The Bright Colours of Misery [COMPLETED]

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙻𝚅𝙴 -Edith-

"Hallo?" The older woman inquired, she had been trying to catch Heidi's attention for a while now, but the girl was far too deep into her thoughts to notice. She quickly looked back up to find this stranger a few centimetres away from her face. She let out a screech and fell backwards, the lady swiftly grabbed her arm and prevented a quite catastrophic event. Heidi's eyes frantically wandered from the fountain to the lady. The poor thing looked almost translucent, the winter hadn't done her skin much good. The woman gave Heidi a slight smile and let out a sigh mixed with a chuckle.

"Oh dear! I'm ever so sorry. I believe I scared you" She started. She had indeed scared the life out of her. "If you had fallen in and come out all wet I would have felt horrible, I assure you."

This lady was definitely a talkative one. Heidi was still processing what just happened, her heart was going wild inside her chest. She had really scared her. The stranger sat down on the border of the fountain just next to Heidi with a deep sigh. Heidi gazed at her in both confusion and fear, she felt a little uncomfortable. Who even was this? What did she want? I told her that she certainly meant no harm, she didn't strike me as the type to hurt innocent children. Heidi was not reassured and although I'm sure she heard me, she turned away from the woman avoiding any sort of contact with her. The woman noticed this and scooted away from her just a little, Heidi then looked back up out of curiosity. The brunette smiled at her, she had a warm jovial smile that very few people in this world possess.

"Guten tag." She said after a short silence, keeping that warm smile etched upon her lips.

Heidi conjured a smile for a second or two saying guten tag back to the strange woman in such a low tone that I highly doubt she heard it.

"Do you know what time it is, dear?" She asked, scooting closer to her again. Heidi shook her head hesitantly. She had no clue, she had no idea of how to check the time.

"It's 7:32. Which is awfully early for a young girl like you to be outside, may I ask you what you are doing here?" Concern glimmered through her eyes as she gave Heidi a gentle smile. I couldn't blame her for worrying a little. Heidi hadn't taken a bath in at least five days, she was skinnier than most kids her age, her skin paler than a sheet of paper (or even sort of translucent as I said) and her nose and cheeks were all red from the cold breeze.  Heidi didn't respond at first, turning the colour of a tomato. Oh my poor shy little human.

The woman waited patiently, still genuinely smiling at her. she didn't show any signs of impatience, even as the minutes went by filled by the same silence as the minute before

. "Do you live nearby, dear?" She asked, trying to get some reassuring news once more. Heidi didn't feel like answering at first, but I told her to do so. I don't exactly know if it was my good feeling about this or the poor lady's worried gaze that convinced me Heidi had to answer.

"Just a few streets away."  She practically whispered.  The stranger was not reassured in the slightest. God, why couldn't she just tell her she wasn't homeless? I advised her too, I knew it would dissolve some of the awkwardness and worry that hung in the air but Heidi blocked me out. "Where?" The stranger inquired, Heidi turned to her, surprised at how persistent she was. Surprised or scared, either one.

"What?" Heidi choked out, her tiny finger tightly folding around her paintbrush.

The lady shrugged. "Bahnstraße? Apfelstraße? Sankt-maria Promenade?"

Heidi only blinked at her. Why did she want to know? why would she want to know where a little girl lived? It was a clever thought process, I can give her that, but I knew the lady was harmless, she just thought Heidi might need some help. She  radiated genuine concern.