“Astrid!”
I swung around. The small figure of Gregon stood before me. His cheeks were flushed and he was out of breath. Droplets of sweat were forming underneath his stringy straw-colored hair. I was surprised to see him. His mother could hardly tear him away from his pond for association.
“What’s wrong?” I asked immediately.
It took a moment for Gregon to get his breath back. He was only a few years younger than me, but he was short and mousy, making him seem much younger than he was.
“She did something to him,” he panted. I immediately thought about Bevan and that girl. She must have woken up in his presence and bitten him or something. I started towards the forest automatically, but Gregon stopped me.
“Astrid! Where are you going?” he asked, looking bewildered. There was a definite note of anxiety in his voice.
“You’re – you’re not talking about Bevan?” I asked uncertainly, wondering why my thoughts had turned to him so quickly.
“Bevan?” he said. “Astrid, she did something to Magorian!”
My eyes widened. “Who’s she?”
“The girl he brought home,” he answered. I turned and started hurriedly toward Magorian’s cottage. Gregon trailed behind me.
“He was supposed to cure Madeleine for me today,” he said. Madeleine was Gregon’s favorite frog. She’s ancient and practically never moves. “But he never showed. I went over to his cottage to with her to see where he was, and this strange voice told me he won’t be able to help. It sounded like a little girl.”
I quickened my pace. Gregon obviously didn’t know about the girl’s face. But I knew. What could she have done to Magorian?
“I have to go Astrid,” Gregon said, falling behind my aggressive pace.
The cottage was in sight. Its windows were dark and hollow.
When I reached the kitchen door I stopped, wondering whether I should knock. With a shrug to myself, I stretched out my balled fist, about to rap on the door, when strange singing greeted my ears.
La la la la la la, la da da da da da da
The lullaby. The same lullaby I heard the girl singing in the sandpit those nine years ago. It echoed strangely, as though it was in my very head.
I opened the door cautiously. I didn’t know what to do.
In the twilight I could hardly see. Shadows covered the light-blue walls. The singing was eerily distant. I stepped cautiously inside, hoping this was some childish joke, but I should’ve known better.
The shadows stretched
La la la la la la, la da da da da da
The singing grew louder, the echo softer. It was a little girl’s voice, sweet and innocent in the lullaby
I twirled around to see where it was coming from. Magorian was nowhere insight.
The kitchen was dark and silent. I could barely see the lights from the village.
“Magorian?” I asked hesitantly. I stepped further into the gloomy kitchen.
BANG
I swung around to in time to see the door slam shut.
La la la la la la, la da da da da da
“Magorian?!” I was scared now. Magorian wouldn’t do this. He has no sense of humor, not even a bad enough one to do this.
“He’s not here.”
The singing stopped. The same innocent voice spoke.
I swung around again, but saw no one.
“Where is he then?” I asked the voice, backing up into the cupboards.
“He’s not here,” it repeated.
“What have you done to him?” I half shouted. I wanted to run out of the cottage, back to Diya, but my legs stayed put.
“He took Isabelle.”
I took a deep breath. “Where are you?” I asked curiously.
At first there was no reply. I revolved slowly on the spot, looking all around the room for a possible hiding place. Perhaps she was scared.
I almost knocked two pots of jam off the counter when the girl suddenly stood in front of me. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her hair was masking her face. Her head was bowed as though she was looking to the ground.
Although she was probably in her early teens, it felt like I was talking to a six-year-old. I bowed down so I was head to head with her.
“What’s your name?” I asked timidly.
“Nudith,” her voice was small.
“Nudith, I have to talk to Magorian now,” I said.
“I remember you,” she said softly. “you were the one who ruined my sandcastle.” Her voice sounded sad and deflated.
“I didn’t mean to,” I said, “I – I was just a little frightened.”
“Of the sand?” came her puzzled voice from the depths of her glossy black hair.
I smiled. “Where is Magorian?” My voice was gentle. How much harm could this small figure possible do?
“It’s a secret,” she whispered breathlessly, almost excitedly.
“It can be our secret,” I offered. “No one else has to know.”
“You’re lying,” she said, her head bowing further towards the ground. “You’ll tell that silly boy.”
“Bevan?” I asked, surprised that she’d remember him.
She nodded.
“I promise I won’t,” I said. Of course I would.
Her head snapped up. I could almost imagine her eyes staring scrutinizingly at me, but then she nodded again.
“Come back tomorrow, while he’s awake,” she said. “Then I’ll take you to him.”
My brow furrowed. I didn’t know whether I trusted this, but what could I do. I just wanted to go home now.
I nodded and straightened up, walking to the door.
When I turned around one last time, she was gone.
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