There are things kids were never meant to see. I'd seen so much that's normally hidden already. Elves, Marra, Vittra, Thunderbirds, even witchcraft. I saw Hilda crash like a falling star. What I wish I knew was how far she'd fall.
There are things kids were never meant to see. What I saw today, was one of them.
Remorse Of An Adventurer
By Daring D.D. Danger
2021 Remaster
Chapter 3: The Price
Some time had passed since I hit her. School in Trolberg was back underway, as well as Sparrow Scouts. David avoided me at school and he had skipped the last few Sparrow Scout meetings. I'd seen Raven and Alfur in town. They didn't notice me, or pretended not too. I made myself a pariah. The Woodman tried to give me advice about letting people go and living life without anyone's help. I had the feeling there was more in the Woodman's past than he wanted to admit. I finally took the time to clean my room properly. All this happened because of a book. I see a bruised Hilda in my dreams every night. Sometimes I hear that cry too, the sound of betrayal.
I talked to Kelly the Marra about my dreams. During the day she was just another citizen of Trolberg, actually a neighbor of mine; maybe the Marra weren't undead? We spent a while talking, I'd never call a nightmare spirit nice, but she could be pleasant. Kelly offered to show me "the Marra way", but I declined. I'd seen enough fear for one lifetime. Maybe losing your friends made you a potential Marra, she'd sought me out as if she knew everything that had happened.
Five in the afternoon on a Saturday, just over two weeks since I had talked to David. I was sure I wouldn't hear from him so soon, but that wasn't the case today.
"Frida! David's on the phone!" My mother's voice echoed through my house. David? Calling me first? There was no way he was going to let me off this easy. I walked out to the phone my mother kept in the hallway.
"David?"
"Frida, my house, ASAP." The line went Dead. It was much quicker to leave home now that the snow was mostly gone. I rode my bike to David's house with urgency, where he was waiting at the door. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, again. He gestured to Hilda's room, I burst up the stairs and through the door to find the bed empty, covers strewn across the bed.
"Where is she David?"
"I don't know Frida! That's why I called you. I came to check on her, and she was just. Gone. Didn't even take Twig." The Deerfox looked worried as well, tears practically running down his soft fur as he huddled under Hilda's covers.
"Have you told Raven and Alfur?"
"No, they went out today. Something about doing reports from the sky or catching a movie… I DON'T KNOW." Of course they did.
"We need to go through this room, and look for anything to tell us where she is." We began tearing through the room. Fortunately Hilda had still not unpacked much, just some things on her desk, and her clothes.
"I feel weird looking through her laundry Frida." David said, holding a pair of underwear away from himself, like he was holding a dead animal.
"David." I sighed. "You've both worn each other's clothes."
"Underwear is not the same." He complained.
There was only one spot left to look, under the pillow Twig was laying on. After shooing the Deerfox we finally found a book. David attempted to read the title.
"volumen unum aliquam operam magicam" "I don't like this one bit. It feels... witchy." It was time for a trip to the library.
We sped through town on our bikes, Trolberg's buildings blurring as we past; Woodman waved at us as we passed through his usual haunt. Trolberg's library was beautiful, and one of the oldest buildings in town. The entire building seemed only to have one librarian though. She was a strange woman, purple and black hair, always seemed to know what you needed when you walked in (She'd also accidentally lead Hilda to almost steal David's soul once). Hopefully she would be able to help us.
David and I stood in the opening of the library. The silence was deafening. There's never many people in the library anymore, shame really.
"Hey." David jumped at the voice of the librarian; she was on a ladder to our right, sorting books. How was she so quiet? "What are you kids up to? Haven't seen you since that thing with the ghosts."
"Hi miss," I spoke. "We need your help. Hilda's disappeared, and we found this hidden in her room." I showed her the book. The librarian slid down and snatched the book away.
"How'd she sneak this out of here! And what more could she want to do with ghosts?"
"What do you mean?" David seemed confused.
"This book is about necromancy! The stuff in here is way to advanced for her! Not to mention forbidden."
"David, you don't think she'd try too..."
"Her mum-" The room went silent as the words rolled off of David's tongue.
"She knows she can't! It's one thing to raise a ghost but, bringing someone back to life! She'll kill herself in the process! What the hell is wrong with her!" The woman pulled a set of keys out of her cloak and turned towards the exit at high speed.
"We need to stop her. Let's go to my car. And don't tell your parents I swore in front of you!" The librarian led us out the door and locked it behind us. The key was an old skeleton key, adorned with a skeleton on it, perhaps as a joke?
The librarian motioned us into her car, which was dated by it's faded blue paint. She frantically jumped in and tried to start the car. It took a few tries, and she mumbled something about her salary under her breath as she fought the car.
The city of Trolberg zipped by us as the librarian drove, with a bit of neglect for the speed limit. David beared a look of helplessness, and inside my head I felt the same way. Would Hilda really die?
The car rumbled from the road onto the path belonging to Trolberg's cemetary with agressive vibrations. Through the windshield an ominous glow came into view, it vaguely resembled the light of the Marra's fire, but more blue. The librarian brought the car to a screeching halt. Everyone made their exit. Hilda was in front of us, floating in the air, arms and legs floating weightlessly, surrounded by a blue aura.
"Kid, stop! You don't have the strength to do this without dying!" pleaded the librarian, was she actually crying? Hilda turned her head to us slowly as if her neck was disconnected. Her eyes glowed a deep shade of blue, but also were filled with an unearthly emptiness. David gasped and took a step back.
"Hilda! Your mom wouldn't want this!" I was hoping she had enough common sense to agree. Instead she looked me in the eyes.
"No!" Hilda turned back uttering another part of her spell. Her body convulsed and a beam of light shot from her body into her mother's grave.
"No! Now she won't even be able to stop it!" said a defeated librarian, dropping to her knees. Hilda began screeching like I've never heard a person scream before. Her veins began glowing the same shade of blue. Did I push her to this? As we stood in inaction, David took a step forward.
"Hilda! I won't let you do this! I won't let you meet the same fate as your mom!" David leapt forward into a sprint toward Hilda. I wanted to stop him but I froze. He grabbed her hand and immediately recoiled, holding his hand and in tears.
"There are people in this world who need you Hilda!" David was crying harder now. Hilda was still screaming, and her clothes were now ablaze. David looked from Hilda to the grave in front of her.
"I know what you're thinking kid! Don't do it! You could die too!" The librarian locked eyes with David, covering her mouth in fear. He then looked to me, and jumped.
David's body hit the beam of light emanating from Hilda and was thrown to the ground like a ragdoll, bouncing twice. The beam grew in brightness before erupting and blowing Hilda back several meters.
"Oh fuck!" The librarian sprinted over to Hilda's body, covering it with her cloak. I collapsed to the ground, as I gazed upon the smoking bodies of the only two people I'd ever called friend.
"Frida! Check him, please!" The librarian was over Hilda's body checking her vitals seemingly. With tears in my eyes I moved over to David. The beam had burned a perfect circle through his shirt. He was barely breathing. The librarian ran over, now sans her cloak.
"Hilda's breathing" She announced. We were both over David. He smelled of burnt clothing and other things that made me want to puke. The librarian carefully moved David, revealing his back, covered in cuts and bruises.
"His head looks okay." A sound behind us distracted us. A small crowd had gathered.
"Shit, not again," whispered the librarian, stepping away from David. "I'll deal with them okay?" She assured me, but had a look of worry in her tear filled eyes. I looked back at David, and hugged him as tight as I could. He had to wake up, and so did Hilda! As I cried into the tattered remains of David's shirt, he took a deeper breath and placed a hand on my back.
"David?" I asked, pulling myself away from him. "Say something David!" I begged.
"Fuck" He whispered weakly. I looked at him dubiously as he slowly rose to a seated position.
"It seemed like swearing helped the librarian calm down. It actually worked."
"Are you sure you are okay?"
"Yes, how's Hilda?"
"She's alive." David's head slumped suddenly and that's when I saw it. I couldn't help but gasp.
"What? Is there a bug on me?" He asked as the librarian was returning.
"So if anyone asks Frida, they were attacked by the Black Hound-" She trailed off once she saw David.
"Wow," She knelt down and joined me in looking at David.
"Just tell me already!" He said angrily. I finally spoke.
"David. Some of your hair... it's blue."
To Be Continued in Chapter 4: The Nisse
By Daring D.D. Danger, inspired by Ghost-Buddie