Twisted Princess Fables

Wendy on Ever Island CHAPTER 2

I went home. Back to the same apartment I lived in my whole life. I felt like I must be going crazy. My mind fractured from the loss of my mother. I truly thought I imagined it all.

I hadn't touched a thing of my mother since she passed. The house was dirty because I haven't cleaned since she passed either. My room covered in clothes, and my bed in crumbs from my stress eating. I look into the mirror, my red hair is tangled and greasy. Curling at the end. My freckles across my face were the same tone as my hair, but you couldn't even tell I had any freckles because of how bad my mascara was smeared down my cheeks from crying.

I took off my clothes, and slipped into my pajamas. The only thing I ever wear now unless I have to leave my home. I went to go snuggle up in my dirty sheets, but the thought of sleeping in such a mess made me sick. So I go out into the living room, but the couch is just as messy. I slowly walked down the hallway to my mother's room. I crack it open, and it smells like her. Her bed is made and covered in pillows. Not a thing out of place.

I go inside and softly close the door behind me. I sat on her bed for a moment, and then out of curiosity I opened her bedside table. Inside was a small chest. I grab it and try to open it to see what's inside, but it is locked. I look for a keyhole, but there are none. No clasp or lock, but I know something's inside I can hear it moving around. I went to set the chest back down on top of the dresser, and when I took my hand off some sparkles dusted from my finger on top of the box. Just like the ones I saw coming off Piper.

When the sparkle showered on top of the chest it opened. Inside was a necklace with an engagement ring around the chain. I pick it up and admire it before I put it around my neck. I grab one of the piece of papers that were laying inside with my mother's handwriting on it. Dated before I was born.

"If you are reading this, then my plan has failed and I have been found. I have left my home behind, never intending to return. Locking away the last of my connections to the past in this chest never meant to be opened. The longer I stay here the quicker my magic fades, and soon even I won't be able to open the chest. The day I lose my power will be the last day I burden myself with Ever Island, and I will never think of it again.

The likelihood of someone reading this either means I am dead or I have been captured by the very man I am fleeing. Either way I won't have a voice, so I want to get it out how I feel right now.

Every step I have ever taken in my life has been forced by someone else. To the point that I became Alpha, and even when I did I was forced to walk more. Into the arms of a man that is nothing but a cruel sadistic leader. To prevent war? No! We need to stop him. Not bow to his will! And even though I am Alpha, none of the other Tribe leaders will listen to me. They are all encouraging me to take the route of peace. Marry him and unite our communities preventing war.

It is not only an insult in general, it is the most heinous thing you could do to a wolf. Make her marry someone that she is not naturally mated too. So fine. I will take myself out of the situation, and allow the Tribes to handle the situation without me. Because my body will not be used as a barter."

That was just the first letter. The chest was filled with stories of my mother's time in a place called Ever Island. If I hadn't met Piper myself I would have thought these pages were ripped out of a story book.

She was the Alpha of a wolf pack called The Wolf Coven. Piper was her beta and an old friend. She described having unimaginable power. Being able to morph into an animal. Living amongst creatures like mermaids, faeries, and even humans. She loved her life, and described Ever Island as a paradise that no one would want to leave.

Until a new wolf pack emerged in Ever Island. Rogue wolf's in the woods of my mother's territory collected together. Forming a strong and vicious pack that earned the name Cannibal Coven. They tried to claim land in my mother's territory, but she wasn't going to allow that. She attempted to push them out, but they were too strong. My mother was the first one to draw blood, and after that The Cannibal Coven attacked with no mercy.

Attempting to take even more land than they had before. Killing anyone that attempted to stop them. My mother went to the other tribes for aid, and they all agreed to have a meeting. All the leaders of the tribes got together to meet with the Alpha of the Cannibal Coven. Where he proposed uniting the packs with a marriage.

So that there would be no need for a fight. For what was hers would be his.

The Tribe leaders seemed to think this was a fair offer. My mother however felt betrayed by them all. Telling them that her community was first and theirs was next. That they will regret this alliance if they forced her to move forward.

My mother went on talking about how she came to earth. A friend led her here. A faerie named Esmee. Faeries are interdimensional creatures, and live in every corner of existence. They can always be found where two stars meet.

I spent all night reading the letters over and over again. I had so many questions, but mostly I was questioning my reality. Could this place be real or am I just going insane?

The next morning I went to visit my mother's grave. I guess I hoped I would run into Piper again. I didn't really want to see him since he drove me crazy, but Piper was my only chance of finding this place. I repeated this for weeks but never found him there again.

I never gave up searching. Researching nights on end on the internet. Falling into the deep corners of the web, but never finding anything remotely close.

Then one day across the hall new neighbors moved in. It was two girls absolutely beautiful and obviously in love. One had bright pink hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. The other always wore red lipstick that bounced against her dark color. She had long braids woven into a beautiful updo. I wouldn't have taken notice if it wasn't for the two stars that they hung outside of their door.

I knew it was probably insignificant, but after reading my mother's letters over and over to the point that I remembered them by heart it stuck out to me. She said faeries can always be found where two stars meet. Unfortunately, my obsession spread to them. I started to follow the girls at night when they would leave. Out to eat or to a friend's. And sometimes to a night club. The same one every time. Filled with beautiful people. Glitter was everywhere and flowed through the air. I could feel it attach to me like glue. The lights flashed in every color. The music was loud and everyone was dancing. Every time I entered the club I felt alive. Electric. Like there was a fire inside me being fed by the music. And in the club I would always lose the two girls in the wave of people, in the magic of it all, and I literally wouldn't see them again until they were walking out the door leaving for the night.

I would follow them closely throughout the days, and they never seemed to get suspicious. Completely enveloped in their own world and their own love. And some how I became their stalker.

Then one morning I got up to visit my mother's grave. I dressed in ripped black jeans and a white t. I went to put on the perfume my mother would always gift me but it was empty. My heart ached knowing this was my last bottle. I drove to the graveyard blasting music. I parked and started walking.

Before I got there I could see a man standing before her grave holding roses. He had long brown hair knotted in a bun on top of his head. The sides were buzzed short into a fade. He was wearing a crisp black button up that was tucked into black slacks. Finished with a black belt, but none of that is what stood out to me. It was his smell. I was far from him, but down wind and the wind was raging from the north today. He smelt like a sweet honey and cinnamon whiskey. Topped with a burnt marshmallow. It was so sweet it made me sick and weak at the knees. Somehow I deliciously loved it.

I felt my pace pick up as I made my way across the parking lot to him. When a black car pulled up behind me. The back door opens and I turn around alarmed. It was the two girls. My neighbors.

"Get in! Get in!" They say, together.

Their urgency scared me, so I quickly jumped in. I look out the window, and I see the man turn around and watch us drive away confused wondering what has just happened.

As they sped out of the parking lot. I said

"Uh... Is everything OK? I... My car is parked back there" I point out the window back to the parking lot we came from. I see them looking at each other, and then the girl in the driver's seat looks at me through the rear view mirror with concerned eyes.

"We will take you back to your car later. I'm Mary by the way" The girl with the pink hair in the passenger seat turns around and introduces herself.

"I'm Wendy and I don't know why, but I kind of feel like I'm getting kidnapped" I say like a joke underlined with truth.

They both laughed, and the girl in the driver's seat says

"Girl, we were saving you from being kidnapped"

"Why do you say that?"

They both looked at each other and then Mary said

"Because we were following you"

Mary received a quick slap in the arm from the girl in the driver's seat. Mary quickly responded

"What? She was following us. Weren't you Wendy?" she turns, asking me.

"No" I say really high pitch revealing my lie.

"Why were you following us anyway?" the girl in the driver's seat asks.

"You're going to think I'm crazy" I say, when we pull into a restaurant parking lot.

"Well we already kind of do, so that shouldn't be a problem" Mary says and we all laugh.

"Ok. No judgements. It's the stars on your door. I'm looking for someone, or something and that's kind of their sign"

"Where did you hear about the two stars?" The girl in the driver seat asks very suspicious, and I thought it was a very odd question like she must know what it means.

"My mother" I say, when I see they quickly glance at each other and then away like they didn't want me to see that they knew something more than they were saying.

"What did she say?" Mary, pushes for more information.

I pause. Thinking it's now my turn to ask questions.

"What's your name?" I ask the girl in the driver's seat, who hasn't spoken much.

I see her open her mouth to answer, but then she pauses and let's out a breath.

"Esmee"

"Ah ha, I say pointing my finger at her.

"You sound like you just caught the tooth fairy and I promise you that you have not" Esmee responds back with a little attitude.

"But I have found a faerie. I deserve some credit" I say, filled with glee.

"We live across the hall. We weren't that hard to find" Esmee says sarcastically.

"Let's go inside" Mary tells us, and we all get out. I go to walk to the front doors and they say " No this way" and walk to the side of the building to a service exit.

They knock on the door, and a man opens it up welcoming us inside. There were tables, and everything seemed a bit run down. People were eating, and they all seemed mostly normal. Oddly beautiful, but normal.

We took a seat, and the girls began openly talking about their bet on how long it would take me to find out about all this. I looked at them as obviously people could hear them talking, but they didn't care and no one took notice. Like it wasn't an odd conversation to have to talk about faeries, mystical beasts, and a place called Ever Island.

I listened in attentively, taking in all the information they could give me. Which wasn't more than I already knew.

The waitress came, and brought us sake

She had a dragon tattoo across her arm that wrapped all the way down to her hand. She handed us sushi menus, and bowed before she walked away.

I take a sip of my sake and say

"Ok guys tell me everything. Who was my mother? Where is Ever Island? How can I get there?"

When Esmee responds

"Your mother was the coolest cat. Well, I guess I should say wolf. She would throw the craziest parties, and that's how I met her. Faeries are drawn to the lights. And as far as Ever Island, you could never go there! Are you crazy? Your mother will roll over in her grave! That place wouldn't be safe for you. Now Shangri-La would be a fun trip. They are a party!" Esmee suggested causally, like I want to go on a vacation.

I shake my head and say

"No"

Then let out an annoyed huff.

"Seriously, I need to go to Ever Island. My mom has family there. I have a family. It is where I am meant to be, I know it"

"Wendy, you are meant to be here. On earth. Your mother wanted you to be here. There is no place better in the universe to build your life. There are more opportunities here than anywhere else. You can be who you want to be. Not who you are told to be. That's why Mary and I stay here. I mean don't get me wrong, we visit a party here and there, but we always come back to earth."

Mary sat silent, but I knew in her face she somewhat disagreed with her partner.

"My mother can't make my choices for the rest of my life, and it's not because I don't love her. I love her so much" I feel myself slightly tear "She is my family, and I just want to find that again. Have a family again. Be part of something again." I try to explain to Esmee.

"You can have a family. Your friends can be your family. You can fall in love. Make a family of your own. You don't have to go to Ever Island to do that"

"Esmee... Please" I asked, but she stayed quiet. I looked to Mary who was sitting uncomfortably and said

"Mary?"

I could see Mary sit up quick from her hunched position like she wanted to jump in but didn't.

"Just... At least will you tell me. Is my family still out there?"

The girls look at each other and Esmee shakes her head no, and I feel the expression on my face falls as I fear they have passed away. Mary then looks at me dead in the eye and says

"Yes, they are. They are alive. Don't be sad Wendy. Your mother wants what is best for you. So do we."

The waitress walked back up, and both of them ordered. I was a little distraught at the moment, and had no appetite. So I said that "I will be fine with the sake" But Mary insisted and ordered for me.

"You know I am not going to let this go?" I say, once the waitress leaves.

"And that's exactly why I have to keep my eye on you" Esmee said, pouring us all more sake.

"Is that what you were doing today? Keeping an eye on me? When you said I was going to get kidnapped? By who?"

"No one. I was joking. There was just someone visiting your mother's grave that I don't trust." Esmee says, and I have a feeling she is lying.

"Who?" I pry for more information.

"Really no one. You will never see him again anyway. He's not from around here" Esmee says, ending the convo.

My eyebrows went together as I thought about this man and his sweet smell. It must have been cologne, but the smell is imprinted in my mind. Making it hard to think about anything else.

We ate our food, and they took me home disappointed. All the questions I had asked today only to get vague answers ultimately infuriated me. Even though they gave me exactly what I wanted. Real proof.

We parted ways in the hallway, and I went inside my apartment. Immediately I was hit with the memory of the scent of that man's cologne. Or what I thought was a memory.

I took my jacket off and threw it on the couch. When I hear the sound of the fridge door close behind me.

I turn around, and see the man from the graveyard standing in my kitchen. He stared at me like I was a deer caught in a trap, and I immediately felt weak under his gaze. I ran to my door, but he was much quicker than me. He got in front of it. Then he slowly reached his hand back to lock it.

"I almost believed that you were gone. When I saw your grave" he says with a deep voice that spilled out over me like smoke.

I go to scream for help, but he runs up grabbing my body and putting his hand over my mouth. Being this close to him made me tremble with fear. Fear of what he is going to do to me, but mostly the fear of enjoying it.

He chuckled, and brought his nose down, smelling my head. Then he went completely still.

"Your scent has changed" He says, grabbing my chin, lifting my face up to look into my eyes.

His stare was angry at first, and then confused.

"You're not Wendy," he says, letting go of his grip on me.

When he did my knees give and hit the floor. It felt like something inside me was trying to crawl it's way out and it made me sick. I got dizzy and yelled

"Mary. Esm..." but before I could even finish her name, they came in. Kicking the door open breaking the dead bolt.

The man turns around and says

"Hey now. I wasn't going to hurt her, and I don't want to hurt you. Just turn around and you can leave"

That's when I fainted.

When I finally woke it was to Esmee softly smacking my cheek saying

"Wake up"

As soon as I came to consciousness I flew up in the back seat of her car and looked around. We were in the night club parking lot. The one I always followed them to.

"What the hell happened?" I ask.

"What the hell happened to you? What did he give you that made you pass out?" Esmee asks me.

"Nothing. I just got sick. I think it was like a panic attack... Where is he?" I say, putting my hand to my head messaging my headache.

"I don't know, but if you ever see him again. Run." Esmee tells me looking at me dead serious.

"Now get up, let's go inside" She tells me in a rush.

"What, why? Why are we here?"

"I need to go see someone. Just come inside and wait at the bar for us"

I get out and follow them inside. They point at the bar, and I nod my head. They make their way into the crowd, and I decide to follow them. Pushing anyone that got in my way aggressively so I didn't lose them.

They go through red curtains in the back, and I quickly follow. Behind the curtains was an old man. He was alone. Standing in front of a door.

"Wendy!" he says, greeting me. His voice was shaky with age.

"It has been so long. Headed back home after all?" He asks straighting his glasses, and I realize he thinks I'm my mother.

I just nod to him, and he opens the door. Inside was black, and nothing could be seen. But I could feel a gust of icy wind coming out of it. I go to walk through and he says

"Wait" Looking at me confused. "You need a little faerie dust first"

I stop, and he takes his hand waving it over my head. Sparkles come out just like the ones I saw around Piper. They absorb into my body like shooting stars attaching to my skin, and I can feel the magic in my bones. Bringing me to life like everytime I have come in contact with it. Sparking in flame inside me that so desperately wants to be lit.

"Off to Ever Island. Enjoy your flight" he tells me and I walk through.

I fall tumbling into darkness. When out of the dark comes a light. My body races towards the spec as it comes into view. A small round planet with one large Island surrounded by a sea. Clouds over cast like pillows in the sky as I barreled through them. I scream as I got closer to the ground.

I land hitting the land hard. Like I am taking a knee. Leaving a deep imprint in the ground, but it didn't hurt. I didn't hurt at all. If anything I felt electric. Like a piece of myself that I didn't even know I had came to life. I could feel the magic all around me and all inside me. I had a taste of it with the faerie dust, but it was nothing like this. I could smell everything. See everything clearly. Hear everything like an echo in a large hall.

Voices filled the air. One sticks out specifically. Piper. He was obviously upset, and I could hear Esmee debate with him.