The Forest

Chapter Fifteen

` Who are you? ` Tilia asked him, confused. She could suspect who he was but she wasn`t sure of it. She needed to hear it from him. He looked straight at her as if he had seen a ghost. Tilia saw that look so many times before on mayor and she couldn`t help but wonder if maybe he was her in love with her more than Grim was.

` Tilia, look, that`s…` Vinnie started to talk and explain things to her but he got interrupted and he gave her a sad and apologetic look. She felt sorry for that big guy but she was angry at something she couldn`t explain to herself. First Ethan, then Phillip and now this.

` Tilia? As in…? Oh, so you dare to turn my granddaughter to your side. `said the man and moved his stare to Caddie as if he knew that she was the boss and the one everyone was afraid of. Tilia wanted to scream at them for knowing and not telling her that he was there, in her library all along. And he never showed himself to her even though he was always there. She hated it.

` We did not turn her..` Caddie started to elaborate her deathly stare but Tilia interrupted her and yelled.

` Granddaughter? ` she screamed almost running out of voice.

` Yes, honey. I am your grandfather. You don`t remember me but…` he started talking and getting closer to her, but se took a step back and Maria and Phillip stopped him from moving any further. He looked at them like they were some sort of lowlife and moved back away trying to get a glimpse of her angry look. She was fuming.

` And you knew about this? `Tilia asked Vinnie, Caddie and Cross. Vinnie was sad because he could see that she was hurt but the other two were just standing there, coldly watching her rage. If she could have killed them in that moment she would have killed them.

` Well, we were not sure…` Vinnie started talking, coming closer to try and hug her and make amends. She didn`t move but Caddie interrupted him with her squeaky voice of an old woman or a crazy old cat just run over by a car. She had an evil look on her face.

` Oh, Vinnie, don`t lie to the girl. Yes we did. ` she said and lit a cigarette puffing a smoke across the room and into Tilia`s nostrils who happily welcomed them and enjoyed a brief play with nicotine which had that magical power to calm her down.

` Why didn`t you tell me? ` yelled Tilia, a bit calmer as she walked across the room and shoved her hand down Caddies pocket pulling out a pack of cigarettes, pulling one out for herself an throwing the pack to Philip then gave it to Vinnie. Now the room was almost foggy from all the smoke but the heads were calmer.

` Because you wouldn`t go against your own family.` said Caddie, putting her pack back in her pocket, looking offended and astonished at what that girl did to her and her cigarettes. And how they all accepted it - was unacceptable. She didn`t approve at all.

` Oh my god! Did you kill the mayor? ` Tilia asked the man, finally realizing what he might have done. She was scared for their own lives and not just interested in all the people in her family ad how they connect to what is happening to her and what used to happen. She couldn`t believe that a member of her family could commit such a crime.

` Well, Tili, look, it`s complicated. ` he said again trying to get closer. She saw his face when she lit a cigarette and she had fun watching him be disappointed and amazed that so much time has passed. HE had no right to say anything to her, he was never there for her or her family, he just cried over her grandma.

` Did you or did you not kill the mayor? It`s not that complicated, just give me an answer. ` she screamed at him, almost having fun now since in her head she already knew that he did and now it was just a matter of him being an asshole and needing a bit of a lesson.

` Well, yes. I did. But I needed that key to…` he started explaining and telling her what he did and why and she didn`t really care about any of that. The mayor was in love with his wife and his wife was in love with him. Tilia saw that letter that Maria found. It was very much a love letter, more than anything it was a love letter.

` What? Let these creatures out? So you are the sandman? `she asked him, now coming closer herself to see his face and understand better what his deal was. What did he want? Why? What did he need so much more than a nice calm life with his family.

` No. I am not the sandman. But I heard stories. `he said, hiding himself behind his hood. It seemed to be the same old cloak that he had all those years ago but now it was old and ugly, all torn up. ` Stories? ` they asked, almost unanimously.

` Even these creatures are scared of him. That`s why I needed the key. To let them out and find them another home. ` he said, showing outside, beyond the windows and porch, there in the darkness of blue light were eyes, eyes and claws, waiting, patient and ancient, waiting for them to stop being careful, to get too comfortable there.

` And not to kill everyone? ` asked Tilia, not believing a word he just said because it didn`t make any sense for a hunter to want to help creatures which he hunted for decades before. It was just too silly. It was impossible. He couldn`t care about them.

` No. Look, I had those ideas once but I`m a grown man. I`ll be with my love once again after I die. `he said, amused that she would know that.

`How are you not dead yet? `asked Caddie, finally coming to her senses, realizing that he should have been dead.

` Well you see, at first I entered the forest in order to die. That was my goal. But then I realized that they won`t come anywhere near me. `he started explaining to them.

` How come? `asked Cross walking up and down the room. He seemed intrigued.

` Her love still shines in me. The love of a nightingale. She loved me and embedded that love in my soul and that is why they didn` t kill me.` he said, genuinely moved that that is so. The smile on his face reminded her of a teenage love that she saw everywhere around the town.

` ANd why exactly do you want to help Snatchers. `asked Caddie who was following Cross all around and they looked funny together.

Tilia thought that all of this was quite strange and unusual. Her life changed so much. Now she had not one but two guys, she had this amazing new life and all of this was changed when mr Grimm died. She couldn`t help but wonder how in the world are they gonna prove that she didn`t do it but she trusted Vinnie to solve it. Or rather, the bear. She had so much fun listening to her grandfather talk about what he did all these years and what is the danger to them. This was a strange life, a dangerous life and she enjoyed it.

` At first I didn`t. But then after being locked here and spending so much time with them, I realized that they are not that bad. I mean, that`s what they do. We breathe, love, eat… have hopes and dreams and they snatch people by making those dreams come true. ` he said looking like a kid talking about his imaginary friend and being so proud of himself with that. He kept pointing to the window as if they were staring through it. Maybe they were.

` And that`s an excuse? ` asked Tilia, trying to get him to talk even more. She wanted to know his side of the story.

` No. But it is what it is. Just hear me out. They are deadly afraid of the Sandman. He wants to use them to enslave an entire nation. Or kill them all. I`m not so sure. But, they need help. `he said, trying to think of the saddest thing an evil man can do to evil creatures but it all seemed like a win win for them. They couldn`t help but thin that it may not be such a bad idea.

` Why would we help them? `asked Philip, not understanding much of it but he liked to be included.

` Because you are the only ones who can.`he said not looking at Philip at all but at three older ones who looked at each other and thought about what to do.

` Okay, this is all too weird. I don`t want anything to do with it. ` Tilia said and almost walked out when she realized that she can`t do that.

` Tili, please…` said Maria, pulling her by the sleeve an taking her back.

` No, I had enough. `said Tilia looking at her grandfather.

` Look, just help me with this. Just allow me to explain everything. `he started, willing to make amends, fix everything he broke all these years.

` No. Where were you? My mother needed you and you decided that your love for your wife is more important than being there for your daughter. She was hurt. ` she said remembering what it was like for her mom and it was probably even worse than that.

` I know but…` he said.

` Enough… listen to me. I am done. `she said.

` No, Tili. Look, honey, we have this amazing knowledge that no one else has…`said Maria.

` That`s perfectly fine. I am just done with him. `said Tilia.

` Oh… well then, that`s okay. You can go now, Mr Nightingale. We have better things to do. ` said Philip.

` Look people… If you don`t stop the Sandman, he will win. Don`t do it for the Snatchers, do it for the world.` sad Tilia`s grandfather. They all looked at each other, trying to find a solid other reason to kick him out and never see him again but that was impossible.

They had to be nice and do what he says, help him and them using their powers and with that help the world survive the scary sandman who will somehow kill them all. Was her grandfather trustworthy? No, he wasn`t but he was family and he was speaking of danger. They couldn`t ignore him. It would be better if he just tricked them than for him to be speaking the truth and them not doing anything about it.

` Fine. We`ll do it. But just so we`re clear, this is not for you.` said Tilia and came closer to him. She could feel that he smelled badly, like a hobo, but she wanted to show him that he is welcome to the team. She wanted him to stay alive anyway, she didn`t want any of his gifts, they seem terrible, she wanted what her grandma had. And she was hoping she would get it in time.

She came closer to him and hugged him and his head rested upon her shoulder, an old man meeting his granddaughter for the first time ever. His granddaughter who looked like she was a reincarnation of his late wife. He wanted to hug her forever but he knew what he looked and smelled like so he moved away and looked at her face. With a rough fingertip, he moved one of the loose streaks of her hair from her dace and smiled.

` You are just like your grandmother. `