Chapter 35. Cookie Jar. Jessica POV.
Twelve years ago, in the Hartwell Estate, in California, Jessica grabbed a cookie from the jar and put it in her mouth, munching on it. She made sure to look for any signs of her mom before eating it. She was allowed a cookie every time she studied hard and did her homework. And she had not. So stealing one was her only option.
It was past midnight when she decided to sneak out of bed for this. The kitchen was dark, the marble counters had a cold touch and the floor creaked slightly with each of her steps. It was Sunday so her dad was at work. Her mother was asleep upstairs and the guards were outside, probably.
As Jessica put the cookie jar back and quietly closed the cupboard door, her ears picked up the sound of steps on stairs. Someone was coming. A gasp escaped her and she quickly ran to her hiding spot, behind a large wooden shelf in the pantry. It was dark and her heart was beating rapidly.
“Jessie? I know you are there, you little thief,” her mother’s voice echoed in the kitchen. There was an amused tone in it.
How did she know? She was the best at being stealthy. Jessica put a hand over her mouth to stop any more noises from coming out.
The light turned on and the sound of her mother’s footsteps was louder now. She was getting closer. Jessica curled into a ball.
Then she felt the rattle of the wooden shelf as her mom pushed it a bit and looked down at her with a disappointed but gentle smile on her face.
“Come here baby,” her mom opened her arms for a hug.
Jessie sighed and accepted her fate, standing up and hugging her mom. The scent of strawberry filled her nose. It was calming but she felt bad about the cookie. It was hard to look into her mom’s hazel eyes.
“I’m sorry mom,” Jessica apologized.
Her mom kissed her forehead. “I know you are honey. But it is late and you have school tomorrow.”
The little blonde girl nodded, her hands going behind her back as she looked at the floor.
After giving her a smile, her mom kissed her on the cheek before ruffling her hair.
“I don’t want to go to school,” Jessica whispered.
A hum came from her mom as she patted her head.
“Why not? Do the other kids make fun of you?” She asked, concerned.
“They say Daddy’s magic is boring...that it’s for farmers,” Jessica looked at her mom. It was true, the other children made fun of her dad and his magic. Wind magic. Her dad was only B-rank too. He was weaker than their parents.
She didn’t like that at all; her dad was a hard worker.
Her mom didn’t get angry like Jessica expected her to. Instead her mom hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear.
“Your father’s magic is amazing and he uses it to help everyone, do you know how many people he saved during his days as a hunter?”
The little girl tilted her head, her blonde hair swaying as she looked up at her mom.
“Was it more than the Space Hero?” She asked. She liked that story the most: the man who made a black hole and killed monsters with it. Cool.
Her mom chuckled. “Okay maybe not as much as Mr.Vane...but still. He was a great hero and you can be one too with your magic,” she smiled. It was a warm smile, full of love.
Jessica smiled too, a big one.
“Besides you can always use my magic too when you get older, how about that?” her mom winked.
Sticking out her tongue, Jessica laughed and said, “Mommy doesn’t have any magic! Only Daddy does.”
Her mother tickled her and said, “I do! Mommy magic is the strongest in the world and it can turn monsters into fluffy bunnies.”
Jessie giggled and squirmed away from the tickling hands and ran out of the pantry and kitchen towards her room. She was excited to get her own magic now so she could become a hero like her daddy.
But as she climbed the stairs she felt the hairs on her neck stand up, and a chill go through her. Glasses broke downstairs. The lights were cut off. And her mother screamed. She ran down the stairs and saw two men with black masks on. One held her mother by the hair.
“Mommy!” Jessica shouted, running to help her, but someone grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her up.
“Let her go! Please let her go I’ll do anything you want! You know I can do it!” her mom cried, the tears streaming down her face.
Jessica cried too and struggled in the man’s hold. The men ignored her. A fireball formed in one of the thug’s hand. He walked closer to her mom.
The air smelled of burning wood before it smelled of burning flesh. The screams of her mom were all Jessica heard. The men turned to look at Jessica. One of them pointed to her. She couldn’t understand what they said. Her vision was blurry until she passed out.