In some cultures, my name is synonymous with death. Since childhood, though, people have ignored my true nature, relegating my name to a place more 'suited' for the lonely child who watched their games with dull green eyes. Fairy tales... they are a prison for the mind. They promise happiness and a fair end, and then devastate your being. Of course, I don't mean the rhymes children sing as they skip rope. The true stories are from Grimm's Tales. The true stories are my own.
I had to become a fairy tale. Tossing and turning at night, the names come to me in whispers. So many names, people like myself, trapped in their own fairy tales. I had to free them. So I found them.
There were three: The first was Hans. Six tales trapped him in life. Clever Hans, Gambling Hans, Hans in Luck, Hans Married, Hans My Hedgehog, and Strong Hans. There was also the little known story 'Hans Dumm.' In death, he rode on his back down the river, calm and still, and he was free. For two weeks the voices quieted, and I felt a rush of fulfillment. That was what I was meant to do. Those whose names were tying them to the stories had to die to be freed.
Maleen was next. She was the lovely Maid Maleen. But she was also a victim of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's stories, and so she had to die. I confess I loved her from the day we met. Her violet eyes and smile still live on in my mind as they do beyond life. Her home was as lovely as she through the orange flames that consumed them both. For months my mind was quiet, satisfied, numb. But in those months my heart ached more than it ever had in the past.
Then came Roland. Sweetheart Roland, whose tale was whispered to me night after night. He lived on a far off island. Until I saved him, that is. I had to travel for three days to find him, but the voices egged me on, urging me to release him. It was beneath a silk-cased pillow that he met his end, and his freedom. People had no clue what tied their deaths together, these three strangers whom only a rare, well-read child could place. It's been a year since Roland breathed his last, and only a few weeks ago did the voices stir.
Little Briar Rose. The Rose. Snow White and Rose Red... Rose Red. I looked in every record I could find, and only in the listing for a place called Orchard Town was there any mention of the girl. Rose Red, the voices claimed, was the last of my assignments. After her, I could be free too... My parents have never known me, nor truly known anything of my work. They've suspected me of madness. Indeed, madness! But I know I am not mad. The voices of the trapped have warned me against trusting those who would think me mad. I left them behind and ventured to Orchard Town, asking around in my usual pleasant manner, while inside I was boiling with excitement. Unfortunately, I was told that she had left, moved to another town a ways off. That was only a small delay for me, as I also found out the name of the new town: Echo.
I arrived in darkness, as was my custom. Ordinarily I'd seek out the victim and speak with her, meeting casually a few times before finishing my work. This time, she found me. The girl was hustling along in the dark, sopping wet and more than a bit distracted. I called out as she nearly ran into me, apologizing and asking for directions to the inn. I also asked about her soaked kimono, but she said she'd just gone swimming. She led me to the inn and I introduced myself. Then she told me her name was Rose Red... A shame she had to die to be free. She was the perfect Rose Red for the story. I bid Rose Red a good night and slept well, comforted by the satisfied whispers that congratulated me on my work so far.
Earlier this evening I encountered her again, twice in fact. Then again, I'd been following her movements closely. In the forest, I came across her, looking for something or foraging. A line from the story 'Snow White and Rose Red' was recited in my mind. "Rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields seeking flowers and catching butterflies." Moreso than any of the others, she was a part of her story... She looked up and noticed me, and I smiled, once again the friendly new villager. I asked a few questions and was rewarded with interest in myself. It was strange, hearing someone ask about my life... I told her of my parents disinterest in me, and attributed my move to a failed relationship. It was true, since Maleen and I weren't meant to be, and the voices still called for my services.
I left her to her work and gave myself some time to think, mulling over the plan for this one. My rescuees all had a different way out, and Rose Red deserved a death befitting her name. There had to be blood. I would figure out the perfect date later, but all I knew for now was that the color red needed to cancel out the numb, chilling white of the snow. There was a restaurant beside the inn, and I was feeling peckish. Needless to say Rose Red had gone in a while ago, and I intended to follow. My rescuees always needed to know that i'd be a frequent visitor, a constant companion until their deaths, so to speak. As I headed inside, I heard mention of my name. I was satisfied with the discussion, as it meant Rose was thinking of me. "Speak of the devil, and he will order dinner," I joked, sitting beside her. "What do you wish to know?" I hadn't seen either of the girls who were speaking with Rose, but I did study them for a moment.
The long-haired girl with violet eyes was staring at me, and I found myself thinking about Maleen. She looked almost identical to the woman I'd set free so long ago. I felt a sharp pain in my head at the thought of the beautiful Maid Maleen's end. It had been so long since we'd been together, and until I finished my work we wouldn't be reunited. The whispers reminded me that once I'd joined her, we would never be apart, and for a moment I was content. But I wondered as I felt something touch my head if beyond the living world things were so pure. How would I find Maleen? How did I know that I was doing everything right? I was told over and over that my work was needed, but by whom?
I grabbed the hand that had touched me, only coming out of my daze a few moments later. I blinked and looked at Rose. "Uh, sorry..." I told her that I was fine, and she seemed to believe me. After she left, I answered a few questions from Tina, the reporter, and glanced at the other girl whenever I got a chance. Her name was Felicity... It had no relation to the tales, and yet I felt a connection to her every time I looked at her violet eyes... What's wrong with me?
"Nothing. You're our savior," the voices whispered. "You are Grimm..."
((Mini bonus:
(All Nightcores)
- Hello (Evanescence)
- Evil Angel (Breaking Benjamin)
- Stranger (Secondhand Serenade)
I listened to these as I wrote. They seem to fit last one is for Grimm and Maleen/Felicity :))
