'Til Death We'll Be Freezing

Chapter 5 - "I Know I'm Young, But My Mind Is Well Beyond My Years"

❄️Song to listen to while reading❄️: "Greensleeves (Interlude)" -Pentatonix
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Sunlight streamed through the small bedroom window, casting a warm glow over Maylin as she woke from a fitful sleep. Memories of the previous night flooded back to her, each one weighed down with regret, and her heart sank with the weight of it all.

A part of Maylin yearned to stay beneath her blankets, to let the day slip away in a haze of dreams and comfort. Unfortunately for her, that part didn't win very often, so with a sigh Maylin sluggishly crawled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Slowly Maylin stepped into the shower, the cascade of hot water enveloping her like a blanket, momentarily making her forget her worries.

For a moment, it made everything seem okay.

After a few minutes, Maylin turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping herself in a towel. The steam hung in the air, blurring her mirror. Even through the fog she could see the tiredness in her eyes and the sadness that came along with it.

Dressing in what she affectionately her "human clothes," thoughts of Bernard tempted to make their way into Maylin's mind. Today was supposed to be a better day than the last; she refused to let him taint it.

In the shower, she had carefully crafted out her perfect day. She would spend it in Illinois where she would window shop, maybe grab some lunch, and just hang out. Afterwards, she would come back home to a warm shower, a warm fireplace, and a cozy book. The perfect day, free from the turmoil of her emotions.

Before she teleported back to Lakeside, Illinois, she did a double check to make sure she had everything she needed for the day to come. Very quickly it came to Maylin's realization that she didn't have her satchel, though no matter how hard Maylin searched her tiny cottage, her satchel was nowhere to be found.

That's when the memory hit her like a truck. In her rush to escape the night before, she had completely forgotten her satchel and her dress.

Gingersnaps. Maylin swore under her breath. So much for a perfect day. She knew in her mind she had to go and retrieve it. This will be a quick detour. She promised to herself, determined. No one will even see me! It'll be like I was never there.

As Maylin prepared to teleport, she felt the familiar magic coursing through her veins. Picturing the workshop in her mind, tingles spread through her body as everything swirled around her in a kaleidoscope of colors.

One especially crucial detail had escaped her mind: she had no clue how to navigate the workshop.

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As her figure appeared in the workshop, Maylin hurriedly ducked behind a candy cane reminiscent pillar. What was I thinking? Maylin cursed herself. I don't know my way around here.

While determining her next course of action, a small cart passed by, drawn by an elf wearing a strange apron. Maylin watched it with a strong curiosity then decided to follow.

The elf and its cart led her down a hallway she vaguely recognized, one she'd walked down just the night before. She crept along, passing rooms with odd names– rooms whose purposes she couldn't even begin to imagine. Her attention drifted, distracted by the whimsical and magical nature of the workshop.

Without warning Maylin collided with a solid figure. The impact sent her sprawling onto the floor.

"Oh!" The figure exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

Looking up, Maylin was met with the last person she expected: The Tooth Fairy.

"I... uh... I think so." she stammered.