Monsters & Fairytales (34 page)

“Yes?” I called out.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Carlyle asked.

“I’m so sorry. I was just taking a quick shower. I am almost done changing. I’ll be out in a second!” I assured him.

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure breakfast didn’t get cold.” He said.

I heard him walk off and mumble something to Sebastian. I wondered if I’d ever learn their language.
Never in a day, of course.
I needed to hurry.
             

Kissing my wrist, I was thankful that I always wore the hair tie with the bobby pins. I lifted my hands up to fluff my hair, and realized that I would need deodorant, too. Would this place have some? My purse, I’d have some in there. Oh right, I had left my purse at the arcade. I really hoped they just put it in a lost and found box or that Joe found it and recognized the driver’s license. I guess it was a good thing I never carried checks or credit cards. There was about $
100  in
cash, but everything else was replaceable. More important things, Sebastian was right.
             

I closed my eyes and thought really hard for deodorant. When I opened my eyes, there was perfume, deodorant, and lotion on the counter. I guess the magic of this place wasn’t sure what smell-good item I wanted in particular. I was just glad the actual bar of body stink repellent was in the mix.

Running the towel through my bangs to dry them, I sort of wanted to think for a blow dryer. I was going to put my hair up, but it looked good down and wet. When it’d dried, I’d throw it up in a ponytail. I was already taking too long. There were more important things. That was a good motto. Sebastian should definitely look into
copyrighting it
or something.

I hung the towel up on the back of the door and walked out. Carlyle and Sebastian sat upright instantly. Did they think I’d judge them for slouching? The closer I got to
them,
I realized that they were sniffing the air more so than worrying about etiquette.

“What is that?” Sebastian asked, sniffing again.

“Cleanliness?”
I joked.

“It’s-it’s almost like an abundance of flowers.” Carlyle commented.

I smelled my arm. That stuff in the shower had had no fragrance. What
were they smelling
? 

“I have no idea what you guys are talking about.” I said.

I sat down in an empty chair next to the table. All I could smell now was the food. Carlyle set a plate in front of me and opened the platter to bacon, eggs, sausage, and toast with jelly, hash browns, waffles, and pancakes. It was the greatest breakfast buffet I had ever seen. My entire mouth swelled up with saliva, I was starving. I looked on the table for silverware, but there wasn’t any. I didn’t mind. I picked up one of the waffles and took a bite.

I didn’t even notice Carlyle standing over me until he took a deep breath. I looked up at him questioningly. He opened the window in front of us and wafted some air in. He took another breath, and then he was standing over me again. I swallowed my waffle and smelled the air myself. It was lighter and fresher here. I'd had no idea that air was capable of feeling lighter. It made my head a bit dizzy, but I dealt with it.

“It’s you!” Carlyle exclaimed. He scared me with his enthusiasm.

“What
?
”

I picked up the waffle I had dropped with caution. Thankfully, it had landed on the plate.

“Why did you not smell this way yesterday?”

Carlyle wafted the air above my head towards him again. I shooed his hand away, it was weird.

“It’s almost...delightful.” Sebastian closed his eyes, breathing.

“Not you, too, get out of here.”

I ducked and protected my head. I just wanted to eat my food.

“I don’t…understand. It’s as if…
you’re desirable.”
Sebastian said between sniffs.

“My towel is hanging up in the bathroom, go knock yourself out.” I laughed.

“I’m serious!” Sebastian said.

“Where is it?” Carlyle yelled. He had actually gone to the bathroom to find my towel.

“Oh, stop it!” I laughed.

“
I finally understand what it is about you humans. If I were a man in your world, I would find you irresistible.” Sebastian said.

“You were a man in my world. Are you saying you didn’t find me irresistible then?” I teased.

“Oh you know what I meant, if I were a natural human.” Sebastian smiled.

“Ah, okay.”

“I like it.” He whispered.

He reached out and rubbed my hand. I blushed. I wanted to kiss him again. Maybe last night hadn’t just been a spur of the moment thing? I had a level head now and we were still acting as if we wanted to be together. My heart was fluttering just thinking about him holding me again. Yes, I still love him. Does he still love me?

Carlyle sat down to my left. I had Sebastian on my right, a wonderful plate of food in front of me, and the greatest view out the windows surrounding us. It was remarkable. I could see past the gates from this vantage point. There were no signs of gray trees or aluminum cities. I saw beautiful, soft buildings and houses. Not to mention, I saw color everywhere. It made the breakfast all the more perfect. Silverware would have helped just a smidge, but
I managed to slide the eggs onto the bread, layer some bacon and sausage, and eat it as a most superb sandwich.

“Oh, look! It’s Lucy.” Carlyle exclaimed out of nowhere.

He jumped up and opened another window. I watched as a giant giraffe-like creature lowered its head into the opening. A part of me wanted to run away, but I had a feeling this beast was nothing to fear. She looked infected with her yellow body and black spots. Her hair was more purple spikes than strands and her ears were green and circular. Her face was rather small, but her black eyes took up most of it. She rested her head on the ledge.

“Carlyle!” A strange high-pitched voice came out.

It spoke again, but it was in their language. I didn’t understand anything else. I ate my breakfast and examined the strange creature before me. I noticed that its skin was actually a peach color and the yellow and black were tiny feathers. The black spots weren’t actually black
either,
they shimmered with an array of colors. It was much like oil on duck feathers. She was very pretty. I needed to stop letting first impressions take a hold of me.
             

I finished my sandwich and stood up to the other side of the window. Unlatching it, I stuck my head out. I wanted to see more. On the lawn, there were a few more of these creatures Carlyle called, ‘Lucy’. They were glimmering even more from a distance in the direct sunlight. A thought occurred to me; I grabbed Sebastian’s hand and held it in the sun. I was delighted when it
glimmered
back purples and greens just like the creatures out in the yard. Everything was beautiful in this world. I couldn’t fathom why my eyes had shown me such misery and disgust when I first arrived. I wanted to
leave  and
go into the city.

“What are you doing?” Carlyle asked. All three of them were watching me.

“She can see now.” Sebastian whispered. He adored me.

“You shine. There’s a texture to your color I never imagined!” I gleamed. I was so happy.

“Oh, Mirabelle!
You’ve done it!”

Carlyle ran around the table and hugged me.

“Done what?” I asked. I was still ecstatic.

“You've embraced us. You've opened your mind and you have let all fear and all hatred
leave
you.”

He was just as happy as I was, but he understood the magnitude of it far greater than I ever could have.

“Can I see your world, now?” I pleaded.

“Do you want to take the fun way down, or the easy way?” Lucy spoke to me.

Her voice hit much harder than when she had first spoken. I started choking on nothing. Sebastian offered me a glass of water. He was laughing. 

“Yes, thank you.”

I took it and chugged it down. Lucy looked at Carlyle and spoke in their language. I set down the water and leaned towards Sebastian.

“Your world, it’s just, I can’t even describe it. How are you so fascinated with us when you have this?”

“The same way as you are fascinated with this when you have what you have.”

“Nonsense.
Where I live, there are no colors like this. And there are no creatures like this. And there isn’t even…” I took a breath, “…there isn’t even air like this.” 

“Likewise.”
He grinned.

I gave him a look to try to understand what he meant. It sort of sounded like he was referring to me, but that would have been too much. He had to be talking about my world.

“Are you ready for your day to begin?” Carlyle interrupted us.

He was standing on top of the now emptied table with a hand on Lucy’s forehead. He was petting her.

“Oh, yes, very much.” I nodded.

He held out his free hand and helped me up onto the table. When I was standing, I saw I didn’t have on any shoes. I really didn’t want to wear heels again. I wondered if it’d be okay to go barefoot. I wouldn’t mind.

“What’s wrong?” Carlyle asked.

“Carlyle, I don’t have any shoes.” I whispered to him.

All three of them started laughing.

“You don’t need any.” Sebastian chuckled.

“Ready?” Carlyle asked again.

I nodded my head. I had a crazy shake to my body. I was so excited. This day was going to be completely unbelievable.

“Lucy, if you will.” Carlyle said.

She nodded and stepped back enough to clear the window. I didn’t understand. I had assumed we were going to use Lucy as a slide down to the bottom, hence the fun way. Carlyle edged us closer to the brink of the window. I looked back to Sebastian. He was still sitting there, admiring me.

“You
coming?”
I asked holding my hand out. He grinned then took it.

“As you so wish.”
He winked at me.

“Hold on!” Carlyle yelled.

I screamed as we
dove
out of the window. Carlyle and Sebastian nearly pulled my arms out of their sockets when
gravity tried to claim me back
. 

“Go with Carlyle!” Sebastian yelled out.

He flew closer and handed me to Carlyle. The last time I had flown with Carlyle, he'd had me bundled in his chest. This time, he held me under my armpits and faced me outward so I could see everything. I did see everything. The world in front of me was just that of a fairytale. I laughed to myself. Yesterday this place had been filled with monsters and my worst nightmares. Today, it resembled what I always imagined Heaven to look like, minus the black creatures. I smiled and laughed uncontrollably.
             

They flew me up into the clouds and back down again. Carlyle swirled me around and tried to do his best to let me take everything in without it being too much. We slowed down when we were over the center of the city. I saw the people were the same, but the buildings and the colors had completely filled in. There was no such thing as a color scheme, either. Where one building was a bright purple, the next was a dark green. I wondered if that’s why the people were such a black color. That way, they managed to stick out against their surroundings of the rainbow city they lived in.
             

Carlyle wrapped his arms around my ribs and told me to close my eyes. I didn’t want to. I was terrified that if I did I’d lose the ability to see their world. He squeezed my ribs, ordering me to do it this time. I clamped them shut instantly. I felt the world around me come to a stop. I was terrified that that was it. Had I just lost everything? There was a whooshing sound and I couldn’t breathe. My heart was hurting. It was trying to beat but the force against it wouldn’t allow it. 
             

I gasped when we landed, on
instinct
not actual fear. There was grass below me. Was I back at home? Something had been holding me up, but let me go. I collapsed to the ground. It was soft and cushioned my fall. Opening my eyes, I saw there was a flower bent in my face
. It smiled and giggled when I reached out for it.
I was still in their world. I started giggling, too. More flowers leaned towards me to say hello. I ran my fingers across them, laughing some more. This was too much. 

“Are you okay?” Sebastian asked.

He leaned over me, blocking the sun from my eyes.

“Are you kidding? How can you even ask that? I’m absolutely wonderful!”

I pulled him down next to me.

“Whoa!
Mirabelle!”
He laughed.

We rolled over the grass, laughing together. We didn’t stop until a tree got in our way. We thudded against. It grunted at us.

“Oh, my.
I’m so sorry.” I said.

The tree shook its branches showering leaves onto us. Sebastian sighed, trying not to smile. He picked a few leaves off of my head. He gave me that look of, ‘What am I going to do with you.’ I loved it.