Sy found herself at the junkyard before even deciding where to go. Perhaps it was just autopilot, or it was how she felt the happiest here, but whatever the reason, Sy was only conscious of her whereabouts by the gentle hum of the Wall. Its' electric song pulled her out of a stupor.
Sy looked around. She was alone among the broken and abandoned pieces. She stood next to the broken red tractor. Her eyes looked after it feeling somehow distant.
Was it always red? Sy wondered. Or had she never bothered to care?
"It doesn't matter anyway." Sy's voice surprised her. She moved a hand to touch her cheek again. It no longer stung. But the pain wasn't on the surface. It hurt somewhere deeper.
Sy rubbed her cheek and moved to sit down. She sat with her back against the tractor. The sharp iron point jabbed but didn't bother her. Sy only pulled up her knees to rest her head on top.
What am I going to do now? Sy wondered. She had succeeded in running away. So what now? Sy didn't think this far.
I didn't think mom would just let me run off.
"I'm sick of playing mom anyway!" Mom's voice echoed through Sy's ears. Sy felt her body tremble.
Did she think that way? Am I that bad? Sy questioned with tears acting up again. Her lips turned to a deep frown. The girl let out a whimper and dug her head into her knees. She cried. Tears and snot pour down her face.
"F-fine! I don't need you either." Sy choked into her knees. She moved her legs down and swallowed. The back of her hand rubbed vigorously against her eyes. Just wiping the tears and snot all over.
Don't you cry, Sy commanded herself. Don't you dare. Big girls don't cry. I'm a big girl now, and I'm not going to cry over this. Sy told herself. But still, another wave of tears came.
"Ah!" Sy threw her arms over her face and screamed. She kept screaming and crying until she was exhausted. Sy then lowered her arms and left them to hang at her side.
Sy's mind felt foggy, and her eyes were swollen. She sniffled. Snot still blocked her nose. Her eyes drifted off ahead of her. They were directed toward what would be town.
Dad could be out there. Sy thought. Perhaps he was waiting for her? Waiting to be found by her?
But what if Mom's right? Sy felt the cold thought drip in. What if I don't have a Dad?
Sy felt the realization of doubt cool her head. It made her lower her gaze. Sy no longer wanted to look at the off-distance lights. She turned down her head. It felt heavy.
Mom could have been telling the truth this whole time. Sy thought on. Why else would she keep saying it?
Even on our birthday. Sy thought. Somewhere she could feel her wish of a family break down. The reality was coming to her finally.
And I still ran away… Sy thought.
But, before she could start feeling guilty, a sensation of cold skin on her neck made Sy jump. She screamed. She snapped her neck to look at her shoulder. Then sighed with relief.
"Oh, Mr. Toady." Sy greeted the toad. He was still on her shoulder after all this time. He looked a bit frazzled with one eye-rolling. Sy moved to rub her finger between his eyes.
"Sorry, sorry. I forgot you were still here." Sy apologized. The toad croaked and licked his eye. Sy grimaced at the act but took it to mean forgiveness. She leaned back into the tractor.
Sy looked up to the sky. She could see it to be full of stars. She took a second to admire them. Another heavy sigh escaped her nose. It was less clogged now.
So, what am I going to do? Sy had to ponder. The question made her antsy. She felt a need to move. Sy grabbed for her toad and moved to climb up the tractor. She sat down to face the Wall.
I can't stay here. Sy realized. She looked up at the Wall. And past. Her eyes caught one of the branches of a low tree. The nest from before was full of those sleeping birds. Sy scrunched up her nose at them.
"Show off's." Sy scuffed. She looked back down to watch her feet kick. They were shoeless and filthy, even to Sy's standards, full of mud and chicken feathers. Sy took the chance to look down, then laughed outright.
"I'm a Chicken!" Sy exclaimed. Her dress was more feathers than a dress. The white fluff was sticking to her thanks to the grease and mud. Sy made a show of flapping her arms and clucking.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself." Then, a voice with an accent came in front.
Sy shot up. She looked forward to seeing a man. But, instead, a very beautiful man was standing before her. Sy dropped her jaw.
He's a princess! Sy first thought, looking at him. The man certainly looked the part.
The man had long silver hair; half pulled up above the ears. He was dressed in something foreign. It was silky and richly layered with purples and flowed out weightlessly. And his face was regal. His eyes were a brilliant purple, and his face was defined like a sculpture.
Sy stared up at him openly. She had never seen someone so beautiful in her life. He was more beautiful than even her mom.
But how come I didn't hear him? And where did he come from? Sy questioned but pushed them aside.
They weren't necessary. Sy was meeting royalty. She needed to be at her best.
Sy jumped to stand on the tractor. She pulled at her dress and gave a curtsey. Or something like it. She didn't have an idea how to do one. But that didn't stop her.
"Your majesty," Sy greeted with her head down. Then, she heard the man laugh. It made her look up in surprise. Had she done something wrong?
"You- Do you think me royalty?" The man laughed in this new accent.
From his smile, Sy felt a sigh of relief. He had a friendly smile. Not mean. She guessed she had done it right, then. Sy nodded. She stood straight.
"Of course, you're a princess," Sy replied. Again, the man laughed. His voice was smooth and mesmerizing. Sy watched him soften his laughter. His smile changed slightly.
"Is that right? But I have to disagree." The man spoke thickly. Sy felt her smile fall. Was she wrong? How? He had to be a princess-
Sy watched the man pull out a handkerchief. Without warning, he was at her face next, moving the cloth over her cheeks. Sy looked at him wide-eyed. His long hair touched her bare arms to tickle. She held her breath as he drew closer.
"And I don't think you're a chicken." The man spoke. A smile then spread on his face. Sy found herself smiling back. The cloth moved to rub her cheek. Then the other. And then her mouth and forehead. She then felt her hands pulled up. The man was rubbing them clean as well.
Once clean, he moved to her feet. Sy leaned on him as he took up one foot, then the other. She could smell him this close.
He smells like salt and soap. Sy thought. She found that she liked it. She took in another breath. It calmed her in some way.
Was it because he was pretty? Sy wondered. Another part thought about what it would be like if she had a dad like him.
Would he take care of me like this? Clean my face with a handkerchief. I guess I won't know. That thought made Sy drop her smile.
"You are upset." The man asked. Sy, startled, looked up from her thoughts. The man was done with her feet, but she was still clinging to him. She pulled back her arms and looked down. She could feel his eyes on her. A hand stretched out to lift her chin. He met her face.
"You looked like you were crying before. Your eyes are puffy. Why is that?" The man went on. Sy felt his gaze intimidating. But his smile was still there, inviting her.
"It..it's my birthday, but we had a fight," Sy muttered.
"A fight? With who?" The man replied. His gaze was not breaking. Something seemed to be moving behind them. Sy watched them more closely, mesmerized.
"My mom- it's her birthday too. And we fought, so I ran away." Sy answered. The man lowered his hand, but Sy kept her head turned. His smile fell briefly. He looked past Sy.
"It's both your birthday…?" The man repeated seemingly more to himself. His eyes sharpened. He was back to Sy. But his eyes were changing more so now. Sy could see something move behind them. Like smoke or a snake curling.
"Who is your mother? Where is she now?" The man spoke—some edge to his voice. Sy, not knowing what it meant, lifted her hand. She pointed back toward the house.
"She's at home. It's right there. Her name's Mara. Mara Batswitch. Why?" Sy answered.
At her words, she felt the man's domineer change. Or snap, instead. He looked from where she pointed back to her. But with a different smile. It looked sharper at the edges like a string pulled. His eyes, too. Something was wrong with them. They were darker now. It scared Sy a little.
Sy felt her body stiffen as the man grabbed her face. Not hard. But it was sudden. There was a feeling that told Sy to best stay still. Her eyes looked back to this man. He smiled. It didn't seem meant, though.
"Is she? And…what about your father?" The man seemed to hiss that last word out. Sy felt a shiver come up her back. Sy couldn't understand.
Why was there a feeling that he wanted to hurt her?
"I don't.. have one." Sy's voice quietly pipped out.
Sy felt the man's grip loosen. But felt her chin tip up. She was looking back at him. Behind his eyes, something coiled.
"You don't have a father?" The man asked. Sy nodded.
"No. It's just mom and me." Sy voiced quietly. She watched the man staring back.
For a moment, he looked not to believe her. But then he lifted his eyebrow as if he thought of something. His expression softened. He turned back to the house.
"I didn't think this could be possible. But you did it. You were willing to go that far…." The man spoke distantly.
Sy heard him then laugh. He turned back to her. His smile had returned. His eyes were back to normal. But now, they seemed softer.
"You are truly identical. I'm ashamed to say I didn't see it earlier." The man voiced with a distant look on his face. His hands gently combed through Sy's hair.
Sy felt Mr. Toady stir. His cold skin pressed on her neck. She pulled her head back. The man stopped. He smiled at the girl and lowered his hands.
"You know my mom?" Sy asked. Her hand moved to touch the toad. Feeling his cold skin grounded her.
The man scrolled his eyes over to the toad. The sight of her companion seemed to narrow his eyes. But he kept his smile.
"Yes. I know her. Better than she knows even herself." The man voiced. Sy opened her mouth, shocked. She felt her breath catch.
"You do? How? Where? When-"A kiss on her cheek made Sy stop.
The man leaned back. A finger pressed against his lips. He winked at her.
"Let's keep this little meeting between you and me, yes?" The man asked. Sy nodded but was a little confused. She was not sure how else to respond.
The man smiled. He lowered his finger to reach for Sy's hand. He kissed it and held it gently.
"What is your name?" The man asked.
"It's Sy," Sy watched the man nod. He let go and turned, heading toward the Wall. He paused to smile over his shoulder.
"You and I will meet again." The man promised. A laugh escaped his lips. He then jumped, flying up into the lowest branch. He leaped deeper into the BlackWood.
Sy watched him disappear between the trees. The flash of sliver being swallowed over by green. She remained there after. Not sure what to do. Or how she felt.
In her chest, she could feel her heart pound. Her hand moved to touch her cheek. The side her mother had hit. The same he had kissed.