Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-26475800-20150914032943

Note: this is the first chapter of a novel I have written. I am posting this here for a few of reasons, one to see if this seems like something you would like to keep reading. Two, to see if this is a good idea, and three to see if it meets the QS for this site. If the answer the those three questions are yes than I will post it here. If not I have a lot of work to do on that novel.

The sun’s rays shone through the canopy, causing beams of yellow light to illuminate the fallen leaves. Chirping filled the air, the birds unseen but their voices flew freely. A rustle of leaves came and went with the wind. The fallen flora crunched under the girl as she moved, occasionally there would be other things moving as well. Those things were always unseen, living the lives she wished she could, if only for a moment, have. A wisp of wind swept through her auburn hair.

It was her favorite time of year, autumn. The color of the leaves had made her smile. It was the first time in six months that she was able to give a real smile. Mom had died six months ago.

Maybe I am still just a child. I am fourteen and six months after mom died I am still upset about it. Casey and June had gotten over it. She thought.

They were able to go to their classes and didn’t cry nearly as much as she does. She still felt that there may be something wrong with her.

She needed to get away for a little bit, go to her secret spot. It was hidden deep in the woods. No one had ever found it before and whenever she was feeling low that’s where she would disappear to. It wasn’t that she was always sad, it was just that life seemed to have lost some of the magic. Not that there wasn’t any magic in the world, she would never allow herself to stop believing in magic, but there was just a little less with Mom gone.

It was a complete shock to everyone when they found that she was dead. She was coming home from one of her trips, she had to travel a lot for work. That made it hard to begin with, but when the plane crashed it was a whole new world. A whole new life.

Dad was never any help. In all of her life Jill saw him, maybe, five times. But luckily he wasn’t so far away not to send child support. That helped, at least that is what June said. It’s not like Mom had left them with nothing. She wasn’t poor. When she died they lawyer said that they should be able to get through collage, all three of them and live off the money that was left to them until they have all completed their studies. Apparently, Mom was well prepared to die.

Because her sisters were twins they had both just started collage. It was hard for her to still go to school; she had just gotten into the new building, and most of her friends had gone off to a different school leaving Jill alone.

“I wish that I didn’t need to go back.” She said so soft she almost didn’t hear her own voice. Not that she wanted to. It must have sounded strange, she had been crying for the past hour. Her throat was sore, her cheeks were burning from where the tears had streamed down her face. It was good to get into the woods though. That would always make her day just a little bit better.

This was where she needed to be. Alone in the woods to free her mind of the horrible things in the world. Let some of the magic back into her life. There is never any lack of magic in the woods, especially now. If there was ever magic, it would be found here.

Mom always said that the woods were magical. That the woods where the fairies would be. From all the stories she used to read to Jill the fairies would live in the woods or near the water, and as luck would have it, her secret place was near a stream in the woods.

She was getting closer to her little place of peace. When the wind picked up again. Not strong, but enough for her hair to blow and her dress to be pulled taught on her legs. The gust was over quickly, but there was something strange about it. It sounded as if someone was calling her name. The voice sounded vaguely like Mom’s.

It must be nothing more than her emotions playing tricks with her mind. There is no way that Mom would be here, she had never found this place while she was alive. However, if she was a ghost watching over her children she may well have called to the youngest and, in her own mind, the most effected by her death.

The trees opened up to allow a glance of the sky. The sun was starting to set, casting beautiful pinks, oranges and reds across the few clouds that clung to the horizon. This was okay, she knew these woods well enough to find her way back in complete darkness. That idea didn’t do much to comfort her though. Once the sun went down the woods became another land, a place where the magic from the childhood stories she loved became nightmarish, and more than just a little frightening.

She kept walking. She would have to make it all the way to her spot. And once she was there she could stay for about a half an hour. It wasn’t much farther, just over one more hill and she would be there.

Her mind kept going back to Mom. It wasn’t like she wanted to keep thinking about her, she didn’t not want to think about her either, but there was just so much that Mom wasn’t going to be there for. She wouldn’t see her graduate. She wouldn’t be there at her wedding or be able to hold her children. All things that she never thought about before this tragedy. Now, no matter how hard she had tried she couldn’t seem get those thoughts out of her head.

Those thoughts didn’t come until two months after Mom was gone. She couldn’t believe it at first, then once she did she couldn’t stop grieving. She still grieved, but she had grown used to the idea that Mom was not going to be coming home, although that was only recently. Now most of her grief had come from the future. All the things that would be missed out. The laughing, crying and joy that would have been shared with the person that shared such times with her for most of her life.

At the top of the hill she noticed lights down by her spot.

Great now someone had found my space. I would have to find a new place to go. It would never be the same again. No one was ever meant to find this place.

Even though the woods didn’t belong to her family she felt like there was an invasion of her property. Her privacy.

The wind picked up again. Once more she heard her voice. Once more it sounded like Mom’s voice. “Jill” is said softly, only this time it was clearer then the last time. Still a whisper in the wind, but there was, without a doubt, a voice that carried with the breeze.

Jill stood at the top of the hill brooding about her spot being taken over, watching the lights flicker and fly slightly above the ground. That is when she realized, there was no beams to the lights, nor were the lights touching the ground. It was more like they were dancing around it. Over it.

Although, the air was still and her jacket zippered she got a chill.

Memories flooded into her mind, one after the next, hitting her like a brick only to fall away and let another smash into her, and everyone had to do with Mom.

The times they went to the park to watch the ducks. When Jill first learned to ice skate on the pond, Mom holding her hand. The stories about fairies, each one was a great story, filled with wonderful lands and mystical creatures. The fairies would almost always help people to overcome their trails and shortcomings.

The stories were the only things that were able to stick in her mind. Like the one that when the boy had to walk home after dark. His name was Jacob or maybe it was Jerry. He was scared of the dark and the fairies came to help light his way home. They would fend off the shadows when they started to creep in. Jill understood why the boy in the story would be scared of the dark, even now she was wishing some would fairies to guide her home tonight.

Or the story when the girl gets lost in a deep cave, she kept hearing the sound of picks or something banging against the rock. Because of where she lived she knew that it was Tommyknockers; the evil kind of fairy that live in caves and would bang on the rocks to make the walls weak and cave in on the people who unknowingly wandered into their dwellings.

The fairies of the woods came to the rescue of the girl, they appeared as little lights that would fly in front of the ways that she shouldn’t go. They learned to do this because she was frightened of them and that kept the girl away from the Tommyknockers.

The best stories were always about the wood fairies, which were always the most helpful. No matter what had happened they would be there. If there was ever a place they loved it was near the water deep in the woods. And, as it just so happened, the lights were floating above the ground, near the water. There is no doubt that these lights were fairies.

“Jill.” The voice came again, it was louder this time. Not only was it louder, but it didn’t sound as much as Mom anymore. It was an inviting voice. A voice that made the chill of fear melt inside her and fill the space with joy and love.

These must be fairies, there is nothing else in the world that can make someone feel so welcome and warm. Even when the world was turning into ash beneath her, there was still magic out there. Something that could make the fears and worries melt away, something to fill life with everything that she had always wanted.

Something that Mom had believed in.

It didn’t matter what anyone had thought of her for her ideas. She had seen things that most people will never have a chance to see. Because she would visit ruins all around the world she had a knowledge of things that people wouldn’t think existed. But she had seen what was carved on the walls and temples. Sometimes she said that she had witnessed magic.

It would make since, she had been to places like stone hedge and Haiti. Each time she came home she would tell about the magic that she had witnessed. That was one of the most amazing things about Mom’s job. Even though she wasn’t always home she was able to tell some amazing stories and brought back some wonderful gifts.

Jill took a deep breath and started to walk towards the lights. Mom had always said that if there was something that you didn’t like you would need to confront it. That was exactly what she was about to do. In her heart she was hoping that the lights were truly fairies, but she also knew that it was most likely something else.

The woods were still. Silent. It seemed that even the leaves she was stepping on have lost their ability to make a noise. The air smelt moist and earthy, it was chilly but comfortable. Now it was as if the world had become customized for Jill. Everything gave her such a pleasant feeling.

She stopped. Something within her had made her weary. Once the girl stopped moving terror started to fill her. However, she was transfixed by the dancing lights.

I shouldn’t have to be happy right now. She realized. My mother had died not that long ago. It is okay if I mourn.

Still, she was unable to take her eyes off the lights. They seemed to be beckoning her. Pulling her closer to them. Then the feelings of terror had passed. Still unable to decide if she should trust these things. These magical dancing lights. These fairies.

She had come to the conclusion that something wasn’t as it should be, perhaps they were harmless, but she didn’t want to test them.

Mom always said that you didn’t need to fear people, so long as you didn’t tempt them with anything they wouldn’t have the will power to turn down. Yes there were some crazy people in the world, she wouldn’t try and defend those people. But for the most part, Mom felt that people were mostly good. If you didn’t give them a reason to do something they would most likely regret later, they wouldn’t do it. If you are dealing with someone who is crazy, always be on guard though.

The same thing is happening now, these lights look inviting but who knows what they really are. There are so many things that could happen with this unknown phenomenon. It could be nothing more than fireflies, although, she had never seen blue, green or purple fireflies.

It wasn’t long before she stopped thinking about the lights, that she realized she had moved closer to them. The whole time Jill was unaware that she was walking. Until she was almost in the middle of them. Now she was able to see the lights better and they were indeed living creatures. Little people with wings, maybe six inches tall and two inches wide if you included the wings.

They were beautiful.

A joy filled her again, stronger then the last time. Now she couldn’t break free of it. nor did she want to, it was a fabulous feeling.

“Jill.” The voice in the wind had spoken again.

Her name reverberated off her bones, even that felt good. A euphoria had filled her. An endless happiness warmed her body, soul and mind. Everything was right with the world and the only thing that she felt like doing was dancing.

Her arms flailed. Her legs moved as smooth as the river that flowed near her. She spun and twisted, as the fairies danced along with her. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever experienced.

A soft rhythm was playing in her head, it sounded sweeter than candy. Her body moved along with the music. Everything was perfect in that moment. All the grief and pain she had felt in the past months was gushing out of her. It was as if nothing had happened. The height of this high was unobtainable, she was a rocket careening past the heavens and into a whole new place where pain and suffering didn’t exist. A place where the only thing that was known was love, peace and fun.

Everything that she believed about fairies was true. Here sisters may have not believed that fairies were good. Especially not Casey, with all of her studies of folklore, they were just stories to scare little children from experiencing this magical moment.

The fairy lights fluttered and flashed, swung and swooped, twisted and twirled.

It should have been getting dark by now. Yet there was still light, not much as it was about dusk and only a soft lights struggling through the trees. If she stayed much longer she would have to walk home in the dark, which was never fun. Not to mention that her sisters would be worrying about where she is. That was always the worst. No matter what she said they would be upset with her. For the most part they were good at being in charge, but tardiness was one thing that they didn’t put up with.

Though, Jill knew she should stop, it was just too much fun dancing with the fairies.

The wind picked up. “Go and dance little one,” it said. “You will be happy for as long as you care to be. Just keep dancing and all your worries will leave you.”

The voice was a wisp, soft and caring. Not to mention it was correct. Why should she not be happy? If dancing made her happy, than she could dance as long as she wanted to.

“Your right,” the girl yelled. “I have a right to be happy just like anyone else.”

“That’s a smart girl.”

She giggled and started to spin. The trees became a whirlwind of colorful lights, each growing brighter with every turn. It was surprising that she wasn’t getting tired yet. She must have been dancing for at least an hour now. It was even more curious that it still wasn’t dark yet. These truly were magical woods.

“It is a good choice you made Jill.”

A chill went down her spine. How does the wind know my name? Better yet, how is the wind talking to me?

She tried to stop dancing, but trying proved to be fruitless. “I’ve had enough dancing now,” she yelled at the trees. “I need to get home.”

The wind whipped. It sounded almost like a laugh, but that could also have been the rustling of the leaves.

Still, she spun and moved to the rhythm, although now the music seemed to be louder. It wasn’t sweet or happy, now it felt foreboding. There was something dark about the woods. Even though there was still light here, the girl knew that it should be much darker. Where was the light coming from? Could it be from the fairies?

No. There was far too much light for something so small to produce. As she moved to the haunting melody she looked for the source of light.

Where the light was coming from was apparent now. Everything around her was bioluminescent, each thing giving off a slightly different color.

The leaves on the trees were a dull pink, whereas the trees themselves were a yellow. The rocks were purple. Each and every plant was a different shade of blue, red or green. It was a truly awesome experience.

She knew that she needed to get out of the woods, but how could she if she wasn’t even able to stop dancing. That is when the idea came. Would I be able to dance out of this?

The girl tried to get away from the fairies. This time she didn’t stop the dance. Because of the movements, it didn’t seem like there was anything that would stop her. But as she got to the edge of the soft green glow of the grass she felt something in her legs. A shooting hot pain of something piercing the skin.

With a sweep of her eyes she saw a small dart sticking out of her leg and still she kept moving. Her dancing had slowed down a little because of the wound, but it should still be enough to get out of the fairy circle. She danced closer to the edge of the circle. Once her foot stepped on the grass a swarm of fairies flew into her face. Each with a crude weapon of some sort. Some held knives, others small axes, there was even a few with pouches filled with some unknown substance, not to mention the archers.

There was nowhere for Jill to go but back into the circle. The glow of the woods started to pulse. Each time she made a move it would grow brighter, until it was almost blinding. No matter how hard she tried she could stop dancing.

“Why did you try to leave?” The voice in the breeze asked, this time it wasn’t pleasant to hear. It was freighting and menacing. “I thought that you wanted to forget your pains. That you have come here to escape from your everyday life”

With each word the voice grew louder, there was scorn in it now. The girl needed to get out of this place before something truly horrible happened. However, she had a feeling that it was too late. No matter what she had tried it had failed. She now realized that she was being held against her will and her captors weren’t going to let her go that easily.

“Did I not show you hospitality every time you came to my land? Did you think that this place only felt magical? You humans never knew what it was like to have all the power in the world but be cast aside. How do you think that makes us feel? You will learn soon enough, girl. You don’t know what it is like to be afraid, you will though. I plan on taking up my control once more and this time I won’t be stopped. You shall be the first one to see what it is like to witness what once was. What has become something of children’s stories? What the world has not seen in millennia.”

Jill still spun and danced, looking for the source of the voice. Something must be getting closer but no matter how hard she looked there was no one or anything to be found. She was alone in the woods, even the fairies have left.

She needed to think. If only she could stop dancing long enough for her to wrap her mind around the situation. She was always a sharp girl but this had been something that she had never expected to happen. Who would have thought that fairies where real. There was not a person alive who had seen them, or if there was they were considered crazy.

A picture flashed into her head, it was of a young girl holding a fairy in her hand. Jill had read somewhere that there had been documented evidence of a fairy. That fairy looked nice, these ones didn’t. At first she thought that they did. They were so small and helpless.

At that thought they all reappeared. This time she was able to see what they looked like without a magical veil over them. They were haggard. their skin course, some had flesh pealing from them. They wore armor made from nature, some had tree bark others stones. Each held some kind of weapon. This doesn’t look good.

“Stop dancing!” The wind yelled.

All at once she was able to stand still. For the first time she felt the pain that had acclimated from all the dancing, it was unbearable, forcing her to her knees. Her right knee crashed into a rock. A scream escaped her, it was the first time she had made a noise since she had come here. Her voice was raspy and thick.

A hand touched her shoulder, as she fell to her side. It felt cold yet soft. Her vision was blurred from the tears that swelled in her eyes.

“Don’t worry child.” Once more the voice was sweet. “This pain will pass, but there is more to come, and it will be much worse than this.”

A figure moved in front of her. She was able to make out a woman. There was blues and browns and even some green. But the green pendent that hung between her bosoms was able to blast through the tears. Slowly, here vision cleared.

She was being looked down upon by a beautiful woman. Her hair long and dark brown, a very shapely figure. Her face had pale skin and bright green eyes. She wore a blue gown with green fringe, the gown looked to be made in medieval times.

“I have come here before, to your world, however, I was cast aside and shunned. This time people will fear me like never before. This time your savor is nowhere to be found, he is long dead. Don’t look at me with those doughy brown eyes. You know who I am. Maybe not by how I look but you have heard of me before. Morgan Le Fay, does that sound familiar? Queen of the fairies. Now I think that you should be the first one to come with me. Don’t worry child I can give you everything that you want, if you behave and do what I ask. Otherwise, well, let not get ahead of ourselves.”

She extended her hand toward Jill. Slowly the girl reached toward her, but instead of grabbing her hand she swat it away.

“That was not obeying. I have no fear that you will learn quickly how to be a good girl.”

The queen smiled. Her teeth were white as pearls and a dimple appeared in her left cheek. But as beautiful as she was she was able to quickly change. Her teeth began to grow, her nails extended and her eyes became black. Her jaw grew wider as if she had detached it like a serpent. The pale skin turned the color of ash as her majestic brown hair began to fall out and turned gray.

No matter how homely and old she looked she still possessed speed. Which, she proved as she lounged at Jill. 