You guys are so sweet. Thank you all. :) These first few chapters are just introductions to Ann's life, and then I'll be working on the plot line. And I'll definitely keep working on this story!
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Chapter two: A slice of Mineral town
Anyone who's from around Mineral town would know my Papa is a great cook. He likes to advertise his cooking subtly, whenever he cooks, he opens a window so the smells would waft out of the window. It usually brings customers to the door. Sometimes it gets so crowded; he has to shut that window. He loves the kitchen just as much as I do.
And he always wins the annual cooking competition in Rose Square. And he's the only man who ever has won it, in the history of Mineral town.
Oh, Mineral town?
It's something, all right, but maybe I only say that because I grew up there. It's like a town in a fairy tale, with a sweet, sugary coating – like icing! Because really, the exterior of Mineral town is pretty sweet; y'know, green roly-poly hills, cherry blossom trees like candy-floss, clear blue sea, etc, etc.
The forest is especially fairy tale-like, where I used to play away warm, hazy afternoons as a little girl. All twisty green trees and butterflies "buttery-flies", tree trunks and moss. We used to play by this wonderful deep blue pond, with trickling streams and a magnificent waterfall. We used to pick flowers and play imaginary games. My best friends were Rick and Karen. We used to believe in fairies. I think Karen still does. She took one look at the butterflies flitting around, and told us, 'Look! Fairies!'
I replied, 'Those are buttery-flies.'
'Yeah, but at night the buttery-flies break out of their insect bodies and into fairies, but still with their buttery-fly wings! They fly around, dancey-dancing in the air, like this,' Karen retorted passionately, demonstrating a twirl. I was only six then, and she was only seven. I think she was pretty clever to make that up all by herself. I mean, she made it up, right?
I listened, in awe, as did Rick. Karen noticed us, and tossed back her pretty brown hair. 'You don't believe me, do you?' she asked, a bit hurt. I wasn't sure if I believed her, but she was a wonderful storyteller, with a fantastic imagination. 'You think it's just a nice story. It's real, I promise. I wish I could see them. My grandmother saw them. I know she did. She told me. I want to see them too…'
Karen's head drooped down like a little puppy, her chestnut brown hair falling down strand by strand. She then popped right up again like a jack-in-the-box. 'I've met the sprites too! Oh, please believe me. I have. They're ever sweet; they live far in the forest behind the church. I'm not allowed to go back there, because mummy told me off for lying, and for getting lost. They were so nice, I was upset because I couldn't find my way through the forest up there – it's not a bit like this forest, it's very dark and scary – and they gave me directions. I wish I could see them again, too…'
Karen thought a lot of herself and she could be quite bossy, but she was imaginative, playful and affectionate. She's also kind of weird, because she's a bit of a bad girl now, y'know. She drinks wine and she flirts with boys, that kind of thing, which isn't much, I guess, but for Mineral town, it's shocking. But then I know that while she does all that, she's really intelligent and reads books and poetry, and tells great stories. We don't see much of each other nowadays, sometimes we went down to the forest and reminisced or she came to the bar, but only for a drink. Not to see me. But I enjoyed whipping up her favourite cocktails for her, if only for the "Thanks, Annie!"
I miss her, so, so much. And I know that she can come back, she's under there, under all that new Karen. Like an onion. I could try and peel away the new Karen, in order to find the real Karen, the Karen I knew she preferred as well. Oh, don't get me wrong. She's still funny, sparky, whatever. But she's not the Karen everyone else, including her, prefers. She made everything so magical.
I don't care about Rick. He was a pushover, and always went along with what Karen said. Karen liked me, I know, because I stood up to her when I didn't agree with her plans. She had a small weakness. If anyone disagreed with her, she'd let him or her have their way. And trust me, Karen almost always wanted to have her way. She just admired people who disagreed with her.
Oh gee, I guess I wandered off in a completely different direction when describing my dear sweet little hometown. Stupid, simple Ann. That's m'name. Always so boisterous, always so loud! Why can't you be a little more like Elli, Ann? A little more like Mary? I'm not, not, not boisterous, or loud. I don't know why people say I am. Just because I was a country girl who wore dungarees and never played with dolls. Couldn't they see I'd grown up a little? Couldn't they see I tried to be a little more lady-like? I tried so hard. I wasn't even loud or boisterous in the first place.
I was just me.
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Okay, it's sort of meant to be like Ann's chatting away to you, hehe, if you're wondering. :) I really thank all of you for reviewing, it's so nice of you! Really, truly, express what you think about it. If there are any mistakes in it, tell me. Thanks. :D