Chapter Sixteen : 

At Home /

The walk back home took Mirai and I a long time; I lost count of the estimated hours. We traveled close to where the trees grew thick, in case we needed to hide again. The sky above us turned from navy blue to a bruised pinkish-red, swirling with psychedelic moons, stars, and clouds. 

By the time we arrived at my house, everything was a soft blueish-pink hue. A light orange sun hung low in the sky. "This is my house," I said to Mirai, who gave a quick nod of her head. "Are you tired?" I asked her. "Exhausted," She answered. "We don't have to stay awake," I told her. "We'll go to sleep, and everything will be better when we wake up." (  I only said this because I knew it from experience ). 

I let her sleep in my parents' room, and then I went up to my room and fell asleep as soon as my face hit the pillow. 

I was awakened at 2 P.M., by bright tangerine sunlight streaming in through my window. My teeth felt fuzzy since I hadn't brushed them last night. I got out of bed, brushed my teeth, took a shower, and put on my light coral sweatpants and mint colored T shirt. 

I went downstairs to check on Mirai, who was up in the kitchen, making breakfast... I mean, lunch. "How did you sleep?" I asked her. "Great, thank you." She replied. "Did everything that happened last night... Interrupt your vision process?" I questioned. "No, actually," She revealed. "My vision was what woke me; I saw them coming." 

The door to the front of the house opened, and Dolion stepped in. Black blood covered most of its clothing. "Are you okay?" I asked. "Yes; the blood isn't mine." It answered. "Are you both all right?" 

Mirai and I looked at each other. "Yes," We both said gratefully. It was crazy that we had even escaped what came after us the night before. 

Dolion went into the living room, and I resumed talking with Mirai. "Can you tell me what else you saw in your vision last night?" "Of course," She replied. "But, lets eat first."

After eating, we went into the living room with Dolion. I looked out of the corner of my eye at my parents. "We can go up to my room for this," I commented. 

We all sat on the fuzzy rug in my room. Mirai laid back on it, closing her eyes. Dolion and I sat on either side of her. "I can remember things best when I relax," She explained. "I completely understand that," I assured her. As she spoke, her voice poured from her like a waterfall.

"It started with you, Lavender. You were alone, in the forest that's behind your house. And there were creatures of every kind; all of us; from every realm; spinning around you, as if you were the sun and we were the entire solar system. But there was someone behind you - a shrouded figure, tall, with wings, reaching out to destroy you-" 

I thought of Orpheus. "What did the figure's face look like?"

"That's just the issue... I never did see the entity's face, because then it was all swept away, intercepted with horrid beasts and monsters, tearing into my tent. When I woke up, it was all real." 

I took in a breath. "Thank you," I told her. "This helps... But, nothing about what I have to do to fix all of this?" 

"No," She confessed. "Lavender... You spend so much time searching for an answer. A solid, concrete, single, set apart answer. Maybe you need to take a break from the endless searching, and instead, wait for the answer to come to you. Perhaps you don't have the answer yet because you're not ready for it. And in the meantime, you're running yourself into the ground trying to understand things that aren't meant to be understood, searching for things that may never be found. To save everyone, you have to keep yourself 'saved.'" 

I nodded my head slowly, absorbing what she had just said. "Okay," I promised. "I won't push myself so hard anymore." 

"Good," She said, sitting up. "Now, I have to go." 

"Go?" I asked. "Where will you go?" 

"Back to get my tent. And then I'll find another part of the faery realm to live in. It's my home, and whether it's void of other faery life or not, I belong there."  

"All right... Stay safe." I advised. "I'll miss you."

She pulled me into a light hug. "I'll miss you as well. And you stay safe, too. Maybe I'll see you again, someday." 

I waved to her from the porch as she retreated into the woods. Glowing butterflies surrounded her, and I knew she would be safe.