FD: Birth of a Wishing Heart

37. Feeling Too Much

So comfortable... My eyes didn't want to open. I was in a bed again. How did I get here? I slowly tried to recall yesterday's events. I went to clean Carter's steps but I fell and hit my head. Hans had learned about Carter and confronted me while enraged. He pierced my arms and kicked me before leaving me out on my own while nighttime approached. I forced my injured body to go to my grandparent's house and was too tired for much so I decided to sleep outside, still near it for a sense of safety. I was almost attacked by a giant dog named Dante. Hansel was a full-grown adult who wasn't as kind or as sober as I would have liked. Gretel was still sick and had started screaming. I had also gotten so emotional and angry that I forced her to sleep with my heart. Then, I passed out just after entering their home. I could hear some leaves crackling and a sip from a cup near me. I felt a chill go across my chest.

Despite being awake I was too tired for more. If I wasn't going to blame anyone, Hans was right. It was all my fault. If I didn't try to lie to him I wouldn't have fallen. If I hadn't endangered him he wouldn't have beat me. If I hadn't used excuses to not fully take responsibility for my actions he wouldn't have made me leave. I was never supposed to go to the village. I was told not to. Hansel made me leave for a reason! I came anyways, which led to Gretel's condition worsening. It also lead to me getting so angry and jealous that I forced her to sleep. I damaged her. I didn't even know how to control my heart anymore. Why were my powers so strange? I couldn't just be smart, strong, and fast like Hans! I had to be so different!

"Gree, stop feeling. You're going to hurt yourself." Hansel commanded. I could tell by his voice that he was concerned about me. It was nice. "I can tell by your heart's erratic glowing." He tapped my cheek a few times. "Open your eyes." He could tell by my heart's glow? Was my dress off?

I quickly opened my eyes before I gripped the blanket sheets and held them over my bare chest defensively. He was right, my heart was acting up. I panicked. "Hansel- What's happening to me? Am...am I dying?" My eyes watered in fear. Was I supposed to die? Was my heart weakening? It sure felt that way. Hansel barely responded but kept a look at my chest as he sipped his drink. "What's going to happen to me? Why's my heart doing that?" The more I panicked the quicker the glowing fluctuated. Anger followed. "Hansel, Don't ignore me! Stop sipping that and help me! This is serious! I'm dying! I used my heart today twice! Is that why? Did I use up my-" I continued to panic before Hansel put a hand over my lips and looked up at my face.

"You're not dying. You're proving my point." What point? At least I wasn't dying. Did I use up too much heart energy? Was the glow from my heart recovering? I had so many questions! The last time someone told me about wishing heart things I was six years old, and all they had said was about my great power and that everyone was hunting me! Six years later, I didn't see any great power! Sure I could heal and make up a mask that I knew everything that was going on, but my brother was the one lifting trees and racing through the forest in minutes! He huffed before both his hands took his mug and held it towards me.

"Gree, take a few deep breaths." I did as I was told. The smoke of the cup rose with a scent I couldn't quite identify. It was calming. Hansel's non-emotional exterior was calming. It wasn't judgemental or angry, nor was it extreme worry, it was just blank. No emotions for me to read or take in. "I want to take a moment to apologize about your tail. I keep the glass around the house as a warning to others." He explained before smiling a little. "You and I have a lot to catch up on." It was then I noticed that his hair had been pulled up again. Were his eyes always that comforting? They couldn't hide anything! It was just care, concern, and mercy. They were just the smallest key to his emotions, while not being overbearing to read in my panicked state. Then there was seriousness. "But I need you to keep Gretel asleep. Can you do that for me?" I nodded. I wasn't a hundred percent certain about how this worked but if I did it once, I could do it again right? What if I couldn't? Would she get sicker? What if my heart was too hurt to do that? "Gree." He called my name again snapping out of my thoughts.