Broken Fay-te by Cama seeney (summer beach reads .TXT) 📖

The Birthday

Mum was ill again; the cancer had finally come back. We all knew it would, just like we knew eventually she would die. We had hoped not this soon, never this soon. Today was my sixteenth birthday. It was also the day we got her test results back, so much for a day for us all to be happy, since none of us were happy was nothing near what we were feeling. Dad had left back when she had to be tested again, when mum had first gotten diagnosed, I was thirteen. That was the first time he had left us, it had been too much for him, so he ran. I couldn’t, wouldn’t run, she was my mother. Who else would hold her hair when she was sick, or hold her beautiful delicate hands? Who else would hold everything together with the crappest glue known to man?

My mother laid snuggly in her soft pink bed, smiling softly. I think deep down she knew her time was running out. The doctors gave her two years tops. She looked deeply into my eyes and told me it was okay; that she would go when it was her time. Go? Go where? I had thought angrily. Leaving me all alone? Just like that? Just like dad had? Just like my grandparents had left her years ago. She was all I had left, after her there would be no one. Who would I focus on now? Lord knows I would go insane left alone to care for myself.

I waited till she was sleeping deeply before slipping from the room. I could hear my father’s mother pottering around in the kitchen. That’s all she ever did was potter. She couldn’t get a real job because of her arthritis. Mother was to sick of course, so that left me. I worked in a nearby café, but it wasn’t enough. Soon we’d have to leave here too. Just like my mother was going to leave me, I would have to leave all I knew behind.

I looked out a nearby window into the gloomy daylight of a half cloud obscured afternoon. That’s how I felt, as downtrodden as the weather appeared. I decided a walk was in order, stuffed my ear buds into my delicate ears. I needed the music; it never ceased to calm my frail nerves. If I couldn’t get my mind off everything, I was certain I would breakdown and cease to function. The constant thought of a life alone monopolized my mind, threatening madness. With the music blasting in my ears, I could do anything, be anything. Be anyone but the girl with the dying mother who had nothing left.

The weather, though gloomy, was still pleasant. I wore my favourite blue jeans, along with a deep purple top with a dream catcher artfully painted on it. My mother had made it, which was all she could manage anymore. Even then, with the sickness, she tried to keep at her art, but these moments were becoming fewer all the time. My boots made a weird sucking sound as I pulled them free of the mud. The sound etched itself in my mind, and with every step, I could almost hear it. The dream catcher on my shirt did nothing to calm my nerves or calm my racing heart, this was the first time I had been alone in a long time before I had craved it now I only craved a free mind.

My walk was without purpose or direction. I simply walked. I didn’t have to be into work until later. You might think, with it being my birthday that I would have the day off. That’s

unfortunately not the kind of world we live in is it? The air was growing colder, and soon I felt it. Tugging down the sleeves of my undershirt alleviated the problem for now. A thick daunting yet beautiful forest blanketed one half of the town. Everyone seemed to avoid them, as if some long ago tragic curse covered the woods. I almost giggled to myself at the silliness of it. I looked back, to where the sky had yet to lighten, or had it grown darker before the light had any chance, any hope. I wasn’t sure.

With a deep breath, I stepped over some fallen branches, and plunged into the forest. A quick glance back revealed the wood had swallowed me in a way, blocking out the real world and my problems. I plucked my ear buds out and tucked them away, the forest had a music all its own to sooth my soul. Almost like that of a heart, a natural pulse and rhythm. I closed my eyes letting the harmony saturate me, and began walking. The forest is as lonely as I am; the thought came unbidden to me as my hand brushed the bark of a nearby tree. I stopped, letting my hand rest there.

“Take the pain away, use the energy to help yourself grow.” I whispered, hoping the tree would do exactly that. With a not quite exaggerated sigh, I opened my eyes and found myself much deeper in the woods than I had expected. Surely, I hadn’t been walking for that long? It was of no importance I had time to spare. I swept a stubborn lock of my long brown hair from my eyes and kept walking.

“Sky.” A single word rode the wind, and caused me to stop. Wait what? That’s my name. “Yes?” I replied, a question lingering on the tip of my tongue.

“This way.” Was the reply. I giggled a little to myself and followed the voice. Perhaps it was mum; maybe she was playing a trick on me. She always was a prankster, and she used to love hiking. The thought of how ill she was crept into my mind and made my stomach churn. I turned away and ran, not wanting to end my trollop through the woods so soon, but that voiced was more than a little creepy. “No, come back!” It echoed around me.

“Not towards them, this way.” Came another voice. Now several voices were calling out all at once. Some pleasant, deep, baritone, others were harsh and shrill, still others soothing and alluring. My head spun, but I chose the least creepy one. The enemy of my enemy is a friend right? Wow, now I’m talking to myself I thought as I leapt over a rock just ahead and landed awkwardly on a low hanging branch. I nearly fell before I caught myself. I was glad that I had to, for ahead of me was a dazzling waterfall, below that a crystal blue pond, pristine, hauntingly beautiful with the whitewash of the falls feeding it.

“Come back!” A deep voice rumbled, “We only want your first kiss.” Inane giggling ensued, a whole torrent of it.

Two choices I thought, pull the car over or, wow totally inappropriate time for song lyrics I chastised myself. I could feel the ground tremble as something neared; hear the sharp crack of

branches breaking. I gasped and almost slipped. “No worries, she won’t last long there.” A snide voice, feeling so close to my ear I could almost feel the breath. I shrieked, letting myself hang precariously away. “Come back dear.” This time it was my Grandmother’s voice. I know she’d never make it all the way out here. I gulped in as much air as I could, and simply let go, allowing myself to plunge the twenty feet below. There is only one thing to do, 'put the peddel to the meddle' I whispered to myself finishing off the line of lyrics I had began.

Time stood still a moment as I watched the glittering blue pool growing ever closer. What felt like minutes, was only seconds as I landed with a whoosh and a large splash. My momentum carried me deep down into the recesses of the pond. My hair splayed out, dancing with the water to obscure my view, as it snaked away something appeared swimming before me. It appeared to be a horse, but underwater? His mane and tail floated in the water around him, giving him an odd mythical appearance. This can’t be happening I thought, surely I hit my head when I landed in the water. Sure enough though, despite blinking it was still there, its front hooves stabbed at the water angrily as its tail swished lightly. His fur was an intense shade of black with a greenish hue to it; all of it was long and fanned out in all directions. To be honest, it was one of those events in your life that cannot be forgotten, so imprinted perfectly in your mind that you can relive each moment if you wished.

I swam forward, trying not to startle the creature. Smiling I placed my hand on his mane, resting my forehead against his. Deep brown eyes stared into me, seeming to calm my soul. Suddenly they became panic stricken, and the creature’s body began to shake. I wrapped my arms, and began kicking violently to the surface, the pressure in my lungs building to a climax as I tried desperately to save him. That’s when I noticed the tangles of seaweed holding him. An air bubble escaped me as I involuntarily gasp. Amazingly, the weeds relented their grasp and we shot upward like a cannon.

We broke the surface in a mad gasping rush, water splashing all around us as we drug ourselves towards the shore. The strange thing collapsed in a heap on the shore, whinnying frantically as it convulsed. My heart fell, “No you cannot die!” I yelled tears brimming. “I owe you for saving me, I’ll give you anything.”

A last shudder racked its body and he began to change, shrinking before my eyes as I held him in my arms. I gasped, closing my eyes thinking the worst as I curled my fingers through his luscious mane. “You’ve made a very silly promise.” A deep baritone voice rang in my ears.

I opened my eyes to find something entirely new in my lap. The same midnight and green hued hair, deep bottomless brown eyes, but now a human boy lay against me. “I th…thought you were dieing.” I stuttered, not yet willing to let him go no matter how weird the whole situation was.

“You still owe me.” He informed me, a mischievous smile tugged at his wet lips.

“But, I don’t have anything to give you.” I protested, confused.

His smile intensified at my confusion, “Oh but you do.”

“What exactly do you want?” Concern began to fill me.

“I saved you. I want what you wouldn’t give the others, your first kiss.”

I nodded defeated, tears flowed freely trailing down my face, covering the lips he desired. I pressed them slowly to his, planning to give him a chaste kiss. My stomach fluttered on its own accord as my eyes closed. I felt his hand shift, cupping my face gently, outstretched fingers lightly touching my hair. “What are you?” I whispered once the kiss broke.

“I’m a Kelpie. Well half Kelpie really.” My blank stare explained my ignorance. “A water faerie of sorts.” He continued as if that explained everything, anything!

“Why did you save me?” I asked leaning back to look at him clearly.

“Some fay are like humans, we have a conscience.” He tilted his head a little looking at me ponderously. “Why are you drenched in sadness?”

"I have lost the will to fight. It was a test, and I have failed. My moms is dieing and there isn't anything I can do." Tears brimmed along the edges of my eyes.

"Are you sure it was you? The one being tested?" He asked, his head tilting to the side as if slightly confused.

Nodding gravely with a shrug, I looked up meeting his eyes. "Everything! Everyone I