Journey of a Girl

Secrets We Keep: Chapter One

Credence did not dare go near the eerie mimic of her childhood home.

It was nothing but a lie, and surely held no real solace inside. Instead, she walked through the replica of the towns, keen on discovering their secrets at her leisure.

She was surprised to find that no door was locked—nothing was off limits to her curiosity—and she went from building to building, inspecting every inch.

The shops were stocked with various sundries, though Credence noted there was no food to be found anywhere. It made her feel like a ghost, wandering from door to door, slipping in and out at whim. When she walked past the foreboding gate of the school courtyard, she shuddered and did not give it a second glance.

The silence of the world was jarring. She had grown accustomed to the noise of the towns, and the abrupt ceasing of it caused her slight distress.

Her stomach was on the verge of complaining, so she tried to distract herself by finding a residence to call home. Every shop and house was alike, with the same tables and chairs, and the same general layout.

It felt like a life-sized world meant for dolls.

But there was one place, Credence thought, that could bring her some comfort.

Sally's tavern was in the exact place it had been in the real towns, and when her eyes found the green doors and old sign, Credence smiled.

She desperately wanted to see Sally, but she knew no one would be inside.

The long counter was there, and all the tables and chairs, and the two doors, one leading to the foodless kitchen and the other to the forgotten hallway. Within the hallway, behind the same door she had chosen, was the bedroom that had been hers, complete with several misshapen lumps of wax. Filled with nostalgic glee, Credence flicked her wrist and the wicks burst into light, giving the room a familiar, quaint charm.

She sat on the bed, thankfully bereft of dust and cobwebs, and opened Ma's book, hoping to find relief in its pages. Instead, the sight of Ma's writing only ignited mourning.

Credence was exhausted, and her eyes were too tired to read. She hadn't slept since before the Auction—and she hadn't had a proper night's rest since her time with Sally in the real tavern—so she settled under the blanket and laid the book on her chest.

She watched it rise and fall with her breathing.

If only I could sleep and wake to a different life, she thought as her eyes began to close.

But she wouldn't. When she woke the mysterious purple world would still be around her, waiting in ominous silence.

She began to cry, feeling utterly lost and alone.

In no time at all, her tears gave way to sleep.

***

Credence was in a beautiful kingdom within the woods.

It was a joyous place, full of life and sunshine, without a hint of purple in its light.

She was walking, taking in the views and sounds around her.

There was a castle in the distance, shaped very much like the one John had shown her, but its walls were white and the ivy that clung to it bloomed with vibrant flowers. The water beneath its bridge was clear and fish leapt from its surface into the air, only to happily splash back into its depths.

The trees of the woods were different too, not foreboding and still, but majestic and swaying under a warm wind. It was as if the trees knew they guarded something sacred.

The harmony of life called around her, making Credence feel safe. Wind rushed past her, and when it reached the towers of white, a multitude of colorful birds rose into the sky in a dazzling display of rainbow beauty.

A voice, gentle and feminine, followed their flight.

"Credence."

She opened her mouth to answer it—

A loud crash shook the world and pulled Credence from her wonderful dream.

Someone was knocking on the tavern door.