“Can I ask you, even though I’m sure it’s brutally hard to talk about, how did Esme die?” She lets out a deep sigh and I don’t expect her to answer, but she does.
“It was almost a year ago. I remember the day so well, the sun was shining bright on the cloudless sky. It was a perfect day to go outside. The feelings I had were nothing but positive and I was convinced that it was going to be a wonderful day. What I didn’t expect was how that day was going to end.” Stopping mid sentence, she takes a few deep breaths before she continues.
“I was on my way to the lake near Fairy Village. I remember that I had brought a book with me, I wanted to sit there and read under the big willow tree.”
I know exactly what tree she’s talking about, I’ve been reading underneath it many times myself, and I’ve seen her do it too.
“Esme had told me and our mother that she was going to see a friend, so she wasn’t going to be at home during the day. Just when I was about to go through the big bushes that lead to the lake, I saw her, and my first instinct was to run towards her with open arms. But that quickly changed.” She breathes.
“She was lying on the bright green grass with the sun casting rays over her bloody body, which had an arrow sticking right through the chest. There was blood everywhere, all over her siren purple dress. I screamed, I screamed so loud. I dropped all my things to the ground and flew right back to the village, screaming for help with a lump in my throat that was begging to be let out. But when we got back to her, she was gone. All that remained was her blood on the grass. I collapsed on the grassy ground and started to cry, I cried in a way I had never heard myself cry before. I laid there and cried for hours and hours while the other fairies wondered and investigated what had happened to her. Some believed thatIdid it. Some believed that it was our father that got to her. And some believed that someone might be after our family and wanted us all dead.”
By the time Genevieve finished explaining, my jaw had dropped. How could I possibly have missed this? How is it that those terrible news never made its way to me?
Because you choose to stay away from it all.
“Thank you for telling me. I think you’re such a sweet and caring person even though you’ve been through all this. With your father, your sister.” I tell her. She needs to know how incredibly strong she is. It takes a huge amount of strength from within to keep being wholesome after such experiences.
“I’ve always loved to see people smile and feel delightful, it’s truly important to me. That’s why I’m always kind and try my best to greet everyone with a big smile. Because something so small and easy, can make someone’s day.”
“That’s so... I don’t know how to describe it. Mesmerizing, in a way.”
As her head tilts up, she looks at me with her beautiful eyes. Her hand grabs my bicep, her gentle touch making me stop walking. Slowly, she moves closer to me, standing on her tiptoes.
Looking into my eyes, then at my lips, she moves even closer. I lower my head towards hers, ready to press my lips to hers.
Just as we’re about to kiss I hear that annoying voice, interrupting our moment.
“Genevieve?? I’m hungry again, do you have food? Where are you? I heard your voice! GENEVIEVE??!!!”
Fucking Ollie.
My body goes still and so does Genevieve’s.
Fuck. It was so close, so fucking close. How does this damn squirrel even know where we are? Is he following us? You're being paranoid, Ector.
“Don’t you dare say a word.” I whisper in her ear as I put my hand over her mouth, pulling her with me to hide behind a tree.
“GENEVIEVEEEE!!” He pauses. “GENEVIEVE I HEARD YOUR VOICE!! I’M HURTING, OUCH OUCH. BLOOD, BLOOD EVERYWHERE!” He won’t stop screaming.
My back is pressed against the tree and Genevieve’s is pressed against me, her body so close to mine.So close.
I can’t believe how close I was to taste her just a few seconds ago.
Only for a minute, everything goes quiet, and just as I’m about to let go of Genevieve, a strong ruby-red light appears, shining through the forest with the following sound,whoosh.
Then, another voice appears, trying to lure Genevieve in.
“Genevieve, my fairy darling, dance with me again. Please.”
Castello?
Genevieve looks up at me, panic and confusion showing in her eyes. I wish I could calm her down, tell her that everything is okay, but I am just as confused as she is.
Knowing something felt wrong when we met Ollie for the first time, I thank myself for trusting my gut.
Something doesn’t sit right with this. Ollie, Castello, and the witch. Her wine-red dress looked exactly like the light that justappeared through the forest. It must be her, that’s why she was acting so oddly in the shop. She and Castello must have something to do with this.
Is she following us? Does she know about the well?
