Rotting flesh
387 Words
Opening the door, I am met with a breathtaking sight: a field bursting with flowers and floating thank-you hearts. These aren’t physical hearts but delicate symbols of love, popping softly when I touch them, releasing a burst of warmth that flows into me. Each one is a personal note of gratitude from the villagers.
It feels like stepping into a forest made of pure love. Stunning treehouses are nestled among the trees, and children skip joyfully through the flower fields, their laughter ringing in the air. Fairies, free from the dark sorcerer’s curse, giggle and smile, the sense of freedom they now enjoy palpable.
I watch in awe, my heart swelling with pride. This is who we truly are—cheerful, loving, powerful. Nearby, I spot a training field filled with fairies practicing their abilities, honing their newfound powers with precision and focus.
As more fairies notice my arrival, they gather around us. Maggie and her mother, Elaine, step forward, their eyes filled with gratitude.
“Queen Lenora, we can never thank you enough for saving us,” Maggie says. “We will honor your blessing by growing stronger, by protecting each other—and by protecting all fairies, just as you have protected us.”
I smile at my fairies, feeling a surge of affection. “You all make me so proud to be your queen. I can feel your love, your gratitude. Keep growing together. You are all wonderful beings.”
The crowd cheers, their faces glowing with happiness. I raise my hand in farewell, feeling the warmth of their love envelop me.
“We will be leaving now,” I continue, “to free the men from the nearby labor camp. Please welcome them back when they return. If you ever need me, just think of me, and I will hear you.”
More cheers and applause follow as the villagers wave their goodbyes. I reach for my friends’ hands, and with a single thought, we teleport to the place where I can feel Arya’s connection with her brother.
The moment we arrive, the stench of rotting flesh assaults my senses. My stomach turns, bile rising in my throat.
Arya taps my arm, her voice trembling. “What is that?”
I turn around, frozen in place, as I take in the horrifying sight.
- Writer
