An Urban Fairytale

Again I stared dumbly at her. King?

”Erienne, dinner!”
”Umm, okay, we can talk later right?”

“My brother is not used to wait; he would like to meet you tonight.” Rowana said it with a frown.

“Tell him that I have been kidnapped, I have a family that knows nothing about it, that I’m still freaked out about it and that I’m done with the Alius!” I thought I would be free from the supernatural once I was home. “Just forget the later part, I don’t want to see him.”

I walked towards the door. “You are leaving right?”

“Yes, if you don’t wish my presence I will go. But there is something you should know; once you know of the Alius you will never view the world the same way again.”

Rowanas words were much like what Eidan had told me -once you know there is no way back.-

“Just go…” I walked out the door and before I even reached the stairs I heard the soft sound of wings.

After telling Rowana off, my life seemed to return to ordinary. At least for a few hours.

“Erienne come and see! There is a fox sitting in our backyard!” My mother sounded happy but I froze and put whatever I was holding into an armchair and walked over to see if it was true.

And she was right, outside on lawn were a small fox I thought I recognized. Upon seeing me the fox barked and ran off.

“Mom, I’m going out for a while can you finish?” I vaguely pointed to the pile of clothes on the table and in the chair.

“Sure honey, just don’t be out late. And keep you cell phone on.”

I nodded and went to get my jacket while I took my phone out from a pocket and called Christina; the girl who had been new in school and now one of my closer friends.

“Hey, what’s up? Okay, how do you feel about going to mall?”

Christina agreed with enthusiasm and we agreed to meet within the hour.

Charging out the front door I didn’t stop or look around me once; after fumbling some with the keys I swiftly got in and got the engine of the old car going.

“Hi honey!” Christina waved at me and shock her long brown curls just to show them off. “Where have you been these days, you have no idea on what you missed! Parker had this party, and you know Christina; the blonde one, was totally chasing after him the whole night. She’s such a…”

I smiled and nodded while Christina filled me in on what had happened while I was gone, sure she was a bitch towards most people but we had been friends since elementary and that proved that she had a softer side.

“But you Erienne, what have you been up to?” Christina asked some hours later when we sat down at a café table.

I smiled uncomfortably, starting to fidget with the zipper on my jacket. “Ehm…” I had forgotten about the last few days, that was what was so great about Christina, but now I had to say something.

“Tell me, is it a guy?” Suddenly I had all her attention, her brown eyes fixed on me to get every detail. When she was like this no lie could make it past her; one day she would be a good mother.

There had actually been several guys, what could I say. “No…”

“Tell me!”

“Please, can we no talk about it yet?”

“Did he hurt you?”

He had locked me up in a cellar, kept me prisoner and told me unbelievable things. Again this was things I could not tell her.

“It’s not like that; I’m just not ready to talk about it yet…”

We sat in silence, neither wanting to say any more. Me because I couldn’t say the truth. Christina because I had hurt her trust.

Suddenly Christina’s phone rang and she picked up, it was a short conservation.
“Sorry, I have to go now. See you!”

I sat by the table for a while, thinking over this sudden turn of events. After a while I rose and went home.

“You are feeding the fox?!”

“Why of course! It’s so cute!” My mother squealed with excitement.

“I’m going to bed…” I had had enough supernatural interference in my life.

I wish I could say that a lot of time passed, it felt like it, every time I was near a window the fox was there. Now confidently hanging around the house, stalking me and eating leftovers from all our meals.

Being followed I started to get anxious and it didn’t take long before I snapped.

My parents had gone to visit some friends and I finally worked up the courage to go outside.
“What do you want, why can’t you just leave me alone!”

Immediately the fox showed up, wagging its tail and barked before it ran over the lawn and into the bushes behind my house.

Okay so that’s it then. I thought but just as I started to turn back, the fox poked its head out from the bush and barked again. This behavior continued a few times before I went over the lawn.

“What!”

The fox barked again and ran into the bushes again.

“Now wait a second I was talking to you!” I yelled and followed in a quick pace.

The fox kept out of reach and soon we were inside the woods. Starting to doubt what I was doing the fox gave another encouraging bark and disappeared behind a tree.

“Just wait!” Then I noticed the tingling sensation I now associated with crossing into Alius territory and stopped at once. I just waited, for what I was not sure. Most likely a reason to sprint in the opposite direction.

Then from around the tree he came, the little boy with a bandage around his neck. Now in daylight I could see that he had some freckles, brown eyes and couldn’t be more than 10 years old.

Now in his human form he ran up to me. “I’m so glad you came! You are safe here, this is our land. I mean the fox tribe’s land. Will you come with me and see my brother?”

His cheerful voice showered over me like summer rain and he didn’t give me time to say anything before he continued.

“I know he will be happy to see you.”

I couldn’t believe I was letting this little boy talk me into this, but how could I refuse him? I was just as happy to see him safe as I would have been if I had any siblings.

“Why couldn’t you just tell me?” I asked and took a few more steps so I know was inside the border.

“I’m not as strong as my sister so I can’t change my shape when I’m so close to human territory, there is just way to many disturbances in the air. But you are coming? Everyone wants to meet you.” He grabbed my hand.

I almost laughed at his enthusiasm. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Ramio, now come on, let’s go!”

I sighed, there seemed to be no way to get him to change his mind. Besides, I was kind of curious and both Ramio and Rowana seemed to be nice.

“Okay, you will have to show me the way then.”

He smiled brightly and still holding hands we started to walk through the woods.