Hidden World

Chapter V - Spring is here

------- 4 months later -------

As the snow slowly melted and the seasons changed, time passed quickly. It's been nearly 4 months since she moved back to her hometown of Aramore, a name that seemed taken out of the books of a fairy tale, but it was not even near that.

In the first month she was obsessed with the 4 pages that were unveiled in the book. But slowly she lost interest as nothing really happened anymore. Her life seemed to get back to normal and as soon as the warm spring winds and sun brough the earth back to life, she started to feel at home here. She found peace in the quiet place and now she could name some familiar places. Elizabeth, the girl from the Misty Dream Café already knew her daily order. Sebastian was a bartender at the local Pub where she and Eliseea spent most Friday evenings. Rob was the old postman that brought all her book orders.

She warmed up to the town and it seemed like the town also welcomed her with open arms. Unfortunately, grief stuck everyone as two more people went missing in February.

It was early in the morning when Rosemarie entered the Café, welcomed by Elizabeth's smile. "Morning! As usual? To go?" the girl from behind the counter said.

Rose smiled back "Of course." She said and handed her the money before waving at Sebastian that was sitting at one of the tables. The man was way taller than her. His dark hair had slight tints of blue and his eyes were as black as charcoal. She took her coffee and walked to his table.

"Day off?" she asked knowing that 9 AM was not an usual time for him.

"Week off" he said and threw her a charming smile. From the moment they met, he seemed oddly familiar to her but at the same time whenever she looked at him her every inch of her body was sending her alarm signs to run. She did not understand why as he was well loved by the community.

"I should go open the store. I am finally over with all the madness that rearranging brought." She said and waved him a little goodbye once she realized she was late. Her plan was to open at 10 A.M. but somehow, she managed to oversleep.

She had some of those vivid dreams with the boy with red eyes again but, it's been nearly two months since that happened and surely, she already forgot about him.

She unlocked the door and entered the shop, turning the Closed sign to Open. She bought a new one and made a new schedule as well. She took a chair and blocked the door, she wanted to keep it open to let the sweet scent of spring be carried inside. A combined smell of flowers intertwined with the scent of the old books that surrounded her.

She invested a little in new furniture as well. She bought new shelves that could sustain the weight of the books. She paid some contractors to repaint the walls and the outside of the building, but she kept the poison ivy wall as she felt it gave the shop a certain rustic aspect.

She sat down but it did not take long until a headache made its apparition. She rested her elbows on her desk and hid her face between her palms.

A strong wind came from nowhere and hit her... that is when it began. She started to hear them, soft and distant whispers. The headache vanished as fast as it appeared, but they were still there. She lifted her head, looked around... there was no one.

"I ... am losing my mind." She said and just hid her face again.

"Are you alright?" a concerned familiar voice made its presence. Rose looked up only to see Eliseea's face really close to her as the other girl leaned over her desk. The blonde girl poked her friend's forehead with her finger then tilted her head in confusion. "Or you didn't sleep well?" she asked.

Rose shook her head trying to ignore the tiny voices that somehow seemed to call to her. "I was nervous about the opening." She mumbled and put on a reassuring smile. Eliseea did not seem pleased with the answer, but she knew that Rose barely spoke about her problems.