testingforhope

[testingforhope]

28 - Journey

“No!”

I don’t think I wanted to rephrase the words leaving my lips.

Daphne looked at me with shock and Vanessa… Vanessa looked angry.

“It's not safe and you know that. There is a reason I haven’t told you anything about the surface.”

“Yeah, but I thought that was about the girl,” Vanessa exclaimed. This is going to hurt. “You mean to tell me you have been lying for the past 8 years?!”

The difference between us two that happened all those years ago becomes much more apparent everytime we hide secrets, argue, and share life experiences. We are almost too different to work.

“I’m sorry. I thought that I could stop you from facing what happened then again. It is so much worse up there. The only reason I’m still here is because I use the palace lake to get here. I care so much about you and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you because of that.”

I could tell my eyes were welling up with tears and that she was hugging me crying as well. Daphne was standing in the corner, probably feeling awkward before she went back into the apartment.

When we separated, Vanessa spoke again. “I’m guessing you have to go now, don’t you?”

“Yup. To the Palace for me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the Palace, Two hours later~

“All Rise for her Majesty, Queen Sofia of The Sirens!”

I grabbed the hem of my dress with one hand and walked out onto the balcony while waving to the public. I took my seat next to the old, yet never dusty throne meant for a king.’

The rest of the Royals were announced for the ceremony and then it was my turn to speak.

Clearing my throat, I spoke to the public with my best voice. “Hello and Welcome to the Annual Knighting Ceremony of the Kingdom of FeriHeart. I’m so glad to be here for you lovely people and to be leading this year's ceremony while my husband is on leave.” A moment of silence passed for the king, “This year the most heroic acts our people have done will be awarded and one of the brave men will be awarded a position on the royal guard of our beautiful kingdom!”

Cheers erupted from the crowd. It is a good thing that I had done this before, or else I might have died of stage fright on the spot.

“Now let the Ceremony commence!” Somehow, there were even more cheers heard.

I left the balcony and disappeared behind the stage. My Lady-In-Waiting joined me with the badges in boxes along with General Pariz with her sword.

“Hello My Lady. Wonderful speech. I just finished counting and it seems that there were only 5 awardable acts this year. That is-”

“-2 less than last year! Sofia- Sorry- Queen Sofia, that is outrageous! Without the King, the rates of our people have gone down and soon there won't be anyone by Royals at events like these. And who even knows about that, even those numbers are getting low these days.”

“I’m well aware of the situation in the Kingdom.” I turned to them. “Things may get messy out there. Make sure to stay close to me and keep your eyes out. We don't know much about the people these days.”

After they both nodded, I turned back around and we walked out into the arena. The people were still cheering for the event to start. I looked over at the other side. When I made eye contact with the guards on the other side, they started leading out the 5 brave leaders of our community.

“May I pronounce Zavier Hamstrung, Grific Jasme, Ulsifer Sleden, Adam Badgen, and- Is this right? Really! - The last person seems to be Alicane Kale, a female.”

[testingforhope]

27 - Stop The Action

I walked down the stairs to the kitchen. My mom was asleep at the table. She had seemed so tired when we first started planning on going to the surface. She tried to get past the guard doors, but they seemed to want something else from my mom.

At the door, I could see Vanessa jumping to be seen behind the tall back door. I walked over to it and left the house, making sure to close the door softly when I did.

“Where do you want to go before you finally leave?” Vanessa asked when she started walking down the street.

“I think you know where!” I said excitedly.

A few minutes later, we stopped in front of the new building on the street. The building was brand new and you could see people approaching it from all sides. Only one entrance wasn’t being used and we knew exactly where it was.

We ran around the side of the building and started climbing the ladder to the roof. Once we reached the top, we swung our legs over the edge and got our disguises on. A mask and wig is all that is needed for this place to not recognise you.

As soon as the masks were placed over our eyes and the wigs were situated on our heads, we went over to the door leading down the building using the staff entrance.

When we were inside we could not believe our eyes. It was so colourful, but it kind of smelled like hand sanitizer everywhere we went from the alcohol.

We went over to the dance floor and started dancing wildly, sometimes even close to a stranger. They didn’t need the money anyway.

The bar was so loud and crazy that we could only stand to be in there for a few hours and then we usually left. This time was different though. It seemed that mother dearest wanted a few drinks while her daughter was asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Next Day~

“I can't believe you would do something so stupid!” Mom whispered to me, trying to stop herself from screaming so that the person in the front would not hear what was said.

The carriage pulled to a stop and the front of the carriage’s weight was shifted.

“You’re lucky I’m still taking you!” The door opened when she was done. A smile replaced the anger, but her eyes were still burning a hole through my skull.

“We have arrived. Would you like to be escorted inside to the throne room?” the driver said.

I looked past him and my mom exchanged a few words, no doubt her saying that they could use all the help that was given. The world above the surface was beautiful. We were much more inland then before, as I couldn’t see any water. I reached for the flask around my waist and took a long sip, feeling myself come back to the world around me.

“..Use all the help you can give us, with us not knowing the… human world all that well.”

The driver then started leading us up these big steps. My father was right next to me, holding my hand. He doesn’t really talk much but he is very nice.

The steps took forever, but when we got inside, the castle looked like a maze with the servant going everywhere and the only way to know where to go was the large group of people going to where the throne was supposedly placed.

After about 10 minutes, my mom was anxiously talking at dad and he had let go of my hand to calm her through physical touch. The line was taking forever, so I went back to the entrance and decided to climb the grand staircase at the end of the hall. When I reached another intersection, I just kept reaching for the one that went higher. Soon I was at the top of a tower that overlooked the whole kingdom.

I sat down on one of the steps and took off my bag. I grabbed a scroll and a pencil that was made to look like a quill. A gift from Vanessa.

I started drawing the kingdom to the best of my abilities.

“Hello? I’m sorry, are you allowed to be here?”

I turned my head over my shoulder and saw a boy, much older than me or Vanessa. I had seen some girls around his height, but they were all teenagers.

“I wanted to get away.” I replied. I then turned back to my drawing, finishing up the rough details.

He decided that this escapism was an invitation for coming closer because he sat down next to me. “I wanted to get away, too. Mind if I sit here?” He asked, clearly not aware of the fact that he was not welcome. “That’s a great doodle! My parents say that the kingdom is in the eyes of the beholder, or the king. They expect everything to be perfect. They are even talking to other kingdoms, calling over the commoners from there, trying to make peace happen. I think that it is dumb though. Why have peace everywhere when your home is already all you should need?”

So he’s a talker. “Sounds really interesting…”

Wait.

“Hold on. Did you just say King?”

He looked at me confused. “Yeah I did. He’s my father, though he is a very foolish king.”

I shoved my stuff back into my bag. “I have to go.”

I then ran away. Back to my parents. Away from the crazy boy. There is no way he’s the prince.

When I got back to my parents, I grabbed my dad’s hand and kept walking with them, not daring to run away again.

After a while they finally got to the courtroom and were told to follow the guards into the sectioned off room and wait.

The room was very red, but the cushions of the seats were very comfortable.

Soon the King and Queen got into the room. I scrambled to my feet after the entry and bowed, almost letting my hair touch the floor with how low my head was. When my head rose up, I saw him. The boy was actually the prince. He seemed to have noticed me and waved me over to the couch.

I looked over to my parents for approval, but they were already talking to the Royals. I slumped over and walked to the couch sitting next to the prince.

“Guess I know who I’m choosing.” Is this what hell feels like?

[testingforhope]

Chapter 26 - Stop The Noise

I shot up into the humid air.

The person calling for me was Vanessa. She was trying to shake me awake and now she is holding as if I’ll slip away again.

Behind her is Daphne. She looks concerned, but I can also tell that she is trying to conceal it, so I wont say I saw a thing.

I hug back Vanessa, breathing deep, still reeling from the terrible nightmare. When I finally calmed down enough to let go, I took a look around and saw I was in the hallway not to far away from the door of Vanessa’s place.

I guess I didn’t get that far.

I then start hearing footsteps go up the staircase and one of the only people who know who I truly am emerge from behind the bannister. “Sofia! I knew I would find you here! The knighting ceremony is today isn’t it. Are you good to do it without the rest of us there?”

Upon hearing the news, it dawned on me that I had never told Daphne who I was and Vanessa didn't know that I had other plans for this evening.

“Your who?”

“What is he talking about?”

With one last deep breath, I got up, my legs unsteady from the fall to the ground when I collapsed. “I need to go to the knighting ceremony. As their ruler, they need to see me every so often in public, with or without the king. It just so happens that this was the only event that I could not turn over to one of the other members of court.”

“Oh My Hubain! You're the Queen?! I know the Queen?!” Daphne looked like she was about to burst out of excitement.

“Yes she is the Queen, you dimwit! Where did you think she was going all the time? The chess club down the street?” Vanessa snapped. She then turned to me. “And you! Why didn’t you tell me? Now I have to get all ready to go!”

“No!”

The words slipped past my lips before I could rephrase them into a nicer tone.

The look on her face reminded me too much of my face when I was told the same thing. I couldn’t knowingly let her up there. It's much too much for her. It was too much for me. It still kind of is. She belongs here, where she is safe. She can’t know what up there is like.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

13 years ago~

“No! No! No! That’s final, you aren’t going!”

“But mom!” I urged, “The world is so big and Siren City is so small.”

“But I can't have you going up there. We don’t know what they are like yet.”

“But I’ll be with you! The whole time, I’ll be attached to your hip! I promise!”

“...Fine… Get your stuff together then. We leave tomorrow.”

I ran up to my room and started packing. I was almost done when there was a noise coming from my window and the latch opened it wide. A figure came in and walked over to the bed where my suitcase was.

“Where are you going in such a hurry? Are you moving again? You know I’ll move too if that’s it. It’s just these little clothes for you to be moving…”

I turned around and saw Vanessa digging through the clothes waiting to be put in the bag. “Hey, quit it! I need to fold those, but I don't want them ruined.”

She let out a puff of disappointment at the missed opportunity. “So where are you going?” I turned back to my closet to grab more clothes.

“You wouldn’t believe me.”

“Try me!”

I looked back at her and let it out. “I’m going to the surface.”

Her reaction was immediate. She looked shocked, but in a good way. Like she was impressed with me.

“Running away from your mom then? There’s no way she would let you out of Siren City and both you and I know that.”

“Actually, she’s the one taking me. Along with Father, of course. They have some business to deal with in a growing kingdom upstairs.”

“Good luck then!”

“Why?”

“They’re looking for someone.”

“Who?”

“Well aren’t you inquisitive this morning?” She always loves using big words, “But I honestly don’t know. Just some whispers from sailors.”

[testingforhope]

Chapter 25 - Hello My Old Friend

I watch the woman leave. She looked so familiar, but I can’t remember where from.

Suddenly, pain was searing through my head. I clutched my head and soon the headache left, but when it left me, the world didn’t seem like the world anymore.

I feel so dizzy…

Maybe I’m tired. Maybe I just need to go back to the castle and rest up for tomorrow. Isn’t Pariz coming home tomorrow?

“Hey guys? I’m gonna head home now.” I say as I turn over to Vanessa and Daphne, only to see them shoo me off while they continue on giggling about the woman that was just in the room.

“What did she say her name was?” Vannessa asked Daphne, clearly interested in the drama going on in our dull friend’s life.

“I think she said her name was Myste- or… Oh! Now I remember! Her name was Hysteria.” Crack. “Kind of weird, but she is a witch.” Yet another.

There it was. There was no mistaking it. She is alive.

I reached out behind me while walking backward, eyes searching all over the room for any way that what she just said was a lie. Like she said, Hysteria is a very witchy name. There are probably plenty of Hysterias that are witches.

No.

That was her. I know it was.

My hand finally grasps the door and I turn around quickly and practically run out the door. I look at the ground as the world starts spinning, seeing watery boot-prints on the floor leading down the stairs.

I start running down the hallway the opposite direction of the only escape from the floor. The world starts blurring. Through my tears or from my head spinning, I can’t tell, but the floor starts closing in. I take one last gasp of air as I drop to the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

???~

Falling. Failing. Flailing around, my body goes. Plop.

Darkness surrounds me in the water. I can’t go down though. My body never goes under the current for me to take off in the ways that keep me calm at times like this. Instead, I’m surrounded by nothing. Nothing. No One. No One at all.

My breathing quickens as I start drifting towards the shore. I end up having to crawl myself away from the ocean as it tries to keep me there forever.

I look around the beach and see that is all that is there. I turn back around to where I got out from and see a figure reflected in the surface, but it is not mine. I stumble back before regaining my composure and peering back at the water, seeing Hysteria looking back at me. She is not alone though. Daphne is next to her. They’re kissing again.

Pain sears through my heart as I start crying.

As I wept, all I saw was a bunch of blurry images going through my mind. The betrayal. Except that isn’t what it was, was it? My mind only lets me see her face. Her face as she dreams. Her face as she screams. Her face as she cries. Her face when I left.

Then there was more.

It is her face still, but different. Older.

Her face when it is covered, but still smiling. Her face when she is in love. Her face with Daphne.

I start crying even harder now. My tears leaking off my face like a leaky faucet. They swam themselves towards the sea, as I couldn’t bear to look back at everything there.

Why? Why must closure continue to betray me? No matter what path I took, I feel as though this would have always been how it would end up. Alone.

Suddenly the darkness starts to lighten up.

There were cracks of light in the sky, illuminating a brighter day. On the other side, I could hear voices saying something. Calling out for someone. I wonder what they are saying.

“Wake up! Come on Sofia! Don’t do this now!”

“WAKE UP!”

[testingforhope]

Chapter 24 - Witch's Offerings

A moment of silence passed after they had finally stopped kissing and parted to meet each other's eyes, both gleaming in pure bliss that the make out session brought to them.

“You may need to put that back on.” Daphne said suddenly. I was confused, Were we not having a good time?

“Why?”

She took a deep breath and looked around, gesturing her hands around in all directions. “You’re in Siren City, the society that hates humans and you think you can take it without the mask?” She seemed more worried about me than I thought was possible this morning considering how she left. “You’re more crazy than I thought then.”

“That’s my middle name, Hysteria Crazy at your service milady.” I said, bowing slightly so that the effect became real no matter how playful the intent was. It worked of course, her face practically one of the street lights of this glowing city. “But since you asked so nicely, I will gladly put the mask back on.” I said before reaching for the mask and taking a deep breath before pulling it down, my face gone.

“Thank you.” She seemed to be genuinely happy I did it before her face overcame with realisation.

“What is it?” I noticed the look on her face.

“You’re a witch right?” She said, her eyes suddenly gleaming again, but different from before. This looked more like she was formulating a plan.

“Yes?” I tentatively said, careful with my words, as I didn’t know how her plans came through in the end.

“Come with me!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Vanessa’s Place~

“So let me get this straight. You want me to help her,” I said pointing at a girl staring in seemingly random directions, “before the magic spell some random siren placed on her gets so bad that she eventually twists her neck as if her neck was a wringed out towel?”

“Quite the gruesome type, isn’t she?” The Siren standing next to Daphne said, obviously not talking to me.

Ignoring what the other girl had said, Daphne replied with, “Yes. We, as sirens, usually don’t make the potion needed for the magic to work as our species never really found any need for letting our food go.” She looked disgusted at the mention of what her kind considered humans.

She then walked into what looked like the kitchen of the small home and arised from it carrying a pot brewing what smelt like the right potion, but was just slightly off.

“As you can probably tell,” She continued, “Our attempts at the potion were unsuccessful so far. If you can help us though, we won’t even need the potion, right?” She looked excited, as if she placed a bet on how fast this girl would be healed.

I hated breaking the passion in her eyes, but some things had to be pointed out. “Actually, from what I remember, you do need the potion and if you just find a frog and get it to cough some mucus into the mixture, you may be able to have enough time to save the potion to the point where you can do it yourself. I would have to go back to my home to check my books, but if you just do that, then there is no need for a witch as it takes more power for a witch to do it with a smaller success rate then if a siren were to do it with just the potion.”

Just as I had finished my explanation, another siren girl walked through the door with blue hair that looked more like one for the fake wigs from the surface than something that replicated the other two girls' hair.

She looked at me suspiciously and then at the girls and said, “Who’s the masked stranger? Don’t tell me you guys were planning on that when the poor girl is still right there?!” She looked as if she really believed that is what would have happened.

Pretending not to hear that last comment, I spoke up. “No. Actually, I am here to help with the girl. By the way, what is her name?”

“Don't know. The spell was manufactured to not let her speak without permission from her master which we haven’t seen for quite some time.”

“That’s okay. I just wanted to know so I had more advantage.” I turned to the other two girls, specifically Daphne. “Bye! I’ll be back with the spellbooks we need!” Then I left the home and went down the stairs.

Interesting. Very interesting.

[testingforhope]

Chapter 23 - Obsessions

Hysteria woke up with a start. Today she was going to do the unthinkable. It had been a few weeks since the incident and she had been working on a little something to help her on her excursion.

Hysteria got out of bed and changed into a clean tunic and a pair of adventuring pants paired with some high heeled platform boots. She then walked over to her desk and took the cloak she had been fixing up this past week everyday.

The dog walked in at this moment and started whimpering before Hysteria even got the chance to put the thing on. She kneeled down and patted its head and led it out of the room, closing the door behind it.

She draped the cloak over her back and looked in the mirror on the side of the bed. The outfit was missing something. She looked over to the rack above her desk and grabbed the object. The mask would be perfect for this after all. As soon as she put it on, her face disappeared, just like before. Except she had no time to cry this time.

She pulled the card out of her back pant pocket and started to read it over in her head. A deep breath later, she started chanting. A black smoke formed around her as the room started to alter. Following the directions of the card, she held on tight when the card started to pull and she was soon dragged off with it into the fog.

After a while of walking through the fog, Hysteria started to hear music and seeing lights flashing everywhere like a candle could never achieve. She had done it. She was in the mysterious Siren City.

The lights almost dragged her into the crowd in front of her like a moth to a flame, but she remained focused and walked to where the card wanted to go. She ended up at a bar looking out. People were drinking everywhere and chatting with random strangers they didn’t know before they went there.

She suddenly laid eyes upon her. Her legs showing and her tunic different from anything she had ever seen before. Her hair went backwards quickly as she took a drink of her cup. The music changed and she reached for her mask to make sure it was still there.

Hysteria walked over to where she was, making sure not to sit too close. Then she sat down, turning to her, she struck up conversation as they always did in the books she read.

“Hey,” Hysteria started, catching Daphne’s attention. “Want to dance?” Hysteria reached her hand across the seat in between them and looked into the siren’s eyes, dark and very much drunk.

Suddenly, Daphne places her hand in Hysteria’s and takes her hand to the dance floor.

Their hands gathered together, Daphne’s extra hand put around her neck and Hysteria on the siren’s hips.

They call it creeping, I say loving, it's the only way for me

They start dancing just the same as everyone in the room. The room was full of ball dancing siren’s hopping for the song to bring them closer together.

Hysteria looked back down at Daphne and saw that she was confused about something. She’ll bring it up on her own if she wants to, Hysteria concluded.

I've got a million polaroids with all the dates penned in red ink

Hysteria and Daphne pull closer together.

I sneak a walkie-talkie in your room to listen to you sleep

Daphne reaches her head over Hysteria’s head and breathes in her ear.

You just don't know it yet, but you love me and I love you the same

Hysteria dipped Daphne and grabbed her wrist, her actions no longer her own.

We'll be together, yes forever, we will never ever part

Hysteria started singing along, clearly being seen as the man in the group by the song.

You've got those eyes that drive me crazy

And I've got eyes to watch you sleep

Daphne started leading the dance and decided to pop the question after a long time waiting.

“So,” She started, “What’s the deal with the mask hot stuff?” She said while dragging her hand from Hysteria’s neck and down her chest.

“Why don’t I show you?”

Hysteria finally broke the trance they were in and brought Daphne outside to the cold, wet air. She looked nervous, looking everywhere but as Daphne.

As soon as she decided that the coast was clear, she looked Daphne deep in the eyes, her eyes darting all over her face, and mask, trying to find any resemblance there.

Hysteria let Daphne’s hands drop and reached them up to the mask pulling it down. She had her eyes closed so she didn’t see anything, but she could finally feel the smile that rested upon her lips and the blush that had formed on her cheeks.

When she finally opened her eyes Daphne was shocked to say the least. Hysteria decided to shock her more by leaning down and meeting the full red lips with her chapped pink ones.

[testingforhope]

Chapter 22 - The Doorstep Of Something Bad

“So what happened then?”

That's all I heard from the conversation Daphne and Vanessa were having at the other end of the bar before I had to prepare another order. This time it was an Siren City favourite, the Blue Lagoon.

I had the alcohol while another person who was going to take over for the end of my shift walked in and got the hint at the drink. They got out the candy that was made to be put in drinks like this and placed it on the table and then got started at the night jobs they had to do when they checked in. I gave them a nod in their direction for getting them and finished the drink with a plink as the gummy hit the drink and slid over to the person who ordered it.

When I got done, I noticed that the room was silent.

I looked over to where I left Vanessa and Daphne and saw no one there. Oh no…

I excused myself from the end of my shift since it was close enough to ending anyway and left the bar in search of them. I took off the apron and grabbed my cloak from my locker, but kept on my wig.

I then left the building of neon lights and wandered the streets in search of the girls. They usually do this when the stress of the room is too high or they need to discuss something privately.

As I wandered the general area around the bar, I almost ran into an argument between a siren and their acquaintance. The human was sickeningly entranced by the shouting man as they got closer and closer to a wall.

The human looked absolutely petrified by what was going to happen to them, but they couldn’t do anything or look at anyone but the siren that kept getting closer and closer.

“Stop!” a voice called from behind them. I looked over to where the sound came from and saw Vanessa with her arms crossed and Daphne facing towards her but grimacing at the actions they were intervening in.

“And why ‘ould I?! Ish just… a lowly pet!” The man looked so intoxicated that he seemed to wobble even standing up, but to add in the fact that he turned so fast that he could have snapped his neck in two. The man was about to fall. The human was on the floor and smiling. There was no saving them from the torture they have probably endured.

It’s why the sirens are almost always forbidden from bringing humans down here. They can’t handle it and it has the same effect as playing with your food as a child in the human cities.

Vanessa was fuming, which is understandable. She has some interest in the circumstances of this part of the law.

I walked forward, deciding to pitch in at this moment when out of nowhere, Daphne walks up to the guy and grabs his tie and drags him over to the dumpster in the nearby alley way and throws him against it. “Interrupt me again and it’ll be worse. Got it?”

The man started nodding furiously as both me and Vanessa walked over to the human and grabbed them, careful to not turn them in the wrong direction, as it seems that they were pretty spelled in by the man. They now can't look in a direction that he is not in without getting hurt. It’s powerful magic, but most sirens have an innate ability to do it over time.

“Which way is your house?” I asked Vanessa.

“Right over there,” She says, pointing across the street, “Me and Daphne were heading over there to chat and catch up.”

As soon as she says Daphne’s name, she walks over and grabs the human with our help. We walked behind her and made sure the human was in the right direction.

Vanessa’s apartment was on the first floor, so we didn’t have to climb any stairs. Vanessa unlocked the door and while we got them in, she got a chair that was facing the direction of where we had left the man.

Once we got the human situated, we gathered in the kitchen behind the human and started gathering ingredients.

After all, it’s usually a witch that gets rid of a curse.

[testingforhope]

Happy Birthday General Pariz!

[testingforhope]

Happy Birthday General Pariz!

[testingforhope]

Chapter 21 - Not A Lot Of Talking

I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt like someone was squeezing it shut.

Hey there drama, are you into karma?

I couldn’t see much either.

Cause I’m dying to believe your next.

The world feels like it's swirling. My eyes are covered in blobs of colour, but no shapes that resemble my living room.

Oh is your mind erasing?

Well you better chase it,

Cause the thought is scaring me to death.

I can see movement and regrettably blink before looking at her back away slowly. I tried to scream after her before she got away, but it was too late. She then turned around completely and ran out the front door, slamming it behind her.

Suddenly, I felt something cold hit my cheek. I reached up to my face and realised that it was wet, my mouth only tasting salt in the tears that crawled onto my tongue. Why am I crying? I have no reason to cry.

I did my best to wipe the tears off my face and after failing to stop the flow, dragged my feet over the bottom of the staircase of the room.

Do you know that it's never, ever gonna be the way you want it?

So come on, get your fix now, now, now

Just as I was about to go up the stairs, I turned around for one last look over the room to make sure it actually happened. However, I noticed something off. On the table, I saw something that wasn’t there before I left the house that morning. A card.

Chit chat, do you want that

Or wanna take me home tonight?

I walked over to where the card was and picked it up, suddenly being able to stop my tears as confusion took over my mood. Not entirely, but enough. All I ended up staring at was a thick piece of paper that had a name and the seal of the siren city in the corner.

I looked at the name and read it over multiple times, letting it crawl in my brain and insert itself in a place that not even the trickiest of mind manipulating spells could remove it from.

Daphne… Daphne. Her name is Daphne.

Then I turned it around. On the back was a basic Lost-And-Found spell, but it was altered somehow. It seemed that it was made specially for things, or people in this case, with names and places of belonging, like a doll to a bed or a book to a shelf.

She wanted to see me again? She must have left this before we danced. Oh, right!

I put the card in my pocket and walked over to the record player. Can’t have it playing the track so much, that it causes scratches. Then, I climbed the stairs once more. I walked over to my room and got settled into my bed. The sky outside getting dark and the room feeling warm and cosy.

My eyes slipped closed, once, twice, and then finally stopped on the third time, surrounding me in darkness. Goodnight day and hello sweet night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Siren City, a few hours later~

I grabbed my stuff and got dressed like I always do and headed back to the bar to get started on my shift when a figure that was all too familiar came rushing in. Her eyes kept darting back and forth like she couldn’t tell what was real or not. Yet another thing that was all too familiar a sight.

“Hey, you okay Daph?” I asked, walking around the counter to greet her with a hand on her shoulder. She then looked at me and seemed to have gotten more scared for a split second before seeming to have realised where she was.

“Umm, yeah… I think so.” She said seemingly unsure. She shrugged my hand off her shoulder and sat at the bar, knocking twice on the wood.

Taking the hint, I walked up the liquor wall and picked up the whiskey bottle and poured two shots, no ice and slid them over to her.

Here we go. Another long day at work.

I then looked over at Daphne at the bar and Vanessa walking in. At least I’m not alone here.

[testingforhope]

If you seem interested in my story and want to join the fun, I suggest checking out this website linked above!

[testingforhope]

Chapter 20 - Floating

I walked back to my home, guiding the beautiful creature into my oasis. Her feet crushed the leaves that covered the trail through the garden to the front door. As we walked, I picked some fresh berries to put in some tea for later.

I turned around after getting enough fruit and grabbed her hand, pulling her from the lollipop plants my mom planted as a reward for me doing my studies years ago. I took her inside and sat her down in my living room. She looked at me in wonder, but also satisfaction. Perfect. I then got up to the kitchen to start the tea.

“Where are you going?” She asked in a curious tone. Her eyes were looking at me, holding me in place.

“Just to the kitchen to start the brew. Why did you want some company?”

Her eyebrows raised at that comment, then she said, “No.” She looked around the room as I left the area to get the kettle.

I reached up into the first counter over the stove top and got the iron teapot down and put it on a burner. I turned the water in and made it go into the kettle with magic, levitating it into the pot. I then turned the heat up to medium and started working on the herb collection for the flavouring.

“Can I look at these?”

Hearing her ask this, I leaned over to the doorframe and saw her staring at my bookshelf. “Sure! There are plenty of good stories in there.”

She reached for a book called Abandon. It was a surprise when it appeared on the shelf at first, because from the date listed, it looked like it was from another time and the description the writing used made it seem like it was from the future. After a while, I ended up just ignoring the book entirely, but it will always hold a place in my memories as the first outlier amongst the books.

She must have noticed that I wasn't paying attention entirely because she had walked over in the time I was in my head and started snapping her fingers in my face. “Snap out of it, will you? It’s creepy enough that you weren’t responding, now you won’t even flinch?!”

She was standing so close that I almost forgot how to breathe. I then heard the steam coming out of the teapot in the kitchen and grabbed her hand to bring it down, holding it there for a second longer than necessary.

She followed me as I left into the kitchen to get the cups set up, her taking a seat at the table. She had the book closed next to her and she was staring at me. I turned around to face her, two cups in hand when she must have decided enough was enough.

She grabbed the cups out of my hands and held my hands, dragging me back to the living room. She must have really looked around my house because in no time she had put a song on the record player I had forgotten I had.

She let my hands drop and stepped back a little and bowed slightly. I smiled as heat rose to my face. She smiled at my reaction and grabbed for my hand again, but also reached for my shoulder. Noticing the placement, I placed my hand on her waist and started dancing to the music. When the song started, we slowed down slightly to soak it in.

Late night telephone,

Calling all the wallflowers I know,

Out the dark and into the light

I had a feeling that she was planning something and my suspicions were confirmed when she started singing along. “Floating on my lowkey vibe. Floating on my lowkey vibe, vibe, vibe. I don’t need that late night high. I’m floating on my vibe, vibe, vibe.” Her voice was so mesmerising that I didn’t even realise when her hands started raising to my hair, messing it up slightly by the upwards motion.

Her hands started cupping my face, but then she looked distracted before she pulled away. She looked at me with the worst betrayal, then I remembered what I had done.

I raised my fingers to my ears and felt them. I took them out and looked at them. The earplugs were there the whole time.

Out of touch in harmony

Designer drugs from dead end streets

Break the air to feel the fall

Or just anything at all

[testingforhope]

Chapter 19 - Romantic Encounters

“Why did you try to run?” the siren asked me.

I suddenly don’t remember anymore. I don't want to run from her…

Her beauty was breathtaking, but that was no surprise considering what she was. I have dealt with people of similar origins. The girl covered her body with a robe, only showing her siren traits. I’d be lying if I said that she was not gorgeous and enchanting and so would any other person in this situation.

She started to look impatient, but even then, she was beautiful with the shimmering sand surrounding her and reflecting off to her glowing skin. Is this something that comes with the whole siren situation too? It's been a while since I’ve been in the presence of one… I thought to myself as I wondered how I was supposed to reply to what was asked of myself.

Oh! Now I remember why I was trying to leave, but I can’t say that. The story would take too long and it's impolite…

“I did it because you were so breathtaking, I couldn’t stand to look at you,” which was obviously a lie, it was for the greater good, so I continued on, “So that begs the question, why is someone as beautiful as you so far from your home, lady of the sea?”

Nailed it!

After hearing me, she seemed to become more closed off, but replied with, “How did you know?”

Well, isn’t she very trusting… Not that it’s a bad thing…

“I know many things about many topics, Sirens just so happen to be one of my more expertise areas.” For obvious reasons…

She now just seemed more relaxed and after a moment's silence to see if there was more to be said, she just turned and left with the intention of leaving me standing on the beach alone.

No! “Wait-”

Why did I say that?!

She turned around quick enough to make dents in the once perfect sand. “What is it that you need?”

What is it that I need?

“I wanted to know if you would like some food? I have a house with a garden not too far from here.”

Why did I just do that?! I really shouldn’t have done that!

Obviously wondering if it was a good idea to trust a stranger she just met with some berries, tea, and her time, she nodded her head slowly before raising her hand, letting me go first into the woods, with her following behind me.

Maybe I can still run, losing her in my dust! Losing her-

I turned around to look at the beauty following me home and nearly lost my cool. She seemed less reserved than earlier, clearly not wanting to ruin her robe. To save it, she decided to take it off and carry it.

Her clothes were tattered, almost on purpose, but somehow it only added to her mystic beauty. It was official. The fact was that she enchanted me and there was no way out now except forward toward her ocean blue eyes and the deep depths they held in them.

I turned back around and kept walking on to my house, worried for what was to come of me and this whole situation.

Maybe I should have not gone out today… Oh Cara Mia…

[testingforhope]

Chapter 18 - Too many People

Pariz was stilling down on a nearby rock and the mysterious figure was leaning against the tree they were hiding behind. Pariz just figured out that this strange person was the person she had told everything to despite never meeting, only being able to talk through letters, Hysteria.

“So what are you going to do now? I know that you now work for her, so are you going to make me come with you? I'm guessing that you know what happened.” Hysteria said, her voice on the brink of breaking with each word. Pariz was sorry for her, every word she said carving her heart.

“I don’t know all of it. Just the bits Sofia,” Hysteria tensed more,”made seem necessary,” Pariz replied with a heavy heart, “And as for your first question that was the plan, but now….”

Hysteria looked up at Pariz where she heard her stop mid-sentence. After a pause, she tried furthering the conversation with, “Now what?”

Pariz looked at her, at the flower she was mesmerised by so long ago, and then asked, “Can I see you?”

This question shocked Hysteria, but she nodded her head and stepped out of the shadows making her stand exactly where Sofia stood years ago. She had blonde hair, just as she described and her eyes were a deep purple. She was wearing an outfit made for foraging, decorated with a bunch of knick knacks and a satchel full of herbs and mushrooms.

The sight nearly made Pariz fall over the stone she was upon, but she stood her ground anyway. “I will just tell her that you are safe. Just so that you know, this is only because you seem unsteady about the idea of seeing her so soon. I will come back every so often to check up on you and when you seem ready, I will fulfil my quest and bring you to her,” Pariz said as she stood up and got ready to leave by picking up her lowered dagger and 

Hysteria took all this in with a deep breath of relief and visibly untensed. “Pariz, seeing this continued.

“She does miss you, you know. She talks about you all the time.” Pariz took a look around the area before looking back at Hysteria. “I will bring letters from the queen everytime I come here, but you can refuse.”

Hysteria looked at her and nodded again but slower this time. “That’s fine. Can you tell her something for me though?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Tell her that I’ve missed her too and I want to know how she has been.” Hysteria readjusted her satchel before turning and saying, “Thank you for this.”

Pariz looked at her and replied with a swift “Goodbye,” before turning away herself as well, towards the camp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few minutes later~

Hysteria was still startling when she came across the coast not too far from where it was not too long ago. She took her satchel off and kneeled down to the water to wash her face and make sure she was still awake.

When she was done with washing her face clean, she looked up and noticed someone drying themself off across the coast from her. She grabbed her satchel and hurriedly swung it on. She looked around for the nearest escape. She couldn’t bear to deal with another humanoid at the moment. She quietly started walking to the water and held her breath before lunging underneath the water. She had to get to the other side of the beach anyway.

She waited there for a little while before the person disappeared from sight. Thinking that it was safe, she swam to the coast on the other side. Suddenly she heard some movement in the water, before she saw it.

The tail designs made her stop in her tracks, then she heard it. Noticing just in time the danger she was in, she put in her special earplugs made for this situation. She squinted at the water hoping to see what it was, then she heard some sand shuffle behind her before a tap was made on her shoulder.

She turned around quickly and saw a beautiful person standing there with a robe covering most of their body. Their ears and eyes were a dead giveaway to what they were though, a siren.

“What did you try to run?”

[testingforhope]

Chapter 17 - The Shadow

I woke up with the birds chirping in the trees above my tent like always. I stretched when I got up, taking off the robe with delicacy not seen anywhere else in my actions. I put on my armour from the day before, the straps on the metal being just as easy to put on as they were to take off the day before.

Leaving my tent, I walked over to the running water source nearby to wash my eyes for maximum guarding abilities. This was, afterall, what the lady above had wished us to do. The gunk from my eyes washed out with ease and I soon started strolling through the woods to the cook’s station for the breakfast of the day.

It was usually something that could be taken with us on the road, just in case anyone needed to leave in a hurry or woke up late when work was to begin. Today’s special on the menu was an egg and fried ham wrap. The bread was an export from the sirens below our kingdom. They were the source of many of our exports, in fact. As for the fried ham, it was, at its core, just bacon with some bread on it. It was a recipe found in some Northern parts of Hubain knows where.

I grabbed my breakfast with a polite nod in the cook’s direction, trying to give them praise and discovery that they had hoped for with the little energy I had that early in the morning. The sky was still dark, but slowly getting brighter, when I sat with the other knights and discussed business with the night patrol before their shift was over. The bags under their eyes were evident. It makes sense, though, considering where we had set up camp.

The Enchanted Woods were no laughing matter to the guards stationed to watch in that direction overnight from even the castle. They would turn all the heads in the room with the things they said were heard or seen from there. These knights, though, were put into the place itself. They heard and saw things they seemed afraid to mention. The woods are said to mess with your mind, which is probably keeping their tongue in their throats.

I sent them off the bed with a dismissive wave, seeing their sleep deprived eyebags and wishing all good rest for each individual that had to stand post over all of us in our most defenceless state. I then went back to my wrap and finished eating it, picking up on some of the meaningless ramble the other guards were talking about. It didn’t matter anyway. As soon as it went in one ear, it went out the other and was soon replaced with the next sentence for judgement by my ears.

When I was done, I left the site to go on a stroll. The Enchanted Woods were the attraction of our kingdom, the lights attracting all types of merchants and species brought in scientists and doctors. The terrain and lifeforms in here were like from a dream.

I stopped in my tracks when I came to the natural garden that I had ventured to many years before with Sofia. I wonder if she would still look the same in this lighting… 

A crack of a twig startled me, making me pull out my hidden dagger in the direction of the noise. I squinted because of the sunlight shining right in front of my face. I could have sworn by the great goddess that there was something, or someone, behind the tree across the mystical plants.

“Come out now or I will have no hesitation,” I called out, hoping to draw it out.

“...no…” a voice replied, so quiet that I almost didn’t pick up on it.

I tried to catch another glimpse of the figure hidden in the shadows, but to no avail. The trees became too dense in the direction the voice was coming from. It was almost like talking to the void.

I then lowered my dagger, not quite putting it away yet. “What are you doing out here anyway?” It seems to be humanoid…

“what? …I live here. What are you doing in my forest?”

[testingforhope]

Happy Birthday Vanessa!

#testingforhopebirthday

Read the story Testing For Hope now online!

[testingforhope]

"that ship isn't canon! that character isn't gay!" well thats not what the voices told me