Fated Fairy Tales - Beauty Sleep

Beauty Sleep - Chapter 10

Ora’s POV

As I approached my house, I found it strange that all the curtains were closed. But when I walk through the door, I am showered in confetti. There is a pink and gold arch just inside the front door.

Aunt Josie rushed toward me and put a party hat on my head before she pulled me further into the house. I looked around and saw food everywhere. Then there’s this lopsided five-tier birthday cake in the middle of the room. Aunt Josie’s tiered cakes have never fared well, but she always makes the effort. All of them must have worked all day to get all of this prepared in time.

Aunt Jayne takes picture after picture. Eventually, I had to tell her to stop. “We want to remember this, Ora,” is the response I got. Knowing how upset she was this morning, I don’t want to ruin her mood. So I let her continue.

“Birthday group shot, before cake,” Aunt Josie shouts. We all gather in front of my cake and Aunt Jayne sets the timer on the camera and places it on a stand. She truly believes this will be the last time she celebrates my birthday with me.

We sang songs on the new karaoke machine Aunt Jayne picked up. “Don’t give up your day job, Jo,” I shouted, resulting in a cushion being thrown at me. We danced to some corny music I had never heard of. We ate, we laughed and, best of all, we had a great time. It was the best birthday I have ever had.

They all sang Happy Birthday to me just before I blew out the candles. Aunt Jo told me to make a wish like she had done every year. But I never make a wish. I find it quite pointless. If I want something, I either ask for it or bust my butt to get it.

We have a yearly toast just before I go to bed. We rhyme off all the things we are grateful for. This is the only time of year my aunts ever drink alcohol. Aunt Jayne usually pours it from her hip flask. But this year she only poured liquid from her flask into one glass. The other three she filled with something else. What is she doing? I thought to myself.

I watched cautiously as she gave the alcoholic drink to Aunt Jo. Just in case they have slipped her something stronger, I need to keep a close eye on Aunt Jo. I delayed going to bed in case she needed me.

Eventually, I am too tired to keep my eyes open and give in. Aunt Jo seems fine. As I closed my eyes that night, I reflected on the day. It was amazing. It still made me sad that Aunt Jayne thought this would be our last birthday together. I would never leave my aunts. Never. I love them so much. Perhaps she just needs me to promise I won’t disappear after my next birthday. Yes, that’s it. Make her realize how much I need her. Need them. All of them. We’re together for life.

The next few weeks are a blur. Aunt Jayne keeps taking a train to London for some things she needs. But she always seems to come back disappointed. I know what will cheer her up. I borrowed the SD card from her digital camera. I took it to school and, using a school computer, I transferred the pictures to my school email account. I will order Aunt Jayne a set of prints when I get some money.

Then one Friday she came back late after one of her trips to London. I was about to go to bed as she walked through the door. She looked so happy and excited. Nodding her head gently in Aunt Josie's direction. Her smile makes her look years younger. I can’t help but appreciate that she finally found her smile. It’s been missing for so long.

I can’t wait to spend some time with her in the garden that weekend. Find out what has put such a big smile on her face. I wonder if she has met someone? Living with two other women and a teenager for so long can’t be good for your health. But first I know I will have to train with Aunt Jo before I get to spend time with Aunt Jayne.

I woke up all excited. My aunts are happy, which makes me happy. Aunt Jo soon wiped the smile off my face with a longer run than usual that morning. We returned to our training area, which was just beyond the barn. We did hand-to-hand sparring for well over an hour. When I got knocked on my butt for the sixth time, Aunt Jo decided it was time to step things up with a little weapons training.

Aunt Jo went into the shed for our weapons. She feels she hasn’t used her nun chucks in a while and wants to practice with them. I laugh, as it’s been years since we used them. They are likely to be buried at the back of the shed. Seen as there is so much stuff in there. I heard her swearing. A lot. While I hear things crashing to the ground. She needed a bigger shed for all of her weapons. But that will cost a lot of money. Money we don’t have. It’s funny how it’s not as organized as she thinks.

I stood there kicking rocks. Waiting patiently. The sound of the squawking birds makes me look up at the sky. Which is when I see blue smoke coming from the direction of the house.

“Jo,” I shouted as I ran towards my home.

I was nearly at the barn when I heard growling and screaming. I panic, worrying about who is screaming. As I ran around the barn door. I caught a glimpse of a woman dressed in black holding Aunt Jayne up by her throat. Aunt Josie was lying on the ground. A man had his foot on her throat. Wolves and creatures surrounded them.

I am about to rush to her rescue when someone puts one arm around my waist and a hand over my mouth. They dragged me backward. I thrash against my assailant when I hear another scream. I increase my efforts and tears run down my face. “They want you, Ora.” Aunt Jo’s voice whispers in my ear. I turned my head to the side to look up at her. She kept her hand pressed over my mouth. Why isn’t she going to help them? I dragged her hand from my mouth. “Help them,” I whispered.

“Believe me, I want to. But that would leave you unprotected. I can’t do that.” She shakes her head as she drags me further into the barn.

I resist, but she is a lot stronger than me. “How did they find us?” She mutters as she pulls towards a lower level in the barn. Quietly, she moves some large picture frames that are leaning against a wall to reveal a hidden door behind them. I watch as my aunt reaches up and grabs a key from a hook. She inserts it into the lock and twists it. After a few seconds, the door swings open and a bag falls to her feet.

She picks up the bag and pulls out a pair of head torches. She puts a finger to her lips and gives me one of the torches. Then she gestured for me to climb inside. I don’t want to go. Aunt Jayne and Josie need help.

Even though she is the strongest among my aunts, she is still afraid. I see it in her body language. If Aunt Jo is prepared to run, I have to trust her. I could see tears in her eyes as I took the torch. I hear another scream. “Ora, trust me. We have to go.” She says, her voice shaking. I have to do as she says.

I crawled through the door into the darkness. It didn’t stop me from crying as I crawled. We have just left two of my aunts to die. We have abandoned them. Aunt Jo and I could have taken them. I am sure of it. But we ran like cowards. I need answers. I need to know what is going through Aunt Jo’s head.

I could hardly breathe in the tunnel we were crawling through. But I pressed on. When I emerged, we were at the edge of the farm. “Ora, we need to go,” Aunt Jo tells me.

“No, you need to tell me what the hell is going on,” I pleaded as I sobbed.

“I will tell you everything. But I need to get you to safety.” She responds with a look on her face that tells me she is more than serious. I know there is no messing with her right now.

“Promise?” I ask as I look back at the farm I grew up on. Blue smoke was still drifting up into the sky.

Aunt Jo grabs my chin and makes me face her. “I promise,” she responds before pulling me into her arms.

“I need to know what just happened,” I muttered.

“When you’re safe, I will tell you what you need to know.” She repeats and I believe her. We then ran away from the only home I have ever known. From the only life I have ever known, and I’m scared. I just have to trust Aunt Jo knows what she’s doing. I pray Aunt Jo knows what she’s doing.