Twisted Wishes - When Fairytale Dreams Turn Dark

Chapter 3: Lost in Everspell

My senses wake up first. I hear birds chirping and the rustle of leaves. Beneath me I feel the soft grass and the scent of flowers fill my nostrils.

I open my eyes and then close them again.

I am no longer at the orphanage. I'm lying on soft green grass which is crazy, because it's the dead of winter.

I carefully open my eyes and pull myself up.

The trees are close together and shine like stars which is ridiculous because trees cannot shine. My shoes sink slightly into the grass so long it caresses my ankles.

Where the hell am I?

And how do I get here?

My head is still spinning a bit which makes me stagger. I lean against a tree for support but a loud scream makes me jump away from it.

A bird pecks at me and then flies away.

My breathing quickens and I start to walk, looking for a way out. But it makes no sense, every tree looks alike.

The sky is blindingly blue and the clouds have the perfect shape as you see in drawings.

A figure walks in the distance and I am so happy to see civilization that I don't think before I approach him.

"Hey you there!"

I raise my hand and wave frantically to get his attention. The closer I get, the smaller the figure appears to be.

Then I'm standing in front of a boy who can't be older than 14.

He grins his white teeth wide and waves at me. The gold on his wrist catches the light.

"Hi. What can I do for you?" His voice is high and fits perfectly with his farm boy appearance.

His dark curls fall in front of his eyes and he brushes them away a little embarrassed.

"Where am I?" I don't care if I sound rude, what I do care is where I am and how I get out of here.

The boy arranges the blocks of wood in his arms and gestures around him. "You're in Everspell."

My eyebrows disappear into my hairline. I think of all the countries I know and Everspell doesn't look familiar at all.

The boy holds out his hand and shakes mine enthusiastically. "I'm Hansel."

I blink.

There's an expectant look on his face and I realize he's waiting for my name.

"Evangeline," I say a little awkwardly.

Hans nods and grabs the wood better. "What a beautiful name." Then he turns and walks away.

"Hansel!"

Hans gives me a questioning look and I bump towards him.

My hands are clammy and I hear my heart pounding in my ears. "Do you know how I get back home?"

"Where do you come from?"

I bite my lower lip. "Willowbrook Orphanage."

His gaze remains blank. "No idea what that is."

I sigh. Disappointment overtakes me and I have to do my best not to burst into tears in front of Hans.

"Maybe mom and dad know where that is, otherwise we probably have a map you can use." 

Hansel starts walking again and this time I follow him.

He seems to know what he's doing. The way I paraded through the woods like a headless chicken, it looks like he knows every step he takes well.

Like he's been doing this all his life.

It takes us four thousand three hundred and nineteen steps to stand in front of the house where 

Hansel apparently lives.

He tries to open the door but fails so I help him.

He smiles gratefully at me.

Then he shouts that he is home and throws the logs into the hearth.

A man enters the room and I immediately see where Hans got his curls from.

"Hansel, who did you bring with you?" the man asks with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Hansel introduces me and then disappears up the attic stairs. In his way he makes straw fly around.

I stand awkwardly. Then I'll just do what I came for and ask Hans' father about the orphanage. 

But it does not occur to him either.

"Do you have a map I can look at?"

The man looks me up and down and rubs his hand through his hair. A heavy sigh escapes him and he rips open the lid of a box and then thrusts a piece of yellowed paper into my hands.

Just then, someone runs down the stairs and bumps right into my back. I stumble forward and just manage to keep my balance, but my assailant is less fortunate and with a cry he falls to the ground.

"Gareth!" The man pulls the boy up by the arm and drags him in front of my feet. "Say sorry."

"Oh, but you don't have to-"

But the father doesn't listen to me at all. He shakes the boy wildly and points a piercing finger at me. "Apologies. To. Her!"

Gareth stutters a bit and then looks at me with fear in his eyes. "I-I'm so sorry miss."

I smile and hope it doesn't look as anxious as he feels.

As soon as the man releases Gareth, the boy shoots away.

I thank the man and just like the kid I flee. A restless knock presses against the back of my head, but I ignore the guilt as I open the card.

The names are not familiar to me at all and that makes me even more restless.

Something isn't quite right here.

Then I'll just do what I started. I start walking.

I have no idea where to go but I do know it's better to keep moving.

As the sun goes down my legs start to sour and I still haven't eaten anything.

I give up hope.

I even stopped counting.

Just when I'm about to die of hunger I see a stone house sticking out between the leaves. I drag myself over and knock on the door.

The door squeaks open and a girl stares at me. Her hair is like spun gold and falls over her shoulders.

And behind her are three tall, broad men.