Owen and the Fairy Incident

Chapter II: The Sparrow Scouts

"Can we please go out really quick?" Hilda asked, her voice barely above a whisper, urgency creeping in.

Owen glanced around before nodding. Outside, the cool air bit at their skin, but neither of them seemed to notice. They stood there, side by side, staring into the night, with no clue about what was happening. The silence between them felt thick, like something unsaid was hanging in the air.

"Let's get straight to the point—are you a fairy?" Owen blurted out, the words tumbling out faster than he'd intended. His eyes were searching her face for some kind of denial, but he already knew the answer.

Hilda winced at the directness, rubbing her arms as if trying to ward off the chill. "Please don't tell me there's more out here than just us," she muttered, half to herself, half to him. The way she said it made Owen think she'd been carrying this secret for a while.

"Us?" Owen echoed, confused. He frowned, trying to piece together her cryptic words.

"You think I'm an orphan? No, I'm not," Hilda explained, the defensiveness in her tone catching him off guard. She sighed, realizing how harsh she sounded, then softened a bit. "And yes, I'm a fairy. Well, a quarter fairy," she admitted, like it was the first time she'd said it out loud.

Owen raised an eyebrow. "Half," he corrected, as if it were obvious, his gaze steady on her. He seemed a little too sure of this detail for someone who just learned about fairies five seconds ago.

Hilda blinked in disbelief, the weight of everything finally settling in. "I can't believe there are more of us out here—outside the fairy isle!" Her voice rose slightly, a mix of shock and excitement, but also fear. The world felt a lot bigger now. They were both still processing the revelation, the surprise evident in their wide eyes, but neither of them had the words to express what they were truly feeling.

"Well, I guess we should head back in," Owen suggested, his tone awkward, unsure of what else to do. It wasn't like talking about being a fairy was an everyday conversation.

They walked back inside, the tension following them like a shadow. The room felt warmer, but the weight of what they'd just discussed clung to them.

"So, what's the deal?" the leader asked, leaning casually against the wall, but there was a sharpness in his eyes that made it clear he knew something was up. He didn't miss much.

"Coincidence," Owen muttered, not looking up. It was a lame excuse, but it was all he could think of. Before anything else could happen, Hilda leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "If we get a choice, stick with me. I need to figure out more about this." There was an urgency in her voice, something that made Owen nod without hesitation.

He wasn't sure if he should feel scared or excited—maybe both. The situation was strange, way too strange to wrap his head around, but before he could dwell on it, the leader spoke up again, pulling everyone's attention back.

"That was odd," the leader remarked, his gaze lingering on them for a moment longer than comfortable. "But let's move on. Owen, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" His tone was casual, but Owen knew it wasn't really a request.

He stepped forward, his feet dragging a little. Facing the group, he felt a strange mix of nerves and indifference. "My name's Owen. I'm 14, tall as hell, and I used to live in Tofoten." He paused, wondering how much to share, then shrugged. "I moved here yesterday, signed up for Sparrow Scouts, and yeah... immediately had an awkward moment with a girl." A few chuckles rippled through the group, easing the tension. "Anyway, I live with my uncle and aunt, blah blah blah." He waved his hand dismissively, like it wasn't worth going into more detail.

An awkward silence filled the room, heavier this time. Someone in the back, who clearly wasn't picking up on the mood, broke it: "Why don't you live with your parents—"