His Willow

Chapter 7

After asking Alaric some questions, he told me he had some paperwork to do in his office, and he won't see me for a couple of hours. This meant I was allowed to explore the house and read the books from the bookcase at the side of the staircase, which got me super excited when Alaric showed me. 

I had always found books to be my escapism, I have only read three books in my life because those were the only ones I had and all of them where fairytales and legends, which I found out is all about the past and is only speculated. Which did crush me a little that there was no such thing as fairies, warlocks or half human-half wolves. I had dreamt of those things my whole life, imaging a life where I was one and could do magical things for people.

But those books were only fictional and were not true; I blame my mother for telling me those things were real and making me believe them, only to crush me later on and realise all my beliefs had been lies all along.

I was interested in reading a magazine for the first time, Alaric said he had a few on the coffee table that I was allowed to read. They were "fashion" magazines that his mother used to read when she visited; this happened to be the first time Alaric ever mentioned his family.

Honestly, I was dying to know more about this man that has allowed me into his home. I wanted to know more about his family, his hobbies, his interests and everything in between. Every minute detail I want to know, simply because I've never got to know another human before, it's different than asking yourself questions, it's much more fun when you ask the questions to someone that you don't know the answers.

Talking about myself to another is an entirely different thing, I don't entirely trust Alaric yet, but I was getting there. Trusting another person with the demons that keep you up at night was a terrifying thought for me, and I'd rather keep it private for now.

Nobody needs my burdens; they are there for me to handle, not laying it on other people, that's selfish.

After having a bath, which I now knew how to do! I walked out of the bedroom with one of Alaric's black T-shirts and grey shorts. They were massive over my body, but I didn't complain, I loved them actually, I liked being covered in baggy clothing as it was comfortable, and it smelt heavenly, I might be addicted to the scent all over this house, it was mouthwatering, but sometimes I have to push my head out the window because it can be intoxicating after awhile.

But I loved that scent, smelt of the rich forest and the sweetest treats.

With a spring in my step, I walk down the hall in the direction of the appealing bookcase, excited to run my fingers across the spines and decide which book to get lost in first.

My overexcitement was a new emotion I was experiencing since yesterday, I asked Alaric about it when we were on the couch, I wrote down my feelings, and he diagnosed excitement. It felt really good yesterday, and it was feeling good now, but that excitement ended very quickly.

Not paying attention to where I was, I didn't realise I had reached the staircase so soon.

That was the moment the world stopped moving and time froze.

At the top of a very steep long staircase, my foot didn't catch the first step and narrowly missed the second, making my body shoot forwards and I had nothing to hold onto to break my fall.

My whole body felt like it was flying, flying to my incoming death.

The next few seconds were very hazy; I knew I crashed down every step because my body felt like it was crushed from the inside, bleeding out with cuts across my skin. I felt my mouth open and release a voice that even myself didn't recognise, let alone the volume of it.