Chapter 11

After staring at the veteran’s medal while musing into thought longer than I expected to, I push down the thought, partially so I can hurry along to the residence before the storm, but before I climb off the bed, I grab the cigar that was neatly placed beside me on the bed and rush out of the room to quickly bury it on the path I came from. I should’ve done it before but the pain in my limbs must’ve distracted me enough to forget.

I can’t possibly leave until I bury his cigar. I want his soul to find peace here as well.

“Felix?” I call out, looking around the empty house for the man. I look in every room and search the kitchen but there is no sign of him. I go outside to the backyard but he isn’t there either.

Where is he? Did I imagine him?

I look down at the dress I was still wearing, which confirms that the man was indeed real.

But he feels like a vivid of my imagination after that kind of dream, why is that? Did he do something to me? Did he purposefully give me that kind of dream?

“The old guy left.” An adolescent voice says to me in a flat tone from behind me. I spin around to face him. There stands a child, possibly three feet tall, holding a note in his hand. “I’m not important to know, okay?” He hands me the note in his hand and sighs. “I’m just his messenger, that’s all you need to know for now. He told me to give you that the moment you awake and to tell you that he asked some fairies to change you with their magic. He said they’re not talented in sewing quite yet but they made you the dress since the other was torn and dirty. Don’t worry, they cleaned you too. With magic of course. And to answer your question about where he is, he’s hiding out from the storm elsewhere. Be sure to make it to the residence before it hits. It’d be a shame to ruin what the fairies worked day and night on.”

“Aren’t you a bit young to be his messenger?” I ask, opening the note, keeping my gaze on him as I did.

The boy let a small laugh escape his lips before he asks, “Do you believe I’m young?”

“I’m mean… you sound young and look young.”

“I’m the axolotl of this land and sea world so my features look adolescent naturally. I’m almost thirty and I see no problem in my appearance. It gives me a chance to do more things that the man can not tackle on his own.”

I almost choke when he said his age. “Thirty?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I didn’t expect to hear that he’s that old, I thought he was eight or ten, not thirty, well I guess his kind stays very young even as they get older. “That’s a surprise.”

He shrugs. “My age surprises everyone.”

I smile. “If only I knew my age.”

“You look young, so maybe… twenty? Around that number? You don’t look that old if I’m honest.”

“Yeah, I think I’m around twenty. I’ve been somewhere for some time now before I came here.”

“Somewhere?”

“I don’t remember where but I know I was there for a while.”

The messenger looks like he’s going to say something else but goes against it. He nods and hums in response. “The memories will come to you.”

“I’d hope so.” I look down to read the note. “Dear Miss, by the time you receive this note from me, I’ll be gone. I do hope the fairies made the dress to your liking. The fabric is from the best silk flowers of their land so I hope it meets your expectations, also the veteran’s medal is a trinket for your journey. Please do not lose it, Miss. It’s very special and valuable.”

I hear the messenger scoff. “Special? As if.”

I ignore the messenger and continue reading. “But besides that, try to stay safe heading there. I left a fairy to care for you in case you need them. Just summon them by saying their name―” I skip over the name to prevent saying it out loud and went to the next word. “―and they’ll appear in front of you, ready to help you with anything you need. Try not to overwork the fairy too much, their strength relies on how much sun they get.”

“Mhm.” The messenger hums.

“Till the day we meet again, Miss. Be safe,” I look up at the messenger as I fold the note close. “Felix.”

“Keep the note so you won’t forget anything.” The messenger does a little bow and walks away. “I’m able to be summoned as well, just call my name, ‘Neo.’ to ask me to send a message to anyone from around the world.”

“Why did you tell me your name? I thought―”

“If Felix trusts you that much then it’s worth telling you my name. But be warned, don’t say it around anyone.” He glares at me before softening his gaze and giving me a small smile. “That is all, Miss. See you then.”

“See you then.” I say, watching the messenger, well, Neo, vanish into mist and leave the area.

I sigh as I put the note away and walk to the path where I came from to bury the cigar. I select a tree that is surrounded by a good amount of flowers and bury it deep enough so it won't be blown up in the wind.

I dust my hands free of the dirt and make my way down the mountain, being wary of the dress to not dirty it or let the dress get snagged on any thorns so the fairies' hard work wouldn’t go to waste.

Because a part of me knows how it feels to work hard on something and feel that sense of dejection once that hard work goes to waste.

Why do I feel that way? I have no idea.

I trek down the mountain, admiring the sights as I go down, and once the green scenery comes into my view, I smile at how beautiful it looks.

A meadow.