☕️ Paper and Joy 🕯️

Chapter 8: Covered in Thorns

Where am I?

I was walking in a familiar forest, in fact the forest I've grown to know for my whole life. The forest near my father's house.

I'd had this dream before. Me in my ragged white nightgown that is now somewhere in Lily's house being fixed and a distant barking dog. The fear prickling on the back of my neck in hairs as I realize where I am.

Although this time, I was alone. There was no chase making my already dirty feet dirtier. No loud man's howl. No hopeless future. But this version of my forest is was darker. Shadows creeping in the corner of my eyes taking hold of the growth around me, suddenly becoming vile and poisonous.

I turn around in confusion and notice a small earthy bud on the ground ready to explode in full bloom. But something was holding it back. Thorns caressed the skin of the bud almost comforting it in a threatening way. Guarding it from outward light, piercing the life around it. And the bud looked trapped, crying in shame and fear. Even though it was just a bud, it gave me a story.

I was still as I gazed at it as if waiting for something to happen. The dampness of the humidity grabbed the ends of my curls making them drip. Then the thorny vines began to move. Spiraling out of control. Aiming at random and cutting at the thick air. But then they stopped and came after me.

They jolted, almost instantly piercing my skin, ripping my gown into the shreds it was already in.

I stumbled to the mossy floor, attempting to get up and run away. My hands were scraped by the sharp rocks beneath my palms. My vision blurry.

I struggled, what is this thing?

And suddenly with pain so severe I forgot to breath, the largest thorny vine pierced my heart.

...

"Oh!" I sat up in my bed with the quickest jump. My heart was in my head beating a drum. I was frazzled. That was a dream?

I tried to control my breathing, my heavy heart heaving as sweat dripped down my pale face, cold.

What day is it?

Oh my God!

I quickly sprang out of my warm oven of a bed and was shocked by the chilly morning.

Uh oh, I stood up too quickly.

Thump!

...

"Tiana," ???

Huh?

"TIANA! Get up will you, we're going to be late!"

"Lily?" I pawed at the blurry mirage in front of me.

"Tiana get up!" Lily grabbed my fresh nightgown and jolted me up, a struggling cry in her voice, "come on sleepy head."

"Lily... what time is it..?" My head lolled back in her grasp on my nightgown. I let out an incomprehensible noise.

"It's time for school, Tiana!" she yelled at me with a threatening tone, anger edging her voice, "You don't wanna miss your first day."

"First day of wha...?" I said sleepily trying to get loose from her firm grip. And then I realized. I opened my eyes wider this time and stared into her shiny emerald gaze. Her worried look gave me the exact knowledge I had forgotten about. Today was my first day of school, and I slept in!