The Butterfly Child

Chapter Nine

"Are you even listening?" Annie's voice came, light at first so I ignored. I turned on the sofa and yawned lightly. I needed sleep. Sleeping hadn't been easy for the past few days. After all that had happened in the past few days, my eyes seemed weak and dry like I had cried out all my tears over Annie. And surprisingly the tears disappeared the moment she reappeared. She kept to her promise.

"Wake up Nella." Mr. Thompson stood before me, his head towering over my petite lain figure. "I've had Celine prepare you lunch. Come come, come join me at the dining table."

With her pink feathers fluttering around, Annie landed on my stomach and said;

"I told you to wake up. Now stand up."

I groaned and sat up, my eyes still rolling and threatening to drop and pull me into dream land. I got up and nodded at Mr. Thompson. "Ok."

After I'd found Annie and had jumped on Mr. Thompson out of excitement and happiness, he invited me to his home for a sleep and food. Mr. Thompson seemed to be extremely nice and it made me wonder if all the rumors about him being the devil's spun was actually real. I walked behind him slowly, my leather slippers slapping noiselessly against the marbled floor. Once at the dining table, he stopped before the seat at the far end of the table. My eyes schemed the plates on the table, varieties of food placed on it, fruits and even chocolates — they looked like the exact ones Annie had given me. I smiled, suddenly feeling nostalgic. I smiled when I saw the butterfly perch on my shoulders. The butterfly was Annie alright. Her spirit had reincarnated in form of a butterfly. The only thing was that I was the only person she spoke to. Her voice was familiar in my head. But what I still wasn't sure about is if she recalled anyone from her past life or if it was only me. I had tried to make Mr. Thompson hear her, hear her familiar voice. I'd used the same tactic I'd used for Annie months ago but he didn't hear a thing. And Annie asked me to stop giving no reason what so ever. I didn't want to push anything however because it was still the beginning after all. She had only just arrived.

I smiled at Mr. Thompson from across the table. "Thank you sir."

He nodded and smiled. He gestured to the food. "Take as much as you want. Take anything you want Nella."

I looked up at him, my eyes widening a little. "I can't actually finish all of this Mr. Thompson, but I'd eat as much as I can."

He chuckled lightly and shrugged. "As you please lass, as you please."

I looked round, while tapping my nails on the table and wondering which one of all the meals I'd take. There was porridge, rice pudding, Vegetables, fried chicken, paste, and chocolates. It was all too confusing. It felt like all of them were meant for me.

"Just go with the Rice pudding. It is delicious and I'm so sure you'd love it Nella." Annie said.

I rolled my eyes. Some of the things she liked, I didn't like, so I wasn't sure about the Rice pudding. But seeing as I was as confused as ever, I decided to go for it. I picked the bowl up, set a small plate before me and poured in a fair amount of the rice pudding. Then I took a spoon to taste. I froze when the food collided with my tongue, hot and bitter.

I spat it out and into the plate of rice pudding before me. My tongue burned and it felt as though it was actually on fire. "Oh my God!"

"That is so rude and such an unmannered behavior Nella! My father gets grossed out so easily. Even more than my mom. He would be so pissed." Annie screamed. She left my shoulders and flew to the table. "This is so gross. You should go and wash it off. Now! Apologize too."

I would have actually laughed but the timing was wrong. Butterfly Annie sounded so much like tiny human Annie.

I stood up immediately, because she was right. It was irritating. "I'm so sorry Mr. Thompson."