Ahead of Crystal spread an endless succession of hardwood maples and oaks. They displayed at the height of their fall color, and the view was striking.
Nevertheless, her body tensed up in a super creepy way, and she felt all wasn't as it should be. She shuddered to shake off the eerie sensation and decided to head back into the curtains to go find her friends. She was about to turn when she heard a voice.
"Hey there, beautiful."
Jake dashed towards her. He was covered from head to toe in a black costume, his colors exactly replicating those of her outfit. It was uncanny, almost like he'd planned it.
"What's going on, Jake?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"
Jake stopped dead in his tracks. "How do you know my name? Have we met?"
"Don't be silly, it's me, Crystal. How do I get back to the renn faire? And where are the others?"
Jake's brow knotted into a tight furrow and he gave Crystal a most puzzled look. "Are you... okay? Have you fallen and hit your head or something?"
Crystal shook hers. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Why do you think I've hit my head?" Am I bleeding? Her hand rose to her forehead where she ran her fingers across her skin, in case she'd cut herself on anything in the changing room. Perhaps something sharp caught my face when I slipped the dress over my head. Or those damned curtains. Everything felt dry and normal.
Jake was smiling and moved a step closer. "How do you know my name?" He peered intently into Crystal's face. "I don't think we've met, have we? I'm pretty sure I'd never forget a face like yours."
"You're being a bit silly, aren't you? Did Ella put you up to this?" Crystal looked beyond him and scoured the trees in the distance to see if Ella was hidden behind one of the trunks.
"Ah, Ella," he said. The smile left his face. "You know her?"
"Of course, I know her. Why don't you take me to her right now? I'd like a quick word with Miss Ella."
"Well I suppose, alright, if you'd like," Jake said. He wasn't smiling.
"Well, I guess I can play along for a minute, Jake, but this is daft"
Jake's expression never changed. Crystal sighed. "Alright. Just show me the way, okay?" And without a glance back to the curtains, she followed the crazy boy she was mad about, deep into the autumn woods.
The Forest of Shadows
They had walked through the forest for some time, and Crystal couldn't shake off that funny feeling that something was seriously wrong. "Umm, Jake, where exactly are you taking me?"
"To see Ella. And you haven't explained how you know my name."
His dumb act was beginning to be annoying. "Yeah, but where is Ella? I mean, the faire isn't that big, and I feel we've been walking forever. Are you all here in an RV or something? We saw an RV park when we drove in."
Jake didn't answer immediately. He was thinking about something and appeared to have some trouble making up his mind. "You ask strange questions," he said at last.
Crystal had just about decided to give up on this silly quest and turn back, when they reached a small clearing. It opened up to a pretty meadow, adorned in lush green grass and buttercups. The grass was rich and well-manicured, like turf cut after a week's solid rain. Not too far from where they stood, the meadow fell away to an expansive valley that stretched out as far as the eye could see. In the distance was a shimmering city, made up of white stone, and beyond its walls, Crystal thought she caught a glimpse of the sea.
"Whoa," Crystal said. "Is that another faire? I thought there was just this one."
"That is the city of Somnia. You said you wished to be taken there."
"I said I wanted you to take me to see Ella. Is she over there?" The green-eyed monster stirred deep within. "How does she get to know about it when I didn't?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, but if we're going to see Ella, we must continue. The city of Somnia is not as close as it might look. It's a day's walk at least. Perhaps two."
"Are you having me on?"
"Sorry?" Jake asked.
This was going nowhere. "Look, why don't we just go back, find the others and pick up the car? We'll get there a lot quicker in that."
"The others? What others? A cart?"
"My friends. We came in a group of course. And it's a car, not a cart."
Jake didn't seem to care about that one way or another. "How many of you are there?"
"Well, just me, Stu, John and Nic, so four." They would be getting worried about her now, wondering why she hadn't joined them for lunch. Her stomach grumbled.
Jake ran his hand across his chin. This appeared to be news to him.
"I'm not being funny," Crystal said, "but do you have a twin brother or something?"
The confused look finally left his face and Jake laughed at last. "Errr, no. I have no twin. There's only me."
"Well this is all very strange. I tell you Jake, I'm thinking it might be a good idea to go back and get the others after all. No offense, and I know today's all about role-playing, but you're creeping me out a bit. Do you mind if we head back?"
"Where to?"
"To the costume shop."
Another stupid look crossed his face. But then the look was immediately replaced by another. "Quick, get down," Jake hissed. He fell quickly to the ground, pulling Crystal down with him.
"What the...?"
"Shush."
Even as her heart leapt into her mouth, she heard the unmistakable sound of hooves. A little way off into the valley, a group of horsemen, all dressed in navy blue, galloped at a fast pace in their general direction. From her crouched position she watched as they veered to the right and climbed a small hill that led to a different path to these woods. Crystal didn't know what it meant, but the fear in Jake's eyes told her something was up.
"Well, looks like we can't go back now. Not for a bit at least."
"What do you mean, we can't go back?"
"You saw the horsemen."
"Yes, but so what? Why would that be a problem for me? They're here for the jousting event, right?" Since the horsemen were now out of sight, Crystal rose to her feet and brushed the dirt off her costume. Both hands went to her hips, her patience with Jake had all but run out. "You know I haven't even paid for this dress, right? I'll be sending you the bill if it's ripped in any way, just so you know."
"Those are Ella's scouts. They patrol this part of the woods a few times a day, and they are ordered to bring any strangers before her. And forgive me for saying so, but they don't come any stranger than you."
"Ella has a patrol? Is that what you're telling me? I didn't think her dad was a policeman. I thought he was a banker." Crystal raised her eyes to the skies then turned to walk briskly back in the direction they'd just traveled. "Enough is enough, Jake. I'm finding my own way back. Thank you for the joke. Ha, ha. Laugh it up with Ella, why don'tcha?"
Jake also rose to his feet but instead of going off his own way, followed her quickly into the woods. "But you can't," he cried. "It's not safe... wait."
Nonetheless, Crystal kept up her pace and continued walking. Jake ran ahead of her and grabbed her arm. She rounded on him fiercely.
"Don't you know when to quit? I've had enough of this. Please leave me alone."
Jake dropped her arm and slumped in front of her. He looked defeated, and Crystal felt there was something here she didn't quite grasp. She inhaled deeply, and in that moment, decided to give Jake a second chance.
"Okay. You have five minutes. This had better be good."
"Not here, it's not safe," Jake whispered.
"Tell me on the way back to where we met."
"No, really, it’s not safe there at the moment. They'll be headed that way now, that area is always heavily patrolled."
"Okay, okay," Crystal agreed. Maybe if she played along for a bit they might finally get somewhere. "I think I'm losing my mind, but okay. So where do you suggest we go?"
"I have a small place we can go to. It's not far from here, and I have water and food. Can we go there
?"
"Oh sure, why not." Then more to herself she said, "This is a dream. It's the only logical explanation. Any minute now Jade will come crashing into my bedroom to tell me I've overslept."
"Who is Jade?"
"She's my kid sister. Nicest kid sister in the world as it goes, believe it or not."
Jake gave Crystal another strange look but pressed on deep into the woods.
"We are almost there," he said after a few minutes.
"Really?" Crystal looked all around but could see nothing save the maple and oaks that surrounded them. "Not a very big place then, is it? Do you have a tent or something?"
"A tent? No. We are here."
The place they stood seemed no different to any other. A great Sycamore loomed tall above them, and Crystal felt the newly fallen seed balls crunch under her feet. It was a nice spot, and the sunshine streamed warmly through a gap in the branches and leaves above. But there was no building or structure anywhere. She opened her mouth to speak but suddenly saw Jake disappear into the ground. He must have cleared away some loose leaves covering the tree roots, for without a word of warning, he'd jumped down into a hole. Only half his body was now visible, the rest had vanished under the earth.
"You have got to be kidding me," Crystal said. "Really, this is too bizarre."
Unfazed, Jake smiled and held his hand out to her. "Just follow me," he said. "You'll love it down here, I promise you," he said.
Crystal was not so sure. Still, her curiosity got the better of her fear, and she took Jake's hand and stepped carefully into the hole beside him. Maybe the gang are all down there - and this is some big surprise. Crystal watched as Jake descended a few earthen steps, then stepped into what turned out to be a large underground cavern. The gang wasn't there, as she'd desperately hoped. And it wasn't just a mud hole either, there was a rustic sofa, a shelf full of books, and at the very back of the room an empty fire place.
"Whoooah," Crystal said. "This is amazing! It's like the best tree house ever, only underground."
"I like it.” Jake looked pleased that she approved and set about lighting the empty grate. "Do you like tea? I have plenty of tea, and some dry crackers if you're hungry."
Crystal, who still stood just at the entrance, nodded mutely. She watched with wonder as Jake bustled about, boiling water and opening a box of crackers for them to eat.
"You really don't know who I am?" she said at last.
"Not a clue."
"Wow. You must have schizophrenia. Are you, I mean, I wonder..."
"Spit it out, girl."
"Are you safe to be around?"
Jake laughed out loud at this. "Me? Lord bless you, I'm the safest person I know."
"What on earth are you doing living in a mud hole? A mud hole near a renaissance faire? I mean, I've seen your house. It's enormous. Is this some latent hippy thing? Is that the real you?"
"House, what are you talking about?" Jake looked quite affronted. "This is my home; I've never lived anywhere else."
Crystal ran her hands through her hair and exhaled slowly. In all the years she'd known and admired Jake, one trait she'd never spotted in him was a creative imagination. Nothing was making any sense. She imagined John, Stu and Nic looking frantically about for her, maybe wondering if she'd been abducted. And perhaps she had been. Yet she knew she couldn't find her way back on her own; all the trees looked the same and there was no particular path to follow. There was nothing for it; she'd have to get to the bottom of this somehow. She moved slowly into the room and sat down on the sofa after checking it was clean. It was surprisingly comfortable, considering she was in a dirt hole, under the ground. Like a Hobbit. The thought made her want to laugh, but she was afraid she wouldn't be able to stop.
Maybe it's time to try a different tact. "So, this is a very nice place you have. It smells, I dunno, earthy. But in a nice way." Crystal accepted the mug of tea Jake placed in her hand. He then sat down at the other end of the sofa, holding onto a mug of his own. She inspected her mug. Had it been washed? Did he have running water down here?
Jake held a plate of crackers under her nose. "You want one?" he asked.
"No thanks, not right now." The hot tea scalded her tongue, and even though she blew on it, it was still too hot. She lowered it to her lap to cool. "So how did you come across this place?"
"Many of us live in the caverns near the woods. It's a nice place to live as it goes, I sleep on that little bunk in the corner. There are nicer holes, I suppose, but this one is good enough for me. It's home."
"How many of you are there?"
"Oh, I dunno, I've never counted. Quite a few."
"Has Ella ever been here?"
A dark shadow crossed Jake's face. "No. No, she hasn't. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you being such good friends and all."
"Ella is no friend of mine. What made you think such a thing?" Jake shifted uncomfortably in his seat and set his own tea down on the floor by his feet. A sudden thought occurred to him and he visibly backed away from Crystal. "Oh Lord, are you one of her spies?"
"One of her spies?" Crystal repeated. She laughed at the absurdity of the idea, and carefully sipped at the tea. It was still very hot, but very well brewed. "No. No, I'm not a spy. I'm at high school. I wouldn't know the first thing about being a spy."
"That's exactly the sort of thing I'd expect a spy to say. Why did you want to see Ella? What is she to you?"
"Why did you agree to take me to her?"
"Because you asked me to."
"Do you always agree to what people ask?"
Jake opened his mouth to answer and then hesitated. "Errr... why yes. Yes I do."
"Bizarre," Crystal said. "So, tell me, what's so terrible about Ella?"
"You don't know her? I thought you did."
"I don't think we've been talking about the same Ella."
"Oh, well, she's our queen."
Crystal, who was just taking another sip from her mug, snorted tea out across her lap. "You're kidding me, right? Ella, a queen!" Figures.
"Not at all. Ella is the queen of Caducus."
"Caducus? I thought you said this place was called Somna, Sumner, Sommer or something?"
"Our capital city is Somnia, the land is named Caducus."
Crystal shook her head in disbelief again, but since she appeared to be in no immediate danger, she decided to humor Jake a little while longer, or at least until she'd finished her tea. "Okay, I'm following you now," she said. "So, we're in Caducus now, not Baltimore?"
"What is Ball-tee-more?"
"Never mind."
"Yes, we're in the Forest of Shadows, near the great curtain. No one's supposed to go there, but there's a really great apple tree a few feet away from where I ran into you, and sometimes I can't help myself, they're too good to miss."
"Why is it forbidden to go there?" Her ears had pricked up at the mention of curtain.
"No one knows, not really, but it’s patrolled regularly and anyone caught there risks being arrested."
"So, this is a dangerous place?"
"Only for lawbreakers. Apparently Somnia is an amazing place. Dreams are said to come true there. If your mind is open to them."
"So why don't you move there?"
Another puzzled look crossed Jake's forehead. It seemed the thought had never occurred to him. "I don't really know," he said.
"Well, if my dreams could come true, I'd want to live there. I mean, you'd be mad not to, right? And I imagine it can get really cold here in the winter, when the snow comes."
"What is snow?"
"You know, like rain, only much colder and very, very white."
Jake shook his head in wonderment.
"Wait, you don't know what snow is? How about rain?"
Jake continued to look at her as if she was an alien. Either he was the best actor on the planet, or something was seriously wrong here.
"Do you even have seasons? Spring, summer, winter, fall?"
"Ah, fall," Jake
said. He looked relieved to have understood something Crystal said and wolfed down another cracker which he washed down with a swig of tea.
"So, let me get this straight. It's always fall here?" she asked.
"Yes."
"What month is it?"
"September."
"Always?"
"Always."
Crystal rose and put her mug over by the fire. Either she or Jake had banged her head on something solid. Either way, it was time to go. "Okay Jake. Thanks for the tea. If you think those riders have gone, I'd really appreciate it if you took me back to where you found me."
"Right now?"
"Yes. Right now."
Jake looked at a clock on the mantel place, just above the fire. He bit his lip and rose to his feet. "I guess it should be okay, now. And I do really want to get some of those apples."
"Great. Thank you. Thanks for the tea." Crystal moved quickly to the steps and started to ascend before Jake could change his mind.
"My pleasure," Jake said. He followed up behind her, and they were soon out in the fresh air. Crystal no longer appreciated the sunshine or the season. All she wanted to do now was get away. Far, far away.
As they wandered back through the trees, she maintained a discrete distance between her and Jake at all times. Of all the people in the world, he was the last person she would have wanted to distance herself from, but now everything had changed. Was this even her Jake? This was another version, a bad copy. Hell, he didn't even know her. They walked briskly and in silence, until at last they reached the familiar drapes.
"Well, goodbye then, Jake," she said, as she raised the curtain.
Jake looked visibly agitated and seemed as anxious to be away as Crystal had been.
Sorcery & Sirens Page 4