An Imagination Most Unladylike

Chapter One: An Old Story

I sprinted through the woods, jumping over the fallen log in the middle of the path. Adrenaline was pumping through my body as I ran, the wind whistling in my ears. The shadow followed, getting dangerously closer with every minute. I took a deep breath, building up speed as I took a sharp turn to the right into a field of grass, throwing it off for a moment, but I knew it wouldn't be for long.

The grass was taller than me, and the afternoon dew that rested on it dripped down onto me. Everything was silent, apart from the rustle of the wind in the grass. I didn't even dare to breathe as I sprinted through the field and back into the forest, leaving the shadow in the dust.

I panted for breath, leaning against the side of a tree in relief. I was sure I had lost it. I turned around, running towards home. The shadow appeared from nowhere, tackling me to the ground. I gasped, fighting it off with my hands. It rolled its eyes.

"Chillax and admit I won," Douxie laughed, pinning me on the ground. I groaned, shoving him off.

"You may be my best friend, but you're still an idiot." I stood up, brushing dirt off my clothes.

"No, you," was the reply. Douxie rolled over on the ground before standing up. His bright green eyes glinted in the sunlight.

"Last one to the cottage turns into custard." I sprinted down the path, Douxie close behind me.

"YOU HAD A HEAD START!!!" He called. I laughed and continued running. My backpack, still full of chunky textbooks, split open as it caught on a branch. I let it rip as I neared my home, tripping on my own shoelaces as I dived for the front door.

I turned around, still laughing as I watched Douxie hit the door after me. His viridescent hoodie was coated in dirt and grass.

"You... cheated..." he breathed, glancing at me and resting against the door.

"Suck it, green boy," I grinned, pushing the door open, causing him to stumble. I tossed my bag against the wall, running into the kitchen.

"Grandma!" I screamed happily. My grandmother and my parents sat at our oak table, sharing some tea.

"Happy birthday, mon amour!" My grandmother kicked her chair over as she stood. Her long, greying hair floated down to her knees, and her wrinkled face broke into a great smile.

"Aja, I made iced tea if you want some," my mother beamed.

"Thanks, mom." I grinned.

"I'm gonna head home," Douxie spoke up. "See you."

"Bye," I hugged him before he left. He grabbed his bag and shut the door behind him.

"I have something for you," my grandmother winked at me. "Tonight, I show you, oui?"

"Ok," I smiled. This didn't normally happen. My grandmother was usually travelling and my parents were always busy with our definitely overgrown garden.

~ ~ ~

I checked the clock. Bouillabaisse for dinner. Interesting. To be honest with you, it was my first time eating it. The presentation is cool, but- it tastes like... Uh... fish, orange, fish, garlic, fish, thyme, fish, onions... did I mention the fish? "Aja. Come," Grandma beckoned as she slid off her chair and walked into our living room. I followed. Lying on her favourite rocking chair in our house there was a very big book. And by big, I mean big. She lifted it, carefully brushing off small amounts of dust from the cover. "Inside of this book, your ancestors have written each their own story inside. They passed it down from generation to generation. Now, it is your turn." she smiled brightly, dumping it in my arms. "Ok, I'm hungry." she headed back to the kitchen. My thought still revolved around fish.

I walked to my room, looking at the book the whole way. Why'd she give me it? I mean, it's a nice gift, and I like it, but she knew I couldn't write a story. I dropped down on my bed, flicking it open and dipping my favourite blue quill in some ink. I thought for a while, for what started as five seconds and turned to five minutes. I sighed as the ink ran dry and I put away the quill and the bottle. Flopping down on my bed, I checked my watch. Seven o'clock. I closed my eyes, ready to go to sleep two hours earlier than usual.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!!" someone screamed in my ear and I fell off the bed.

"What in the name of apple cinnamon muffins?..." I sat up. "You again?!" I groaned. Douxie smirked from beside me. "How did you get in?" I moaned, climbing back onto the bed.

"I used the front door." he replied blankly. "It's really not that hard. I'm sleeping here tonight. Deal with it in your head, ok? I want to get some rest at least."

"You're sleeping on the floor," I muttered, turning over on the bed. "And if you snore, I'm opening the window so that when you roll over in your sleep you fall out of it." he laughed as he lay down on the ground, folding his hand behind his head.

~ ~ ~

The ship tilted dangerously toward the maelstrom. My hair was plastered to my face in the wind and rain. Lightning struck in the distance. "Hard to starboard!" I screamed. I watched as Douxie spun the wheel hard to the right and the ship desperately tried to pull out of the current of the maelstrom.

"Georgia, we need to act! Fire!" Douxie shouted, still attempting to get our ship out of the maelstrom. I glanced at the other ship. It was gaining on us. Fast.

"Fire, or they'll overbear us!" Another boy yelled to a girl with frizzy brown hair and dark eyes. She nodded.

"FIRE!" Douxie screamed.

"FIRE!" the boy shouted.

"FIRE! FIRE ALL!" the girl yelled, pulling a pistol out from her pocket and pulling the trigger, shooting a man who was swinging over to our ship. Several cannons sounded.

"PREPARE TO BOARD!" a gingerbread biscuit shouted, holding a rope. This seemed perfectly normal at the time, so I didn't question it. The boy and I pulled out swords from our belts and ran to the edge of the ship. "Ollie?" I asked.

"Ready," he replied. We each grabbed a rope and pushed off of the side of the ship.

"Wait! Aja, look out!" I heard Douxie scream from behind me. I looked up to see an unfamiliar man flying towards me, sword unsheathed. The rope holding me snapped, and I plummeted into the abyss.

"AJA!" two people screamed above me.

~ ~ ~

"AJA!"

The words rang in my ears as I sat up, sweating. It was midnight. The full moon shone mysteriously outside my window. "AJA!!!" Douxie screamed again. The book at the foot of my bed glowed brightly, before spinning around and lifting into the air. Footsteps approached my bedroom door at a quickly. The book spun open to what looked like the page I was on before and a light almost as bright as the sun exploded in the room.

We were falling through the sky, the wind rushing past us as we screamed. The clouds whizzed past us, and it seemed like the falling would never end. Below us, a dense forest filled the land for miles on end. Douxie fell near me, nothing above us or around us but clouds and sky. We began to fall faster as we neared earth. That's when we hit the ground. And everything went black.