My Heart Gone Missing (Howl's Moving Castle)

Chapter 7

You looked down and saw that the invisibility was wearing off. Whoops, you forgot about that. You identified the closest window and threw yourself out of it. The window shattered with a smash and you fell onto the hard ground outside. You didn't waste any time and sprinted away from the house. You ended up in the middle of the Waste, but luckily for you, you knew some of the landmarks and could find your way back home.

The wind screeched past you and you ducked your head in an attempt to shield your face from the prickling wind. You risked glancing behind you to see if you were being followed, and to your relief, you weren't. It was just you, the wind, and the Waste. You frowned at the sun, it was a little too late for your liking. It would be sunset in an hour, so you hoped that you'd make it back home in time.

"Ugh!" you shouted up to the sky and then kicked a stray rock. "That was a dumb plan! There were so many holes!" you berated yourself and threw your hands up into the air. "Maybe Marius is right." You grumbled and shoved your hands into your pockets, "this is hopeless."

This continued for quite awhile. You trudging your way through the waste and shouting at yourself all the way. "In what universe would that plan have worked?" you shouted to yourself, "how was I supposed to find it? What if he didn't have it? What if it's not a spell?" you let out a dry laugh, "who in their right mind would leave a spell dictating how to turn into a bird lying around?"

"You seem rather upset." A voice mused beside you.

"Gah!" you shrieked and nearly punched the owner of the voice. You would've, if you had better aim. You placed a hand over your rapidly thumping heart, and silently yelled at yourself again. 'What have you done? It's Howl!' Said person looked at you in both an amused and upset way.

"Would you care to elaborate on what has made you upset?" he asked.

You stopped walking to avoid leading him straight to your house. 'Maybe he hasn't figured out that I broke into his house?' you thought. "It's nothing." You waved a hand.

"You're rather far from the town." He observed.

"Oh, uh, I guess." You shrugged.

"Hmm, you wouldn't have happened to pass by a house, would you?" he asked, "it was broken into very recently."

"No." You replied immediately and looked to the side to avoid looking into his own.

"Are you sure?" he probed.

"Yes."

"I find that improbable." He frowned, "you've been ranting about something peculiar for quite awhile." You cursed at yourself. Were you really that loud? "What business do you have with a spell like that?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." You tried to answer haughtily but tripped over your words.

"What business do you have with a spell that will turn you into a bird?" he enunciated slowly.

"No." You replied. You then furrowed your brows at the word that had spilled out of your mouth. Howl too looked confused at what you had said.

"What?"

"I said no. I don't have any business. That you need. That we're talking about. I don't know what you're talking about." You stumbled over your words again and fought the embarrassment that was threatening to consume you. You wished you could do that invisibility spell again. That'd be helpful.

"I still find that improbable."

You crossed your arms and turned to face him, "that sounds like a you problem."

"You know, I'm a wizard." You fought the urge to give him a biting remark about your childhood days, "I might be able to help you."

You were taken aback and stared at him like a fish out of water, "I, uh, what?"

"You could tell me about the business you have with the spell." He sternly looked down at you, "that's dangerous stuff you want to mess with. Only a certified wizard or witch can do a spell like that."

"Then why are you helping me?" you couldn't help the question from spilling out of your lips. This was the perfect opportunity for you.

"I'm bored." Was his simple reply.

"Wow, you make me feel so good about myself." You turned away from him and muttered under your breath.

"I'll ask it again. What business do you have with a spell to turn you into a bird." He looked at you with intense blue eyes that almost made you want to turn into a plant and wither away in the Waste.

"You just look so cool as a bird and I wanted to do it as well because there's a war coming and I just want to go and do something because I've done nothing since I've graduated from the Academy and I may have just made a deal with a water demon and it was sort of spur of the moment I mean nothing!" you clapped your hands over your mouth. You didn't mean to tell Howl everything, but it didn't seem like he was making you say anything either. The words seemed to have a mind of their own and wanted to be heard.

Howl raised a blond eyebrow in suspicion, "right." He nodded slowly. "Guess I'll just let you do your thing then."

"Yeah. Do that." You nodded. This was your chance to get away without any serious repercussions. You were determined to not let this chance slip.

He gave you another suspicious look and disappeared. You frantically looked around, as far as you knew, there was no teleportation spell. "Maybe he's invented another spell. One that teleports." You sighed, "guess you don't remember me at all. Howl."