She stood atop the hill. Sword raised, hair blowing wildly in the wind. “I will-51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFAgceL287
“Angela?”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajazPcFuox
I sigh, my fingers stilling on the keys of my laptop. With one hand, I reach up and brush my wavy brown hair aside.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFXekAWRAL
“Angela Carter?” The young woman standing next to my table is staring expectantly at me.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpH40YATWk
I lean back in my chair, holding in another sigh. “Yes, that’s me,” I say, forcing a smile.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoa9NZmEnF
“I knew it!” She smiles triumphantly. “I absolutely adore your book!”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnec0XtCeF
“Thank you,” I say a bit awkwardly, still unused to all the praise. “I’m glad you like it.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxXk84rsSQ
“Will you sign my copy?” She holds out a copy of my book, ‘The Dragon’s Heart’. The cover is a dark purple and blue sunset splayed out behind the silhouettes of three people. And if you look below the title, the faint outline of a dragon silhouette can be seen in the sky.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8KtBvHvyE
I glance up at her. “I don’t have a pen on me.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2EggvQcNe
“But-” she starts searching her pockets, -“you’re a writer!”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdrFbydMtu
I gesture at my laptop. “I don’t need a pen.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HTJzzhTW5
She passes me my book and a pen. “Are you writing a sequel?” she breathes.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tNKEDUUuk
I sign my name with looping letters on the title page. “Maybe.” I hand her back her book and pen.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHJgH4YvMc
“I knew it! I knew you wouldn’t end it there!” She clutches the book to her chest. “Wait’ll my friends hear about this!”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5rcD2IPpd
I watch her leave the coffee shop. “I don’t understand why they’re always so excited,” I murmur to myself.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bPfZ79sAy
I reach for my hot chocolate and take a sip. I return the cup to the table, my mind to the story, and my fingers to the keys.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXD4pRIqnK
“I will not let you-51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFh77Bxz0W8
“You’re Angela Carter?”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbszmOnqFHH
I stop typing again, brushing my locks aside. “Yes, I am.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bvaH4C6MR
He scoffs, looking me over. “You look nothing like the picture on the back of your novel.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6zjPc0ywT
“Funny.” I sip my hot chocolate. “I wasn’t aware my hair, eye color, and face shape had all changed since I published my novel.” I set down my drink and smile sunnily at him. “I’m sure I just look different in person.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7a7hN0lRU
He frowns. “Your novel wasn’t any good, I don’t know why Bluebird Publishing published your book.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnkxjel7Tj
“I’m sorry you didn’t like it. But don’t let me ruin your day.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa44Z8nNlde
He scoffs again. “Too late for that.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDYSEGVdHR
When I don’t answer him, he turns and stalks away.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Knn7YRISv
I sigh. For some reason it's always easier to deal with the haters. I finish my cup of hot chocolate and set it back on the table, turning once more to my laptop.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gAyIf6QoW
“I will not let you harm him!” She cried, even as tears poured down her cheeks. “I vow it.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbQbp5eHlF
“Angela? Angela Carter?” A soft voice interrupts my latest flow of words. 51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxxXE9W2bN
I sigh, shutting my laptop. “That would be me. Who’s asking?” I turn in my seat, to find a young woman in a cloak.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb9Gx9zhzg
“Angela Carter, it is I, Ellena.” 51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30XE6frInC
I study her. “It’s a good costume. But I don’t think you’ve quite captured her correctly.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFfBETEHN8
“What do you mean?”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnpaAwMPN8
I hold in a chuckle. “Nothing, nothing. What do you need?”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIFGNUNDZE
“Angela Carter, I have come to beg for your help.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oyaenVtG8
My brow furrows in confusion. “What do you want my help with?”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2JuuqEwix
She opens her mouth to speak but glances over her shoulder. “Oh no,” she whispers, suddenly vanishing.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKw4l6qT1JD
I blink. Then blink again. “Um….” I say elegantly. I glance around the coffee shop but everyone is going about their business, no one giving a second thought to the shocked author I happen to be. 51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSp22ns42Z
After a moment the shock fades away and I laugh at myself. I guess I am more tired than I thought I was. Either that or the sugar is getting to me. People don't disappear.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnondYS8sru
I collect my laptop under my arm, quietly leaving the small coffee shop in my city, ducking my head in hopes of being ignored by the passerby.
~ ✨ 🌹 🌺 ~
I open my laptop in my room, reluctantly closing my document, and opening my browser. 51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgP17bYOsO9
Does a lot of sugar and slack of sleep cause hallucinations?51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAucO073Z3P
I hit enter and wait a moment for it to load.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKeFryS4Dy
Multiple sites pop up and I skim through them. Nothing that directly answers my questions.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wOBJSkwq0
I shrug, closing my laptop with a soft sigh.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBr7I9Aavg7
"Angela Carter?"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTE1lvlH6P8
I jump violently, slamming my knee into the table and bitting back a scream. I spin around, clutching at my knee.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhM1rZNxb1
The same woman -the one I hallucinated- stands a few steps away. She still wears her gray cloak, but the hood isn't thrown over her head any longer. "Angela Carter?" She repeats softly, swaying slightly.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIIgm4YWHt
"Uh..." My wide eyes take in her features. Her hair is pure white, like freshly fallen snow. Her eyes are a deep magenta, spots of bright color on her freckle-less face.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTss1j0jf4
"It is I, Ellena of Spokeshore." Her voice is soft, tired almost. But what she just said... and how she looks....51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUXKN5Hs6T
"But- but..." I stare wide-eyed at her. "You...."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsnNfk8zlu
She sways again, elegantly reaching up to press a hand to her forehead. "You... You are Angela Carter..?"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SxUcDzXxO
I blink hard, reaching up to scrub at my eyes. This isn't happening. It can't be happening. "Yes.." I finally say. "I'm Angela Carter... But you can't be Ellena of Spokeshore."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4CDGdpkTk
Her magenta eyes gleam despite the dark spots below them. "I am Ellena of Spokeshore, Majika. I know who I am."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttkQyva4S7
I stare at her. "But you can't be. You can't be. You're not real. You're a character. A fictional character in my book." 51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zxtpzSYFw
Ellena laughs softly. "I am very real. But I'm afraid I am not with you."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrGEWup5yT
"What?" I try to remember what happened in my book. I know she isn't one of the ones who died. But, I don't think she is a die-hard fan. I have no idea if bleach can get your hair that white.. or if there's even a way to make eyes that color. I must be hallucinating. Again.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsjlaqNxzm
"I am not really here." Ellena closes her eyes. "I am using majik. To speak to you across realms."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vAe85s8uv
I blink again. "What..?"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQO1m8KFrVD
Ellena opens her tired eyes, softly shaking her head. "I have appeared before you in this way... to.. beg for your help."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXXUBjNFWd
I step forward, wincing slightly when my bruised knee straightens. Not a dream then... "What on earth do you think I can do? Even if you're real, which you're not, you're in another land."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrDpP7cUFc
"Realm." She starts trembling slightly. "I am nearly out... of time. Please, Angela. Help. We need your help. Please..."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVm89KFwgyd
She looks like she's about to collapse. I step forward to catch her just as her knees give way and she crumbles.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoUuFOm68t
Only she doesn't crumble into my arms. I blink, finding her on the floor under my arms.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJFiF4iXDB
"Um..." My breathing quickens as I look down at her. My eyes widen farther when I realize she's visibly flickering. "Ellena..?"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICGy5Vcqbq
She sighs. "I will... I will use my.... majik. To bring..... you... Cross realms."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xq6ZpbReC
"Wha-" My question is ripped from my lips as I suddenly tip forward, plummeting into the floor.
