The One that Waits

Here we meet Poppy

"Poppy!"

Her mother's voice was shrill, cutting through the evening air. Poppy turned from the rock she was perched on and saw her mother struggling up the trail.

"Yes, Mami?"

"Your father is expecting you. There is a...boy, at the door, asking for you." Mami pursed her lips. "He said that you two were in a...relationship." Poppy couldn't help the smile spreading across her face. 

"That's just Veer. He-"

"No!" Mami interjected.

"Mami!" Poppy cried. Mami's face became drawn. Poppy softened. "Mami, I'm sorry. I should have told you." Mami sighed but accepted Poppy's apology.

"Come, let us meet this...Veer."  

It was Veer waiting outside the hut. Papa was standing in the doorway, fidgeting and clearly agitated.  

"Poppy!" He said, relieved. "This boy won't leave! What is he doing here?"

"Papa," Poppy replied calmly. "This is Veer. Veer, this is my father." Veer nodded at Papa and Poppy kissed him on the cheek. Just because. He smiled at her, his sharp features softening. Papa jerked his head and bit his lip hard when he saw Poppy peck Veer's cheek. He started to say something but Mami took his arm.

"Hush," she said. "Come, come inside. Cracker wants to show you his drawing."

When her parents stepped inside and let the door slide shut behind them, Veer turned to Poppy.

"Hey," he said, finally enveloping her in the sort of fiery kiss that opened up the pit of her stomach, his lips cool against hers. Poppy sagged in his arms, grateful that they were hidden in the shadows, away from the neighbours' prying eyes. Veer stepped back, hands firm on her shoulders.

"Poppy," he said, voice quiet. "I don't know how to tell you this, but..." His shoulders sagged. "I am leaving tomorrow. I am running away because my parents have arranged a marriage for-" Poppy sucked in her breath and then let it out in a juddering sigh.

"No," she whispered. "No..."

"I'm sorry Poppy," Veer said, his eyes looking into hers. She saw the pain and sadness and knew it was true. She also knew that it was the last time she would see his rich, dark brown eyes.

"No!" Poppy said again, gripping the front of his cloak. "No! Take me with you!" 

"You know I can't do that, Poppy."

A sob escaped her, and she buried her face into his shoulder. Veer wrapped his arms around her as she cried.

“Poppy, I must go. Goodbye, sweet one. But,” he hesitated. “Take this, and you will remember me.” He pressed something cool into her palm and she turned her face towards. But when she twisted towards him, he had already slipped between the shadows, leaving Poppy standing alone, clutching the silver chain Veer always had around his neck.

The blanket was rough against Poppy's tearstained cheeks. She clutched Veer's chain, which she had clipped around her neck before rushing inside. She gazed out the window and thought she saw Veer's shadow on the ridge, illuminated by the full moon, but it was just her imagination. She turned her face into her pillow and sobbed. She couldn't believe Veer was gone. She curled into a ball and cried herself to sleep.

CRASH! Poppy jerked awake. What was that? Was she imagining it, or were there footsteps in the hallway. Slowly she got up, padding to her door and peeking out.

A man was standing outside her parents room, behind him the front door lay on the floor. To Poppy, he was just a shadow until he turned his head and she saw his eyes; black irises and red where white was supposed to be.

"Girl," he rasped. His voice sounded disused. "Va ist your Papa?" Poppy stood still, watching him, as he limped towards her.

"Girl," he said again, reaching for her chest. Suddenly he squealed and drew his hand back. It was glowing green, illuminating the man's face. His clothes were grey, Poppy saw. His face looked like it had been carved out of a log of wood: messy features but a sharp jaw. His expression was one of pure terror as he cringed away from her.

"Daughter of the Trees..." He wheezed.

"Poppy?" Papa called, stepping out of his room, Mami behind him. The man turned to Papa, and he seemed to forget about his hand.

"You!" He hissed dangerously. Papa's eyes widened.

"The Hourglass has run out. Come mit me," the man lunged at Papa and grabbed his arm.

"Tod!" Mami cried, trying to catch his other arm.

"Marlene, don't. You'll just make things worse." Mami started to cry. Another man dissolved out of the shadows that clung to the living room and took Papa's free arm. As they dragged him away he called, "I love you!"

And then they were gone, vanished in the shadows. Poppy ran to Mami and clung to her while she screamed.

Author's Note

:)

Reviews

[Zabella]

bitte bitte bitte bitte schreiben!

[Zabella]

The first man in grey mixes in a bit of German with his words: 'ist' is...well, is, and 'mit' means with. :)

[Zabella]

('Va' is just his accent)