One Shot Collections

Ubiquitous

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The long way around from the school to her house wasn't a common trip for Alice. However, she considered this a much more scenic route, and the girl strangely felt pulled towards it.

Alice slowly walked out of the narrow back road that connected the school to another dirt path. It had been a while since she'd visited here, but back then it had been not too pleasing to the eye. Alice's eyes widened as she looked around the clearing.

Gone were the dead leaves and shriveled plants, and it their places were beautiful flowers and bright fall leaves. A gentle breeze swept another round of leaves to the ground. The air smelled fresher, as if someone had sucked all the foul air out and all that was left was the clean smell of nature.

Alice looked around her in wonder as she started walking along the dirt path. The path itself hadn't changed, while everything around it seemed to have taken a whole new appearance.

It wasn't until Alice noticed her surroundings change that she realized that this wasn't the way home. Thinking that she'd probably veered off the dirt path, the girl was surprised to find herself still on the path.

It was subtle but Alice could sense it--something was different but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She stopped and looked around cautiously. The trees were still rustling in the wind, still bright. Alice shrugged and continued walking.

"Fancy seeing you here," An unknown voice called from her left, making Alice jump.

Her head whipped to where the voice seemed to have came from only to find an empty rustle of the wind.

"Not there, over here."

The girl caught a glimpse of a figure with light hair lithely moving through the trees.

Frustrated, Alice narrowed her eyes as she slowly looked around her. An unusual shadow caught her eye at the base of a willow tree.

Gotcha.

Without hesitation the girl ran towards the tree. Alice's subconscious noted that the color were unnaturally blurring faster around her.

Finally, Alice reached for what seemed like the figure's sleeve.

What happened next was not expected. A buzzing hue filled the air around both of them and the last thing on Alice's mind as she felt like peacefully melting, was that the figure was staring at her with curious blue eyes.

• • •

With a uncomfortable groan, Alice untangled herself. Strangely she found herself on cobblestone rather than dirt. It was only then that she realized someone was hovering over her.

Slowly Alice raised her head and jumped slightly. A boy about her age was staring down at her with a puzzled look. She blinked back slowly.

"Uh, hi?" The boy blinked, as if waking from a trance. Noting Alice's words, he smiled.

"Hi," he paused, before a mischievous look came to his features as he glanced down at her. "Follow me."

Without giving her a chance reply, he grabbed her wrist and tugged her with him.

Although Alice was too shocked for words, she managed a few looks at herself and almost tripped over her feet.

Her blue school uniform was no more, and in it's place was a whole new outfit. She wore a loose mauve sundress fitted with shoes that did not seem to fit into the category of her running condition at the moment.

As he pulled her along, Alice looked at her surroundings mindlessly. It was similar to where she remembered before coming here; fresh air, bright fall leaves, and a sort of mystic feel.

She was so lost in her thoughts that Alice had to stop herself from tumbling into the boy in front of her.

Side by side, the two stood at the beginning of what seemed to be a whole new forest. The orange and red leaves slowly seemed to blend into the lush green of the full trees and Alice could almost make out an opening somewhere far that led to a field of color.

"C'mon," he boy said and continued to tug her along.

Without her knowing, Alice was smiling and laughing as she followed the boy through the forest. Maybe it was her imagination, or just small twigs, but Alice could swear she felt small gentle wings and giggles tickle her cheeks.

Soon enough the two reached the end of the forest and arrived at a beautiful, endless field of flowers.

The boy turned towards her with excitement in his eyes. And it almost seemed like the first time Alice had taken a good look at him. The bright blue eyes held the depths of oceans and she couldn't help but be drawn to his smile.

When Alice followed him through the field, laughing, running, she felt free. Free, as if she could go anywhere here without boundaries.

As the two stopped, Alice glanced at him. They were sitting at the base of a tree.

"What's you name?" Alice asked the boy.

He looked back at her and then returned his gaze to the field around them.

Without replying, he tugged her up and started to lead her back to the forest. "I'll tell you...soon."

Alice looked at him with an amused look but didn't comment and just let him lead her once again through the thick trees. If she squinted, she could almost see small tiny vertically placed flats of wood that almost looked like doors. Or maybe it was just her mind playing tricks.

Too soon they neared the end, and the boy stopped.

With a mischievous grin, he leaned in and whispered,

"William Norson."

And that was the last thing she heard before his smiling face blurred.

• • •

A bright light blinded Alice as she struggled to sit up.

"You're awake."

She looked over to see her friend looking at her with a concerned look.

"I...where--"

"You were out for two weeks." At that, Alice gawked. But what about...

She looked down at her clothes. Of course, they were hospital gowns.

"Someone found you out cold by the entrance to the old woods."

When Alice asked for the clothes she was wearing, to her disappointment, they were just normal clothes. No sun dress.

"Oh right, I almost forgot." Her friend handed her a small bundle of flowers.

They almost seemed to glow, and a handkerchief was stuck between the petals.

Barely breathing, she took it out. "Who's it from?"

Her friend shrugged. "Dunno. It just appeared one night."

Alice stared down at the handkerchief, that had someone's initials stitched in golden thread.

W.L.N

William Norson.