Do You Believe In Fairy Tales?

5. Jovial Josie

Mrs. Gothel loomed over me with a sardonic smile stretched so wide, her youthful face wrinkled. Where her hands used to be, now rested a fresh pair of razor-sharp claws. She stepped forward and studied my face attentively, her eyes flashing bright green in the light. 

As she circled me, her scaly tale brushed my legs. On instinct, I stepped back. But as soon as my bare foot touched the ground, a claw grasped my shoulders, the nails poking hard enough to draw blood. Mrs. Gothel turned me around with a vast velocity, still smiling. My heart was beating overtime in my chest, why didn't she say anything? My hands were shaking uncontrollably and my stomach clenched. Why was that expression on her face so familiar, it felt like I'd seen it before. Mrs. Radley seemed fascinated with the trickle of blood running down my chest. 

The light was dim and the air surrounding us was misty. I had to squint my eyes in order to make out her features but when I did, I gasped. They were animal-like. My head spun as I inspected her elongated snout, covered in scales, reminding me of a dragon. Her eyes were still green, but they had an unnatural hue in them. Mrs. Gothel kept mutating in front of my eyes and I stood there, frozen. 

My muscles cramped painfully. Before me stood now a beast, a creature so dark and ominous my legs jumped out of their frozen state and started running. Only I wasn't' running, I was swimming. The air around and beneath me had turned into icy water as I writhed in anguish. The creature was floating above me, flapping its wings with powerful strokes. Fire hatched from its nostrils, it hit a spot of water not far from me. Big black spots fluttered in front of my view but by the time I realised they weren't ash I was already losing consciousness. My muscles lost the fight against the water as the weight of my soaked clothes became too much and I sank. I sank, weirdly aware of the skin gliding against my skin yet not feeling the wetness. Panic built up in my chest. My body fell under the darkness of a cruel sea, disappearing from a life it hadn't lived.

My chest heaved heavily when I searched my surroundings while feeling the softness of the dirty mattress under my fingertips. The dampness of my clothes shot a new flash of fear through me. For a moment, I thought the nightmare had been reality. Pascal's nose poking in my leg assured me I hadn't been drowning under the eye of Mrs. Gothel. But the heavy feeling on my shoulders didn't disappear until Josie's manicured hand found mine.

"Are you okay?" She asked, a concerned frown etched on her face.

I swallowed the clump in my throat before answering and nodded in assurance. "I'm fine. Just a nightmare."

Josie squeezed my shoulder and stood up. She stretched her arms and back, yawning loudly. "Tell you what, I'll go get us some food since you can't really go out right now. Sound good?"

I was apprehensive to be alone again but nodded when my stomach grumbled loudly. Seems like food was in its place at the moment. A glance at Pascal reminded me of the dog food I'd packed with me. Without another word, Josie left. As I fed my dog, I inspected the destroyed home around me. My chest was heavy with grief for Josie.

When she'd told me about her history here, about her family living here, she'd sounded nostalgic but at peace. She had been happy here. It was sad that she'd lost that joy along the way.

Josie reminded me of Anastasia, how she too had lost some of the spark she possessed when she was younger. Thanks to Mrs. Gothel she no longer was the kid who designed personal dresses for all her dolls. Now, she was an adult who got scolded at by her mother for being pregnant. Although Josie's sadness was more painful, Anastasia's would have to endure this suppression for so long. Josie's pain would lessen over time. It would become more bearable. In Anastasia's case, her mother would always be there, whispering harsh words in her ear. I could have been like that too. If I hadn't left now, I wouldn't ever have. Mrs. Gothel would have me under her spell as well. Pride swelled up in my chest, I had been strong enough to run. She couldn't get to me anymore. I wasn't immune to her poison yet but I was actively looking for an antidote and that, in itself was a victory already. There and then, I decided I would never fall under her hold again. My determination swelled when I pinched a strand of purple hair between my thumb and pointer finger. An exited smile lit up my face. It was a small revolution, but I was going to fight with everything I had.

I scratched Pascal's ears. "We're not going to be afraid anymore, buddy."

There was no clock in the pledge but when the shadows moved to another wall, I realised something was wrong. I was worried about Josie. She was the mayor's daughter, I doubted anything bad happened to her. The whole town was probably looking out for her. Then again, enemies of the mayor would target her first. Images of Josie receiving blow after blow filled my mind. The room was silent except for the sound of my foot tapping impatiently against the concrete floor.

I lost it when the sun dropped from my sight. Stuffing my backpack under a lone cupboard, I grasped Pascal's leach and turned to leave. Just when Josie appeared in the hallway. As soon as Josie saw me, panic filled her eyes. She pushed me back by my shoulders. "Where you seriously leaving?" She asked.

Shrugging, I complied under her force and sat down on the ground. "You stayed gone for so long, I got worried."

Josie sat down next to me and pulled forth a plastic bag filled with Tupperware boxes. "Well, at the moment, the town is swarming with cops. Though we can eat our way through the time with the amount of food I brought." She handed me a box filled with lasagne and a fork. I didn't wait a second before attacking the dish.

Josie herself, grabbed a burrito and munched on it quietly. "So, you're eighteen, right?" She asked, stretching her legs out in front of her.

"As of yesterday." I managed to retaliate in between bites.

Eyes wide, Josie scooted closer to me as she stretched her arms out. "Happy birthday, Radley!" She hollered with glee. She closed her arms around me and I let myself sink in it. For some reason, I felt comfortable in her arms. Josie felt familiar, like family.

We were compelled to withdraw when the filling poured out of her burrito on my back. Out of her pocket Josie pulled a match box, pulling a single match out. It burned on the first try. She spotted a genuine smile as she chirped: "Make a wish, princess."

Surprised at her excited outburst but grateful for the gesture, I closed my eyes and confessed. "I really want to go to the festival."

The slap, delivered to my shoulder urged me to open my eyes. "You aren't supposed to say it out loud. Now your wish won't come true."

Josie looked disappointed, she pouted and scrunched her eyebrows in anger. But then she smiled deviously, her face screaming mischief. The image of an eight-year old Anastasia flashed before me, I offered Josie a wry smile in response.

She grabbed my hands. "Luckily, I know how to get your ass to the festival."

[PI