Chapter 3
Sky Girl
Istumbled inside, momentarily blinded by the chaotic burst of color that greeted us.
Clutter filled every corner of the room—teacups stacked precariously atop books, mismatched chairs surrounding a table heaped with half-finished paintings and strange, shimmering goblets.
Walls splashed with vibrant, erratic brushstrokes of every imaginable color assaulted my senses, making my head spin slightly.
It was as if the painter didn’t know what color they wanted to use, so they dipped their brush into a new one before every stroke, not caring if it all got mixed together.
“Who is there?” a soft voice murmured, gentle but cautious.
Carl-One cleared his throat. “A girl who fell from the sky.”
There was a moment’s hesitation before a clatter, and then footsteps approached, quiet yet distinctly purposeful. From behind a leaning tower of books, a pair of delicate hands appeared, each fingernail painted a different glittering color. Then slowly, almost shyly, a face peeked around the edge.
My breath caught involuntarily. Dark curls cascaded over warm brown skin, streaks of brilliant gold woven through her hair as if blessed by the sunlight itself.
Her face was round and expressive, eyes wide and alert.
Her right eye was a deep, soft brown, but her left shimmered an impossible violet, deep as twilight.
Bright, sparky eyeshadow framed her captivating gaze, her eyelids painted like a fantastical burst of color.
She blinked at me, long eyelashes fluttering. “You aren’t from around here,” she said softly, stepping out fully. Her dress was as vibrant as the rest of her, a patchwork garment of orange and pink that clung softly to her ample curves and floated to a halt just above her ankles.
“Clearly,” I replied, gesturing to my dirt-streaked clothes.
I took one step closer, careful not to move too quickly.
The woman reminded me a bit of a caged animal, the way her eyes darted from side to side.
I didn’t want to spook her, but I needed answers.
“I’m Alyssa Burgess, but most people just call me Liss. And who might you be?”
“Tarran,” she replied, her voice melodic and soft. “Last names are pretty useless, don’t you think?” She twisted her fingers nervously in front of her as she glanced towards the Carls, opening her mouth again before I could say anything. “Why is she here?”
Carl-One shuffled his feet nervously. “Well, she came from the sky, and you are the guide. Last time, you were so brave to help—”
“I’m not brave,” Tarran interrupted anxiously with a sigh. “There is too much madness for that.”
“But you are helpful,” Carl-Two added. My eyes darted from them to her. They weren’t fearful of her; no, it was more like they were speaking to her the way one might speak to a child—coddling.
“Look, can someone please just explain how I got here and, more importantly, how the hell I can get back home?”
Tarran wore a somber expression, her violet eye piercing straight through my chest as she met my eyes for the first time since I’d entered the hut. “You touched something you weren’t supposed to, didn’t you?”
My eyes narrowed. “How did you know that?”
“You’re not the first,” she explained quietly, her gaze sliding away. “Others have made the same error. None of them remain.”
“What happened to them?” I muttered, feeling a pang of genuine worry beneath my bravado.
Tarran lifted a shoulder in a shrug, a slight frown turning down the corners of her full lips. “Many things.”
Her answer did nothing to quell the gnawing pit of worry in my gut. If what they were saying was true, and I was actually stuck inside that godforsaken book, then what happened if I died in here? What had happened to girls who had come before?
I took a deep breath. “So how do I avoid becoming a permanent resident of Crazyland?”
Tarran shifted uncomfortably. “Foreverland,” she corrected softly, ignoring my eye roll.
“There’s only one known way out: the Door of Ever.
But to open it, you need four keys, one from each of the kings who rule the kingdoms of Foreverland.
Unfortunately, they don’t exactly hand them out willingly.
You must pass a trial, the terms of which are set by each king individually.
We won’t know what they are until we get there. ”
“Of course not,” I sighed dramatically. “Because why would anything be easy here?”
She offered a hesitant shake of her head. “Nothing worthwhile ever is.”
“So I get all four keys, unlock the door, and then what? I can just go home? How do I know there isn’t some flesh eating monster on the other side?”
A faint laugh escaped Tarran, catching both of us by surprise.
Her smile softened her anxious features, something warming my chest. “No, nothing like that,” she assured me gently.
“Legend says it will take you home and break the spell of the night terrors. But who is to say for certain? It has never been done before.”
“And what exactly happens out there at night?”
“Night terrors.” Her face grew serious again, fear in her eyes. “Our worst fears come to life if they catch you. As long as you are inside by the time it gets dark, you’ll be fine. They can only roam the wild wilderness.”
“And if they catch me?”
“Best case, they leave you as a shell of the person you used to be. Worst case, we never see you again.”
I rubbed my temples, doing my best to stave off the throbbing headache beginning to take shape. “So, let me get this straight: I need to pass these trials, unlock a magical door, and somehow save everyone here from the nightly monsters?”
Tarran smiled again, softer this time. “Something like that.”
“Wonderful,” I groaned, dropping into one of the mismatched chairs. “And I suppose you’re going to be my guide through all this nonsense?” I’d almost said hope, but I held it back. Something about the strange guide intrigued me, and it didn’t hurt that she was very nice to look at.
Tarran hesitated before nodding slowly. “I suppose I am, as it is my job. Unless you’d prefer the Carls?”
I glanced at the twins, who were busy whispering to each other off to the side, and shuddered dramatically. “Please no.”
Her smile widened, tentative. “Then it seems we’re stuck with each other.”