The Sanctuary

The fog thinned.

Not all at once.

Just enough for sunlight to begin slipping between the blue trunks.

The forest grew quieter.

No whispering fairies.

No snapping branches.

Even the air felt different.

Cool.

Clean.

Share Girl skipped a few steps ahead before turning with a smile.

"We're here."

The trees gave way to a wide meadow.

Clint stopped walking.

"...No way."

In the middle of the field sat a small cottage.

Blue tree logs formed its walls, the gaps packed neatly with dried mud. A thatched roof sloped over a tiny porch. White smoke curled lazily from a crooked stone chimney.

A clothesline stretched between two fence posts.

Three dresses swayed gently in the breeze.

Beside the house stood a hand-dug well.

Small rows of vegetables grew in carefully tended soil.

Someone had planted flowers beneath the front window.

It looked...

Normal.

Too normal.

Tess frowned.

"This is in the Blue Tree Forest?"

Share Girl spread her arms proudly.

"My house."

"You live here?"

"I do now."

She beamed.

"The fairies can't come here."

Clint looked toward the tree line.

"They just...leave it alone?"

"They don't like Sanctuary."

She smiled.

"I do."

She bounded toward the porch.

"Ronnie!"

The front door swung open before anyone answered.

Warm air drifted outside carrying the smell of fresh bread.

The cottage was small.

One room.

A stone fireplace crackled along one wall.

A rough wooden table sat in the center.

Shelves held jars of dried herbs.

A wash basin rested beside the door.

Everything was clean.

Painfully clean.

Almost obsessively so.

Then...

A middle-aged woman stood from the table.

Thin.

Dirty.

One sleeve remained pulled to her wrist despite the warmth. The other was rolled to her elbow, revealing crooked flames drawn in red and orange ink across otherwise uninjured skin.

Her face lit up.

"Oh thank God..."

She hurried toward them.

"You found people."

Her eyes darted to Tess.

Then Clint.

"You have to—"

Share Girl laughed happily.

"See?"

She looked at Tess.

"I told you I had a bestie."

She wrapped an arm around the woman.

"This is Ronnie."

The smile vanished from Veronica's face.

"...It's Veronica."

"I know."

Share Girl squeezed her tighter.

"But Ronnie's cuter."

Veronica didn't argue.

She simply lowered her eyes.

"...Hi."

Share Girl released her and looked around the room.

Immediately...

her expression changed.

A bowl sat near the edge of the table.

She frowned.

"...Ronnie?"

Veronica stiffened.

"Yes?"

"Why's the blue bowl over there?"

"I..."

"I was washing the table."

Share Girl slowly walked over.

Picked up the bowl.

Set it back exactly where it had been.

"There."

She smiled.

"Much better."

No one spoke.

Her eyes drifted toward the bed.

The blanket wasn't tucked perfectly beneath the mattress.

She tilted her head.

"...Amber?"

Silence.

She waited.

Almost listening.

"...Did you make the bed?"

Another long pause.

Then she nodded to someone only she could hear.

"Oh."

A tiny laugh.

"I didn't think so."

Clint felt every hair on his arms stand up.

Share Girl looked at Veronica.

"You forgot."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

She smiled instantly.

"We'll fix it together."

Veronica quietly remade the bed without another word.

The room remained silent.

Then...

as though nothing strange had happened...

Share Girl clapped her hands.

"I went shopping!"

She dropped her canvas satchel onto the table with a heavy thud.

"You wanna see?"

Without waiting for an answer, she reached inside.

The first thing she pulled free was a blue summer dress.

She held it proudly against Veronica.

"Oh..."

She grinned.

"This'll look adorable on you."

Veronica stared at it.

There was a dark brown stain across the front.

"...There's blood on it."

Share Girl glanced down.

"Oh."

She shrugged.

"Just a little."

She smiled again.

"It'll wash out."

She folded it neatly and laid it across the bed.

Then reached back into the bag.

"I found this too."

A silk ribbon.

Still tied in a bow.

Clint swallowed.

“And earrings!”

A single silver earring clinked onto the table.

“Well... earring.”

She giggled.

“But who’s counting?”

"...Where'd you get all this?"

Share Girl looked confused.

"Outside."

"I mean..."

He hesitated.

"...whose were they?"

She blinked.

"...I don't know."

A shrug.

"They aren't using them anymore."

She began happily arranging everything on the table.

"This one was practically brand new."

She held up a pair of boots.

"Good bargain."

Veronica quietly looked away.

Tess said nothing.

Her eyes had already drifted...

toward the thick leather-bound book resting on the far end of the table.

Faded gold lettering stretched across its cracked cover.

Enchanting Tales of an Otherwise Ordinary Day.

Beneath the title was the symbol Simon had drawn.

A key.

A flower.

A circle.

All intertwined.

It wasn't hidden.

It wasn't locked.

It simply lay there.

Waiting.

Share Girl didn't even seem to notice it.

Instead, she reached into the satchel one last time.

Something inside squawked.

Clint jumped.

Share Girl laughed.

"Oh!"

"I almost forgot dinner."

She lifted out an enormous bird-like creature by its feet.

Its wings flapped weakly.

Its hooked beak snapped at the air.

It let out one miserable cry.

Share Girl stroked its feathers.

"You're gonna make wonderful soup."

She carried it toward a thick chopping block beside the fireplace.

Then reached for a butcher's knife.

The blade was nearly as long as her forearm.

She smiled over her shoulder.

"You ever have Hollow Folk stew?"

No one answered.

"Oh..."

She laughed.

"You'll love it."

She rested the bird gently on the block.

"They can't get enough of it."

She giggled at her own joke.

Then looked back at Veronica.

"Ronnie?"

"Could you get the pot?"

Veronica obeyed immediately.

Without a word.

Without hesitation.

Like she'd done it...

a hundred times before.

Tess never took her eyes off the book.

It sat on the table between two clay bowls as though someone had simply forgotten to put it away.

No lock.

No chain.

No pedestal.

Just an old leather cover cracked with age.

Its pages yellowed.

Waiting.

Veronica noticed.

"No."

Tess looked at her.

"You don't want that."

"You know what it is?"

"I know enough."

Veronica set the iron pot beside Share Girl.

"I've tried."

"You've read it?"

Veronica shook her head.

"It won't let me."

Tess frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means..."

Veronica searched for the words.

"...it doesn't like me."

Share Girl looked up from plucking feathers.

"Oh."

"Books have favorites."

She said it so matter-of-factly no one questioned whether she believed it.

"They're funny like that."

She sliced another feather free.

"I had one once."

Silence.

"I lost it."

She smiled.

"Amber found it."

Then immediately forgot she'd spoken.

Veronica crossed the room.

Slowly.

Keeping one eye on Share Girl.

"You need to leave."

Tess barely heard her.

"What?"

"You."

Veronica looked directly into Tess's eyes.

"Both of you."

"Now."

Clint looked toward the door.

"What about her?"

Veronica's voice dropped.

"There isn't anything you can do for her."

Share Girl hummed happily while gathering onions.

"I'm making enough for everybody."

Veronica ignored her.

"Listen to me."

"She isn't going to hurt you."

Clint relaxed a little.

Veronica continued.

"...unless you try to leave."

His shoulders tightened again.

Tess stepped closer to the table.

"The book."

Veronica nearly laughed.

"You aren't listening."

"The book."

"Forget the book!"

"It's why we're here."

"It's going to get you killed!"

Tess reached toward the cover.

Veronica grabbed her wrist.

"Don't."

For the first time...

Share Girl stopped humming.

She looked over.

"Ronnie?"

Veronica didn't move.

"Please."

She never looked away from Tess.

"You don't understand this place."

"I understand enough."

"No..."

Veronica whispered.

"You really don't."

Share Girl smiled.

"It's okay."

She wiped her hands on her apron.

"They're guests."

She walked over carrying two onions.

"I'll explain."

Veronica slowly released Tess's wrist.

Share Girl happily slipped between them.

Wrapping one arm around Veronica's shoulders.

"This is my Ronnie."

Veronica went rigid.

"I found her."

She looked proudly at Tess and Clint.

"Simon was gonna feed her to the tree."

Clint blinked.

"...what?"

Share Girl nodded.

"Mhm."

"The fairies were being mean."

"They kept throwing things at her."

"They burnt her arm."

She gently rolled Veronica's sleeve up.

The angry burn stretched from wrist to elbow.

"I fixed it."

Veronica closed her eyes.

"You burned me."

Share Girl smiled.

"I tried to make matching flames."

She held up her own arm.

The living fire danced beneath her skin.

"I wanted us to match."

"It hurt."

"I know."

"But friends match."

She rolled Veronica's sleeve back down.

"I'll do better next time."

Veronica quietly stepped away.

Share Girl didn't seem to notice.

She opened another sack.

"I brought snacks."

She proudly laid stale crackers onto the table.

Then dried berries.

Then mushrooms.

Then an apple with one side beginning to rot.

"I saved the good half."

She carefully cut away the spoiled portion.

"There."

She handed the remaining piece to Veronica.

"For you."

Veronica accepted it.

Not because she wanted it.

Because she'd learned...

accepting gifts made the day easier.

Share Girl beamed.

"See?"

"I take good care of Ronnie."

She looked back at Tess.

"She was scared when I found her."

"I told her..."

She smiled warmly.

"...'You can sit with us.'"

Her face brightened.

"No wannabes in this cool girl group."

She laughed.

Nobody else did.

Clint finally asked the question that had been bothering him.

"Do you ever leave?"

Share Girl looked confused.

"Of course."

"I go shopping."

"No..."

"I mean..."

He glanced toward Veronica.

"...does she?"

Share Girl looked at Veronica.

"Ronnie?"

"You can."

Veronica answered carefully.

"I just..."

She swallowed.

"...don't."

"See?"

Share Girl said happily.

"She likes it here."

Veronica lowered her eyes.

"...Yeah."

"I do."

It was practiced.

Automatic.

The answer of someone who knew exactly which response kept the peace.

Share Girl smiled proudly.

"I knew you would."

Then her eyes drifted.

The book.

Still on the table.

She frowned.

"...Amber?"

Silence.

She stared.

"...Did you leave that out?"

The room froze.

Share Girl listened.

Then nodded slowly.

"Oh..."

A tiny sigh.

"I wish you'd stop doing that."

She walked over.

Rested her hand on the cover.

Then...

without another thought...

she slid the book across the table.

Toward Tess.

"Oh."

"You wanted this?"

Tess's fingers touched the leather.

The room seemed to exhale.

The pages fluttered on their own.

Once.

Twice.

Then stopped.

Opening...

to the first page.

Ink spread across the paper as if written by an invisible hand.

Words that had not been there a heartbeat earlier slowly settled into place.

Veronica stared.

"...It chose you."

Tess never looked up.

She was already reading.

Veronica's face went white.

"No..."

She took a step toward Tess.

"You have to close it."

Tess didn't answer.

Her eyes raced across the page.

The symbols weren't symbols anymore.

They were words.

Perfectly clear.

Almost...

familiar.

As though she'd always known how to read them.

Her lips parted.

"...This is incredible."

Veronica reached for the book.

Tess pulled it away without looking up.

"Don't."

"I'm telling you—"

"I said don't."

Clint looked between them.

"What does it say?"

Tess turned another page.

The book turned with her.

Not because she touched it.

Because...

it wanted to.

"It isn't just spells."

She barely whispered the words.

"It's..."

She frowned.

"...alive."

Share Girl smiled.

"I told you books have favorites."

She returned to the soup as though nothing extraordinary had happened.

The enormous bird gave one last pitiful squawk.

The knife came down.

Silence.

She hummed happily while dropping vegetables into the iron pot.

"Hollow Folk carrots..."

A handful.

"Forest onions..."

Another handful.

"Mushrooms."

Splash.

She stirred the pot with a wooden spoon.

"You know..."

She smiled over her shoulder.

"I almost didn't save Ronnie."

Veronica closed her eyes.

"Please..."

"Simon wanted her."

Share Girl nodded thoughtfully.

"He said the tree was hungry."

She shrugged.

"I figured..."

She tasted the broth.

"...trees eat all the time."

Another stir.

"So I took Ronnie instead."

She smiled proudly at Veronica.

"I rescued you."

Veronica didn't answer.

Clint finally broke the silence.

"Why?"

Share Girl blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why save her?"

Share Girl looked genuinely confused by the question.

"Because she needed somebody."

"Why her?"

Another shrug.

"I don't know."

"I liked her face."

Veronica let out the smallest laugh.

Not because it was funny.

Because it hurt.

Share Girl heard it.

"You laughed."

"I did."

"You haven't laughed today."

"I know."

Share Girl smiled.

"I missed your laugh."

Tess wasn't listening anymore.

The words on the page kept changing.

Every answer led to another question.

Every page opened before she'd finished the last.

It wasn’t teaching her.

It was interviewing her.

Testing her.

Learning her.

Tess could feel it.

She wasn’t reading the book anymore.

The book was reading her.

Veronica saw it happening.

"No..."

She whispered.

"No, no, no..."

Clint looked over.

"What?"

Veronica pointed.

"Look at her."

Tess hadn't blinked in nearly a minute.

Her breathing had slowed.

Her pupils widened.

The room around her seemed to disappear.

"...She's gone."

Time slipped by.

Sunlight crawled across the floorboards.

The fire burned lower.

The soup thickened.

Tess never moved.

Share Girl walked over carrying four bowls.

Soup steamed gently.

She happily placed one before Veronica.

One before Clint.

One beside Tess.

One for herself.

"There."

She sat down.

"Family dinner."

No one moved.

Share Girl looked disappointed.

"...Nobody's eating."

Veronica quietly pushed the bowl away.

"I'm not hungry."

Share Girl's smile faltered.

"But..."

"I made your favorite."

"I know."

"I worked really hard."

"I know."

"I'll eat later."

A long pause.

Share Girl looked down at the soup.

"...It'll get cold."

Veronica knew that look.

She immediately pulled the bowl back.

"I'm sorry."

She picked up the spoon.

"I'll eat."

The smile returned instantly.

"I knew you would."

Clint watched the exchange.

He finally understood.

Every conversation...

Every apology...

Every tiny adjustment Veronica made...

None of it was random.

She wasn't living here.

She was surviving here.

Then Share Girl noticed something.

"Ronnie?"

"...Yeah?"

"You didn't say thank you."

Veronica closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"No."

Share Girl shook her head gently.

"You forgot."

Veronica forced a smile.

"...Thank you."

"There."

Share Girl beamed.

"See?"

"That wasn't hard."

She began eating her soup.

Completely content.

Clint couldn't take it anymore.

"Why don't you just leave?"

The spoon stopped halfway to Veronica's mouth.

She looked at him.

Then...

very slowly...

toward Share Girl.

Share Girl was still eating.

Waiting.

Listening.

Veronica chose every word with terrifying precision.

"...Because it's safer here."

Share Girl nodded enthusiastically.

"Exactly!"

"The fairies can't come here."

"The Hollow Folk don't come here."

"Simon leaves us alone."

She reached over and squeezed Veronica's hand.

"I take care of Ronnie."

Veronica whispered...

"...Yes."

"You do."

Tess turned another page.

Then another.

Then another.

She wasn't reading anymore.

She was consuming.

The book answered questions she hadn't yet asked.

Power.

Protection.

Truth.

Names.

Old magic.

Things buried beneath Blue Tree Forest long before Simon had ever sat beneath the Weeping Willow.

She didn't notice Clint speaking.

She didn't notice Share Girl smiling.

She didn't notice Veronica staring at the door.

Calculating.

Measuring.

Waiting.

For the first opportunity...

that had come in months.

The silence stretched.

Only the crackling fire.

The bubbling soup.

The slow turning of another page.

Tess hadn't looked up in several minutes.

Her lips moved silently as she read.

The book seemed to breathe beneath her fingertips.

Clint leaned closer.

"Tess?"

Nothing.

"Tess."

She absently lifted a finger.

"Shhh."

"I'm reading."

It wasn't rude.

It was...

distracted.

Like she'd forgotten he existed.

Share Girl smiled.

"She's making friends."

Clint frowned.

"With a book?"

Share Girl nodded.

"They're picky."

She took another spoonful of soup.

"But once they like you..."

She shrugged.

"...they tell you all kinds of secrets."

Veronica watched Tess.

Then Clint.

Then the open door.

The afternoon breeze gently stirred the curtains.

Outside...

the meadow stood empty.

No fairies.

No Hollow Folk.

Nothing.

She looked toward Share Girl.

Still eating.

Still smiling.

Still completely content.

Veronica knew that look.

It meant Share Girl felt safe.

Relaxed.

Those were the moments when she forgot to watch.

Very quietly...

Veronica slid her foot backward.

One inch.

Then another.

The chair scraped against the floor.

Share Girl looked up immediately.

"You done already?"

Veronica froze.

She forced a smile.

"...Just stretching."

"Oh."

Share Girl smiled back.

"You should eat more."

"I will."

"I promise."

Share Girl nodded.

"Good."

Then returned to her soup.

Veronica waited.

Ten seconds.

Twenty.

Thirty.

She knew the rhythm.

Wait until Share Girl laughed.

Wait until she started talking.

Wait until her attention wandered.

"I found the prettiest scarf today."

Share Girl reached into her bag again.

Bright yellow.

Only a small tear near one end.

"I thought it'd look nice on you, Ronnie."

Veronica accepted it.

"...Thank you."

"I knew you'd like it."

Share Girl beamed.

"You always like my presents."

"...I do."

It wasn't a lie.

Not exactly.

She liked what accepting them accomplished.

Peace.

Share Girl suddenly frowned.

"Oh."

She looked toward the empty corner again.

"...Amber?"

Silence.

"You think yellow's too bright?"

She waited.

Listening.

Then laughed.

"I think you're right."

She folded the scarf.

"Maybe spring."

Veronica moved.

One careful step.

Toward the door.

Clint noticed.

His heart started pounding.

Veronica never looked at him.

She couldn't.

Instead...

she barely shook her head.

The tiniest movement imaginable.

Don't say anything.

Another step.

The porch was only a few feet away.

The meadow beyond it.

Freedom.

Or at least...

a chance.

Share Girl was still talking.

"I used to hate yellow."

She smiled to herself.

"But Amber liked it."

Another pause.

"Yeah..."

"I know."

She laughed softly.

"I miss that too."

Veronica reached the doorway.

Fresh air filled her lungs.

For the first time in months...

there wasn't a wall between her and the forest.

She didn't know if she'd survive.

She didn't care.

Anything...

Anything...

was better than this.

She ran.

Not fast.

Not at first.

Just enough to clear the porch.

Then...

she sprinted.

Across the meadow.

Toward the tree line.

Share Girl blinked.

The smile disappeared.

"Ronnie?"

No answer.

She stood.

"...Ronnie?"

Still running.

Confusion spread across Share Girl's face.

"No..."

She hurried onto the porch.

"Ronnie!"

Her voice cracked.

"The fairies!"

Veronica never looked back.

"They'll hurt you!"

Nothing.

Share Girl's breathing became frantic.

"No..."

"No..."

"You don't understand!"

She looked around wildly.

Then grabbed the first thing within reach.

A thick piece of split firewood stacked beside the porch.

Not in anger.

In panic.

"Ronnie!"

She threw it.

Not to hurt her.

To stop her.

Just for a second.

Long enough to explain.

The log spun through the air.

It struck Veronica high between the shoulders.

A dull thud.

Her legs buckled.

She stumbled sideways.

One desperate step.

Another.

Then...

there was no ground beneath her.

The old stones circling the well caught her foot.

Her body pitched forward.

Clint lunged.

"VERONICA!"

Too late.

She disappeared over the edge.

A sickening crack against the stone.

Then—

Silence.

A heartbeat later...

a splash echoed up from the darkness below.

No one moved.

Not even the wind.

Inside the cottage...

a page turned.

Share Girl stared at the empty space where Veronica had been.

Her brow furrowed.

Confused.

As if she couldn't understand what she'd just seen.

Slowly...

she walked toward the well.

Looked over the edge.

Far below...

Veronica lay twisted in the shallow water.

Motionless.

Share Girl watched for a long time.

Then she sighed.

Softly.

Almost sadly.

"...Ronnie."

Another pause.

"You shouldn't have run."

Silence.

"I was keeping you safe."

She rested one hand on the old stones.

Her eyes became distant.

"I got thrown away once too..."

A faint smile touched her lips.

"...Well..."

She tilted her head.

"...not exactly."

The darkness at the bottom of the well seemed to deepen.

And somewhere, buried beneath the woman called Share Girl...

a girl named Amber remembered the ditch where everyone else's love finally ran out.