Woodchoppers Secret

Chapter Ten | Con Calma

1976

Wednesday. My mother is coming back on Sunday, so I am making use out of it and spending my time with Matias, which come to my surprise is the best thing I have ever done. I have never laughed, smiled or enjoyed myself as much as I do with him.

But here I was, stuck. Stuck with the man who thinks is going to marry me. "And then I told her, I have never seen her before but I threw money in her face to shut her up. However, she wanted more, it is a good thing I am a rich man. A rich man who deserves a beautiful princess."

Then he stands up and takes a box from his coat, is hake my head as he kneels down on one knee, before anything was said. I interrupt with my stupidity. "I am not a virgin." I sprout out, his eyes widen as he shoots up from the ground.

"What do you mean?"

"Does it matter? If you love me like you always claim to do so."

"No. I was promised a virgin!" I shrug my shoulders and he whisper to himself as he grabs his coat and slips it on, he picks up his umbrella, and leads himself to the door. "You are nothing but filth now, I hope you are proud."

"I very much am." He slams the door onto my face and inhale a deep breath. "Lauren!" Lauren pushes open the door, and brings me my coat. I stand up and slip it over my yellow dress before handing her my gloves and hat.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course, I should be back late, please look after Clara for me."

She smiles nodding her head, I walk away and do my usuals routine, down the hallways, into the kitchen and out the door before entering the woods. Jumping over watery lakes and muddy paths. Climbing logs before passing the usual tree.

Then in the corner of my eyes, I see him. Matias, he looks up and notices me as I give him a tight smile. He removes his gloves and drops his axe as I walk closer to him. "Well, look who couldn't get enough of me."

"Oh please, it should be the other way round." He shakes his head and looks down at the book I was holding. I lift it up to my gaze before understanding why he looks so confused. Lauren found the keys to the library and it was a spare one. I decided to look in and remembered our conversation the other night.

Then I tumbled onto this book, Lauren told me all about it and I could not stop myself from reading it. "Oh right, I found this wolf book in the library, Lauren my friend found the keys so-"

"A wolf book." I permission my head, handing it over to him, he takes it from my grasp and scans it.

"I already read it, apparently wolves are humans and my great grandfather used to always want to find them, he even used to have his own lab and all but that is all I know. Can you believe that? My grandfather is weird, that is the book he wrote."

"He wrote this?"

"Yes. He says, the wolf comes at a full moon, they transform or somewhat, but that is scary, I mean my mother always called him a psycho path." As I continued talking about this, Matias was fond of the book, like he actually sat down besides me and was scanning through the pages. "Can I borrow this?"

"Of course, you can have it after I finish the last chapter." He nods his head and hands it over to me, he looks up at the sun and closes his eyes. "Is everything okay?"

"Do you believe in it?"

"What? That humans can transform into wolves; I mean anything is possible but that is downright scary. Why, is there something you are not telling me?" I joked, nudging onto his shoulder. He glanced down at me and I stop laughing all of a sudden.

"I have an idea!"

"What?"

"We can both stay up at night, you know, wait until the full moon, I am told the full moon is on a Friday. Shall we?"

"I can't." He shot out, standing up.

"Why not?"

"I have a thing on Friday, my father is coming and I need to clean." He pushes his black hair and I signal my head, understanding. I guess I have to do it by myself, it would not hurt to do so, all I need to do is find the right spot. Bring my binoculars and find them!

"I can help you clean-"

"No. Thank you, I can do it myself," why was he acting like this? I shrug my shoulder as the rain slowly pours down. I sigh at the relaxing tapping and close my eyes allowing to invite me in. I remember, when I was a child. I used to run out of the palace from classes and let the water soak me in, it was my peace. I feel a sile take over my lips, I take my stand and slowly step down from the steps.

If you have Spotify or SoundCloud listen to : chandelier- teardrop by Sia furler, jesse shatkin, two plus four.

I only realise the rain is cold because my skin carries the heat of my blood, because my inner fires burn strong. And as I stride onwards my eyes are always seeking the rainbows given by the light. "Amy, you are going to get a cold." I hear his deep voice whisper out.

"You should try it out, it is known to remove stress." I open my eyes and link them with his emerald ones, he rolls his eyes and jogs down the steps as he nears to me. I take my hand out, hearing the vinyl continuing on to play. He slips his hands into my own, one of his arms wrap around my waist as my other leans onto his chest.

If the rain is one drop it is millions, cascading from a confident sky. It is the sort of weather that washes everything anew, bringing deep puddles into which children splash. And in that happy congregation of water and air, is the sense of being alive, that from such beautiful simplicity comes everything we love, the flora, the fauna, the very essence of nature.

Something inside of me was beating, my mind was fluttering more than my stomach. He turns me around before bringing me back closer to him. Why did I have such an attachment to this man? This man that I have met only one week ago. He raises a hand and pulls me flush against him, he is a tall man, so he glances down at me. And I raise my head to look up at him.

He rested his forehead against my own, his nose gliding against mine. The water dropping down our faces. I close my eyes as he does, feeling the connection between us exceed. My heart, my heart was saying kiss him. Kiss him right now but I did not know if he would be comfortable. Everything is so early and moving so fast, I have been talking to the same suitors but I have never felt like this with any of them, I feel free. My freedom was here. And the wish I made the other week came true.

Peace and freedom. I think I like the woodchopper. I think I have fallen for him.

"Matias.." I whisper his name. "I should get going." His eyes open, the same emerald green staring into my blue ones. He nods his head and steps away from me. I pick my soaked things up from the ground.

"Right, right, will you be coming tomorrow?"

"I do not think so, I have a few things to do, if I have time."

"Goodbye Anastasia."

"Goodbye Matias."