Forgotten Magic

Chapter 1

A 12 or 13 year old girl stepped into the crowded street. The hood of a mint cloak covered her hair, a strange pin holding the cloth together at her collarbone. She took a deep breath and glanced at the many people strolling down the streets as she squeezed the handle of the basket of apples she was clutching. This was it.

Why was she so nervous, you ask? Well, this was her first attempt at an honest living. Yes, she was a thief, but she didn't enjoy it. In fact, she hated it.

She wished she hadn't chosen to do this. She wanted to run off and go back to what life was before. But...she couldn't....

If you can't guess...that 'girl'...is me.

And do you know what I did? Put a smile on my face and step out into the sunlight to start what would hope to be a successful day.

As expected, everyone ignored me. Halfway through the day, I was close to giving up. I sighed, dropping into a sitting position against the side of a building. As I closed my eyes for a moment of rest, a ball of gray, black, and white fur ran by, snatching one of the apples. I scrambled to my feet and was on the point of running after the animal when someone-a person-sped by. I stumbled back, just managing to catch myself.

"Cheeky little guy, huh?" A young boy's voice laughed from behind me. I turned around to meet a pair of strikingly blue eyes and jumped. "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay," I smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem. He's been breaking into my house for quite a while." That's when I realized he was carrying a little raccoon in his arms like someone would a cat. The raccoon was nibbling on an apple.

I laughed.

"I'm starting to take a liking to him, honestly," the boy grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "My dad wouldn't be very pleased, eh?"

"No, I suppose not."

"So...what's someone like you doing out here, selling apples?" he asked conversationally.

"Oh...well...my family is quite poor and I do my best to help out..." I fibbed.

"And you are?"

"Jane."

"It's nice to meet you," the boy smiled. "I'm...Ruddiger." His pause caught me as suspicious.

"Well it's nice to meet you too."

The boy glanced at the sky, then noted "It's getting kind of late. I...have to get home" as he turned away and started down the street. He turned back, smiled again, waved, and said "See you tomorrow." Before the I had a chance to reply, he turned and ran down the path, raccoon hopping up onto his shoulders.

Despite what I'd told myself for years and years, I smiled and waved after his retreating back before turning back down the alleyway, cloak swishing behind me.

...

I can't say I expected to ever see him again. I even wanted this to be just a one time encounter. But of course, this was the one time it changed.

...

The next day, against my better judgment, I stepped back out into the street to face rejection...again.

And to my surprise, he was back.

"Hey!" As soon as his eyes landed on me, a grin crossed his face  and he waved, running over to me. He got a couple of side glances, giving me the feeling he either didn't get up much or was usually really...really quiet.

"Hi," I murmured. After a moment, I added "You actually came back."

"O-Of course. Why...why wouldn't I?" His grin dropped, but not before I noticed two buck teeth in his mouth.

"I-I dunno, I guess I just didn't...expect it. I haven't talked to a lot of people..." I looked away shyly.

"Me neither..."  he admitted.

That was when I noticed how different our approaches to this odd situation were. He was optimistic and cheerful while I just...tried to run.

"Anyways, I...assume you're new here," he stated, the smile returning to his face.

"How could you tell?" I laughed softly.

"Oh, I dunno," he replied in the same playful tone. "Maybe there aren't any other kids in this village, and maybe you're trying to sell apples at a time where any produce being sold...are usually not very fresh. Not sure if it's just me, but..."

I felt my face heat up from embarrassment. "I suppose you're right," I answered, laughing.

The raven-haired boy looked surprised, a good kind of surprised. "Well, if you'd be willing to take a break, how 'bout you let me show you around?" He raised an eyebrow in an almost mischievous manner, making me laugh.

"I suppose I could take a tiny break," I replied, feeling a small smile spread across my face. "Why not."

His face lit up. "C'mon!" He grabbed me by the hand, giving me barely enough time to set down my basket before yanking me into the crowd. I hurriedly grabbed the hood of my cloak to keep it from sliding down.

That day was wonderful. He led me from the fields to the orchards, showing me every inch of land in the village. We played together and laughed together. But all good things have to come to an end. And that end...was sunset.

"Well, I have to get home," he told me, turning to run off. "See you tomorrow!"

I smiled, waving after him. "See you tomorrow."

...

This went on for a few months. He would arrive each day, we would play in the village, and part ways every evening. But a few things never changed.

I never...took off my hood. One time, he asked me about it.

We had been sitting on a branch of an apple tree, gazing on the village below us. He had picked an apple right from the tree and was eating away at it, despite what he'd pointed out on our second meeting.

"Are you...allowed to do that?" I asked.

"Well...not really," he admitted. "But...what they don't know...can't hurt them, can it?"

I laughed. Just then, a breeze rustled the trees. It picked up the hood of my cloak and started pulling it back over my head. Right before it was too late, I grabbed it and pulled it halfway down my face.

He looked at me, mouth full of apple, and asked "Why don't you just take off the hood?"

"I-I...I can't," I answered.

He had just shrugged. "Okay then..."

And it had been forgotten.

I never shared my name, and neither did he. That was something I felt we both understood.

We saw each other only from a time around mid-day, to when the sun set. Never sooner. Never later. It was amazing, being able to count on it...that meeting. To wait until the moment he would show up and make me smile. I loved it.

But a distant part of me knew it wouldn't last.