Flashback 17:
by schammielynn
Oswin was home before I knew it, as if some sort of alert had told him the disaster that had happened.
"ALY?! ESSIE?!" He screamed as I heard the doors fly open. I raised my head from the ground and saw that piles of ice and snow had begun forming over the frost. I had moved next to Aly. Partly because I hoped something of my magic could heal her, and also because I knew this was my last time to be near her.
"Ess, what happened?" He took in the frost and the ice all over the room.
I couldn't even sputter it out without breaking into tears again, and I just watched as his eyes fell on Aly. His whole demeanor seemed to droop, his eyes became wide with tears, and suddenly he looked so much older.
"No. She can't be," he whispered as he fell next to her.
He caressed her face, held her hands. "How…"
"Her." I managed angrily, sitting up. "Th-the Wicked Witch."
"How did she get in? How did she… Essie… What happened? I need you to tell me. I need… I need… Oh Aly."
I watched as any courage or bravery Oswin had, crumpled into pieces in front of me.
"I was sitting here practicing my magic, and the witch came in and tried to stab me… and Aly… Aly hopped in front of me… She saved my life, Oswin. And I-I can't ever repay her."
Oswin composed himself slowly, as if taking in each word was a new weight he had to bare.
"At least the pact…"
He stopped and waved his hand and the room melted back to its normal self. "Well. You know. And you know what I have to do now."
Aly's body began to disappear into glitter and sparks in front of my eyes, and then traveled gracefully into an urn.
Oswin began to walk away and I knew he probably wanted nothing to do with me.
I scrambled to my feet, ice still following me wherever I went, "Oswin… I'm sorry."
It seemed as if a green fog was following him around and I wondered if the same thing that plagued my emotions and ability with magic had once been a struggle with Oswin as well. "I just want to be alone," he sneered.
It took everything in me to call after him, "Well, I don't."
He turned and stared at me for a moment, and I continued, "She told me she loved you. And she gave me her ring. You can have it if you want."
The history seemed to travel through his eyes as he stared at the ring on my finger, which fit perfectly when I put it on.
"Keep it."
And he seemed to run away.
I stood in the middle of the now unfrozen room, feeling completely abandoned and alone. Hugging myself I began to breathe deeply to calm down, but they just turned into sobs and I did all that I could to keep them from being too loud. I didn't want to disrupt Oswin in any way.
So, I left.
I wandered around the garden, watched a few brave children playing nets and tried to decide which team was winning. There wasn't much activity outside these days, for fear of the witch. As far as I was concerned, if she attacked and killed me then and there, it wouldn't be anyone's loss.
I walked downtown and past the school, keeping my hood up in case somebody figured out my hair had turned the opposite color. Every building, every scene I passed reminded me of Aly. I can't tell you how it felt. I didn't know. I missed her. I wanted her to comfort me and especially Oswin.
I would spend years doing algebra if that was the only way to see Aly. I would give up anything for anyone at any time if that meant Aly would be okay. Not just for my sake, but for Oswin's as well. Because if one person needed her more than me, it was him.
~
Many hours passed between when I left and when I slipped back into our little palace. Oswin was sitting in the living room, mind you in Aly's chair as if that would help bring him closer to her, and his eyes were red and swollen from the crying. I felt awful.
When he heard me come in, he jumped to his feet.
"Elsa!"
"What is it?"
"I-I didn't know where you had gone."
"Out. I didn't want to bother you…"
He said nothing as I moved on towards my room. I curled up in my bed and hid myself in the blankets as if there was no safer place in the world.
It hit me all at once. A wail escaped my chest and I was sobbing into blankets and I never knew such a cry would be possible. I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, the absence of somebody to tuck me in, the obvious suffering of Oswin…
Before I knew it, Oswin was next to me and had his arms around me in an embrace.
He didn't say anything as I shifted out of the covers. With every breath, a little more ice formed, and with Oswin made it melt each time. The green fog that had been around him earlier was still there, almost slipping out of his hands.
I began to hug him back, and he took a shaky breath, "I know I never showed my affection for you like Aly did. And I'm so sorry for snapping at you. But you need to know that I do care a great deal for you. I can't imagine if you'd have never come. You meant the world to Aly, and you mean the world to me too. It's just us now. But we'll be okay. We will…"
His voice broke a little bit, and I buried my head in his arms. Eventually I fell asleep.
And when I woke up, I was covered with my favorite blanket, all tucked in and safe.