The wooden boat almost rocked Melanie to sleep. She jolted awake before gasping with delight for she had reached her destination. It was everything she had imagined and more. The lights emitted from the homely windows danced with the purple flowers on the sea’s reflection, illuminating the green, bushy forest. The wind whistled through the oak trees that stood so very tall and the sunlight crept in through its leaves, lolling lazily on the forest bed. “Hi Melanie! I have waited so long for this moment!” a chirpy voice sang from the lilies. Melanie blinks and searches for the voice, in utter confusion for she could not see anyone or anything. “Hello?” she curiously spoke in the direction of the green floating lilies. Then, out of nowhere, a minuscule, dainty fairy appears in front of her face. It had long, wavy blonde hair and was dressed in a baby blue pinafore with matching dark blue boots. Melanie could have sworn that she was also wearing sparkly blue eyeshadow and had tiny gold bangles on her wrists. She exclaims with excitement and claps her hands together “My first ever tavern fairy!”. The little creature happily replies “Yes, indeed! I’m very excited to get to know you. Come on! Come on!”.
She places her hand on Melanie’s shoulder and leads her the way. Melanie ducks her head as she walks through the doorframe and into the tiny tavern. She was met with a glorious smell of sweat mead, honeyed steak and buttery potatoes which heavily contrasted with the smell of bitter beer. There was a bustling crowd, full of peals of laughter and chit-chatter. She smiled at the scenery, the simplicity of just being. “It’s great, isn’t it?” the fairy giggles. “I can’t believe I’m here.” “Yes, about that..” Melanie jerks her head to the little fairy, her interest piqued. The fairy gulps before saying “Well, this isn’t just A tavern. It’s THE tavern.” “What do you mean? Do they not have drinks or food here?” “That’s not what I mean. What you choose from the buffet will change your whole life. In each thing that you see on this table has magic powers in them. I’m afraid I can’t tell you what is in there, but only fate can help you.” the fairy concludes, cheeks flushed. Melanie blinks and swallows before replying with “Ok.” “Ok?” “Let’s do it!”
There was so much variety of food and drinks, how could she ever decide? As her eyes wandered over the buttered chicken wings, deliciously cheesy pasta and juicy steak, the fairy piped “I should also add that you will get one good and one ‘bad’ magic power. So choose wisely!” Melanie sighs, already stressed out. She finally decided on spicy chicken thighs and a cocktail.
She sat down at one end of the big, wooden table and very gingerly picked up a fork and a knife, and began preparing her first bite. She maintained eye contact with her fairy as she began to eat. Heart thumping, hands clammy and her tummy churning, she quickly took a sip of her drink. Oh no. It seemed to make it all worse. Her head began to spin and her vision went blurry as she attempted to hold on to the edge of the table, before hitting her head on the cold floor.
Cassie.
Cassie.
By the time this email has reached you, I will be 32 years old. My name is Cassie and I am from the Left Right. Knowing me, you must already have a thousand existential crisis questions but, right now, it does not matter.
I am running away from The Time. There has been a mistake and I think they are coming to your Upside Down world. I am hiding in The Between but I cannot stay much longer, and so I am coming to your world. But what I need you to do is to not go outdoors. At all.
If we are within 50km from each other, the parallel worlds will merge and there will be dreadful chaos. Natural disasters such as world-wide pandemics can occur. We cannot simply afford for this to happen, and I will be staying far away from your house.
If you see The Time, don’t let them get you. At all costs.
Cassie x
Sometimes you will wake up and realise that the person you love has become a person you loved.
Or perhaps you will grow old together and reminisce happy memories over warm cups of tea in front of the fireplace.
Love either makes or breaks you. It is up to you whether you guard your heart or toss it away.
Love is not a feeling, it is a choice - you either love hard or not at all.
Because we know that whilst heartbreak hurts, there is also so much love and joy.
So when everything else fails, listen to love.
No matter how many times someone breaks your heart or cherishes it whole, you learn more about yourself and the way that you love.
That was why he still believed in love.
Meredith slaps him across the face. “Who do you think you are?” she screams in his face. The man takes a step back, with a solemn look on his face and whimpers “Sorry, you’re right. I forgot.” “Forgot what?” Meredith said, suddenly feeling a pang of sympathy for him. He keeps his distance, somewhat pained, but still wearing a gentle smile. She gasps and trembles, for she feels as though she should know him. He looked so familiar… but what was it? Meredith straightens her back, hands sweaty before saying “Get out of my home! I don’t who you are or what you want.” The man takes a step back and says ‘I just need to tell you something first. You are going to see me again tonight at the bar, but I won’t know who you are. When I ask you if I can pay for your drink, you have to say no and you have to leave, no matter what I say or do. Is that understood?” Meredith blinks, astounded and slowly nods her head. The man nods back in agreement and bends down to avoid the doorframe as he walks out of the door, out of the street. “The eyes.” Meredith blurts out. He grinds to a halt and turns around to ask “What?” “It’s the eyes. I recognize them. I don’t how or why but I recognize them.” she says. He smiles sadly and whispers softly “I know you do.”
After a few drinks at home and several changes of her outfit, Meredith walks out of the very same door and out into the night. Her friend, Sarah, was staying at the Stag hotel where she was going to meet her for dinner. “Hi Meredith! Long time no see. How have you been?” she gushes. She replies with “You will never guess what happened to me this morning. This guy barged into my kitchen and started going on about how he knows me but I don’t know him. I mean, what is up with that?!” Sarah exclaims with horror before moving onto how the weather had been recently. Sarah then asks “Could you please grab us both a drink, up at the bar over there?” and slips her a twenty pound note. Meredith nods and walks up to order two mock-tails. “Hey gorgeous,” a voice came from behind. She whips around, only to see the very same man that had been in her house earlier that day. “Here, let me pay for that drink.” She gulps. What was she supposed to do? It was no lie that she was intrigued, curious almost. Where was the harm in her meeting him? “Thank you!” she says.
