Sleeping Beauty

The sun gleams on his face, as he kneels there in jubilation.

“I feel alive”, he utters in what would be praise it seems. One could suppose he should feel such a way. Yes, it’s good to be alive.

The air still chills in this land of white. An adventure called him forth, he said it was hidden in an old book of wood… wood, who uses wood to make a book. Who would- anyway doubting him was the obvious choice. I mean-

“Bree, we should get going?”

“Going?”

“Yeah, it’s a long trek to the bottom.”

“Bottom?”

“Haha, I see you’re still doubting me”, pointing towards the edge he invites me to take a look with him. No point not to, I thought. Peering over the edge I just - good thing Carter was there. He’s being annoying though, all in my face. “Hey are you alright?” his voice trembled. As good as can be though I hadn’t realized I was shuttering.

“Bree, you okay?”

“Yeah-yeah, I’m okay. Would you stop?”

“Sorry-sorry, let’s not do that again”, is he frightened? Not like it was him about to go over. Anyway I just figured there was no point to continue thinking about it and got up. But… I couldn’t, my legs were like jelly…huh. Took me a minute or two before I could stand, Carter was watching me like a hawk, seriously why is he like that? I just got a little shook, that's all.

Finally we set out. I just watched his back as he led the way. It seemed warm, like that time. A time when I didn’t understand. Water prickled my skin as it coldly crept down off me. Beneath my legs a pond though a bit warm. A fire flickers and a back on the other side that seems warm puts a smile on my face. I don’t know why but it did. Curling up closer to the fire, the warmth was a mysterious wonder I thought.

The fire crackled with a smile at my presence. Who am I and where was this crossed my mind. Weird… I stood up and glanced around. The ground felt like ice and ice hung from the ceiling, rocks were all about many medium and some large. Moving about was strange, it happened naturally but it felt unnatural to me. After moving some feet from the fire I felt the cold prick of the water that remained on my skin. Only then did I notice a glaring truth.

Returning to the fire I see some bags that lay close by, next to a rock besides him. As I walked around him, I could hear him talking in his sleep, calling someone. “Bree, don’t leave me… Bree”, Bree, who… who is Bree? Curiously I stood there and listened, I felt an urge to reach out and touch him.

“... Bree… Bree?”

“Hmm…, sorry Carter. I was lost in thought.”

“... Okay… the path up ahead is rough so try and step where I step”, I nod my head which makes him smile for some reason…strange, very strange. The path was indeed rough, my soles can attest to that.

From the bags he had I had gotten some clothes though the only shoes that fitted did little to restrain the cold and felt like I was still walking around barefoot. Why invent such useless things? As I rummage through one bag, he awoke, though I hadn’t noticed it. I felt the light get dim and a shadow approaching. Reflectively I threw a kick, and spinned around as I felt the sensation of it connecting. As I readied to add some punches, he laid there staring up at me in awe. Quickly he raises his hands and looks to the side.

“Stop-stop, please. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m Carter, I-I-I got lost and fell in here.”

“... Here?”

“... Um… yes here.”

“... Where… Where is this?”

“Huh… you don’t know?” 

His question was puzzling. Where was I? Furthermore…, who am I? Slowly he turns his face back toward me and lowers his hand tentatively. He leaned to the side slightly and said, “That-that bag there has a jacket in it, if you want that?” Flustered, I inquired “You think I’m a thief or something?”, he nods vigorously and waves his hand around now looking at the ground. This annoyed me as I posture with my hand on my hip. A sudden waft of cold air hit me and a bit reluctantly I took the jacket out of the bag. Fine, I’ll admit I was going to steal some clothes. Look I was naked though… not that self conscious. He said the jacket was made of wool. Who cared what it was made of. It felt warm. It keeps me warm is all that matters.

“Bree?”

“Hmm”

“... Nevermind… Um, remember what I said about the ladder okay. I’ll head down first to make sure it’s safe.”

“Okay” now what did he say again. Um… it’s made of rope…has wooden steps…and…it was..was rotting? Was that it or was it something else? Maybe not the rotting part hmm, he did mention something rotting though or is my memory wrong. 

“Bree… Bree” I inch forward slowly looking over from where the stakes that held the ladder were. Carter gave me a thumbs up from below. Great, now it’s my time to…ah-ah…haha…um-

“Bree take you time, I’m here okay.”

“O-okay” my throat starts to feel a little dry. I can see Carter beckoning me and extending his arms with a look that lovingly screamed I got you. Carter got down just fine, no need to worry. I take a deep breath and start heading down, I peer down after every few steps. At the sixth step, just as I look back, my foot goes through the board. I frantically grabbed the rope.

“BREE! Hold on-hold on, I’ll come help you.”

“No, DON’T! Even if you did…, the ladder can’t hold us both” that was a rush I didn’t need. Carter kept telling me to breathe, breathe. Trust me I am breathing alright with my heart pounding to the beat as well. Gathering my courage I closed my eyes, take a deep breath, opened my eyes and continued down. Finally I’m back on solid ground again and my legs became jelly once more. Carter just gives me a thumbs up with a big smile on his face.

I shook my head and looked back at this death trap. Who would think it’d be fine to use such a thing? Really now…there sticking out the snow is a large piece of the board that broke. I took it up and examined it. The feel reminds me of Carter’s book.

“Something wrong?”

“... No…just-”

“Just?”

“That book-your book…, is made of something similar… right?”

“Yep…, thought you didn’t care.”

“Well… I don’t…it’s just…”

“Just?”

“... Nevermind. How long until we reach the bottom?”

While Carter pondered, I got back up and dust off my pants. Side-eyeing Carter he shook his head and just pointed for us to continue forward. Nodding in agreement we continued. Though our surroundings were mostly rock, there were the occasional tree or two. Most had no leaves or very little, the branches snapped from the slightest touch.

We trekked on for what felt like hours, though I could be wrong. What was noticeable though was the environment changing. We were in a land of white but the white was disappearing and I saw green, green like the dead leaves on those trees but a bit lighter and more vibrant. Soon I kept jumping from what Carter said was the sound of animals.

Wading through the grass as he called it, we reached two large stone pillars that were shaped into an arch. Carter put his arms into the air and turned toward me.

“Just a little further and we can rest a bit before we go on.”

“So we’re close then?”

“Yeah, very close,” he said with a smile. The enthusiasm in his voice I swear was infectious, I caught myself smiling without even realizing it.

We take a break under this large oak tree. I think it would take five of Carter to reach the lowest branches. Such a large majestic tree that’s wider than the two of us with our arms outstretched. The roots reached up at the highest, to our knees and were thick enough to sit on comfortably. I expected a rough texture but it was smooth to the touch. Touching it I realized the board used for the ladder and Carter’s book had to be made of the same thing. 

“Carter…” he leans forward from the root he laid down on. “Yeah, Bree.” 

“Can I see the book?” he smirks, reaching into his bag and offering me the book.

“I’ll take a quick nap, Bree. Wake me when you're ready to leave.”

“Okay.”

Surprisingly the book, though made of wood, was still thin; not as thin as paper but thinner than once would expect. My hand scrolls over the cover feeling the indentation of the title. ‘Sleeping Beauty’ it read, on the first page was a poem:

Frozen in ice is she

A beauty who wait a knight you see

Fear not,

No armor needed

This knight is but a man

His heart filled with compassion

Through his warmth she will melt

You who can read this

You are the knight she awaits you see

Take a trip to far away

Where a lush forest

Holds Regal trees

There a stone gate divides

The forest from the cold mountain beyond

Fear not for traps

For you a clear path awaits

Still let not your guard down

Enemies may abound

Take heed

Tell no one of your task

Friend and foe wear the same mask

Cherish beauty as she cherishes you

For your fates

Are one the same

It sounds… Why would he believe this? I mean, I can read the text so why wouldn’t others be able to? Unlike the cover the inner writing follows a more traditional style, written in ink of some kind. I turn the page. There it describes treasures he would find but… There’s something off… Why are…why are some of the words glowing. ‘Know thy fate’, what does that mean?

As the words I read left my lips the book leapt out of my hands. I stretch out to grab it but another pair of hands are holding on to it. Pale, see-through and slender like my own arm is the arm that I see. My eyes slowly go up to see the figure before me. A woman about my age with a vile covering her face. Her eyes calmed my flustered heart and underneath the vile a smile shines forth. She rubs the book with tender care, to her it must hold some significance. A family heirloom perhaps..Stopping a moment she looks at me once again.

“Would you like to know your fate?” a voice resonates in my head. Wildly I look around to see who’s there. I hear it again chuckling. “My dear, I’m right here. Take a look in front of you”. She stood there with her hand near her mouth looking very giddy indeed. I go to speak and she motions for me to remain silent, pointing at Carter who's fast asleep on the root he laid down on.

“Just think dear. That’s all there is to this”, just think. “Yes dear that’s it.”

“Wait… wait… you read my thoughts?”

“Relax, relax, there's nothing to worry about.”

“...”

“After all I’m but a memory stored in this book you see.”

“That-that can’t be?” she smiles with a laugh at my disbelief.

“Tell me dear. Are you human?”

“What… Well of course not?”

“Then what are you?”

“... I’m… I’m…” uh, this is frustrating and she’s no help laughing at me, like this is some sort of game.

“Okay-okay, I’m sorry my dear. You’re just so cute, the way your eyes and nose flare up and your ears redden at the point.”

“HEY, I don’t have time for this.”

“Now-now dear, it’s not that surprising that you don’t remember.”

“... What do you know? TELL ME!”

“Really now, you're lacking in etiquette aren’t you… Well you would have been asleep for a while I suppose.”

“... Sorry, I’m Bree. Who are you?” Her face seems disappointed and sad. Why?

“The answers you seek are in this book but” she looks up at me, “to get them you must accept your fate. That is all I can tell you,” her face is stern, almost painfully so.

“Alright, I’ll accept my fate.”

“... Are you sure?”

“You just said-”

“If you make this choice, there is no going back.”

“... What-what do you mean?”

“Are you prepared to lose everything?”

“... Everything?”

“Yes everything.”

“... So you’re saying I’ll lose everything if-if I accept my fate.”

“... Not necessarily. It is only a possibility.”

“... What if I don’t?”

“I don’t know”

“What do I gain if I do?”

“Knowledge, knowledge of who you are…and what awaits you.”

Is such knowledge that important? I have Carter… will…will finding out who I am change anything? Will I be me…or become someone else entirely. Carter followed that book and found me. He said he fell through the ground while going up the mountain and luckily it wasn’t a drop but a slide.

There I was encased in ice, though he was unsure of how I actually looked, he knew from my silhouette I was female. At least he hoped it was true, true as the poem from a strange book he felt compelled to follow. Compelled… The poem talks of fate but… Carter specifically said compelled…meaning it wasn’t by choice. Can I-should I trust this figure?

“Only you can decide that.”

“...”

“You might not like it but Carter met the criteria.”

“What criteria?”

“...”

“DAMN IT ANSWER ME!”

“... If you want the answer you must accept your fate.”

“Give me a minute”, Carter had some paper and a pen in his bag. I’ll leave a note to myself, yeah-yeah that should work.

“Will you accept your fate?”

“Yes.. just know if I forgot Carter I’m coming to find you.”

“I’ll be waiting,” she replies with a smile brimming with confidence.

Taking her hand off the book’s cover, it opens and the pages are flipped through rapidly by an unseen force. As it reaches the end, the book falls to the floor and this woman begins to shine. My body stiffens, unable to move. Oh, my god what did I do!?

“BREEE, BREE, BREE!”

 “wake up-wake up, you got to wait up.”

“... Uhh, Carter… What’s wrong?”

“Bree-”

“Ahhh, my head!”

“BREE… BRee… Bree… Bre.. B-”

Carter don’t look at me like that. Damn it-damn it, what is this? Where am I? Huh, there is a light, it’s suspicious but it’s either go there or stay in this darkness. Carter wait for me, I promise I’ll return.

Huh, where am I? Why am I on a bed? I was heading to the light and now I’m here, but where is this?

Creak. 

“Who are you?”

“OH, I-I’m Martha.”

“Where am I?”

“You’re at the Finnish Inn.”

“Finnish Inn… What? Where? How?”

“Hold on-hold on…let me call the gentleman who brought you here. Alright.”

“... Y-yeah.”

Creak.

“... Bree…BREE… You’re awake-you’re awake.”

Look at this crying buffoon, really it’s not like I died. Why are my cheeks wet? Haha, geez, it looks like he’s infected me with his buffoonery. What can I say, I’m happy to see him too. Apparently I’ve been asleep for four days and Carter carried me all the way here. The people thought he was a madman. To them it looked like he was carrying a corpse around. If not for the doctor who was there when he arrived they’d have thrown him in jail and buried my body. Gotta thank the doctor for saving us both, especially for the drips since I would have been dead otherwise.

I’ve been trying to remember what happened but it all seems blur no matter how much I try. Although I do have one memory, just one. I saw her again…smiling at me and I remember saying ‘Fate be damned, Carter I will survive.’ At that we shook hands and… I remember that’s when I… I realized we were one and the same.

Carter, fate is a cruel bitch I tell you. Over the years we’ve been together more and more of what was hidden in that book comes to life. Now here we are. Bloodied with no escape. Who cares about the world? What has it done for us?

“You know Bree-”

“Yes Dear.”

“I remember when I bought that book.”

“... What book, Dear?”

“You know…the one with your memories.”

“Oh, that. What about it?”

“If I’d known this would have been my fate. I’d do it all again.”

“Dear…”

“What do you say, Sleeping Beauty? How about we go out in a blaze of glory.”

Haha, a fool, a fool that’s who I married, that’s who I love. 

“I’m with you Dear.”

Fate be damned, Carter and I will survive.