Astrid Blu: Orion's Curse

Oblivion

        "Is there a problem, Miss?" Arthur asks, worried. Of course there are a lot of problems. But Astrid doesn't know how to clear them. How can she ask him, if he too came through a mirror? He would probably think she's out of her mind. Astrid doesn't know how to answer his question. She just shook her head. It was neither a 'yes' nor a 'no'. But his next reaction made her understand that he took her shaking as a nod, as he slowly smiled and nodded his head.

"Well, you didn't answer my question. What do you want me to call you?" He asked.

"Call me by my name, please." Astrid said.

"Okay, Astrid". He once again flashes his teeth. If Astrid got a penny each time he smiled, she would be rich by now. She said it to herself, and gently smiled at the boy standing in front of her.

"Okay then. Where do you live, Astrid?" He asked with a concerned expression taking over his bright smile.

"22nd street, Portland" Astrid eagerly answered. Finally she could get home. Maybe this boy would help her to get back home. For a moment, she forget that she came here through a mirror.

"Portland!??. What is that?" He started giggling. Astrid stared at the boy, bewildered. What was happening? He doesn't know 'what' Portland is? Does he live under a rock?

"You don't know 'what' Portland is! Where on earth do you live???" She asked still shocked by his hilarious reaction.

" Earth...? Wait, isn't that a planet?? I've heard about it." He simply said before he looking at her.

Astrid was beyond shocked. He doesn't know what earth is? Does that mean she isn't on earth right now? Is he playing with her? He has to be kidding. Astrid's head starts to spin. The boy in front of her is saying something, but she can't quite understand. Slowly he multiplies in front of her eyes. All she could hear was her own questions repeating itself, in her own voice. Shadows filled her vision, as she slowly drifted into oblivion.

*****

      " What are you talking about, Arthur?. It can't be true!!!? A faint voice of a lady can be heard, as Astrid is still in a deep sleep.

"But she mentioned it." Arthur replies.

Two people were talking seriously about something. One voice, as Astrid recognizes, is the boy's, she met in the forest. She could hear their voice even when all she could see was black. Her eye lids were feeling quite heavy. She forced her eyes to open up. Slowly, light came in to fill her eyes.

   When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was that she was in an unknown place. No! A room. She was lying on a bed. A bed with silk sheets and pillows. It was quite warm and comfortable. It gave her the comfort she never got at Little Mary's.

"She just mentioned it. That doesn't mean she came from there!!" The lady sharply said to the person standing in front of her. Arthur rubbed the sides of his temple, before he saw Astrid moving on the bed.

"She's awake" He informed the lady.

She slowly came towards the bed on which Astrid was lying. For the first time, Astrid saw the face of the owner of the voice. She was a woman in her late 30s. She was indeed pretty. Her hair was tied into a bun with some fancy hair accessories. She had small eyes which had the exact same colour of hazel. She wore a magnificent royal blue gown, with puff sleeves and a high neckline. Vertical Silver lines were made using  beads on her beautifully sworn dress gown. Her hair was brown, unlike the boy.

   The lady squinted her already small eyes as she began eyeing Astrid. She put one of her hands on her hip as she let out a small sigh.

It was getting weird lying there when both the boy and the lady were looking at her as if she is a piece of art in an art museum. So she slowly sat up. Her head gave a spin when she quickly retreated from her lying position. Closing the eyes for a few seconds made her relax. The first person she looked at was the boy, with the weird name. He came forth with a concerned look on his pretty face.

    "Astrid, are you okay??" He asks as he would probably be worried. After all, she fainted in front of him. Now, when she thinks about the what happened, she can do nothing, but be embarrassed.

     "Yeah. What happened?" Astrid asked even when she knew exactly what happened. Still she asked in order to get some other information from him.

"You fainted in front of me. I was so worried." He sighed, showing Astrid that now he was relieved.

"Oh! Where am I?" She looked around the majestic room filled with elegant furniture and artifacts, giving it a royally furnished look.

"You are in my house." He simply said before turning to face the other lady in the room, who was standing there this whole time with a hand on her hip while eyeing Astrid hard.

"Will you stop with the glaring?!" He asked the lady who slowly shifts her gaze from her to Arthur.

They share a few glances wiggling their eyebrows and mouthing some words. Unfortunately, Astrid couldn't catch their 'telepathic communication'. That was funny and entertaining to watch. Finally, after coming up with something after their 'little talk', Arthur turns to look back at Astrid.

"You must be tired. You can lay down if you want. Or would you like to eat something??" He asks, while the lady just looks at her.

"Uh...I'm kind....of.. Hungry.." She admits as she haven't eaten anything for a whole day.

"Oh... Okay...I'll send in some food for you." He clears his throat and sincerely asks " Do you need something else?"

"No, thank you". She simply smiles, forgetting the fact that she's in the house of a complete stranger; a kind stranger, and still manages to smile from inside which she never used to do when she was at Little Mary's, which was her only place for comfort. The fact makes her stomach turn. What is happening, for real? Is she ever gonna get back? She is still praying to go back, when deep inside she knows she doesn't want to. She doesn't want to leave this place, where the most beautiful mornings and nights in the whole world exist. She doesn't want to leave this place, where there is someone; Someone who would make her smile even at little things. Deep inside, she knows she doesn't want to go back.

******