The Tales of Robin Hood

Chapter Six - William

I heard my two friends, Nick and Ross, stop behind me as I stared accusingly at the boy in front of me.  His face was blocked by the hood, but I could tell that it was the guy who had been stealing from everybody.  He left the arrow in the wall, but that was the only giveaway.  I hadn't heard of him wearing a cloak before.  He took a couple steps back and stopped when he hit the wall behind him and looked back up at me, or at least I think he did.  I wish he'd take off that damn hood and show his face.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You don't remember me?" Wait, that voice sounded oddly familiar...and it sure as hell sounded like a girl.

He raised his hands and slowly took off the hood, and when he did I took a step back.

It was the girl from the woods.  Robin.  She's been the one stealing!  But, everyone said it was a boy.

I could tell both my friends were confused without looking at them, and I couldn't help but feel the same.

"Songbird?" I asked. "I—I thought the thief was a boy."

She ignored me. "How'd you know it was me?"

"Yeah," I heard Ross say. "The one in your house was a boy, wasn't wearing a cloak either."

"Yes he was," I said, turning to look at both of them. "Or, she.  She didn't look any different."

"What are you talking about?" I turned back to her confused face. "I disguised myself; no one should've been able to recognize me."

"Well, I didn't know it was you," Nick said from behind me.

"Me neither," Ross agreed.

"What?" I asked, looking back and forth between the three. "But—she looks exactly the same!"

Robin tilted her head quizzically and took a step forward, then raised the hood on her cloak, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.  When she opened them, she looked up to me and asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"

"The same," I said slowly.

She turned to Nick and Ross. "And you?"

"This is freaky," Ross said.

"Yeah," Nick agreed. "You look just like him!"

"Just like who?" I asked.

"You," they all replied at once.

"That's not possible," I said. "And why wouldn't I see it?"

Robin lowered her hood and looked up at me, deep in thought. "You seem to be immune...but how?"

"Immune to what?" I asked.

Her eyes widened. "I've said too much."

"To me, you haven't said nearly enough," I said, grabbing her by the arm when she tried to turn and leave.  She winced under my firm grasp, and for some reason I wanted to let her go, but the part of my brain screaming at me to get answers won.  I held tight.

"Let me go," I heard her mumble.

"Answer me, then," I said.

She looked around, and then pushed my hand away. "Not here."

With that she sped off down the alley and we ran to catch up, finally racing behind her when we got to the edge of the woods.  We loped beside her for quite some time after, and we only stopped when she halted outside of a cave.  Wait, the cave I first met her at.

"Come on, we can talk inside," she said, heading for the opening.  I watched as she walked inside and—disappeared.  My mouth remained agape as I slowly followed her inside, and was met by the least cave-like thing I could imagine.  Clothes scattered, a desk and bed, books.  I was not expecting this at all.