Faerie

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

I was confused. How did I end up back in the human realm? Several moments had passed, just gazing around at the sudden expectedness of being home. It felt strange. I almost forgot the young woman standing beside me.

"Thank you." I said, turning to face her.

She was smiling at me with sparkling violet eyes, eyes that I was sure I had seen before but couldn't remember where. Her dark red hair fell in waves against her pale skin making her red lipstick vibrant and festive. She seemed to me the same age as me and looked dressed to be going somewhere nice, a works Christmas do maybe? Was it even still Christmas? I must have looked a complete mess against her. My hair was now damp and I noticed flecks of mud dotted over my skin and clothes. I smelled bad too, of dirty stale water.

"How did you know I was down there?" I asked, unexpectedly.

"I could hear you crying." The woman grinned. "Come, the night is getting cold and you need a good wash." She replied as if she sensed my awkwardness.

She held out her arm for me to take. Which I did after a moments hesitation. I had no idea who this person was and yet she seemed so familiar. She pulled me along the street with as much haste as a dog pulling on its lead.

The city was busy. Everywhere we went people scuttled past with bags of shopping. We walked by a well known shop and I read the sign plastered across the front window, 50% off everything!

We turned the corner sharply down a narrow lane where unique shops lay and another shop sign caught my eye. January sale starts here!

My heart sank slightly at the window and stopped to stare, causing the woman to jolt slightly before standing beside me.

"It's January twenty-fourteen?" I asked, not expecting an answer back.

"Yes. A brand new year." She replied, tugging on my arm to go.

"I must have been gone a long time." I said out loud. At least two months. I wasn't sure. But it felt like I was gone for only a couple of weeks at the most.

"Time in Faerie is different to your world."

What she said startled me and I almost stopped walking in shock, instead her grip on my arm carried me forward. We rounded another corner where a mock Tudor house stood; I had never seen it here before. But before I could say anything the woman bundled me inside.

The warmth and smell of spiced apple seemed to smack me in the face. We stood in the hall way, the floor was decorated in old, fancy tiles of flowers and the walls were papered with green and white lilies. It looked vintage, as if visiting your Nan.

"Who are you?" I asked looking at the smiling lady.

"We have met before sweetheart." she replied, taking off her black jacket and red scarf.

I searched my mind once more, but it came up blank. "When?"