Let it Pour

They felt a tremor, then a wave of pure magic and life pushed through and past them, flushing out a burst of green from the ground and trees. It was a glimpse of a fairy's magic right before their eyes. All in a heartbeat.

In awe, the three friends witnessed plants bud and bloom, cocoons erupt with butterflies and the grass grow by feet.

'What happened?' 'How'd she?' 'Why'd she?'

Too worried about the fallen fairy, Caleb hadn't time to rejoice in the tingling frolic feeling the magic left in the air, nor to ruminate on the fact that magic was a thing and not only were fairies real, but the odd girl he came to care about was one.

- Ailrees?! – Caleb called as she collapsed beneath the willow's blooms, and ran to her straight after.

'Why was he uncovering her from a pile of leaves and petals at the exact same spot, again?'

Around her, questions always outnumbered answers.

- Damned Deja-vù... – the young man muttered noticing the coincidence.

'Was that how she ended up there the first time?' he wondered.

Kinda,

but you knew that already, didn't you, dear reader?

As his friends caught up to the two, the young man had just started calling her and gently patting her trying to get her to wake up.

However, it was to no avail.

Ailrees was beyond exhausted, she was depleted.

- Damn it, not again –

Caleb sighed frustrated as his mind was already picturing the whole ordeal yet again when he grabbed his phone to call the emergencies.

However, before he could dial, out of the blue, and taking both the boys completely by surprise,

Valory emptied an entire water bottle on Ailrees' face!

Wasn't even in a gentle manner either, she just sprayed it down enthusiastically, not bothering whether some of it splashed on Caleb and Nick.

And once it was done,

the blonde gave the bottle a good shake to let the last drops out.

- WHERE DID THAT FOOKING WATER BOTTLE COME FROM?! – furious, Nick asked wiping the water off his face.

- From my purse, of course. I always have my bottle on me... - she answered, and only got an angry groan from her brother as a reply.

- What the hell, Val! – Caleb shouted, rabid by the sudden shower

– What are you thinking? She's gonna catch a cold! – he said worried,

tenderly trying to dry Ailrees, using the sleeves of his jacket and the back of his hand, with not much success given that her clothes were now drenched.

- What?

Was worth a shot. – Valory responded plainly as if that would have been anyone's first course of action

- Now put the phone down... she's awake, isn't she? –

she added, noticing the girl squeamishly coming back to herself.

Relieved to see that, Caleb leaned the fairy on the willow and covered her with his jacket so the wind wouldn't bring her to shiver.

- You okay? – he asked softly.

Ailrees only nodded in response, slightly.

At that point, even opening her eyes was an effort,

talking or standing was simply not feasible.

Under the willow's shadow, the filtered light that shone through the aerie branches and flowy leaves should feel quite comfortable to the weary eyes. Still, the poor fairy held her hand over her sight, otherwise, its brightness pierced straight into her eyes.

To the dainty little fairy, everything was so bright,

and so, so loud.

Beyond all the staggering, never ceasing white noise of the forest, she could hear them talking about her. But Ailrees could not understand most of what they were saying as every word bashed and echoed in her head like a hammer pounding on an anvil.

- Huh... - Valory pondered - You could have saved yourself a whole lot of trouble, had you had your water bottle on you the other day... - the bombshell commented in a witty tone

– Whaaaat? ... I'm just saying... - she added when Caleb turned his head to her and gave her his most annoyed look.

- She doesn't look good, though. What are you gonna do? – Nick asked, quite indifferent. It was hard to tell if it was just his slowness or if he really couldn't care less.

- Well, we can't take her to the hospital, now, can we? – the young man grumbled about.

- Why not? - Nikla inquired.

- What am I supposed to tell them? – Caleb asked sarcastically

– So, Docs, she collapsed right after she used magic... to grow fricking weeds.

Yeah, that'd sound sane... – he continued mockingly

– No need to call in the cops, it wasn't that kind of weed.

Also, no 'dust' involved, fairy nor otherwise. -

- You called the cops before... - Nick casually mentioned.

- Cause I didn't know she was a fucking fairy! – Caleb replied

– I... I'm taking her back home... -

- She'll die if you do. –

suddenly, an alluring voice coming from the woods said, spooking the souls out of the group.

"Who said that?!" they wondered.

Frightened, the three of them stood near each other and had their eyes fixed on the forest.

Holding tight to the fairy, Caleb shouted

"Who's there?! Show yourself!"

But there was no response.

Growing more anxious from the silence he asked:

- What do you mean? – frustrated and worried, he firmed his grip on Ailrees and asked again – What the hell do you mean she'll die?! –

- She's too weak. She'll die if she leaves the forest. – the voice answered calmly.

- Why? How do you know that? – the young man inquired confused, for it didn't make any sense to him, ...that being said, he sure wasn't willing to risk it.

Right before them, a dazzling marble fox came out of the woods shaking its shiny silver fur dry from all the dew on the fresh leaves.

And then, staring at them with its big bright eyes, it replied, slightly annoyed by their questioning:

- You can't just keep taking fairies from the forest! Don't you know nothing? –

- So... the fooking fox is talking, right?

I'm not just imagining this shit? – Nick asked his sister as he began to doubt his sanity.

He wasn't the only one confused as hell. Valory and Caleb also couldn't believe their eyes, but they were still processing the fact that Caleb had a real-life fairy in his arms.

- Yep. I'm pretty sure the fox is talking. – the blonde answered while trying to wrap her head around it,

– And just to clarify, ... mister, ...misses fox? ... - she struggled

– NO! We don't know anything!

For goodness' sake, a moment ago we thought Ailrees had some loose screws, with the fairy talk and all... - she explained – so, whatever it is you think we should know, to make it easier on us all, just assume we don't...

because we don't! – Valory earnestly suggested.

- Very well, human. – the fox agreed without a fuss.

- You say I can't bring her home, but I can't leave her here alone, either... - Caleb argued to the fox.

- You are right, human.

It's not safe here.

Follow me. – it responded, dry, and went back into the forest at a hasted pace. – Hurry up, I don't have all day! –

- Wait!

Where are we going? – Caleb asked trying not to lose it from his sight while venturing into the wild struggling to not trip and tumble carrying Ailrees.

- Somewhere safe. – it answered bluntly.

- That's it?! – Nick inquired, anxious about the whole endeavor.

- Even if I bothered to tell,

you wouldn't know where that was. – the fox replied in a witty tone.

- So, we're following the talking fox who knows where...huh - Valory kind of concluded – At least this should make for quality time, yeah?

If we get eaten today, we'll get eaten together. – in an unsettling joyful manner, she added.

- Don't be so dramatic, Val. Foxes don't eat people. – Caleb responded, though not so much as to calm the bombshell - Valory doesn't need reassurance, she's fearless -, instead, it was to calm himself.

He wasn't naïve. The young man was aware they were not taking the most prudent action,

but what other choice did he have?

Valory didn't reply straight away for she quickly realized what Caleb was doing. However, after a moment, she thought it was still worth mentioning anyways:

- Neither should they talk... yet here we are. –