In Another Life

Natalie ran out of the village. Her heart pounding, she entered the woods and took a few deep breaths.

The trees around her seem to be moving. A strong wind is blowing through the woods, and Natalie can hear something large crashing through the underbrush nearby. There was a smell of dirt and rotting leaves.

Natalie leaned against a tree and took a deep breath of the earthy smell around her. There was more crashing, and a bit of cursing somewhere in the woods.

"I'm not going anywhere." She muttered to herself. "And I don't think that thing is coming after me."

She looked around for any other signs of movement or life, but everything seemed quiet so far. She sat down, still leaning on the tree, and started laughing. "I'm gone Mom, I left, just like you wanted me too." Tears began pouring down her face.

Natalie wiped away the tears with her sleeve as she kept laughing. "You always told me not to go into those woods...but how could I resist? They're huge! And dark!"

The laughter turned into sobs. Huge, heaving sobs. "But now I'm stuck here in this godforsaken forest, and I have no idea where I am!" Natalie fell silent, staring at the ground.

A shadow fell onto Natalie, and she looked up. A tall stranger with bright purple eyes looked down at her. "Are you alright?" He asked. His voice was kind and gentle.

Natalie stared up at him, unable to speak or move. He smiled, sitting next to her. "It's okay. I won't hurt you."

She stiffened slightly and looked at him. He had a scar running from his chin to his neck. There was a medical eyepatch on his left eye, and bandages around both his arms. He had hair that reached the nape of his neck, and longish bangs that fell into his eyes. "I'm. . .fine" she said finally.

She glanced around nervously. The stranger must see it too; he looks away. She looked back at him. "Where are we?"

His smile returned. "Why don't you introduce yourself before asking questions, hm?"

Natalie hesitated, "Nat. . . " She paused and looked at him again. "Nat."

He laughed, "Nat? Like nature hm? My name is Simon."

"Simon...," she repeated softly. "Your name sounds familiar."

"Well, then, Nat, let me ask you something first: what happened to your mom?"

She glanced away, "She died from the plague."

Simon nodded gently. She looked up, and a bird soared overhead. "These blasted woods. . ." she whispered.

"That's why you were wandering these woods? Because of your mother?" Simon asked.

"Yes. . ." Natalie trailed off.

"Then you should come with me to the town.

Natalie shook her head. "I just left the town." She pointed in the direction of the town, but lowered her hand when Simon shook his head.

"Not that town, the other town"

"Other?" Natalie looked confused.

Simon smiled, "There's one town north of here and another south."

Natalie looked at him in confusion. "How do you know all that?"

He shrugged, "Because I've been traveling through these forests for years.

"Years? How old are you, 15?"

Simon grinned, "No. I'm 18.

"18? But you look like a kid!" Natalie said.

Simon laughed, "Really? That's the second time someone has told me that today."

Natalie got up, and something fell from her pocket. She picked it up and looked at it curiously. "Is this yours? This is a compass."

Simon looked at it. "What's a compass?"

Natalie looked at him, "It's a little device you stick to a map, and it tells you where you are."

Simon shook his head. "You dropped it, and I don't know what a compass is either way. It would be useless." He handed it back to her.

"Thanks." Natalie put it back in her pocket, looking at him. "So. . .you never went to the city?" Simon shook his head.

Natalie sighed, "Lucky" she said, "I would have liked to see the capital. . ."

Simon looked at her quizzically, "Capital?"

Natalie gave him a look, "You haven't heard of the capital?

"No I'm not hu- I mean, I'm not from here" he said.

Natalie frowned. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

Simon shrugged. "I live in the woods"

Natalie looked at him skeptically, "Seriously?"

Simon chuckled, "Yes seriously. I lived in the woods all my life. I'm actually surprised I didn't meet you before. I've seen some people walking around the woods on occasion.

Natalie laughed softly. "Well I need to find a place to stay."

Simon smiled, "I'll show you the way. Just follow me." Natalie stood up and followed.

Simon led her through the woods until they reached a small clearing. It was surrounded by a thicket of trees.

Natalie's eyes widened in awe. "Whoa" she breathed.

Simon smiled, "This is my home, my family's cabin."

Natalie looked around, "Nice."

Simon pointed at the cabin, "We usually build our houses in the middle of the forest.

As he pointed, a gold aura erupted from his hand. The golden light enveloped the surrounding woods, revealing a tiny cabin.

Natalie gasped as she walked toward the small building. "Wow, it's so much bigger than I thought!"

Simon laughed, "It's just a simple log cabin, nothing fancy."

Natalie turned to look at him. "Did you. . . .was that magic?" She asked hesitantly.

Simon nodded, "Yup.

Natalie's eyes widened, "Magic?"

Simon grinned, "Sure. Why not?" He raised his eyebrows.

Natalie grabbed his hand, but his body stiffened slightly. "Can you make a flower with your magic? Please!"

Simon's smile faded. "I don't use magic in front of people. I'm not used to having company."

Natalie pouted, "I want to see your magic!"

Simon chuckled, "Alright, I'll make a flower for you."

Natalie grinned, something she didn't do often. "A rose, a black one!"

Simon raised an eyebrow. "Black?"

Natalie nodded, "Unique"

Simon shrugged, "Fine. I'll try."

The small cabin glowed brightly, and the walls seemed to melt away.

Natalie spun around, trying to capture everything she was witnessing in her head.

The cabin suddenly disappeared, and there was only a bright white void in its place.

Suddenly, the space filled with flowers. Dozens of different colored roses stood proudly against the stark white background. Natalie's mouth opened wide in wonderment.

She ran into the field of flowers and in the middle, a black rose stood, among all the others it stood out the most.

"It's beautiful!" Natalie exclaimed. She picked up the black rose.

"Thank you" Simon said quietly.

Natalie held the rose close to her heart, "It really is pretty."

Simon sat down in the field of roses and put his left hand on the ground. The ground began to turn black, and the flowers wilted. Natalie's eyes widened as she looked at the section that began to die. "Wha- S-Simon. . . "

His eyes widened with fear. "Wait, don't worr-" Natalie backed up and stumbled as she tried to get up. "Natalie!" he shouted after her. She started sprinting away. He turned to her, but she had already started running away again.

"Hey! Wait!" Simon shouted. He ran after her and grabbed her arm, "Nat. I'm not going to hurt you! Please."

She shook her head. "I want to go home, let me go. I remember you now."

Simon's eyes widened. "Wait let me exp-"

"Simon, the half human and half monster. Who's father slaughtered an entire village. My village." She growled, fear and anger dancing through her eyes. Simon let her go in shock. "That was my father, I'm not like him! Please."

Tears ran down Natalie's face. "Monster." She spat out between tears. Her hands formed fists as she ran away from him. Simon stood there, trying to calm himself. There were no human emotions that could comfort him. Not anymore. He began taking deep breaths.

"I'm. Not. A. Monster." He growled softly. His purple eyes flashed from violet to red. Natalie shook her head and backed away, fear clouding her face. Simon's eyes began to turn back to violet and his angry expression turned into hurt. His eyes clouded with hurt, and he reached out for Natalie. She flinched and turned away. Simon conjured a bright bird and whispered something to it.

He looked away, his face turning to stone. "Follow the bird. It will take you home"

Natalie watched as the brightly colored bird flew off. As soon as it left her sight, she broke into a run. She stumbled and the branches cut at her face, but she saw the village, the place she thought was her home.

Tears filled her eyes and she began running towards the village. It was like a dream. Was this real? She heard a low rumbling and stopped to look behind her. There was nothing but trees. No grass, no houses. Where did the flowers go? She saw her home and ran forward. She reached the large oak door, and there was note taped to it.

"Look down."

Natalie looked down and there was a pendant with a rose on it. She lifted it up and looked around, fearfully. "I'm sorry Simon, but we cannot be friends, not when you're a monster." She opened the door and entered her house.

Simon had been watching from the edge of the woods. He saw her enter her home from a distance and looked up, as the tears poured down his face. "Maybe in another life, we would have been friends."