Ghost Orchids

Chapter 1: Happy Anniversary

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Can I open them yet?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, not yet! That would ruin the surprise, and we wouldn't want that, would we?" Terrence tugged gently at the girl's hand, carefully leading her behind him. He had asked her to close her eyes and follow him to someplace special, and despite her initial concerns, she finally agreed to go along with his games. The two of them had been dating for exactly five years now, and he always went all out for their anniversary. This time, though, he felt he had really outdone himself.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Alright," he announced proudly, coming to a sudden halt. "Now you can open them."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Claire slowly blinked open her forest green eyes, taking in the sights around her. The two of them stood at the bank of an enormous lake that reflected a perfect mirror image of the sky above. The sun was just beginning to dip below the tree line, the bright swirls of tangerine and lilac silhouetting the towering oaks. The crystal clear water of the lake rippled as tiny fish swam by in schools, chasing the ends of one another's tails. A few feet before the land fell away into the glistening pool, a gorgeous silk blanket was laid out on the earth.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀At a complete loss for words, she made her way over to the crimson sheet and sat gently on the delicate material. Gliding her long fingers over the smooth surface, she admired the avid attention to detail in its design. The border of the blanket was a shimmering gold stream dotted with hundreds of small exotic plants of pink, purple, and silver. In the center was a mesmerizing pattern that originated from a single focal point and spread outwards, curling in thousands of tiny loops and whorls. It reminded her of the luxury of kings and queens in far off castles, their bodies adorned with gold and jewels from places foreign and unknown.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"So, what do you think?" Terrence whispered, coming to sit beside her as she stared up at the rolling clouds.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I—I love it!" she shouted, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. "You really didn't have to do all this for me," she whispered, idly playing with a strand of his carnation pink hair.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Chuckling, Terrence shrugged his shoulders. "Well, yeah, I kind of did." Pulling away from the hug, he left a light kiss on her cheek. "Happy five year anniversary."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Laughing enthusiastically, Claire playfully punched him on the shoulder. "You dork! Every year you take me somewhere more beautiful than the last. What will you do next year? Take me flying on the back of a pegasus?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's not impossible," Terrence replied, smiling brightly. 'I'll have to remember that one,' he thought to himself, kissing her once more. "After all, such a beautiful lady deserves to celebrate her anniversary somewhere just as beautiful."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He sat for a moment, admiring how the evening light danced on her caramel colored features. She was absolutely gorgeous, and he couldn't imagine how he of all people had found someone so angelic. Her flowing olivine hair cascaded down past shoulders, even when she had it up in a high ponytail. A soft breeze blew over the water, and he could swear she looked just like a princess in her royal gown.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He was rather abruptly thrown from his thoughts when Claire stood and tidied up the skirt of her peach sundress. "You know, I'll be right back. I feel a little bit guilty having nothing to give to you when you got me all of this." She gestured towards the lake with an outstretched hand, a content smile on her face. "So, just give me a minute or two to put something together, alright? I promise I won't be long!" Leaning over, she planted a kiss on his lips before turning and heading into the forest.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay...just be careful!" Terrence called to her before she slipped out of his sight. Suddenly, the lake seemed much quieter, and much less welcoming. None of the nighttime creatures had come out yet, and where there should have been chirps and chitters, there was eerie silence. He was all alone.