Lavender Tails

Elsie walked through the tall,never-ending trees that grew in the pinewood forest behind her house. She hummed,watching the sunset and admired how the sun dipped below the trees,like a regal queen or something. It painted the sky gorgeous shades of gold,purple and scarlet,and she smiled. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen something so glorious. She felt a tug at her heart,and she pulled out her camera from it's old leather case. She focused the lenses on the setting sun,and a click was heard. She smiled to herself,and continued to hum to a melody only she could hear. And then she stopped suddenly. This was the place.

"Elsie,Elsie! C'mon,try to catch me,sora!"

She sucked in a breath,and found that she couldn't quite fill her lungs. She laid down. She had been walking for a while,maybe she should rest...but not here,she thought. This place had a little too much history for her. The lavender plants swished,their small purple flowers felt like eyes to her. She remembered what happened here like it was yesterday,even if it had happened years ago. She should have forgotten by now,like her mother had.

"Promise me,my dear granddaughter,my pasăre cântătoare,that you will never go down the path your mother has made for herself. Promise me you'll hold onto all of your memories." The old woman whispered,sitting down with Elsie. They both shared a pot of lavender tea with a large dose of honey. Elsie nodded,her raven-black hair hiding her face. "Yes,grandmama. I will not forget." "Now,go get your old grandmother some more lavender. My old bones aren't what they used to be."

She grimaced at the memories that rushed through her head. "Forget,forget,forget-" she hissed through her teeth. They were gritted,her eyes wetting as they pounded through her head.

Elsie and another girl sat down by the creek,trying to catch the small silver fish that lived in it's shallows. "Down by the bay-" sang the little girl. Elsie smiled. "C'mon,Elsie,sing with me!" The small girl splashed in the waters,the sun dresses the two were wearing wet and muddy. Elsie giggled. "Only for my little sister." The young girl smiled. "Down by the bay," "Where the watermelons grow-" "Back to my home-" "Dare I not go-"

Elsie groaned. They flooded her head,coming in waves,each more powerful than the last. "Please...just let me forget. Let me forget her,let me forget grandma,let me forget Emma,let me forget my problems at home...Let me forget her." She sniffled. "God,I sound so pathetic!"

"Emma,follow me! I have something to show you!" The girl said,her voice loud and clear. Another girl,around her age,with hot pink hair. The two ran,prancing and leaping over logs like deer,the pair both fleet-footed and graceful.

Elsie held the stalks of lavender in her hands,a long black dress flowing around her ankles. She looked very nice,but her face was tear-streaked and her eyes were wet. A pinewood coffin was lowered into the muddy ground,and Elsie hugged her arms as she collapsed onto the ground. Her mother frowned,clicked her tongue, and pulled her back up,back onto her feet.

"Elsie?" Elsie heard the calm and concerned tone,but knew that if she turned around her mother's face would be full of rage and a lot of disappointment. She just knew it. She felt it in her bones. "I was so worried,dear-" "MAMA,JUST GO AWAY! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE!" She heard a short gasp from her mom,her signature click of her tounge,and the shuffle of feet. The swish of her mother's long dress. And the snap of twigs as she left. Why did she push everyone away from her? She was a monster,a una rea. Not the lovely songbird her grandmama had thought her to be. Had taught her to be.

"Elsie,why can't you just talk to me?" The pink-haired girl asked. "You always seem upset at me...You know I love you,but I can't just let you yell at people for no reason-" "There is a reason,lubirea mea! They say all these things about you-" "Babe,I don't care what they say. Ok? Listen,they're jerks and they're rude to you. Why do you care what they think?" "It's...I'm sorry." "No,love. It's fine. You know I love you beyond your faults."

Elsie sobbed into her hands. She wanted so many things at that second. She wanted to run to her mama and apologize,she wanted Emma to hug her and tell her she'll be fine,she wanted her little sister back,she wanted a pot of lavender tea and lots of honey,and most of all she just wanted to be happy. She didn't want to remember all those old summers,that drifted through her mind like tumbleweeds and hurt her head. They stitched themselves together,making a pretty but painful quilt. "Why do all the bad things happen to me in the summer?" She muttered. Her thoughts felt heavy and she felt dizzy.

"You can't catch me!" The young girl squealed,laughing. "I'm faster than the kelpie or the skybirds!" Elsie sighed and smiled. The two girls,Elsie,a maturing,concerned 11-year-old,and the small,carefree,clueless girl,who was around 7. Elsie jogged behind her sister. " My sora,be careful. Atent,atent. Please. The salt line is only a little ways away." The younger girl giggled,clearly not fazed by the older girls words or her worried expression. "Look,sora,lavender tails! Grandmama said you could make a wish on one!" Elsie gave her a sad smile. "..I know,sister,but be careful. Natura rea lies outside of the line. Please,listen to me-" But the girl carelessly twirled and danced around the grove,close to the line of salt rocks that Elsie was talking about. "Mama says that I shouldn't worry about it,that young girls like me shouldn't believe in the cele rele. Says that it'll just fill my head with boogeymen!" "But they are real,they are just as real as the skybirds or kelpie. Please be careful. I don't want to lose you." "No ones seen them,they can't be real,sora!" As the young girl stepped over the line,she flashed her sister a bright smile. And suddenly the girl disappeared,not a trance of her or a hint that she had ever been there in the first place.

Elsie's sobs had quieted to a soft whimper. She looked around the grove,and held her head. Emma's betrayal,her sister's disappearance. Her grandmother's death. She looked at the line,and remembered past summers from long ago.