The Lost Pixie

Chapter 4

White sand shimmers in the sun beating down on my face. The waves before me shift in the light--blue, then green, then purple. The scent of peaches and honey is strong in the air; no matter how deep I breath, I can't smell the salt of the water that I know should be there. I look around. Colorful bushes of flowers hug the tree line of the jungle behind me. 

I don't know where I am. I don't know how I got here. 

As I contemplate my dilemma, the sound of music drifts on the air--drums and flutes playing together in perfect harmony. It calls to me. I don't even feel myself move. It's as though I blink, and find myself inside the jungle. The scent of peaches and honey is stronger here, and all around me are shifting shadows. I follow the music. The deeper I go, the denser the vegetation gets. Small glowing orbs guide my steps. I swear I can hear them singing whenever they pass my ears. Like everything else, I don't know where they've come from, but I don't pay them much mind. I'm determined to find the source of this sound. This sound that speaks to me without words. I'm close. I can feel it. My heart races as I reach to pull the vegetation out of my way.

"Maricruz."

I  turn around. No one is there. My eyes scan my surroundings, until they pick out a shape slowly headed my way. A white tiger. It's blue eyes pierce mine. We stare at each other, neither of us moving. I should be sacred, but I feel no fear. The tiger, like everything else in this place, feels natural like an old friend. The tiger's tail slowly twitches as it's voice--is it it's voice?--fills my head.

"It's time to come home."

"Señorita Maricruz?"

I jolt awake in bed, Maya hovering beside me. I glance around. I'm in my room. Ever since I saw that tiger at the beach, it's been haunting my dreams. I close my eyes, desperate to recapture the remnants of my dream when Maya speaks again.

"Forgive me for waking you, Señorita Maricruz," Maya says, setting down a basin of water on the table by my window," but you weren't answering and I was worried."

"It's fine, Maya." I sit up slowly with a yawn. "I'm fine."

"Did you sleep well, Señorita?" Maya asks as she goes to my closet to prepare my clothes. "Any weird dreams?"

Since I first met Maya, we've chatted several times. During that time, I've come to trust her with the dreams I've been having lately. It's an odd feeling. I've never bothered to share these things with anyone outside of Mateo and Tomás. Not that anyone would give me the chance to. Her eyes grow wide after I finish telling her what I can remember from my dream.

"Wow," she says, laying a towel beside the basin. "I wish I had as much imagination as you. My dreams are usually about washing clothes or trying to catch a chicken."

"Trying to catch a chicken?" I say.

"I often help mi abuela with her chicken coop. I swear one of them always manages to get out."

I laugh a little imagining the scene. Talking to Maya is different from talking to Mateo and Tomás. She makes me feel as though my every thought is amazing. It's the first time someone has made me feel different, but in a good way.

"What would you like for almuerzo, Señorita?" Maya asks.

"Tortilla de patatas, please," I say.

"And will you be joining everyone for comida today?"

The only reason I attend comida is for Sergio; he always told me my presence made the food taste better. I haven't spoken to him in weeks. Part of the reason is due to his longer absences from the manor as of late, but it's also in part due to me making myself scarce when he's around. While I appreciated his help in convincing Lola that I wasn't well enough to attend my first meeting with Ramon, it did little to mend the hurt I'm still carrying. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see the cold expression he had on his face the day Lola told me she found another suitor. With me avoiding him like I am, and my lack of desire to spend time with Lola, I take comida in my room. Alone.