Tangled

Unshift 286

Unshift 286

286 Ava: Not Yet Ready.

*Sealed? By the water, you mean?"

"Of course not." They look irritated now, likely by how slow my brain is catching up to their thought process. The seals, girl"

"So, a lockbox?"

"Lockb-you humans have such odd innovations." The way they're peering into my face, it feels like they're tearing apart my memories to educate themselves.

"In a sense, I suppose. It isn't that easy" They sit.

In the air.

Floating.

Just-there. As if one would lower themself into a chair, only there's nothing there.

"Why so surprised?" they ask, tilting their head as they blink owlishly in my direction.

Gesturing toward them, I just say, "You're floating. In mid-air."

They roll their eyes again, a surprisingly human gesture for such an otherworldly being. "And you're standing on the ground. How extraordinary."

trying to refocus. "I'm sorry. I've never seen anything like

wave a dismissive hand, changing the subject abruptly once again. "Why are here, girl? This isn't a place

you

I was trying to focus on a new connection I felt within me. My magic, I think. I didn't mean to intrude on your, er, world: The spirit clicks their tongue, annoyance flashing across their

"What do you mean?

obligated to handle. "Not here, specifically. But you have a penchant for barging in where you're not expected. Grimoire doesn't

know many things, girl. Including the fact that Grimoire prefers his peace and quiet. Yet here you are, once again, stumbling into places you don't belong "I'm not trying to stumble into anything. I'm just trying to connect with

Not

sense that it-he-would have

on the nose,

like you manage a contract with Grimoire? They inspect every inch of me with a curled lip and a slow shake of their head. "Has the world changed so

in it?" I venture to ask. The spirit must have some experience with the world. The way they roll their eyes and the timing

only lead me nowhere. They don't seem interested in a two-way conversation, only in satiating their own curiosity. "How can I reach Grimoire?" The spirit blinks, their gaze sweeping around us. I hesitate, then follow suit, scanning our surroundings. Beyond our small circle of vibrant green, there's nothing but a vast expanse of dead forest. The contrast is stark-life and death separated by an

no one else is

is Grimoire, little human thing?" the spirit asks, crossing

to tell me. After all, they went on and on about how Grimoire doesn't

barging in here. Shouldn't you know where your

him," I counter. "You seem to know him quite well. I figured you'd know where to find

in mid-air. It's surreal,

is doomed," they announce to the canopy above, which has parted into a frame of green trees surrounding a sliver of blue sky. "Perhaps I should just set

and start anew."

for all its human-like mannerisms, doesn't seem to have any real empathy for my life. I'm

that... possible?" I ask, unable to

like something out of a horror movie. They sit up so abruptly it makes me flinch, their eyes burning into mine