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"Courage is not the absence of fear,
but rather the judgement that
something else is more important than fear.
The brave may not live forever,
but the cautious do not live at all."
~Taken from The Princess Diaries.
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Alex's P.O.V
"Alex?! Sweetheart have you seen my needle and thread by any chance?", my mother asks me as she stands at the doorway of our house looking out at me attempting to clean our yard.
My dad put a lot of love and hard work into building and beautifying our house, yard and all, and just as he was done with it, he was called off to serve in the war.
I was 12 then, and I've worked everyday since then to ensure that my mom and brother never feel his absence.
"Um....", I say pausing to think and wiping the sweat off my forehead. " I'm pretty sure I saw it near the perfume bottles on your vanity table."
"Oh okay.", my mother says absentmindedly walking back into the house.
I take another look at the yard work that was only half done and wipe the sweat off my forehead once more. I chuck my rake to the ground and walk towards the front door which is still ajar.
"Mom... I'm going to the lake. I'll finish the yard work when I come back.", I shout into the house.
Not waiting to hear her response, I make my way into the depths of the forest. I found the lake quite by accident when I was a child, running away from my dad whilst playing a game of tag.
Needless to say he didn't find me and neither he nor my mother know where it is. The secrecy and seclusion of the lake -my lake- made me feel like I was the only person in the world when I bathed in it.
There was no doubt that I could have used the community swimming pool in the village, but I knew the crowds gathered there on a day as humid and hot as this one, would be massive.
Plus why use the community swimming pool when I had one of my own?
I pulled my dagger out of my belt, twirling it in my hand as I made my way deeper into the forest. The hilt of the dagger felt like it had been moulded into my palm, the feel of which made me feel safe.
The trees here were so close together that you could only see pinpricks of sunlight peeking through the canopy. I knew I was getting close to the lake, as the trees had thinned out considerably and sunlight caught on the blade of my dagger making it shine and shimmer.
As the blue waters of the lake came in sight, I sheathed my dagger back in my belt. I made my way over to the edge of the lake, stripped off what clothes I had on, dumped them under a big leaf and dove neatly into the water.
I let the cool water run over my hot body as I lay on my back floating in the water, my eyes closed the sounds all around me heightened.
One of the many things I loved about the lake was the huge Angel Oak whose branches spread out over the lake, whose leaves cast a pattern over the lake so when you swam underwater and looked up you felt like you were inside a kaleidoscope.
I swim six laps around the lake before I'm completely out of breath.
I then stop at one edge to catch my breath when a soft voice breaks the silence of the forest filled only with my deep breaths.
"You're a pretty strong swimmer."
At the sound of the voice a sudden chill goes down my spine and goosebumps rise all over my body. I suddenly feel open and vulnerable without my dagger and out in the open in the lake.
I spin around to the direction of the voice and found myself facing a woman; probably around my mother's age.
"Uh.. Thanks."I say trying to back away to my dagger, but suddenly finding the water a lot more difficult to move in.
"Let me guess. You've been told to stay away from the likes of us and that we would probably kill you the first chance we got right?" she says smiling in understanding with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
I decide that hostility would get me nowhere so I smile back at her and let out a short laugh.
"Yeah. I'm sorry but I don't know much about your kind so any information the government gives us is all we get." I say smiling ruefully.
"That's not your fault." she says smiling back. "You can collect your dagger and clothes and if you found me at all interesting the the last minute, you can come join me for a picnic tea?"
What? Is she crazy?
I purse my lips and look at her.
"I'm sorry, I just met you and I don't think it would be very smart of me." I say continuing to move backwards to my clothes.
"That's alright. I completely understand. You won't be seeing me again here." She says smiling.
Almost like it was an after thought, she turns back to me and adds,"If you ever feel like talking to me for any information or anything you just have to come here and tap on that tree seven times."
"I'll keep that in mind." I say smiling back at her and slowly climbing out of the lake.
I bent down to pick up my shirt and when I looked up again, she was gone.
I dress up quickly, and go over to stand at the place I last saw her. As I looked in the direction I assumed she went, all I could see was trees. There was nothing to prove that a few seconds ago she had been here, talking to me.
Huh. I didn't know they lived in this forest.
Before leaving to head back home, I walk over to the tree she pointed at. It was the old Angel oak. It's lowest branch reached just above my head, while I had to strain to look at the highest one.
It's branches covered a huge area; covering everything under it like a protective mother. The girth of the trunk was so wide, you would need about 10 fully grown adults touching hands to encircle it.
I run my hands over the trunk feeling the ridges and patterns in the bark. I had never actually tried climbing this tree, but now it was all I wanted to do.
Letting my hand fall from the surface of the wood, I make my way to the path leading home. I turn one last time and glance at the place she disappeared from but once again nothing gives away her appearance that occurred while I was in the lake.
As I walk back home my thoughts all muddled up only one thought on my mind.
Who is she? And what did she want?
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Hey guys!
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XoxoKatherine
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Caught Between Our Worlds
Fantasy'You really impressed me today." he says pacing back and forth in front of me. "Thank you." I say standing at attention my chin up but fear building up inside me. "Who else knows?" He says stopping suddenly and facing his back to me. "Just you, my...
