Glowing red eyes, a fear of something in the forest, and the feeling that someone was watching her haunted her sleep.
"I was having tea with a new friend." She said dismissively. She wished she could dismiss those glowing red eyes as easily as she could her cousin but she felt as if they were still boring into her.
"You can't just go off and not tell us where you were going. You've been gone hours. What were we to think? What if-"
"Jim. I'm fine. Nothing happened. Since when were you a worry wort?" She said as she climbed the stairs to go to her room.
"I'm not, usually. But-" Jim was cut off as Milo came stumbling down the stairs.
"Cindy! There you are. Are you alright? What happened? Where were you?" Said Milo, barely taking a breath between the questions. Jim closed his eyes and sighed.
"He's made me worry." Jim said to Cinderellas's back as she continued up the stair. "He got me worried by telling all about tales of the old forest and the disappearances."
"Jim. Milo. I'm fine. I made a new friend and helped her to her house. Then we spent a couple hours talking and drinking tea." Cinderella was quiet for a moment. "Its been a long time since I've had someone to talk to." There was a long pause.
"You've got us." Said Milo fidgeting with his book. Jim slapped his head in frustration.
"I know and you guys are great but I meant female conversation. A women friend to talk to." Cinderella sighed and finished mounting the stair. Milo opened his mouth to say something but Cinderella beat him to it. "I'm tired. I'm headed to bed. See you both in the morning. I didn't mean to worry you guys." Cinderella hurried off to her room. The men stood quiet on the stairs as they watched her disappear into her room.
Once alone Cinderella felt calm but the feeling that she was being watched still lingered with her. Cinderella went to the window and shut the shutters. She then got on her night clothes and climbed into bed. Hoping to fall quickly into a peaceful dreamless sleep.
But sleep did not come easy. Glowing red eyes, a fear of something in the forest, and the feeling that someone was watching her haunted her sleep. What little sleep she got was fitful and broken. She only hoped the morning would come soon.
Sun streamed in the window passed the shutters, which oddly were open. Cinderella lulled in bed. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Cinderella stretched and answered the door. Upon opening the door Cinderella found Jim was on the other side.
"Good morning. How'd you sleep?" Asked Jim chipperly.
Cinderella groaned and rubbed her eyes. "Not so well." Jim rocked on his heels anxiously. "What's the matter with you? You're not a morning person." Cinderella arched her eyebrows quizzically. Jim smiled one of his sly smiles. One of the ones he gets when he is up to something.
"You got me. We aren't leaving today and there is an old ships captain staying at the inn. He is on shore leave and I was hoping to talk to him and hear some of his stories." Jim beamed with anticipation. Cinderella couldn't help but smile.
"Alright. I'm up. Go find the Captain. I can occupy myself today. I'll go find Milo in a bit. See you for lunch." Jim waved goodbye and bounded down the stairs. Cinderella chuckled to herself and closed the door. She quickly dressed and then set off to find Milo.
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"Where is she?" asked Chel. The group of girls all trudged through the wood looking for Meg. Chel led the little procession, quickly followed by Esmeralda and Jasmine. Daria and Odette brought up the end of the group. They searched all Meg's normal hide-outs. None of which yielded any good clues to where she was. Finally the little group decided to check the lake. There they found Meg and the other girls waiting for them.
Meg sat on a large rock wringing out her hair which was sopping wet.
"Did you fall in again?" Asked Esmeralda with a smirk as the girls crowded around. Meg smiled and flipped her hair over her shoulder, sending water in all directions.
"Hey! Just because you're wet doesn't mean the rest of us want to be." said Jasmine who whipped water from her arms. Chel paced behind the girls. Too impatient and to frustrated to talk.
Meg having fixed her hair finally noticed Chel. "What's with her?" Esmeralda glanced back at Chel.
"Oh. We told her about what you saw. She has been like this ever since."
Meg scoffed. "What's the big deal? Its a path. There are plenty of paths in the wood."
Chel finally found her voice. "A well worn path this far in the wood means it has to be frequented by someone. Someone exploring the wood."
Daria shook her head. "Its probably just him." Esmeralda shook her head.
"No, Chel's right. Since when does he walk anywhere? Especially past the boundary line?" Said Esmeralda. "He always uses his magic to go anywhere. He wouldn't just be traipsing through the wood."
"No sensible person would go traipsing through the wood." Added Odette.
The girls took in the revelation of the news. They were quiet for several minutes before anyone spoke.
It was Amalthea who finally broke the silence. "So... what do we do?" A hopeful gleam in her eye. Her hope was contagious and soon all the other girls had the same gleam.
"We take turns watching the trail. Find out who it is and maybe get there help." Esmeralda said with conviction.
"It could be a trick of the wood." Jasmine thought out loud.
"We'll never know if we don't try." Said Chel.
The girls made up there minds to watch the trial. The group split up and went off to tell the other girls what they had decided.
Chel decided to take first watch and quickly found the path Meg had seen. She waited nearby, inside the boundary line. Hoping to see who it was who had made the path.
Chel decided to take first watch and quickly found the path Meg had seen. She waited nearby, inside the boundary line. Hoping to see who it was who had made the path.
