The Festival Part 2

Annie groaned with closed eyes. This unsettled Joel and had him step to the side of her. Annie opened her eyes and said, "How can you be so calm?"

Good question. In a way, I had not known myself, but I knew how I felt. Articulating that was going to be hard enough, so I just opened my mouth and let the feelings flowed out. "Death is a strange thing. It does that to you, I guess. Look, I mean you are already dressed!" I pointed at the thin light brown hide that flowed over her voluptuous figure.

She laughed. Annie finally shook her head, trying to hold off her urge to laugh. "Ha, ha Nils".

Joel headed toward the door. "I'll see what's Rowan's up to." He stopped and looked back. "Might as well get ready, little warrior."

I nodded back at him. He left. Annie and I traded unsure glances at each other. I passed her. "Nils do not push yourself." Her voice reminded me that she was always close.

This was the price of living, I wagered. I paused, unsure of what I should have said. My lips just pulled up into a smile. "I will be fine, Sis." Annie grinned, but it felt gloomier than if she had not smiled.

Best not to mention my thoughts on that, so I marched to the bathroom to shower and change.

I came out of the bathroom in my festival garb. It was a sea through outfit made out of a spider's web woven into a shimmering yellow gleam that stretched all the way beyond my knees. It had a few holes, but nothing too noticeable.

"Ta-da!" I said. Annie was sitting on a chair at a suitable distance. Her eyes widened when she saw me. A smile formed through the pain on her face. "Well, look at you! Don't you look fancy?"

"Thank you, thank you."

"Alright, I am going to get my things together. You came home pretty late last night. Aren't you hungry? You never ate, you know."

Oh, she was right.

She laughed when she saw my face. "There is something on the table. Eat it before we leave."

I was about to turn into the dining room, but another thought crossed my mind. Not only had I forgotten to eat but also to write in the diary.

Wow, I really was forgetful nowadays. Okay, breakfast first. I went into the dining room and took up the plate of food.

I went into my room and placed the plate on the mini table next to my bed. My hand swiped up the diary, and I sat on the bed.

She was getting ready, so I had to hurry. I could not sit still. I was shaken up. I really needed to get my thoughts down on paper.

The last thing I wanted was for this diary to be unfinished. I had to complete it, not only for me, but for anyone else who would get this curse.

The roots of my hand started shifting and morphing. They interlocked with the surface of the book's cover and I watched my fingers grip it with a dense tingling I could not place.

This was odd, but I worried about that later. My throat became dry. I was so close to writing my thoughts out now, but I was drawing a blank. It was not that I had not remembered. My memory of yesterday was fine.

What nagged at me was this disorienting feeling. My eyes flicked to the scorched honey quenched piece of chicken. It was only two portions. A small but delectable meal sat before me. I took a piece and savored the flavor.

Yes, that did the trick, and I was writing up a storm now. I kept eating the chicken and potatoes provided. My body warmed when the meat touched my tongue and became energetic. They kept me sated during my devoted writing process.

"Nils!" Annie's voice sparked me up into action. I ran out of the room to the hall. My head turned to see Annie now with a large straw hat on her head. "Ready to go?" she asked.

I swing my arm behind my back, hiding the journal. I didn't want her to ask me why I had it, if I was carrying it, all those questions were likely to worry her even more. "Yup," I said.

I made my way towards her.

"You okay? You are sweating." She said.

Now that I thought of it, I had a slim coat of sweat. It might be the chicken I ate. "I am fine."

"Yeah, but take a hat. You'll be glad it protects you from the heat when you're at the festival."

I did that and soon, three of us set out towards the festival. As we approached the town, we heard the sounds of drums, horns, steel pans filling the air. My excitement grew when I got closer. We met up with Joel, Rowan, Rowan's parents, Bella, and her parents at the entrance.

Colorful triangles were strung up in rows across buildings, performers dressed in costumes sang, danced, mimed, did plays and magic tricks.

Couples flirted with each other. People danced with each other. There were purple fabrics strung in tight weaved knots above the main street.

That reminded me. If I remembered clearly, were not the flowers on top of the mountain purple? I wondered if there was meaning to that. The thought settled in my mind for a second before I heard loud voices.

I turned to a game being played. A makeshift square was made in the dirt with carved wood pieces, while the roll of the dice decided their fate.

Beautiful, motherly women prepared food at a long table. Hungry, angry men and women argued about who should have gotten their food first.

The cooks and servers shook their heads at the madness. I smiled. A laugh drew my head back to see Joel laughing. He rarely laughed, but when he did, it was usually a loud and heartfelt one.

Children played games narrated through song. People coated in face paint were painting the faces of many others. The face paint was made from fruits and vegetables, so it added a delightful smell to the person.

Jewelry made from animal teeth and unique stones was being traded.

The sweat of the crowd tingled my nose. Tobacco and food wafted through the air, keeping me on a high. I felt alive walking through the magical atmosphere the festival created.

I felt a hand on my shoulder pulling me back. "Don't go too far now," Annie said.

"Yes, stay where we can see you," Bella's mother said.

"If you're going to run off anywhere, tell us where you're going." Rowan's father said.

I got flustered hearing all of them and their concerns. Best to follow their direction. Still, we surrounded by the grand populace of the village. It was likely we were going to get into any problems.

"Let's go get something to drink," Joel said to the rest of the adults. Joel gave A wink to me. That was his signal, I guess. We headed off. My legs wanted to run with Bella and Rowan, but I had to admit, my feet were not doing much of a service.