by Sarah Adams
Another screech sounded, closer to Tamara this time. She looked over her shoulder to see the bird flying towards her, the tips of its wings brushing against the edges of the bookshelves, knocking books off if they stuck out too far. The crow wasn't slowing down. Tamara doubled her pace, taking long, quick strides. The bird screeched again and she covered her ears, still holding tight to the black book. Not sure what else to do Tamara made a run for it.
The crow's wings cut swiftly through the air and it let out another screech. Tamara let out a startled cry and rounded the next corner, cutting down another row of shelves. Surely, now that she was out of the dumb bird's way it would let her be. The crow flew around the corner and headed for Tamara again. She was panting, her heart thumping against her ribcage. What the hell did this damn bird want?
She turned to run, but this particular roll of shelves ended with a dead end. It went nowhere, except the back wall of the library lined with high shelves. Having no other defense against the bird, Tamara raised the book in front of her face with both hands and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.
The crow didn't fly into the book. Instead it came to a stop just above the book. Its wings outstretched and flapping, to keep it up. It turned its head to one side and looked at Tamara with a single large round ebony eye, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Her grip on the book faltered and it slipped from her grasp. The crow's black talon's wrapped around the book's cover and it squawked at her before flying off, carrying the book. Tamara chased after the bird, hoping to retrieve the library book, knowing her mom would pitch a fit if her account was fined for a lost or stolen book.
“No running in the library!” the librarian shouted, slamming the book she was reading onto the check out desk. The thump it produced echoed through the library. Several other patrons looked up and Tamara felt the heat rising on her cheeks.
“That crow took a book!”
“What crow?” the librarian asked, crossing her arms.
“You didn't see that huge freakin' bird?” Tamara asked, throwing her hands up, “It was huge! Even if you didn't see it, you must have heard it! One of you must have heard it!”
Tamara looked from the librarian to the other patrons she could see. Everyone was shaking their head and a few, having grown bored of the spectacle returned to their books.
“Really, young lady, just apologize for running in the library,” an elderly woman said, “There's no need to make up stories.”
“I'm not making it up!” Tamara shouted, stomping her foot, “How could you not see it?”
“I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave,” the librarian said.
“What?'
“You're disturbing the other patrons. I can't allow that at this establishment.”
“Fine, but I'm not paying for the book the bird stole!” Tamara said and stomped towards the front doors. Laughter echoed behind her, sounding unnervingly like the woman who had thrown the book at her head. Tamara pushed open one of the large double doors and stepped outside.
A thick fog had settled over the parking lot and the park across the street. Tamara pulled her hands into her sleeves and shivered. Not wanting to risk her mom's wrath with a phone call, just in case, she was out shopping Tamara decided it was best not to call her for a ride. A light mist of rain was beginning to form on the air, making Tamara wish she had her own car. Not that it was likely to happen. Even if she were to get an after school job her mom had made it clear that the entirety of the money would be deposited into her college savings account.
Tamara walked across the parking lot, careful to keep her distance from the flock of black birds congregating around a piece of discarded candy. Her fingers trembled inside her sleeves as she began to mull over what had happened inside the library. She didn't want to admit it, but it was beginning to make sense. What else could possibly explain the tiny hand prints on her mirror?
She retrieved her cell phone and punched in Hayden's number. It rang six times before he answered it. Was he angry with her for skipping out on practice? After all, she did suck at chess and skipping out on practice meant she would be even less prepared for the next tournament.
“Thought you weren't feeling well?” he answered.
“I'm not and the library just made it worse.”
“Are you going to fangirl on me? What did you read that made you cry?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That's what girl's do when they read, isn't it?”
“Yeah, some of them I guess,” Tamara shrugged, “but that's not why I'm calling you.”
“Don't worry there weren't any notes from practice,” he chuckled.
“Hayden, can you come pick me up at the library?”
“Ah, so that's why you really called me.”
“Well, not exactly. I do need a ride home, but I also need to talk to you.”
“Don't worry about it. I knew you wouldn't last in chess club very long. So what are you going to do instead
“What? No,” Tamara shook her head, “I'm not dropping out of the club. It's not that. Well, it's about the club, but it's not that. Hayden, this is going to sound crazy, so, I want to tell you in person.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you over the phone you just might hangup on me,” Tamara said, bouncing on the balls of her feet, trying to keep warm.
“Tamara, what's going on? I have homework to do and things I'm trying to finish up. I'm meeting Greg and the others at eight to go catch a movie.”
“They're talking to you again?”
“Yeah, something about having to show a united front,” Hayden shrugged, “but what's going on.”
“I think we have a faerie problem.”
“What?” it was Hayden's turn to be confused.
“I think we've pissed off the faeries.”
“That's one I haven't heard before,” he chuckled, “I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't let the faeries carry you offer before I get there.”
“Haha,” Tamara said, “See you when you get here.”
After the call ended Tamara considered waiting inside the library lobby, but wasn't sure the librarian wouldn't chase her out again. Also, she wasn't sure the crow had actually left the building. The mist evolved into raindrops and Tamara pulled up her hood to protect her weave from becoming drenched.
Hayden's black car pulled up startling away the flock of birds except for one. Who kept its eyes locked to Tamara as she opened the door and slid inside.
“So what's up, faerie girl?”
“Don't call me that,” Tamara said, sinking into the seat and closing her eyes. She held out her hands in front of the heater vent and rubbed them together.
“It's not that cold outside,” Hayden chuckled.
“Oh, really?” Tamara asked turning towards him.
“It's like forty degrees. It's not even below freezing yet.”
Tamara place the palm of her hand against the back of Hayden's neck. He jerked away cursing.
“God, woman! Don't do that!”
“What? It's not that cold!” Tamara laughed.
“Okay, you win this one, but since you've already told me you were crazy it's a moot point.”
“I didn't say I was crazy. What I said was ' this is going to sound crazy'.”
“Well, if it quacks like a duck, its a duck.”
“What does that have to do with anything were talking about?” Tamara asked, tapping her foot against the floorboard as Hayden pulled out of the parking lot.
“It just means...” he began.
“I know what it means!” she slapped his arm playfully, even though her stomach was in knots. If she acted normal maybe she could force things to be normal.
“Don't do that while I'm driving!” Hayden said, pulling into the closest parking lot.
“Sorry,” Tamara muttered.
“Do you know how dangerous it is to rough house in a car?” he said, killing the engine.
; “I said I was sorry!”
“Just don't do it again, okay,” Hayden said, readjusting his rear view mirror.
“It's been a really crappy day and I try to tell you I think we have a problem and you can't even take it seriously.”
“I take plenty of things seriously, but when the hot girl from chess club calls me and says she thinks we have a faerie problem is means one of two things in my mind: Either she's trying to ask me to hang out and is trying to be cute about it, in the way girls sometimes do, although because it's not always, us guys can never be sure or she's talking about someone coming out of the closet. Which isn't the best way of going about it and because we don't have any mutual friends that would be coming out of the closet I took it as she was asking me to hang out.”
Tamara blinked, “Did you just call me hot?”
“Yes, but so totally missed the point of what I was saying!”
“And you didn't? First of all, okay, under normal circumstances I'd love to hang out with you, but these aren't normal circumstances. Secondly, I don't believe in using slurs of any kind and I was being serious when I said I think we have a fairy problem,” Tamara said, taking off her seat belt.
“What the hell are you talking about? You can't keep saying that, but not telling me what you're talking about.”
“I'm trying to, but I can't get a word in edgewise with you freaking out and rambling on. Geez, you're worse than Amber and I thought she was as bad as it got.”
“No, she speaks quiet slowly compared to a lot of people, but don't try to distract me!”
“I'm not. If you shut up for a minute….”
“Fine. Shutting up.”
After Tamara told Hayden what happened after she left chess practice he was quiet for a moment.
“I think Amber set you up!”
“What? Why would she do that?” Tamara asked, throwing her hands up and crashing one of them into the roof, “Damn it, that hurt.”
“Don't beat up my car and she'd do it as a prank or because she's mad that the chess club lost the tournament and now she and Mr. Kissy Face can't go to the Halloween dance,because there isn't going to be one!”
“Mr. Kissy Face?”
“I don't remember his name and almost every time I see him he and Amber are kissing, so it's a fitting nickname.”
Tamara laughed, despite the feeling of dread that still hung over her, “His name is Josh, but Amber calls him Joshua when he's not around. Anyway, I don't think Amber set me up. I don't think she could have.”
“Why not?” Hayden asked, “It would be easy enough to hire someone to wear a faerie costume and throw a book at your head. Some people might do it for free.”
“Hahaha!” Tamara rolled her eyes, “What about the bird? That bird was real?”
“It could have been a computer project or something.”
“No, it was real. It carried off the book.”
“Well, maybe the book was a projection too!”
“I held the book. It was solid.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.”
“Maybe it was a robot.”
“Then why didn't everyone else see it too?”
“Because Amber paid them not to?”
“I don't think she has that kind of cash.”
“Well, maybe someone else did it then.”
Tamara put her head in her hands and sighed, “What's it going to take to make you believe me?”
“Proof!”
“What am I supposed to do?” Tamara asked, “Catch a faerie? Maybe cut of its little wings and bring them to you?”
A bird screeched outside and Tamara jumped, nearly hitting her head on the roof of the car.
“Calm down, it's just a bird!” Hayden said.
“You didn't have a bird chase you around the library and then steal a book! Don't you tell me it's just a bird!”
“I don't know, Tamara,” Hayden said, “I don't think you can prove it.”
“Can you just take me home, please?” Tamara asked.
“Sure,” Hayden frowned, “We could stop and get something to eat if you want.”
“No, I just want to go home.”
“Sorry,” Hayden said, “it's just, you have to agree, it's hard to believe.”
“What about your shoe strings?” Tamara asked.
“I doubt my kid brother is a faerie. Unless you're saying he's a changeling, that I could totally believe.”
“You know what I meant!” Tamara laughed, “Are you going to help me or not?”
“Help you with what?”
“Appease the faeries or however you want to say it.”
“Sorry, but no. There's no such thing as faeries.”
“Take me home, now!”
Chapter Seven
Tamara yawned and opened her eyes. The alarm hadn't went off yet, but she knew it would soon. She turned to her side and snuggled down into her pillows, sheets, and blankets.
“Ouch!” she cried out when her hand brushed against something sharp. Tamara held her hand protectively against her body, sat up, and turned on the bedside lamp. A smudge of black marked her skin where the injury had occured. Her pink pillowcases were covered with same black smudges. One by one she threw off the pillows, sheets, and blankets until she sat alone with her fitted sheet. Tamara shifted her weight to stand and something rolled of the bed and landed on the floor with two small clanks.
Looking over the edge of the bed Tamara saw her newest eyeliner pencil snapped in two pieces.
“Damn it!” she cursed under her breath, “How the hell did that get into bed with me?”
“Tamara!” her mom called from the other side of her bedroom door, “How many times do I have to tell you not to leave your makeup where Tina and Tally can get it? You come and clean my bathroom mirror right now!”
Sighing Tamara scooped up the broken eyeliner and headed to her mom's bathroom. Her brain was still fuzzy with morning fog, but the damage was hard to miss. Three lip gloss tubes lay empty on the floor with their lids discarded. The mirror was covered in a thick layer of lip gloss and someone with tiny fingers had drawn hearts and butterflies.
“Damn it!” she cursed under her breath for the second time this morning, “What do the faeries have against makeup?”
“Those little brats sure love playing with your makeup, don't they?” her Dad chuckled as he walked by.
“I guess so.”
After she finished cleaning the mirror and the smudges of lip gloss off the bathroom floor Tamara returned to her room. Maybe the little brats did enjoy playing with her makeup. Tamara rummaged through her desk drawers, being poked by pencils, lidless pens, hair clips, and various other items with sharp corners until her fingers finally wrapped around what she wanted. For her birthday Tina had gotten her a tube of sour grape lip gloss that she had never used, because who wants to be tasting sour grape all day? The faces that resulted from puckering her lips each time she tasted the stuff would surely cause wrinkles.
Sneaking past Amber wasn't as easy as Tamara thought it would be. Not wanting her dad to think she was arguing with Amber, meant she couldn't ask him to drop her off anywhere else. His big case was finally closed and he had won.
“Tonight we're all going for dinner! You can even invite Amber if you want.”
“I'll see if she can come.”
“Are you okay, Tam?” he asked, as the car pulled up to the curb. Tamara glanced around and not seeing Amber made a dash for it without answering her father's question.
“Have a good day!” she heard him call out as she pushed open the school doors.
“Tamara!” Amber called from somewhere outside, but Tamara ignored her. She didn't want to talk about what was happening. She just wanted to leave the faeries something equally valuable to what she had taken and be done with it.
The halls of Central Glade High were empty except for a few teachers gossiping in the science hall. Tamara ducked around the corner when she heard them laughing.
G
uess I'm not using the elevator, she thought as she headed towards the stairs. She dashed up the stairs, legs burning from the effort. Since the end of volleyball Tamara hadn't been as active as she should have been. After a quick survey of the first hall on the fifth floor, she decided to just go for it. Shouldn't the fifth floor be empty this time of morning?
Footsteps fell on the stairs as she sprinted to room five eighty five, urging Tamara on. She pushed the door open and sighed in relief when it was blissfully empty except for Sir Bedivere. Tamara removed the tube from it's plastic wrapper and lay it in front of him.
“We're even now, right?” she asked out loud.
Tamara wasn't sure what she expected to happen, but she felt let down when nothing happened. It was foolish, but she did. She meandered down the hall and stairs, heading to her locker.
“Tamara!”
She looked over her shoulder to see Hayden running after her.
“Hey,” she had to force a smile, because she hadn't forgotten their argument yesterday. Thinking about it still left her bemused. Hayden had insulted and complimented her in the same breathe. He had drug her into this mess by cutting open those damn apples and now refused to acknowledge that anything was happening.
Hayden grinned at her and despite her anger butterflies began to flutter around her belly. She crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay this morning,” he said.
“Why wouldn't I be?” Tamara asked, wondering if something had finallyconvinced him that she hadn't lost her mind.
“You were acting really weird yesterday.”
“Oh,” Tamara rolled her eyes after being let down for the second time this morning and classes hadn't even began.
“I didn't mean to piss you off,” Hayden said shifting his backpack from one shoulder to the other, “We're all upset about losing the tournament and all the crazy stuff going on. I don't know what happened to you yesterday at the library.”
“Yes, you do!” Tamara snapped, “You know because I told you, Hayden!”
