Not allowing myself to dwell on the strangeness of the situation, I folded the parchment and left it on the corner of the table, promising myself that I would drop it in the mailbox on my next journey into town.
CHAPTER 11
Fiella
Icouldn’t shake the dark, gloomy cloud that followed me. My soul ached, throbbing incessantly, and I struggled to muster up any smiles for the friendly townsfolk of Moonvale. The corners of my mouth refused to lift.
After two days of intense, back-aching work at my shop, I decided that I needed a break.
I ate a quick lunch at the diner, grabbed a mid-day tea and pastry, and parked myself on my favorite bench in the park beside town square. Today, I had decided on a tart filled with strawberry jam (because it reminded me of blood, of course) and earl gray tea with mint leaves tossed on top.
I had tired myself out wrangling wreckage all morning, and my overworked muscles were burning. I needed some peace away from the annoying, grumpy vampire that had been dropping by my shop with a toolbag and a bad attitude.
Though I needed his help, I wasn’t in the mood for his company, and he didn’t seem to be in the mood for mine either. We hardly spoke two words to each other.
It was for the best.
While munching on my delicious snack, my eye caught a slip of something white sticking out from under the bench. Wasthat… paper? I quickly scarfed down the last bite of tart and smacked my hands together to remove any lingering crumbs.
The paper was buried under some leaves, so I gently extracted it, brushed it off, and placed it in my lap. It looked like some sort of letter.
I considered putting the letter back and leaving it alone. It could have been left there on purpose for someone else. I looked around to see if anyone was watching me, if anyone seemed like they belonged to this letter.
None of the townsfolk paid me any mind. I made brief eye contact with a squirrel, but it scurried away after snatching up one of my wayward tart crumbs.
I sighed. I was too nosy to leave that treasure untouched, so of course I was going to read it. I couldn’t help myself.
I glanced around one more time to be sure my snooping wouldn’t be noticed before I quickly unfolded the paper.
Hello, Stranger.
I received your letter. Though I’m not sure when you wrote it, or who it was intended for, it has made its way into my hands.
I have many questions, but I’ll save my ink for now.
I am not a ghost, nor am I a spirit. I am a regular folk, as you have said. I have never died, nor have I been to the afterlife. And I do not reside within any mailbox.
I am sorry about your day. If it helps, you are not alone. I have had days like that. And I assure you, it will pass. The lows don’t last forever. You will rise again. Just get up tomorrow and keep going.
And do the same thing the next day.
Best,
Another Stranger
P.S. Alcohol, you say? Was it ale? Golden ale is my favorite.
What the fuck.
Well… Huh. I was dumbfounded.
I let the letter flutter to my lap as I scrubbed my eyes with my fists. I had dropped a letter in that old decrepit mailbox the other day, but I couldn’t quite remember what I had written. I vividlyremembered writing something about ghosts, though. That line was a winner. Was it possible that this letter was somehow for me?
The thought seemed ridiculous.
But… It did seem to respond to my drunken rambling.
I didn’t know how in the realms this letter found me, or how in the realms this stranger somehow received my letter and decided to respond. My mind was spinning.
