Wendy. (Wattys2015)

Six

When I was younger, I didn't like flowers. They always made me sneeze and reminded me of how short life was; every time I picked some for my mom, they'd die the next day.

The forget-me-nots grew all around our house, around Uncle Heath's house, and in the woods. They surrounded me wherever I was, even now as I stand in Wendy's yard.

A man in a chair looks at me through the smoke he blows out.

"What do you want?"

"Is..is Wendy here?"

His eyebrows rise, and I can see every wrinkle on his forehead. Maybe he's contemplating, or maybe he's already made up his mind, but right now i'm not sure. I wait in the silence and step off my bike.

I try to think of something to say, and suddenly my mouth feels dry but with the unmistakable taste of metal.

"Look I-"

"Wendy!" he calls. He doesn't take his eyes off of me.

The blue forget-me-nots around the yard surround me.

They surround me.

They are everywhere.

I see Wendy come out their front door, and I can't help but to think,

I hate floral. It's disgusting.

For some reason, I think i'm going to puke, and then she walks past me. The old man in the front looks at me as I follow her. I feel like a puppy, yet I follow her down the drive way, and keep my head down.

And she suddenly stops and turns. She doesn't have long hair anymore, instead it's replaced by the pixie cut that I knew all too well. I think I know her, aside from the gossip, but as she stares at me with those watery ocean eyes, I know nobody knows her. Probably not even herself.

"Why did you come to my house?"

I'm silent for a moment, and I wait for something to come. I don't want to speak, because her voice echoes. If I hear my voice, i'll ruin this. This is a the moment i've got a chance for something. This is the time to ask, the time to speak out. And so I do.

"Who are you?"

... .................................................. .....................................................

"My mom died of cancer when I was in middle school. Whenever my hair gets long enough, I cut it all off and donate it. When I was younger I didn't know that you could donate it, and i'd just cut it off and lay it on my mother's gravestone. That's why I never had long hair."

I throw a rock across the water and stick my hand in my pocket to get another one. "Then why did your dresses not fit?"

"My dad didn't work. We were poor."

She rubs her eye and turns away from me. Maybe I offended her, but then I realize I didn't when she hands me a few more rocks and goes back to rubbing her eye, opening it wide and blinking hard.

"Dust. Why do you want to know?"

"Because this town is filthy with lies."

Wendy doesn't speak for a moment. "You're not like them, so don't worry."

I freeze, a rock still in my hand in the process of throwing it. "What?"

But when I turn to face her, she's gone.