Fallen Stars [Howl's Moving Castle Fanfiction]

Chapter Two - Mist

Chapter Two - Mist

"Alice!" 

I tripped down the last step of the stairs. I fumbled with my stance but met the closest next person. Which, unfortunatly had to be the one that called after me. I scratched my neck and slowly raised my head. "Yes, mom?" 

She stomped with her one of her foot at the ground, giving me a full blown glare. I shuddered under the intens look and lowered my gaze. She exhaled deeply. "Alice, what did I tell you about taking our special cookies? They're not for sale, and they are certainly not for people that can't give the correct amount of pay. You can't keep doing this, you know that those cookies should be kept a secret!" She argued and sneered.

 My mom would usually be a quite relaxed and usually giving everyone a chance before judging. She's normally very polite and helpfull about nearly everything. But if she does get angry, hope with all your might it isn't you and that it has nothing to do with the bakery. I gulped, she's so carefull and observant around the bakery that you can't even do one simple mistake, and if you do she'll notice it in no time.

I laughed nervously. "But you know how many people that loves those cookies! I mean, your chocolate chip cookies is the number one in town, isn't that something? Maybe even the Madame  Suliman herself want one!" I said loudly and cheerfully, knowing that there was no lie in there at all. My mom's chocolate chip cookies are without any doubt, the most tasty pastry in the whole country. It could be a great possibility that even Madame Suliman would want one, maybe even the king. 

I smiled at myself when I saw that small smile upon my mom's lips. She lowered her gaze to the floor. "R-Really? Even Madame Suliman? D-Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit now, Alice?" She said with a flustered face. I shook my head, secretly snickering inside. Seems like I succeeded to make my way out of the mess-

"Even if that is, that has nothing to do with that you make my special pastry disappear when they're not allowed to!" 

So much for being saved, then. I grimaced. "Sorry... I'll stop." 

She smiled a winning smile and walked pass me, whiling giving me a pat on the shoulder. "Thanks, but you do know that sometimes I can look through compliments too." and with those words, she was out of sight.

I sat down at a chair and slumped my exhausted shoulders. About the cookies... it's true that I sell them to customers, even if I'm not allowed too. But mostly, it's just the same customer that buys them. At the exact some time, everytime. That person is always hidden behind that giant cloak of his, only showing as much as a smirk or a smile when he feels like it. He doesn't say so very much, but when he does I can't help but feel recemblence to another person I met a long time ago. He made me interested in magical things and wizards, so when I get time over I often read books about them. 

Though, since he came along, both the bakery and the town started to feel... a bit unsafe. It seems like it's going for the harder times, because the bonds between the countries has ones again been broken. I don't know much, and my mother and father don't give much information to me, but I can only figure as much.

You can sense it in the air when you walk outside in the streets, it's all around you. People doesn't talk as much anymore, and when they do, they keep it for themselves. I have a bad feeling about it, even if I really hope it isn't what I expect it to be. It can't be a conflict again, it can't be another war, no, there's no chance. 

Suddenly, I felt a cold breeze against my shoulders. I shivered and walked over to the open door. That's when I spotted a weird thing. Outside, the mist have formed at the sunset. Upon the always clear streets, there was this thick mist. Maybe that wasn't so weird, but the sun gave a weird view if it all. Another thing was, that it looked like a clear path in between the mist, leading somewhere unknown. Like someone have cleared a path in the mist for people to walk in. I rubbed my eyes. No people were outside at this hour nowadays, and those who were mostly went to resturants and so on.

No one walked in the mist, so I wasn't convinced if this was real or not. I glanced over my shoulder at the shop. My mother said that I shouldn't go out this time o'clock nowadays either, but since she wasn't here at the moment... maybe she wouldn't notice? 

I shook my head, maybe I shouldn't go out. Maybe I should listen to my mother. Maybe I shouldn't get in any trouble. Maybe there's a reason why we shouldn't go out at this hour? After all I care more for my family than anything else.

Then, at the opening of the path through the mist, a little light brightened up in front of me. It wasn't from the sun, becuase it was like a little floating fireball of light. I stared at it and raised my eyebrows. That can't be anything else than a wizards doing. I bit my lip.

No, maybe I shouldn't stay inside. Maybe I should find out what this was all about. Something most be behind that large area of mist.

I nodded at myself and took a deep breath. After I was done with taking on my shoes, I took the first step outside. And as is if the fireball sensed me, it disappeared in to the mist, through the path. 

I gave a last glance at the bakery and scrunched my nose. Hopefully my mother won't notice that I'm gone! Besides, I won't be away that long. I just need to figure out what it's behind the path and that can't be that far away! However it was, I chosed to go outside and not stay inside.

I turned back to the path and started walking along with it, further and further in. The little fireball came in to my sight after a while and I followed suit. Sometimes I needed to stop, to see where I was and to my surprise the fireball did too. It was as if it was leading me through the mist. I had no problem with that, but I'm more or less used to magic. As I walked foreward in to the mist, the path behind me clouded and disappeared. I furrowed my eyebrows, that makes it way harder for me to make it back home. "I'll make it one way or another." I mumbled to secure myself. I couldn't have walked that far away, I'm probably just around the corner to my house.

Then, the fireball stopped instantly in front of me. I stopped too, tilting my head. My gaze landed on the mist ahead of me, in which not only one path was clear - but two. I tilted my head and gave a look to the fireball. "Aren't you going to go?" I asked, kind of hoping a answer.

The fireball just floated around in front of me. "I take that as a no..." I said and lowered my gaze. I guess I need to figure out what to do myself. So, which path should I chose? They both look the same. I stared at the fireball and then at the two different paths. "Well... here goes nothing and everything..." I skipped over to the path at the left. The fireball flamed up and brightened wildly for some reason. I gave a puzzled look and the fireball hurried to lead me through the path. 

Did I chose the wrong or right path? 

I shook my head. Nothing to lose, besides the navigation through the mist. I still believe that my house can't be that far away, but I'm starting to suspect something else by now. Hopefully the fireball in front of me won't disappear, I need it. 

I turned around once again, this time I saw the rays of sunlight beaming through the waves of mist. There was no house in sight. There was no town in sight. There was no city in sight. No people. Ahead of me the path cleared out from the mist who ereased itself. 

Now, I stood alone at a giant field with mountains in the landscape. The fireball floated stopped as I did. "What?!" I shrieked. Where's the city? Where's my house? Where's the people? I had so many questions, but there was only one that my mind was caught on.

"Why do I know this place?"