I'm Hollie

Revelations

My hair was tightly curled, red locks tipped with white that bounced with each bobbing breeze sent my way.  The meadow was wide, the flora was plentiful but no other creature was found.  The flowers were my only company, and they kept well.  They spoke of romance, their fragrance captivating and their appearance beautiful unlike I ever was.

Then she appeared so suddenly, her large green eyes made my dress seem so dim.  Her face was locked in a smile, brightening up everything around me but I had never felt more submerged into darkness.  Who was she?  Who is she?

“I’m Hollie.”  She commented.  Her twisted smile dug into my skin and sent needles into my brain.

“That’s impossible.”  I stammered.  Our voices were so similar it was unbelievable.  “I’m Hollie.”

 “Oh.”  She said, mood unchanging.  “We have the same name.”

Her voice was as gleeful as mine always was.

My amethyst eyes twinkled in fear as she inched closer.  I could not explain the impending doom I felt near her.  She made me uncomfortable and I wanted her gone.

The breeze continued teasing our curly red tresses and rippling the fabric of our dresses with each second she stepped closer to me.

“Why don’t you play with me, Hollie?”  She asked innocently, smiling.

“I cannot.”  I explained.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know.”

…I don’t know…

…I don’t know…

I awoke with a jolt, chest heaving as always.  I turned towards the mirror.  My hair was a mess, the usual bi-colored curled locks instead being knotted and tossed every which way.

What time is it?  Oh, I bet it’s time for me to wake up!  Eleanore will be so happy to see me, I bet!  Another day means another great time to be had with friends!  I throw my legs over the side of the bed and dash towards the mirror.  What a mess I am!

‘What a mess you are, Hollie.’

I giggle at the words.  It was true.

I run the brush through my hair excitedly, containing my desire to skip around as I did so.  I wanted so badly to run downstairs and greet my best friend!  When I was through, I slammed the brush down and swung the door open.  I quickly dashed to see her.

“Eleanore!”  I exclaimed, waving as I practically jumped down the stairs.

“Hollie?”  She yawned out.

“Why did Eleanore not get any sleep?  That’s silly of you!”  I laughed, dashing to the counter and touching her nose gently.

“I’m far too busy to sleep, Hollie…“ Eleanore explained to me, gently grabbing onto my small hand and moving it downwards to rest on the countertop.

“That’s too bad!”  I chirped, skipping around the room and then humming to myself.

“Could you please leave, Hollie?  I don’t want you scaring away any potential customers.”  Eleanore uttered out quietly, looking down at the countertop as she spoke.  My skipping halted abruptly and I turned towards her, and nodded.

“Of course.”

When I spoke those two words, Eleanore seemed shocked.  Her turquoise colored eyes trailed up to me with a look of fierce contempt.  Or maybe not.  I was never good at reading faces.

And so we just stood there, eyes locked in an awkward silence that seemed like it would never break.

‘She’s right, Hollie.’

“What?”  I ask aloud, which only deepens the look of concern on my friend’s face.

‘You’re weird.  Nobody understands you.”

“Hollie, forget it, you don’t have to leave, I’m sorry.  Come here and you can run the counter with me.”  Eleanore speaks out loudly, but I don’t care.

“Do you understand me?”  I ask Eleanore.  Her mouth hangs open a second, and her nervous movements become slightly more collected as she looks down, smiling.

“People can’t understand each other completely, dear.  We’re all too complex and different.”  Eleanore informed, pushing her glasses further up.

‘Don’t listen to her.  She’s covering you.’

‘Go.’

‘She doesn’t want you here, after all, you’re a monster.’

“How?”  I ask.

Eleanore brings her hand up to the bridge of her nose and pinches it, head tilted forward so her long dark red locks fall over her shoulders and hides her face from my view.

‘GO’

I stumble backwards, grasping onto the handrail of the stairway for support and manage my way up the steps.  When I find myself in my bedroom, I collapse onto the soft mattress and breathe in the scent of clean sheets.

Then I see a field full of flowers.

My body rests on a bench, vines twisted and bending up the railings making it look like a piece of art.  I look to the side and see the young girl again, eyes gleaming up at me once again.  The shadows that make up her features seem more intimidating and fierce than before.  The amber rays emanating off the now setting sun in the distance darkens her colors.

“Hello, Hollie.  You’re back.”  She whispers.  “It’s awfully late now.”

“Who are you?”  I ask one more time.

All at once her body is sent into wracking sobs, her small claws digging into the fine wood of the bench.  Her mouth quivers and I see the first tear threaten to fall.  It peeks out from under her eye, slipping soundlessly down her face and onto the fabric of her green dress.

“I’m HOLLIE!”  She shouts, voice desperate and sorrowful.

“That’s impossible.”  I repeat once again.

The pain in her eyes is unlike any pain I’ve ever seen before.  Then vines begin twisting their way up the bench, wrapping around her short legs.

“I’m Hollie.”  I say.

The vines consume her, and the last bit of light in my dream fades away until I am lost in inky darkness.