The Wolf's Den

Path 3: Tilli, Chapter 9

        There was a door with a flower crown drawn neatly on it, and as Tilli carefully opened it, she stepped into a cemetery, frowning softly. Why were they here when it had flowers drawn on the door? Flowers grew here, yes, but that wasn't what she'd entered for. What she'd been looking for wasn't death, it was life, life was a celebration, and it could have been her siblings, as well as Miss Snow. She liked flowers, too. Above one of the shrouds sat a little boy, shivering in the cold.

        "Excuse me," Tilli said. "Can we help you? Maybe you've lost your family?"

        When he turned, he studied Tilli, meekly nodding and shivering more. Still silent, he remained still, staring at her sadly. Finally, he spoke, "You've lost people, too."

        Covering the boy in her cloak, she nodded softly, watching the boys shivering form. "Is everything alright?"

        "I lost my family, too. I can't get Mother to stop crying, and she's so sad."

        "Maybe you just need to hug her and tell her you love her. She probably wants you to come home to her, so she can know you're safe."

        "I can't sleep because I lay in water."

        "Water? Don't you have a bed to sleep in?"

        The boy shook his head. "I sleep in dirt."

        "Dirt."

        "Dirt. I've been here for a week. Mother won't stop crying."

        When she hugged the boy, he didn't feel damp, and nor did her cloak. Slept in dirt. Lay in water. The shivering. Releasing the hug, the boy looked up to her, blinking in confusion.

        "You hugged me," he said.

        "We want to help you," Heinrich said.

        "Is there a way to help you?" Tilli said.

        "I don't know."

        "Well, how about this? I'm Tilli, and this is Heinrich. Could we help you?"

        "I want Mother to stop crying. I want Mother to be alright."

        "Go to her. If you tell her you're safe, she'll feel alright again."

        "Tell her I'm safe?"

        "Yes. Maybe then she'll stop crying."

        "You promise?"

        "We promise, right, Heinrich?"

        "We promise," Heinrich said.

        "Thank you," the boy said, hugging Tilli and smiling brightly. The next moment, he was gone, and her cloak fell onto the shroud.

        Looking to Heinrich, she bit her lip slightly. Whatever had just happened, they'd helped him, hadn't they?

        "We should get going, Tilli. Gather your cloak, I get the feeling he won't need it anymore."

        Grabbing her cloak, she was mindful of Heinrich and placed it over herself, taking the door nearest the shroud, which wasn't there before, and stepped into it, Closing it behind her, she noticed the door was gone when she looked back, and found herself in another clear white room.