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."

shake my head, trying to refocus.

the subject abruptly once again. "Why are here, girl? This isn't a place for

you

was... 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,

in my mind. "What do you mean? I've

"Not here, specifically. But you have a penchant for barging in where you're not expected. Grimoire doesn't like to be disturbed, you know," Energy fizzes through my veins, my heart

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

Ava: Not Yet

makes sense that

on

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

you were out in it?" I venture to ask. The spirit must have some experience with the world. The way they roll their eyes and the timing of their humor feels very human. Much more than their appearance.

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

one else is out

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

and on about how Grimoire

narrow. "You're the one who came barging in here. Shouldn't you know where your own

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

spirit groans, dramatically falling flat on their back in mid-air. It's surreal,

canopy above, which has parted into a frame of green trees

and start anew."

spirit, for all its human-like mannerisms, doesn't seem to have any real empathy

ask, unable to keep the worry from

horror movie. They sit up so abruptly it makes me flinch, their eyes burning into mine with an intensity that roots me to