Chapter 3: The Red Line
Aurora
The town was chaotic; the streets were full and loud. Everyone was searching for someone or arguing about something.
Powerlines had been tipped and the ground caved in, in places. Something about a Wraith.
I was barely paying attention.
I had been released from the Hospital but wasn't ready to go home. Not yet.
Where was home, anyway?
I found myself following the masses to the park. There, I saw Red struggling with a bundle of blankets.
"Let me help," I said, taking half of the stack from her.
"Thank you," she said, "It's chaos here."
I followed her to one of the stalls they'd set up and placed them down.
"What's happening here?" I asked.
"They're calling it the 'Crisis Centre'," she said, "We're setting up stalls for people who need help; people who are now homeless or need counselling or are searching for someone."
My heart caught in my throat.
Phillip.
It suddenly occurred to me that he might be looking for me. And I wasn't ready for him to find me.
I glanced around the park, madly searching for Mulan.
When I couldn't see either of them, I relaxed.
I wasn't ready for either of the conversations I would have to have.
And Perhaps Phillip had found a new life, as I had.
There was noise coming from the centre of the park. I used it as a distraction so I could slip away unnoticed, but I still heard Leroy's gruff voice above the commotion.
"If it did would I have come running in yelling 'terrible news'?!" he shouted, "If we leave, our curse selves become our only selves."
With that, I snuck away, leaving the panicked whispers behind me.
I went for a walk, following my feet instead of my head or my heart.
I walked for a long time until I came to a stop.
I'd found myself at the edge of the town.
The dwarves had painted a thick, red line at the exit.
All I had to do was take a step and the choice would be made.
I would be Briar.
It would be easy.
I swayed, feeling dizzy again, and felt that I might faint across the border and that would be that.
Then I realised that I was holding my breath. I inhaled deeply and felt the oxygen flush to my brain.
I took a step back, away from the line, realising that it wouldn't be easy to step over the line at all.
When I got home, Red was waiting for me on the porch. She saw me approaching and patted the space beside her.
I sat down on the step obediently and she slung an arm around me.
"How are you?" she asked.
"Fine," I lied.
"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier," she said, "I didn't even think of what you were going through until the conversation about 'separate selves' started at the park and it occurred to me that you didn't just have two separate lives, you had two loves."
"Don't feel bad," I said as she swept me up into an awkward, sideways hug, "There's so much going on right now; my issues aren't even a drop in the ocean."
"But you're my friend," she said into my hair, "I should have thought of you."
I shook my head and pulled away, insisting that I was fine.
"Have you spoken to either of them?" she asked.
"Mulan took off somewhere after the curse and I haven't seen Phillip at all," I explained, "I don't even know if he's in this world. I might not have a decision to make."
"You definitely have a decision," Red said kindly, "There's no getting out of that. You have to talk to them."
"I don't think I'll be ready to speak with either of them until I sort my head out."
She nodded.
"How are you anyway, Red? How are the two lives treating you?"
"They're giving me a headache," she laughed, "But I'm doing great, really."
"And it looks like you've got a lot going on."
"Yeah," she said, "the wraith and the missing loved ones are keeping me pretty busy. You could help out if you need a distraction; there's lots to do."
"I would love to," I said truthfully, "But I'd rather not risk the chance of running into... you know."
Red nodded.
I stood and stretched and she copied.
"Thank you for worrying about me," I said, throwing my arms around her.
"Any time," she laughed.
I turned away from Red and waited for her to leave the street completely before I opened the front door as slowly as I could, trying not to make a noise in case Mulan was home.
One look at the kitchen told me that she wasn't.
The crock pot still sat on the floor, the shard still meters away from it.
Had Mulan been home, she would have tidied it up.
I sunk to the ground, confused by the disappointment I felt that I wouldn't be seeing her.
I picked up the pieces of ceramic and placed them on the kitchen counter, wrapping them in newspaper before disposing of them.
I did the dishes and brushed down the counter before picking up a knife and going outside.
The zucchinis had turned into marrows overnight. I sighed and severed them from the plant, calculating how many meals-for-one I could make out of these swollen vegetables.
The celery leaves were looking dry already because I'd neglected them over the last few days.
I filled my watering can and returned to the plants, helping the dry soil.
"I hoped I would find you here," I heard a familiar voice behind me say.
