Revenance

Chapter 5

The new school term started the following week and with it came the brand new uniform. Mira couldn't wear her bright red cloak, and was instead forced to wear a black one to the schoolhouse every day. The uniform was made up of stiff and scratchy fabric that she dreaded wearing and was excited to get out of when she returned home.

She couldn't pay attention in class. She was always drawing, even on her schoolwork. And despite playing the instruments well and spending time with the other children, her mind was always elsewhere. She could never sneak out to go and see Tajo. School had taken most of her life and she was far too tired to go at night. And during the day, her mother woke her up in the morning so she couldn't possibly take a chance to sneak out during school. Mira longed for Tajo and once again wished she could just return to the woods to see him again.

One day, as she was returning to her house after feeding the chickens, she noticed that the sisters from the church were visiting her mother and father once again. Her brothers were off tending to the livestock, so she was alone in the corridor, watching the conversation from around the corner.

"Mr. and Mrs. Beckett, we've come to talk about your daughter, Mira," the taller one said. Her face was long and her eyebrows were pinched tightly together. Mira thought she looked mean.

"Oh yes, of course. What is it you'd like to talk about?" her mother said. Her father looked noticeably distracted, likely not paying much attention to what the women were talking about.

"Well," the smaller sister said, "Mira has been displaying... odd behaviour in the schoolhouse."

"How odd?" Mira's mother tilted her head.

"Well, she's distracted for most of the day, and she's been drawing quite strange and troubling things." She took out one of Mira's drawings and offered it to the parents.

Mira felt a spike of anxiety in her stomach and she clenched her dress tightly. She didn't know what her parents would think of her drawings, especially since she hadn't explicitly told them about Tajo and the times she'd snuck out into the forest.

Both of her parents looked at the drawing quizzically, and suddenly both of them were paying full attention.

The taller sister sighed and crossed her arms. "These drawings are deeply concerning. Has your daughter spoken of any strange creatures? Either here or in the woods? Or is she more drawn to darker things?"

The mother quickly shook her head. "No, of course not. Mira's a bright and cheerful child, and she's never done anything like that."

"Okay, but these drawings strongly suggest that there's something going on with her," the woman said. "We'd like to examine her a bit more closely, at the church with Priest Marquett."

Mira's mother suddenly stood up. "NO! No, that's not necessary."

Both of the women and Mira's father stared at her. "Hun," the father said, placing a hand on her wrist. "Sit back down."

She sighed and did as he said. "It's not necessary," she said again. "I'll have a talk with Mira, and we can just forget this ever happened."

The sisters glanced at each other before nodding in sync. "You have a week. If Mira is not better by then, we will have to take her to the church to find out what's going on."

"Yes, of course," the mother said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Nothing to worry about."

As they all stood up, Mira dashed quickly back down the corridor and to the back door that led out into the garden. Rain pelted her cloak and she dashed to the edge of the farm and climbed over the fencepost. She headed into the protective cover of the trees and ran, trying to keep from letting her tears stream down her face.

Mira didn't bother yelling for Tajo. She had no way of knowing if he'd respond to her or if he was even nearby. So she just sank to her knees next to a tree and curled up in her cloak. She closed her eyes, trying to wish the world away. And for an unknown amount of time, she was wrapped in the darkness behind her eyelids, dreaming of something different than where she was right now.

She was shocked back into reality by the feeling of a hand touching her shoulder. Mira's eyes flew open and she looked up to see Tajo kneeling down next to her. The rain had stopped, but his mask was still dripping with water droplets that sparkled in the sunlight peeking through the trees.

"Mira," he said, his voice calm. "What's the matter?"

No words came to her tongue and she threw herself into Tajo's arms, clinging tightly to him, holding on to the cloth of his clothes and cloak. He was frozen at first, not sure what to do with her crying against him, but slowly, he wrapped his arms around her and held her.

Only warmth came from his embrace, and she was able to catch her breath and relax there. Mira looked up at him, but he was looking elsewhere.

"Tajo?"

He looked at her, and Mira flinched. "Yes?"

She sighed and relaxed again. "Your hugs are very warm."