The Key

New start

A few days later, we were told that they would open up the portal as soon as they could but until then we were to help the village. My dad worked with the construction workers, Kyle helped the tailors, and I was assigned to working at the pharmacy. We got paid too! We used the money we earned to buy food, water, and other necessities. The dim from earlier (who introduced himself as Memzinious) ordered a tailor to make t-shirts, jeans, skirts, cardigans, overalls just for us! My dad and Kyle were just normal humans but they still had a relation to the Queen, so they had a great responsibility.

Early in the morning, during breakfast, my dad told us that he wasn't going to work today because he wasn't feeling very well. I looked up from my pancakes and met his eyes. He looked pale and like he was tired. Memzinious ordered the pharmacists to make up a concoction fit for human anatomy. My dad started getting better after he took the medicine but he was still pretty weak.

One afternoon, I went to the well to get some water for the pharmacy I work for. When I got there I stopped abruptly. Leaning against the well was what looked like a dim. He looked like he was a model, with his light brown hair falling into his electric blue eyes. He had pointy ears and was wearing clothes that looked like they came from the human world. I assumed he worked with the tailors and made his own clothes. He had a muscular build and looked like he was about 5''5, which was pretty tall compared to the rest of the villagers. He wasn't that tall compared to my own 5''2 height. I approached the well cautiously, not wanting to disturb him. Just as I was about to send the bucket down, he spoke up.

"Huh wouldn't expect a gem to be getting water from a well." He said staring at me. His voice was melodic, yet deep.

"Uh, I'm half-gem. And Memzy said we were to be treated like we were dims only because we're too human
to be considered gems." I replied.

"Memzy?

"Memzinious? Heard of him?" I asked turning my back to him and sending the bucket down the well. The water came up halfway.

" Ugh. That snob is your friend?" He said, disgust evident in his tone.

"Not really. He's kind of like a....a butler I guess?" I said tugging on the chain to pull the bucket back up.

"What's a butler?"

I turned back around with the full bucket in my hands.

"You can't be serious?"

"I am."

"Never mind. Forget it. Point is I'm not friend with Memzinious. Hey you're a dim right?" I asked squinting at him.

"What's it to you?" He snapped.

"Just asking. Jeez." I threw my hands up in defense, dropping the heavy bucket right on my foot. "Crap!" I said hopping around clutching my foot. I ended up tripping over the fallen bucket and landing in the puddle of spilled water. I glanced over at the dim who was laughing his face off, clutching his stomach.

"That.....was....HILARIOUS!!" He wheezed trying to catch his breath, but failing only to double over in laughter again, now clutching onto the rim of the well for support.

"Shut up. It wasn't that funny." I stood up, my pants a little wet. I saw the perfect opportunity for revenge. I walked up behind him, about to push him into the well, until I tripped over the bucket again, which had rolled over. The dim immediately moved out of the way and I fell in the well instead.

"AAAAAHHH! GET ME OF HERE!!! I CAN'T SWIM!!" I spluttered, coughing up water. The water was freezing! When I was able to stay afloat, I yelled up at the dim who was laughing as hard as ever, to pull the chain up. Seeing as he wasn't going to help me up, I started climbing up the chain only to fall down again because my hands slipped. I grabbed the chain and started my way up again, but then I saw the dim pulling the chain up. As soon as I was at the top, I jumped over the rim of the well, relieved when my feet touched the ground. By now I was completely soaked, my clothes clinging to my skin and my hair a damp mess. I looked up at the dim who was smirking at me.

"Uh, thanks?"

"You humans are funny."

"I'm half-human." I glared at him. I grabbed the bucket, attached it to the chain and dropped it down the well.

"Hey what's your name anyways?" I asked.

"James. Yours?" He said staring at me intently.

"Why? It's not like we're going to meet again."

"We might. Maybe tomorrow night. Meet me here at let's say, quarter to eight?" He asked, that smirk returning.

"Whatever." I said gritting my teeth. I turned and stomped away, heading back to the pharmacy.

"Wait! I didn't get your name!" He called.

When I got to the pharmacy, the lum scolded me for taking so long and for dripping water everywhere. She handed me a towel and asked why it took me forever to get water. I wrapped myself in the towel and then proceeded to tell her about James and my little swim.

"Oh no! Stay away from that boy. He's trouble. He's always going around causing mischief in the village. You're not actually considering going to meet him are you? Besides, you're here until eight, you'll be fifteen minutes late."

"Mmmm. I'm not sure. I'll have to ask my dad." Believe it or not, I actually wanted to go meet him. I don't know what he was planning, but I guess I wanted to go anyways.

That night, during dinner, I told my dad about my little encounter with James.

"Mhmm. So you want to go?" He said taking a spoonful of his salad.

"Uhmm, I-I guess so." I stammered.

"Fine. Just be back before ten m'kay?"

"Thank you daddy! I love you!" I said getting up.

"Ooooh, Tori's got a boyfriend!" Kyle teased.

"Yeah right. Real mature Kyle, reaaaaal mature." I called running up the stairs to my room. Oddly enough, I was more excited than ever. I guess all I had to do now was wait.