"Hey mom, is dinner ready yet?" I asked anxiously as I tried to look into the big pot that hung over the growing fire.

"Patience, Gwen, why don't you help me set the table first?" Mom replied as she stirred the contents of the giant black bowl.

I ran over to the cupboard and got the bowls and plates. I heard the familiar sound of the front door opening.

"Daddy's home!" I yelled as I grabbed a handful of silverware from the drawer and placed it on the table.

"Huh?" Mom asked just as the front door opened.

"I'm home!" Dad called as he entered the kitchen, "Mm, smells good," Dad said as he kissed my mom on the cheek.

"Ugh! Guys!" I whined at the public display of affection. They just chuckled.

"How was work honey?" Mom asked politely as she ladled the delicious stew she had just made into the three awaiting bowls.

He groaned and said, "Relentless. The royal capital of Kingsbury is really starting to get on my nerves."

Dad worked as the head priest of a pacifist organisation at the church. We live in a small town just near the foot of the grassy mountains. It was a peaceful village; one that was against war and magic. Dad spent most of his time at the church conveying his pacifist views and the entire town was in full support of him. Kingsbury was a bustling town just east of here. The King of the capital had begun to focus more attention on his military power. Rumour had it that he'd even started a royal sorcery academy in hopes that it would help strengthen his militia. With all these new changes happening in the capital, dad had to work extra hard to make sure our peaceful views are continuing to be acknowledged.

"It's alright dad, everything will be fine." I encouraged. Dad smiled warmly as mom sat down.

"Well what are we waiting for, let's dig in!" mom said heartily as we all dug into our dinners.

We were sitting there talking and laughing about our day when suddenly, out of nowhere, a jolt of pain stabbed through my brain and I cried out. My brain felt swollen, as if something was being forced into it. An image quickly swam to the surface of my mind as I tried to make sense of what was happening. My eyes were open but I saw something completely different in my head. My mom looked at me, concern written on her face. However, in my mind, she was moving to get seconds from the pot hanging over the fire. I stared in shock as the wooden stand snapped and the black pot hit the floor, burning my mom in the process. The image left as fast as it came. I found myself staring at the worried faces of my parents.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" mom asked as I tried frantically to comprehend what I just saw. I nodded slowly as I rubbed my temples.

"Yeah," I replied quietly, "it's just a headache."

"Here, you need to eat more, you're too skinny." Mom fretted as she reached over and grabbed my empty bowl.

I watched in wonder as my mom got up to go get seconds… She traced the exact same steps she took in my mind. Everything was happening according to what I saw. It was as if mom was replaying the scene that flashed through my head.

"Stop!" I yelled as I raced towards her, toppling my chair in the process.

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Mom's hands reaching towards the ladle in the pot, me shoving her away from the danger zone, the cracking sound of the stand as it gave way, and of course, the echoing thunk of the pot as it hit the floor.

Stew was sprayed everywhere as I stood transfixed by the mess before me. Mom stared at me wide eyed while my dad looked at me with his spoon held in midair, mouth agape.

Silence screamed in the room.

"T-there was a c-crack in the stand." I whispered shakily.

Mom looked at me like I was an alien.

"You couldn't have known," She breathed, "but you did."

"I saw it… in my mind… during my headache…" I said uncertainly.

"You couldn't have known," mom repeated with a strained voice, "but you saw it… before it happened."

"I saw it…" I said slowly, "the future… in my head."

Dad got up from his chair and walked cautiously over to us, eyeing me warily.

"Dear," he called out as he tugged at my mom's clothes, "move away from it."

I watched horrified as my parents distanced themselves from me – or rather it. The change happened too fast, I couldn't keep up with it. One second, I was their loving daughter Gwendolyn, and the next second, I was a complete stranger – a foreigner. The time it took for me to change from 'her' to 'it' was staggering.

"Who are you?" mom hissed.

I stared, tears of desperation forming in my eyes.

"It's me, mom, Gwen, your daughter." I cried as they moved further away from me.

"The witch has taken the form of our daughter," dad said with venom.

Mom buried her head in my father's shoulder and sobbed with despair, "a monster has taken over my daughter."

"Mom, dad, what are you talking about! I'm right here!" I yelled, tears falling from my eyes as the frustration I felt continued to build.

"Don't lie, you freak of nature!" Dad boomed, "Our town does not welcome freaks and furthermore, I will not harbour a witch as a daughter."

"But daddy," I choked, "I am your daughter."

"You are not our daughter!" dad bellowed, "As the head priest I have a responsibility for keeping this town safe and you are indefinitely a hazard to this tranquil village. Get out, NOW!"

I stood, tears falling freely from my eyes as I looked pitifully at my parents – ex-parents.

"Leave!" mom screamed as I jumped from the harsh sound, "We don't know you! Just get away from us! Please!"

My parents stood, holding each other protectively, as realization sunk in. They couldn't have a witch as their daughter. Not if my dad was such a big part of the pacifist organization. If people found out, we'd be chased out of town. It's not that they didn't know I was their daughter, it's just they couldn't have me as one. Not with this new found ability, it's too much of a risk.

Finally understanding this uncanny situation, I bowed my head and ran. I ran out of the kitchen, out of the house I've known my entire life, out of the peaceful village but most importantly out of my parent's lives.

I didn't know how much time had passed when I finally calmed down. With red-rimmed eyes and a tear streaked face, I trekked on towards an unknown destination. My memory was getting hazy and it was getting harder to remember why I was even here. Bits and pieces of my parent's last words to me echoed in my brain. Witch… Monster… Freak of nature… It was getting harder to remember how everything became so horribly wrong.

The first stars twinkled in the dusking sky as I continued to trudge up the grassy hills of the mountainous terrain.

I felt exhausted.

Even though we were in the middle of summer, the wind was still a lot harsher up in the mountains. The strong breeze chilled my bones as I pushed on in my journey.

I was on the brink of collapse when I saw it.

A tiny hut situated on the plateau up ahead…

A hut in the middle of the mountain…

I didn't stop to question the peculiar setting. My body was drained and my mind was a complete void of anything. I wanted nothing more than to sleep.

I slowly made my way to the inviting cottage but, before I could even reach it, a stab of pain shot through my head. However, this time, it wasn't due to a vision. I looked up to see what had hit me and was surprised to see that stars were falling.

'I'm going insane.' I thought as I stared dumbfounded at this new revelation. I've never seen falling stars before. However, with the state of mind that I was in now, I was willing to believe that I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. This phenomenon probably marked the start of the many symptoms that I would experience through my ordeal.

The place on my head where the star struck me began to throb uncomfortably. Visions of the past swam through my eyes as the world spun away. Images I've never seen before also came into my line of sight. The past, present and future seemed to merge together all at once.

Overcome with nausea, I felt myself fall towards the green Earth.

Then, everything went black.