Crimson Trails

Blue

The door creaks open an inch and the insides are completely dark. I barely make out the silhouette of a person in a hood. Only the eyes keep burning blue in the dark.

'Claramay?' my voice comes out rather unsure.

'Do I know you?' the other voice is calm, composed and with a cold edge to it.

'I'm Aaron. You don't remember me?' I almost choke, the memories threatening to flood in.

It is like someone has opened the lock gates to the dam of my mind.

The eyes narrow for a moment as if trying to recall.

'I don't know anyone called Aaron,' the unfamiliar voice hisses.

'How can you say that?' I take out the trinkets, dangling them in front of her face. 'You gave this one to Poppy, my sister. She disappeared just like you. You must...'

'If you're as intelligent as you look, you'd not be carrying those two around like that,' she cut in. 'The amount of energy contained in them is enough to rip you into pieces.'

'Wh...what?'

I will myself to say anything but the right words aren't forming and all I can do is stand there opening and closing my mouth, like a fish gasping out of the water.

'But how do you know it?' I splutter. 'Did you kidnap my sister?'

The sea of blue suddenly turns muddy. Her eyes become the grey of storm clouds.

The expression in those eyes makes my blood run cold. I suddenly find myself looking into the eyes of a murderer, rather than that of a friend.

'That's a dangerous accusation,' her voice is getting deeper and graver. 'Unfortunately, I don't know you. Have a nice day.'

Wham!

She has slammed the door on my face.

Claramay denied me?

What the heck?

I kick at the gravel on the road in my frustration. The only link leading back to my sister is gone. The person I had loved has turned to something else.

How much worse can it be?

Suddenly, I have a hysterical desire to laugh despite everything.

I head straight to the woods, to the spot where Poppy had disappeared.

Taking the two necklaces I try to find a connection. Maybe like a small lock and key, something that will fit into the other and open the door to a different realm.

After all, that's what happens in a fairytale, except that this isn't a tale but the reality and the person missing is my sister.

I walk on, occasionally raising the two stones to eye level and peering at the sun through them. There must be a clue somewhere.

Suddenly I feel a cold brush of wind, chilling my bones. I look around and I'm in the depths of the forest.

I look back towards the way I came but there is no trail. I whip around. There must be some mistake because as far as I know, I followed a clear muddy trail into the forest.

My heart stops in my chest. If I lose myself in the forest without any rations, I'm done for.

Frantically I look around and to my surprise I see blue. I'm standing in a sea of blue petals. I pick one up.

Larkspur!

Another exotic flower.

First carnation, then larkspur.

Is my town suddenly becoming a flower hub or something?

The blue has been laid exactly like a trail. Having nothing else to do, I follow the blue, deeper into the forest.

The forest is turning greener and denser around me.

It's difficult to see ahead. I desperately hold back branches and thorns which could easily have blinded me.

I stumble into the clearing and see a lake. Pristine and clear. The water is eerily calm and not a single ripple is seen. It's almost as if it's an oversized mirror.

And then I see the dark blue cloak, a snatch of golden hair and my eyes catch the gleam of a bluestone. Another trinket, exactly like the others.

Claramay!

The figure turns towards me, her eyes gleaming with anger.

'You again?' she raises a finger at me, 'What are you doing here?'

'What are you doing? I knew you had something to do with Poppy leaving home.' I retort, my fear making way for anger.

'For heaven's sake, I had nothing to do with your sister whoever she is. If she had the necklace, she is a Vešterka. They disappear when they come of age.' she wiggles her finger, turning away from me, disinterested.

'A what? A ves... '

'A Vešterka, witch or whatever you call them, people like us. We're not humans. Our origin dates back to ancient Macedonia. And didn't you know that your sister turned eighteen?'

I stopped short.

Turned eighteen?

Did Poppy turn eighteen?

Yesterday?

Of course, she did.

Hell, it's her birthday today!

That means she turned eighteen at midnight.

'Obviously, she did. She doesn't belong to your world.'

I realize that I have said the last words aloud and Claramay is still hearing. For a second I almost catch an expression in her eyes.

Pity.

She is feeling sorry for me.

But the expression vanishes as soon as it has come.

'I think you should go back.' she's cold, businesslike again.

'But you?'

She has disappeared already. Vanished into the thin air without a trace.

Just the water of the lake is rippling suddenly, taking my life along with its small waves.

Poppy is gone and now Claramay too.