Shattered

Nyctohylophobia

I ran my fingers through my short, black hair as I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. Just moments ago my hair had reached my mid-back. My older brother grinned as he held up the long ponytail that he had just cut off for me, it seemed odd to see it, after four years of waiting for it to grow out, hanging in front of my nose.

"Well sis, whaddya think?" Asked Cedro as he put the ponytail in a Ziplock bag.

"Uh, I like it, I think." I was turning my head from side to side to see my new look from different angles, still running my hands through it. "Do you have the address that we're supposed to send the hair to?" I was going to donate it to be made into a wig for a cancer patient.

Cedro's reply was cut off by my little sister, Belladonna, running up the stairs shouting, "Cedar Twig! Cedar Twig!" That was her nickname for Cedro, as his name meant Cedar in Spanish. "Oooo! Fauna! I love your hair!"

"What is it Bella?" I queried, grabbing the broom from the corner and sweeping the trimmed hair into a pile.

Belladonna crossed her eyes at me then turned to our brother, "Cedar Twig will you take me to the Ladron Forest? I wanna go huntin' for fairies."

"Sorry Bella, I hafta mail this hair off then get goin' on my history essay, maybe Fauna will take you?" Belladonna turned to me with hopeful eyes.

"Uh, no." I shook my head, "you know how much I hate that forest, especially at night and it's just getting dark now." I put the broom down and crossed my arms, trying hard to ignore the nervous ache in my stomach.

Belladonna stuck out her bottom lip at me in a pout, "But tonight's the summer solstice, the best time of the year to find fairies!" She whined.

I sensed a big seven-year-old tantrum coming and obviously so did Cedro, "Look Fauna," he said, "can't you just take her to the forest to find fairies, just for a little while?" He gave me the 'do it or else' look.

"Fine!" I snapped, "Let me go and put on some shoes. Bella, I want you dressed properly as well, leave the glittery fairy wings here and lose the tutu." I stomped down the hallway to my bedroom and shutting the door behind me, I sat down on the edge of my bed. I could feel the fear squirming in my stomach. I hated forests at night, dark trees towering over me, scuffling sounds from just out of sight...I don't mind woods in the daylight, but at night? No frickin' way. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.

Shadows looming around, the faint beam of the flashlight wavering ahead on the overgrown path, my best friend, Carla, her hand clutching mine...

"Come on Fauna, we just have to get to the other side," whispers Carla, the makeup of her princess costume makes her face look pale and eerie, "then we can keep trick-or-treating."

I'm shaking too much to reply, I grip her left hand with my right one and hold onto my cat tail with the other, to keep it from snagging on the brambles. The sharp crack of a breaking twig makes us both jump and peer nervously into the darkness.

"W-w-what was th-that?" Carla's eyes are as wide as the moon and her grip is so tight that I can't feel my fingers. She swings the flashlight beam around to point it into the woods, searching for the sound of the noise.

I realize that we've stopped walking, "Come on," I rasped, "let's keep going." Carla is standing stock still, her face now the colour of sour milk, terrified, I follow her gaze. My stomach turns over and I feel something warm run down my legs, soaking my black leggings and filling my shoes. No more than ten paces off the path is a tall figure, swathed in dark fabric, eyes gleaming from under the hood.

The figure suddenly starts striding towards us, with long purposeful steps and I can see something long, glinting silver in it's hand. Carla screams and, pulling me with her, turns and starts to run back the way we came. I stumble after her, losing a shoe.

Loud raucous laughter ringing in our ears as we fled.

I opened my eyes, breathing hard, that happened six years ago, I told myself sternly, forget about it. I grab a pair of battered red converse and head downstairs to meet Belladonna who had, thank goodness, traded her fairy costume for a pair of shorts and a hoodie.

"Let's go!" Cried my sister upon seeing me. Grumbling I pulled on my shoes and followed her grudgingly out the door, stowing a flashlight in my pocket. Belladonna was several paces ahead of me all the way down four blocks to the edge of Ladron Forest, the streetlights had come on and were giving everything a creepy orange glow. I saw my sister reach the edge of the trees.

"Belladonna!" I called, "wait for me."

"Hurry up slowpoke!" She shouted back, folded her arms and tapped the toe of her sneaker on the pavement to show her impatience. "About time. You walk about as fast as a sloth." She said when I caught up to her.

"Hey, I don't wanna hear any sass from you Bella, you know I don't want to be here and if you get all snarky I'm taking you home." I warned her, but if there is anything that my sister doesn't like, it's being told what to do. She stuck out her tongue at me and began marching into the dark woods.

"Bella!" I shout, "come back!"

"No."

"Belladonna!" I bellow, but she had already disappeared from my sight. "Oh brother, this is just brilliant," I muttered, steeling myself to go after her.

Suddenly a scream rent the quiet night air, short and sharp but there was no mistaking my sister's voice.

"Bella!" I shrieked, running forward, "Belladonna!" Silence. I took a deep breath and plunged into the trees, my heart was hammering fit to burst and fear corsed through me, what had happened to my little sister? "Bella!" I slowed to a walk, apparently oblivious to my eerie surroundings, I left the path and began to scramble through the dense undergrowth. An unwanted image of the hooded figure kept pressing around the edges of my vision, but I forced it back. "Belladonna! Where are you?! What happened!" My voice was growing hoarse.

"Fauna, help." Came the far off reply.

I turned towards the sound and fought my way forward through the brambles and other undergrowth, twigs and thorns tearing at my skin, drawing blood. I stumbled into a small clearing to find Belladonna sprawled on the ground, her ankle twisted at an awkward angle.

"Bella," I gasped, kneeling next to her, "what happened?"

"I tripped on a stupid tree root," grunted my sister and she pushed herself into a sitting position, "twisted my ankle." She had tears streaming down her face, "I'm sorry for running off."

I wrapped my arms around her, "It's okay sweetie, just never do it again. Now let's get you home." I helped her up and she leaned heavily on me. We somehow managed to get back to the path and started making our way doggedly towards home.

"Hey Fauna?" whispered my sister after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"Are you still scared of the woods?"

I stopped, realizing something for the first time, "You know what Bella? No, I don't think I am."

"Good. 'Cause there isn't anything to be scared of here, the fairies make sure to protect us." Belladonna informed me, giggling slightly.

I smiled down at her, squeezed her shoulders and we started walking again, all the way back home.

The End