Goldie and Red

Chapter 7 - Smoke in the Sky

Sneaking out of Alec's cabin was much easier than I thought it would be - it turns out he enjoys the occasional bottle of whiskey, and the night me and Ro had planned to leave, he was dead to the world in his balcony rocking chair. 

I placed the sword into the scabbard Alec had given me and tied up my hair before taking one last look around the dark bedroom. I nodded to the animal heads, and tiptoed down the stairs.

I raced down the large steps from the front door, not quite believing I got away with it so easily. When I got to the bottom I stopped and looked around, only the breeze ruffling through the trees could be heard. It was so quiet. Peaceful. It only just occurred to me that I might never come back here. 

If that was the case, there was somewhere I needed to say goodbye to.

I hadn't been back to my home. I couldn't face it. But as I turned the corner past the bookshop I saw the wreckage and tears filled my eyes. Not because of all the damage done to the place, but because of what had happened in the weeks since. Huge vines blossomed with different coloured flowers had grown all the way around the walls, weaving in and out of the spaces where the windows used to be. It was beautiful. The ash and rubble had been cleared away and it seemed as though the forest had reclaimed the building, covering it like a shrine, protecting the infrastructure.

As I stepped inside, the emptiness hit me like a ton of bricks. Moonlight peaked through the vines and lit up dust particles in the air, and I could hear the grasshoppers outside, but the space was silent, still and sombre. 

Tears streamed down my face as I dropped to the floor. I hardly recognised the living room I had grown up in, and my home was never this quiet. Ever. My mother used to sing old songs from the city and Papa was always pottering about, usually knocking things over accidently. The realisation that they were gone, really gone, was too much. I sobbed loudly until I couldn't catch my breath. I steadied myself by placing my hands to the floor and tried to calm down. Rowan was probably waiting for me, and if she saw me in this state she'd change her mind about going. I had to keep it together. I stood up and walked back towards the doorway. I glanced up at the vines. They were strange shapes and colours. I'd never seen any like that in the forest before. My eye was drawn immediately to a bright purple flower on one vine, my mother's favourite colour. It shone in the moonlight so beautifully, as if it was painted perfectly to compliment the glow on this exact night. I picked it off the vine and placed it in my pocket. I didn't know if I would ever come back, and I knew I'd never see my parents again, but the flower would remind me. 

I had to run to the clearing of the Forest, I didn't want to keep Rowan waiting, I was still terrified she'd change her mind and I needed her if I was going to do this. 

I found her sat under my tree. She seemed as relaxed as usual. I quickly brushed my hands through my hair and wiped my eyes one more time before heading over.

"Did you fall asleep?" She said smirking, then she bounced up and leant forward on her bow which was wedged into the floor. "You alright?" She looked right at me. Her cape swayed in the light breeze and her eyes analysed me as I lightly tiptoed around the familiar roots on the floor, trying to seem casual. "I had to be careful, I didn't want to wake up Alec. You ready to go?" I stepped up to her. She was still looking at me, trying to see behind my expression, she knew I was lying. I didn't want to tell her where I'd been, not yet. For now I just wanted to leave.

"Which way?" She said with a flick of her cloak, hitching her bow under her arm. With the other she gestured charmingly for me to walk ahead. I smiled and stepped in front of her confidently, but I could feel her eyes staring behind me. She was worried about what we were doing. So was I secretly. But I needed answers, and I needed revenge. I couldn't get either of those by staying in the village.