"Splendid," she said as she checked the box Quirky gifted her with. "This is exactly what Wolf needs, how did you know?"
She didn't wait for an answer as overjoyed as she felt.
"Would you mind to...?"
She gestured at the box and waved inside while she held the smelly heap named Wolf in her skirt. At least it stopped making that terrible noise which was a good start. My friend blushed and didn't know what to answer and looked at me. I winked at him and made the 'lips sealed' sign.
"Come inside dear. Would you mind to take it over to my room?"
Her room? It was the first time she mentioned Wolf stayed in her room. I wondered about the hygiene and rules about 'no animals inside the house' but on the other hand I felt glad. Better in her room as a smelly house and Wolf needed some extra care. I doubted he was a good combination to keep together with the other animals.
"I hear you," she said, "don't worry I take care of it. Wolf won't set a foot inside. How about you?"
She looked at Quirk still waiting outside on the patio.
"Come on inside, if I remember it well Isa invited you already. That should be enough to enter the house or?"
The little man outside nodded.
"Where is your bedroom my lady?"
She smiled as he called her 'my lady' and whispered to me "good choice".
"It's right around the corner, the green door."
He nodded and was gone before I knew so was the box.
"I wish they wouldn't do it," I mumbled. It makes me nervous.
"How about trying it yourself? You can have so much benefit from it and... it can save your life," Carmen said, "just in case of need. Out of experience I can tell you it can be handy. Think about it."
She went into her room. No, she didn't vanish or disappeared in a flash but walked and closed the bedroom door behind her.
I wasn't sure if she meant what she said. She never let out it was something I could learn, no one told me. I guessed only the Titans mastered that art. For a moment I felt a stranger in my own house. They all seem to have skills which I had not. My friends were older, wiser, knew how to use spells while I was just an ordinary girl bought by a powerful lady.
"I could teach you if you are interested. It's nothing special. If you can focus and visualize you can do it too but if you ask me it's better if she does since she searched for you... I mean... there is a good reason she went through that trouble," Quirky, who appeared in a flash in front of me, said.
While we waited for Carmen's return I put the kettle on the hook. This time I wouldn't celebrate my birthday at our house but go out and bring treats to my friends.
"Which cake," Carmen asked as she entered the room.
"Which cake? All three of them of course."
"No dear, which cake to blow the candles I mean."
"The white one. Hermann the friendship cake is for safe traveling and farewells, to stay close, keep friends close, new friendships."
I looked at Quirky who hold my hand.
"The red one is the love and welcome-home pie. Welcome home to your mother, to Wolf, to Quirk, and everyone who feels home in this world we live in together."
I saw the tears well up in her eyes as she held the candles. Three candles like usually, the three she only used for my birthdays so I could make a wish.
"Happy birthday my dear Clarissa, may your wish come true."
She placed the white cake with the burning candles in front of me on the coffee table.
I closed my eyes, ready to blow as in a flash Rosemary and Basil appeared.
"Just in time," Rosemary cried out, "I told you to hurry Basil it's not all about you."
"Happy birthday Isa," Basil said while he ignored Rosemary's muttering. "Just in time is still in time or?"
I laughed, no matter what Basil did he brought light even if he showed up unexpected.
"You look so good," he declared to Carmen, "you are even more beautiful than I remember."
"You grew, became taller," she replied, "I never expected that."
"Blow the candles," the voice inside said and that was what I did. I blew, made a wish and hoped for the best.
Rosemary applauded, Carmen smiled and Basil asked if he could finally taste a piece of the cake Rosemary bragged about for at least two days.
While I poured tea Carmen cut the cake.
"Don't worry, we made enough for the whole clan. Later we go over and you can treat them. We have a surprise for you. Please, accept it," she begged, "Basil did the best he could," she added to it while she took a bite of the cake. "Girl this one is delicious. You saw how she did it?"
"Did what," I whispered.
"Multiply those cakes we made."
I shook my head. I hadn't paid attention to what Carmen did.
"Too busy to notice," I mumbled back while I took a bite of my piece. She was right it was delicious.
I looked at the circle of friends in the living. The day hadn't been like expected. It should have been a farewell and friends forever party. Instead, I celebrated my birthday with my mother, Quirky, and closest friends, the duo that didn't need an invitation to appear. It was something new, unexpected but I felt comfortable. I enjoyed being alone but felt fortunate to have friends, family, in case of need and above all to share the good moments with.
------
"Are you ready?" Rosemary asked. Excitedly she jumped up and down in front of me.
"Ready for what?"
"Our big surprise for you the birthday child of course!"
"I know I am," Quirk grinned.
"You are part of this too?"
"We are family my dear," he blushed at the words 'family'.
Carmen grinned and said she agreed. She was ready to leave but had to check on Wolf first. It didn't take her long.
"We can fly," Rosemary suggested.
"No, not tonight let us walk the road together," I looked at Quirk, "if this is alright with you?"
"As long as you won't make me run the entire way my legs can't compare with yours."
I turned red and felt a bit embarrassed as he pointed at my long legs.
"I can give you a hand if you like," Carmen said, "just let me know but for now a slow walk sounds fine to me. It was an exhausting day. Let's enjoy the walk and each other."
It was a nice evening and every few steps Carmen stood still to look at something that caught her attention. At times she picked up tiny things and studied them or stoid still to observe the sky. Rosemary and Basil walked at the front and she followed while Quirky and I closed the line.
"You know more about this?"
He smirked but didn't make me wiser except by remarking it would do Carmen good after all she had been through.
"You know what I mean don't you?"
"Actually I don't. Please, stop the riddles. I am no longer a little child everyone can play with good for sharing pieces of information when it fits."
My answer sounded sharper as intended.
"What did I do?"
"It's not just you. They all speak in riddles and act odd. Everything, this whole world I am dragged into, live in, has more mystic than I can cope with. You come and leave, with or without flash, it's normal to you but it isn't to me. It's not."
We no longer followed the rest. I refused to set another step before I felt enlightened.
"At times I feel an outcast in this world. She never told me why she searched for me. She could have bought another child. What she teaches me any pupil can learn. There's nothing special to me."
Later I realized I gave my friend a very hard time. So far he had been the only person willing to answer my questions. He was the one who told me about the world he once lived in, his job, and never made a secret out of anything. Why was it with him I became angry?
"I'm sorry," I cried as I saw his mopish face. "I'm sorry if I spoil your evening. I didn't mean to and it's not what you deserve. You've always been good and honest to me."
I sunk into the middle of the road and cried. I cried my eyes off on the same day I had said it was the best day of my life. He let me cry and waited. I can't remember how much time passed but as we finally arrived at the party I felt much better. Quirk was shy but he was a great guy. He didn't feel embarrassed and promised me he would show and teach me some of the magic tricks he knew. He explained some charm could easily be learned others were personal skills, abilities the Mother had gifted us with at birth or... during life.
"Carmen is very gifted by birth and she only became stronger. It took her long to find you and I am sure she had a very good reason for that. Believe me you are not an ordinary girl, she had to find you. I am not sure if she will teach you everything or you need to find out yourself. Too much lectures can be overwhelming. Know you are very special to me."
"Who enlightened you," I informed while wiping off my tears.
"No one. I am not gifted by birth if it comes to magic. I am an ordinary cabinet-maker or a skilled one as you like. The jinx started as I accepted to help the elderly with their furniture. They rewarded me and kept me safe here."
"Are they still alive?"
"I can't tell. The only thing I know is they had to pay off some debt. Those wise men made a terrible mistake and waited for a sign. These are not the first dark days in human's history, we seem to be unable to learn from the past."
"Why did they need you?"
"I had plenty of time to think about that. I think I helped them to create a gate to the future or different worlds and not only for me."
"What do you mean?"
"The furniture I made is partly in your house. They contain the memories and knowledge of those who used it."
"What about the bookcase?"
"I told you I didn't make it."
"The books exchange," I kept a list.
He stroked my hand and looked worried.
"Tomorrow we'll figure it out, let Carmen enjoy tonight, it takes time to heal."
These were exactly the words she had said.
"You saw her too, staked I mean?"
He nodded.
"It's not the first time. She escaped but it has to stop."
We walked the road together. Lights shone in the darkness and as we arrived the clan gathered at the training field. They made several bonfires and prepared a great meal. I smelled... stew and grilled meat.
"There you are sweetie", Rick greeted me trying to shake my companion's little hand. "You look gorgeous."
"Did you grow again?" I asked suspiciously. I found it hard to imagine he ever been that tall in his former life. "You look like a giant."
"Awesome isn't it. You need to work out if you want to be someone."
"Did you take more of the luminous silver?"
"Ssssht," he hushed, "there's no need to tell anyone. Just between you and me... once I'm out of here I am going to find Atlas and safe the world."
------
"He surely changed," Quirk said, "perhaps I should consider taking some of that liquid too. What do you think?"
"I think he has changed in a negative way. Does it infect the brain?"
"I can't tell."
"You always been like that?"
"Like what?"
"Sweet, attentive, creative... you know."
"I am not sure but if you ask if my character changed after I shrunk... I don't believe it did, neither my likes or mastery did. I just shrunk, turned into a tiny man, my body changed, I don't age and live..."
"Till eternity. You are immortal."
"It's not what I intended to say. I meant 'happily ever after'."
He grinned and offered me his cup.
"Drink this and let's greet your visitors or let the clan give you a warm welcome. I hope you don't mind I do some steps aside. A tiny creature like me better sticks to his own kind. If they all look like Rick I'll be crushed within a second. Happy birthday love."
No one paid attention to the tiny carpenter and for the same reason they didn't notice he left. The Titans turned out to be party animals and felt happy to see me but were overjoyed with what was served. Roasted chicken, potatoes, stew and cake for dessert was more than any of us expected.
"I hope you didn't kill all chickens before Carmen even saw them," I whispered into Rosemary's ear.
She grinned and gave me an extra leg plus part of the chest.
"Eat and enjoy before one of these animals will take it away from you."
It tasted wonderful and it was good to see that many happy faces. There was music, singing, dancing and performances held by the fighters.
I watched the clan and felt glad I was a part of them, today it was me who gave them a reason to party again. Although they had had a good life, like Rosemary confirmed, their days in paradise came to an end. After ages of calmness each one of them felt it was time to pick up life, fight for something they believed in and who knows were ready to die for.
"We had a long fulfilling life so far. Not one of us intended to live forever. It wasn't difficult you know because once here time doesn't past. We didn't grew older but now we do," my friend said.
"How, what changed?"
She shrugged.
"Does it matter? The only answer I can think off is the Mother wants us to leave. She changed and with her the herbs we used."
"She had her rest?"
"I assume it."
"How about the dark days, are they over?"
"I don't think so but we will discover how or what once we are out there."
I nodded. I understood it was their fate. Perhaps they would safe the world, die as soon as they set a foot outside, or find a way to the secret land and live on.
"Good night dear, you look tired. Feel free to leave. I know that is what I'm going to do. To be honest I miss my solitary life."
She hugged me and vanished as she walked away. She just faded away without a flash.
- - - - - -
'I still don't know where he lives,' I thought as I walked home alone.
'He is where you want him to be, shouldn't that be enough?' the inner voice said.
'It is, you are right, what counts is he's there but how I wished we had celebrated together.'
'You made a wish.'
I made a wish indeed. It wasn't that different from the one I made before. I smiled and looked at the stars above. The world, this world was an amazing one, filled with surprises and even if I stayed here there were more adventures than I could handle.
'How about finding Atlas?' the inner voice asked?
'I can do without him, there's no need to rush but I'll keep an eye on those books and ask Carmen. Who knows she found some answers.'
It was good to be back home. The house was quiet. No smelly, crying Wolf. The blanket waited and so did Quirks present. I curled myself up keeping the sandalwood box close to my heart.
"Thank you for everything you did for me dear friend, know I love you."
Total amount of words: 2722
#kittywu #nanowrimo #writing #novel #tale #forthechildren #nanowrimo2020
