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. "I'm sorry. I've

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

you

magic, I think. I didn't mean to intrude on your, er, world: The spirit clicks their tongue, annoyance flashing across their ethereal features. "You

in my mind. "What do you mean? I've never been

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 beat rapid and shallow. "Grimoire? You mean my magic book? How do

the fact that Grimoire prefers his peace and quiet. Yet here you are, once again, stumbling into

Not Yet

sense that

on

inspect every inch of me with a curled lip and a slow shake of their head. "Has the world changed

world. The way they

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 invisible

one else is

little human thing?" the spirit asks,

they went on and on about how Grimoire doesn't like to be disturbed

barging in here. Shouldn't you know where your

to know him quite well. I figured you'd know where

dramatically falling flat on their back in mid-air. It's surreal, watching them float there like they're lying

the canopy above, which has parted into a frame of

and start anew."

chill runs down my spine. This spirit, for all its human-like mannerisms, doesn't seem to have any real empathy for my life. I'm

ask, unable to keep the

so abruptly it makes me flinch, their eyes burning into mine with an intensity that roots me to