Chapter 6 part 5

Meet someone?  Did I hear that right? They have been waiting a long time?  How long and why? My voice come rushing out of me before I can stop myself.

"How long? And why do you think I was here before? Why would I..." I forget the last question before has its chance.

Brooke tilts her head as she studies me.
"You're very strange." She says as she walks over to the stream of water.  "You where here. Kissing a boy."

Kissing a boy? I took a moment as my mind worked through my memories. Jayden. I was here with Jayden. He was safe. I remember now. It was before he said "Hi beautiful" and melted my heart. I heard the water, felt the grass tickeling my legs. I even smelt the cherry blossoms. Why didn't we stay here, out of the reach of Zilor?

"Brooke? I say hesitantly. Can I even trust her? I'm not really sure what I'm going to ask her. But she doesn't seem to notice the worrisome tone in my voice.

The third tree wrestles around, and I'm reminded, someone else is here. If by chance they kicked Jayden and I out before. I don't really want to give then a reason to do it again. At least not without Jayden. Who knows? Maybe he's the reason why we weren't hurt in the process. When I jumped, or whatever, without him, I lost my memories. But that didn't happen with Jayden. My memories were fully intact when I left him and ran.

My heart sinks. I left him and ran. I left him behind.

That third tree is wrestling in wind that's not there. It roars as if that one tree alone is being tossed around in a storm. Horror runs through my bones, as I realize whoever or whatever that wants to meet me. Is in that tree.

I turn back to Brooke and open my mouth but nothing comes. she guesses my question for me.

“They’re in the tree.” She confirms and points over to the third tree. “There.”

What the heck? What could possibly make a tree roar like that and still not be able to see them? If I didn't know any better. I would say an invisible giant is shacking it. The tree cracks under the presser and branches break off. My stomach drops again at just the thought of them coming out to shack my hand. If they could do that to the tree, what could they do to me? 

“Grace, Aubrey, Naomi. Come out so…” Brooke stops and whispers in my ear.

“What do they call you?” –She’s right behind me. Like a supernatural ghost, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

“Um… Jazlyn.” I breathe.

“So Um… Jazlyn can meet you.” Brooke’s voice is clear and calming. She must have notice my nerves screaming inside. She said my name perfectly to how I said it. But before I could correct her, a world-wind swirls around me. Tossing my hair like a wild hair dryer.

I grap my star and gard my face. I want to scream, but, the moment I think of it the wind suddenly stops. -a little too fast. I linger there with my hands covering my face for a moment, trying to catch my breath.  I have a feeling the minute I look up the tornado will swollow me. But the longer I linger there, the more ridiculous I feel.

The wind doesn't come back. Not even a small breeze creeps through my hair. I only hear delightful giggles from the other side of my hands. I lift my head as another giggle rings in my ears. My eyes rest on two large butterflies; or rater very small people with butterfly wings?  No. I think. Pixies. They're pixies.  Memories instantly try to find a moment with pixies, but, I can't find any. I have no idea how I know they're pixies. I just do.

The pixie on the right has beautiful midnight blue wings with tiny purple diamonds on the tips of each wing.  Specks of gold inline between each color. Her wings move so brisk that I don’t think my old eye would have been able to see the gold. But now, once again I’m shock to see everything so bold and bright. Her tiny blue shorts are shredding at the bottom and her top is ripped off her right shoulder. Her long black hair is pulled back into ponytail. 

She giggles a little at me, as she stands in mid-air. She covers her smile with her fingers. Then in a flash, she’s close to my face, making me go cross-eyed. I lean back a little to get a better view but she follows me, putting her hands on my nose and gazing into my eyes. My nerves smooth into a calm sleep-like feeling. I feel –happy, instantly happy. 

“This is Grace” Brooke speaks for her.

Grace smiles and flitters back to her place in the air. The other pixie's wings have different tones of pink. She looks much daintier than Grace. Her short brown hair looks like it never moves out of place. Her white dress flows in the wind of her wings and her head is tilted down as she looks up with a sheepish smile.

“That’s Aubrey.” Brooke says.

The pixies features sparkle in the sunlight. I can see nothing else but them. -They captured me, like so many things here do. I know I should feel confused or frustrated or at the very least bewildered by everything here. But whatever Grace did when she touched my noise, I feel nothing but joy. Pure Christmas morning blissful joy. I would stay here forever if they let me. My lips turn to a smile.  I can’t help myself. They’re too adorable for words. From their rugged, dainty clothes to their glorious wings. How could they move a tree? I decided in an instant, they couldn't. There too t precious for something like that.

“And that’s Naomi.” Brooke continued.

I know without a doubt, I'm not really in the position to say whats real or not real. But, I only see two pixies. Two adorable dancing butterflies that couldn't be more perfect if they tried. That is, I only see two until a shadow shimmers between them.  I turn around and find Naomi, fearce , strong and powerful .

She's floating just behind my left shoulder. Her wings are yellow with small flickers of greens. She wares a small green one-peace. Unlike Aubrey, her hair is wild and moves freely in the wind of her wings. I can’t see much of her, becouse, of the tinny large bow that covers her body.   An arrow rests high off her shoulder, pointed at me as she bites her lower lip.

“Don’t worry about Naomi.” Brooke chimes in. “She doesn’t trust anyone.”

“I get that.” I shrug my shoulders.
Naomi rolls her eyes at me, but doesn’t take her arrow down. In that moment, I see it. I see it in Naomi’s eyes, in her jagged muscles that hold to the arrow. The sure power that she holds fast too. That all three must all have. She could break me in two seconds, and smile doing it.

“You’re the North Star.” Grace swoops in between Naomi and I. “You have the North Star.” She flies in close to my necklace. “You must be the North Star.”

I lean back again as she buzzes  around me. Trying to keep as still as I can, so I don't startle Naomi.

“I wouldn’t say I’m the North Star.” My voice is more cheerful then I expect, but I'm grateful it finally is starting to work.

Grace bounces over to me and dance around me like a bee with a flower. She flitters though my hair, tickling my neck. She bobs over to my arms and touches my wrist, then to my hands, stomach, and legs.  With each touch of her little hands, I feel more and more of that blissful happiness. My headache smoothes out and every inch of my body begins to relax. So much that by the time Grace gets to my feet. I couldn’t help but let out a little chuckle of my own.

“That’s enough.” Brooke whispers.
I let out another snicker.

Aubrey pops over to my right ear. “You must be the North Star.” Her voice tickle inside my eardrum and I giggle.

I feel drunk. I’ve never been drunk before, but I’ve seen it. My old foster Mother would get drunk every Friday night with her friends. She always came home smelling of liquor, stumbling and laughing like a buffoon. I never understood why she did it, and now I don’t think I ever will. I hate being out of control of my own self. Yet here I am. Standing in a strange place, Zailor  on the brinks of killing me, Jayden hurt or possibly dead and Stephanie and Wade in possible  danger and I’m… laughing?

My head swirls, I put my head in my hands and let out a giggle. I try to stop myself from laughing with my hands.  But I can’t stop.

Brooke sighs, “I think you gave her too much.”

“Too much of what?” I laugh.
Brooke smiles as I peek between my fingers. All three of the creatures were staying a little away from me. -Looking at me in astonishment.  

“They gave you a little pixie juice.” Brooke answers.