blowing in the gentle breeze. Just as if she had been staring at me too, gave an amazingly sweet smile which hit me like a thousand warm hugs and kisses.

As I continued to stare dumb founded at my mother, it was then and there that I realised how incredibly beautiful she was. It's kind of silly really but her eyes were like emeralds, the greenest in colour, all carefully and cautiously put into place around her pupil. I remember how I'd once told her that if I had a jar, I would've scooped out each emerald embedded there and keep them forever safe in that jar. She didn't say anything... she didn't need to, for a tear had leaked out of her eye and that was all I needed.

When she smiled the corners of her eyes would crinkle up, and wrinkles were starting to form, but somehow they didn't clash with any of her features, but added to her beauty instead. Her cheekbones were high and well set into her heartshaped face that contained full lips and a tall nose. Her skin was creamy in colour, close to pale, but not quite. The most noticeable feature however, was her hair, it was wild, curly and erotic. The shade of it was of the deepest, deepest red you could only imagine of seeing.

I slumped back in the chair and crossed my arms, why didn't I look like her? My eyes and hair were brown... how boring. My dad had past them onto me. The only features I had from my mother was her colour skin and curly hair... wow. But my mother was one to say that my colour brown was 'unique' and because I had inherited them from my dad, it made it even more special. I miss him. He's gone now... to a better place I imagine, but mother always tell me that he watches both of us very closely from above. I hope he's watching now. He had died from a rare heart disease just after I was born, and the only memories I had had from him was my mum pointing him out and telling stories about him in photos. God did he seem like such a nice, caring, loving, good looking man. Now I can understand why my mother had loved him with all of her heart's extent.

Reality hit me like icey, cold water and the words had escaped my mouth before I realised how stupid they sounded. "Mum, have you noticed how pretty you are?"

We had just driven around a bend and a wooden bridge was now coming into view, which had a calm river flowing below.

She laughed and took one hand of the steering wheel to hug me awkwardly. The car just slightly veered off the road but she continued to indulge me in hugs. The arm that had been hugging me nudged the steering wheel by accident and the car suddenly swerved right. I screamed out in alarm, and it felt like one of those movies where time just freezes everything and you try and try to scream but nothing comes out... it felt exactly like that, and as I tried to turn the wheel back onto the road myself, it was too late, we were heading straight off the narrow, wooden bridge and into the deep waters below. I caught a glimpse off my mother's face and the eyes I once loved were filled with such fear, sorrow and love for me. She mouthed her final words 'I love you', and we plunged right into the cold water.

And then I finally remember seeing nothing... at all.