Somewhere I Belong

By Suchan deFamine

:P

Chapter 7, aka Epilogue

:P

Manfred worked carefully, slowly, soullessly, to form the gingerbread dough into cutesy angels…Asa's list had meant them for the neighbour children. They were baked, packaged, delivered with a fake smile and a sincere Merry Christmas.

At last he was alone at home with nothing left to do. The small tree twinkled merrily at him from the corner of the living room. He threw it a sorry glance. "I didn't know disowning him would make him that vengeful." The tree rustled slightly with the vent two feet away from it.

"I mean, he was being a total bastard and completely…just not understanding at all. What else was I supposed to do? If we'd stayed, what would he have done to Asa?" A white bulb near the top blinked. "It was great here. People were friendly, didn't care that we're both men… 'cept for that Jake guy. He'll get his one day." And the angel at the very tip-top of the tree bent slightly in a knowing nod.

"And here I am sitting talking to a tree."

'Go back.'

Manfred's eyebrow lifted, eyes widening. "Aaaaand the tree's talking back. Congrats, Manfred, you're clinically insane."

But it couldn't have been the tree. Hell, even I don't know where the voice came from.

It persisted: 'To the forest…go back to the forest…'

And an idea dawned in his mind like a rising sun. "Of course! The fat guy with the musket! Now all I have to do is go get myself lost in the forest!" He stopped. "Dear God, if anyone heard me, they'd think I'd gone batty."

He shrugged, smiled, grabbed his coat. "I prob'ly have. Don't have Asa here to keep me sane."

:P

Another flight back to England would set them back a few months, but at the time Manfred didn't care. Nothing could possibly be worse. He had talked to a tree that talked back to him, told him to go to the forest where they met a crazy man who warned them about turning around once they'd made a left turn past the tree with white mushrooms on both sides.

And they'd gotten out alright.

The answer was staring him in the face: plain as a gingerbread cookie. He had to retrace their steps of flight. He didn't know what would happen, but if the tree ended up leaving him on a wild goose hunt, he'd go back to the USA and hack it into pieces himself.

:P

Red, white, yellow, red, white, yellow, red…Definitely the right place.

"Hm. I wonder how I get out now," Manfred said to no one in particular.

"Ye don't," growled a gruff voice. Manfred turned around, now face to face with a dirty, unshaven, angry little man who had a barrel musket aimed at his heart. The face widened in recognition. "Yer that boy."

"I am that boy."

The man took a few steps back, but the hurtful end of the gun remained pointed at Manfred. "Well, what're ye doin' back here?" He looked around and behind Manfred. "'N' where's the weasely one?"

"He's… not here anymore," said Manfred nervously.

The man smirked, lowered his gun, and stared at Manfred, chuckling. "Then ye've come ta try out the Legend."

"Legend?"

"Aboot th' tree with th' mushrooms, and, th' no turnin' back bit."

"Oh. I would suppose so. The tree told me to come back here." Manfred felt slightly stupid telling him that.

He grunted, shaking his head. Manfred knew the man thought he was crazy. "Stupid trees. Believers in true love an' all that nonsense." Manfred raised an eyebrow.

"Trees believe in true love? Have you talked to them?" he asked.

"All the time. That's how they led me ta ye, an intruder on my forest." The man raised the musket, thought, lowered it again and muttered, "Damn you, Amelia. I can' jus' let 'im go. He's intrudin' on purpose!"

'Let him go to the Old One.'

"Fine. Keep goin' east 'til ye get to th' tree with th' mushrooms on both sides, turn left."

"And then what?"

The man stared at him, dark blue eyes glinting like steel. "Iono. Ye want t' test th' spirits, be me guest. Talk t' th' Old One if ye feel like it."

"The Old One?"

It was taking all his strength not to hit the boy with his musket.

'Louis, he has been through a hard time. Let him go on his way.'

"All RIGH', Amelia! The tree, boy, the tree. That's the Old One." He glared at Manfred once more before he turned to trudge back into the forest.

The snowflakes swirling around his feet, Manfred watched him go. The tree the man had been talking to seemed to bend a branch in the direction he had been pointed.

"Thanks." In a little while, but more time than he remembered, he was face to face with the tree they called the Old One. This time, he felt more than stupid talking to the tree. He cleared his throat.

"Hello?"

'Hello.'

Manfred stopped and stared. "I need to go left, then?"

A low branch on the tree's left side stretched out, a quivering leaf pointing.

"Alright. Thanks." He bowed slightly, politely, and began to walk that direction. "See you around." After several feet, Manfred stopped.

A whistling sound was swirling through the bare limbs of the trees from behind him, like a song. Not exactly birdlike, but a very pretty, mesmerizing tune.

Out of curiosity, he began to turn around. "Stop! Don't turn around!" And, face squidged in confusion, he stopped and looked back the way he had been headed. That voice…so familiar…

A familiar, small, pale, ghostly hand grasped his, a familiar soft voice whispered, "I'm back."

:P

It was Friday. Amy Bone had come to pick up her son from Bloor's Academy. Charlie was waiting by the door on a bench.

Soft footsteps alighted on the stairs and stopped. Charlie looked up. Mr. Pilgrim was staring not at him, but past him. Mrs. Bone put away her umbrella and smiled at Charlie. "Ready to go?"

"Amy…"

She looked up. Mr. Pilgrim was smiling, and she smiled back.

Fin.

:P

MUAHAHAHA. What'd you think? Aparently, you don't think I need a beta if you commanded me to continue without one...how is it?! (hops)