Nightingale

Chapter 24

It was a cloudy Saturday afternoon, and Fable was still fast asleep in bed. Her face was burrowed into the pillow and the covers were high above her shoulders. She had no idea how long she had been asleep, and only woke because of the incessant pinging of her phone which was lying on the bedside table. It was vibrating loudly with every ping.

"Ugh, shut up." groaned Fable, who was now turning in her covers to mute the thing.

As she picked it up, she glanced at the lock screen. There were hundreds of notifications on her social media, and dozens of messages from both friends and strangers. Most were simple 'well done' messages regarding her exceptional performance last night, but some were concerned messages from friends and acquaintances who had heard or witnessed her fainting episode at the reception. Oh no, she thought. That was embarrassing. And Mr Hudson had been there too.

Fable sighed to herself. She at least hoped she looked elegant when she fainted. She imagined herself like one of those swooning Victorian duchesses in a romantic painting with the hair splayed out and the single hand placed daintily over the forehead. She knew the reality was probably very different, but it helped to imagine.

Then the rest of the night came flooding back to her. How she had burnt Mr Hudson with her wrist. The way she had shouted at Old Mother Faun for lying about their contract. The fact she had eaten a worm fresh from the damp soil. Oh god. It was all too much. But she had done it all...

She didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but she did feel much better for consuming that long, wriggling worm. It offered her the sustenance she needed to regain her strength. She wondered if it meant she could change into a bird again now. It was disgusting, but necessary.

Fable went to her window ledge and pictured her arms becoming wings; the feathers penetrating through the surface of her soft, human skin. She closed her eyes, and focussed hard. As she expected, she was a little bird again. If only she knew these secrets sooner – then she could have been stronger from the outset. How typical, she thought. But at least she felt like her usual self again. And it was more important than ever, because she only had three days left of her contract!

It was time to wash and get dressed; Fable needed to prepare to visit Mr Hudson again as a nightingale. He would be missing that little bird. She hadn't visited him for days now. Fable transformed back into a human in a feathery whirlwind. Her mother was calling her, but she didn't have time for food right now. She had to shower and put make-up on! There was no time to explain her mysterious illness and disappearance. She had to look presentable.

"Fable! Are you alright, love? Do you want me to bring you breakfast?" her mother called from downstairs.

"No thank-you! I'm feeling much better now. Don't worry about me! I'll tell you about it later." she called back.

"If you say so." replied her mother. "Make sure you get good rest up there. I'm going to the shops."

Fable stepped into the shower. She let the hot water trickle down her face and back, and steadily combed the knots from her hair with the aid of a herbal conditioner. The aroma was lovely and she felt completely relaxed for the first time in a while. The hot stream of water made her feel as though time stopped still. Her mind was clear as she breathed in the cleansing steam.

Once she was finished drying herself, Fable slipped on her fresh navy dress. It was mid-length and modest. The fabric was mottled with little, brightly-coloured birds. She thought it a very cute design, and coupled it with a pair of black tights and a red cardigan. There was no reason to dress up today. She had done enough last night at the concert – she hoped. Surely Mr Hudson would not forget how beautiful she looked while she sang – but hopefully he would forget about that whole incident with the wrist...

Fable checked the time on her phone. It was three o'clock and not quite late enough to visit Mr Hudson. She ran downstairs and shouted for her aunt Vanessa. Her aunt came rushing into the kitchen where she found Fable preparing two mugs of tea by the counter.

"Oh, Fable. I was so worried about you last night! Why did you run off like that? The ambulance came you know - and I had to apologise to the paramedics for wasting their time!" said Vanessa, who seemed flustered just from recalling the event.

"I know," said Fable, who was avoiding eye contact with her aunt, "I'm sorry. I just overheated, that was all. The heat and stress went to my head for a moment. There was no need to call the ambulance."

"But why not let them check you over to be safe? You can't just leave them hanging."

"Yes. I'm sorry, auntie. It's not something I've ever admitted before, but I actually have a phobia of doctors and hospitals."

"I see. I'm just glad you're alright, hun. Thanks for the cuppa." smiled Vanessa, receiving the mug of golden tea.

The two of them sat together for a while in the kitchen, discussing the concert and Fable's wonderful performance. Fable just had to ask her what she thought of Mr Hudson, seeing as they were enjoying each other's company so much at the bar.

"Oh, do you mean that gentleman with the reddish hair?" inquired Vanessa.

"Yes, that's the one. He is my English teacher. He's very nice, isn't he?" said Fable, trying to open up a dialogue about Mr Hudson.

"Oh yeah, he was very charming. He was interested in my tattoos, actually – said they reminded him of something. Think he was referring to this one I have of the owl." replied Vanessa, pointing at the ominous looking bird at the top of her arm. Fable wondered if the owl made him think of her nightingale, which was located suggestively at the top of her leg. "Yeah, he was really interested in the whole inking process and where I got my inspiration. He was impressed when I mentioned I designed them all myself."

"Oh, was he? Was he weirded out by how cultish you look?" asked Fable, with hidden malice.

"Not really. He wanted me to read his palm actually!" laughed Vanessa.

"And did you?"

"Yeah, I did - just for a laugh. I think we were close to exchanging numbers until you came along with your dramatic fainting business" teased Vanessa.

Fable was horrified. How could her aunt betray her like this? Granted, she did not know that she was smitten with Mr Hudson, but still! How could he flirt with Vanessa, when he was apparently so 'close' to falling for her. Was that old, witch Faun lying again, or what? Fable started to laugh, with tears in her eyes.

"I'm so glad for you. Well, I gotta go out now. See-you!" said Fable, abruptly, jumping up from her seat and making a swift exit for the front door.

I hate her! I hate her! I hate her! - screamed the voice in her head. Fable kicked the gate off its hinge as she ran out of the garden and into the street. It was so unfair! She had but three days to make Mr Hudson fall for her, and now her own blood had betrayed her. What if he wanted Vanessa instead of her?

Fable continued to run until she found herself knees deep in the grassy meadow. She followed the sounds of the trickling stream, and planted herself down besides the bank. Gazing into the water, she was met with her mirror image; the face of a girl who had just had her heart ripped from her chest. Teardrops were beading in her eyes. One leaked out and dribbled down her cheek, and into the stream. Its smooth surface was disrupted by the light splash; the small rings expanding outwards from the centre. Fable could no longer contain herself, and erupted into hysterical crying.

"There's no hope! I lose." howled Fable. But she wasn't going to give up yet. Not without meeting Mr Hudson as a nightingale. Perhaps she could lead him to her human self again, and somehow get him to confess his feelings for her, pretending the nightingale was a sign. She would think of something. There was no way she was getting dragged off to some foreign land of magic and pixie-elves. That sounded ridiculous.

Fable lounged in the grass, picking at worms until the evening set in...