The Red Brick Tower

The fair skinned Adeline woke to the glowing drapes hanging over the window of her large bedroom. The morning was a time of cleanliness, a time for nature to start anew. Cold air filled with the songs of blue birds calling to their mate. She sang in unison with them and whistled while her dark, long hair swept over the balcony, mimicking the curtains. Her deep daydreaming green eyes sparkled in the sun, but soon cast dark at the clouds that came between her and the daylight.
Adeline was too young to be alone, regardless of grace and loveliness around her.
After a while, she walked back inside, her hair dragged along following. She spent the day painting happy scenes of nature, yet all her canvases encompassed the same picture.
Sunset was approaching when she heard a voice coming from outside.
"Hello?" It spoke.
She was shocked that her secret home was discovered. Her curiosity overtook the fear she felt, and so Adeline reluctantly opened her windows, stepped onto the balcony, and eyed the ground to see who was there.
Bellow her she saw a young boy in ripped clothes and a worn cap on his head.
"Hello, young man. Is there something I can help you with?" Adeline asked.
The boy spoke in a high soft tone.
"Sorry to bother you miss, but what is it you are doing in this castle?"
She squinted her eyes with a slight concern and paused.
"This is hardly a castle," she replied. "How old are you boy? What's your name?"
"My name's Emmett. I'm twelve-years-old as of last week." Emmett's eyes lit up at the first clear sight of the beautiful young woman.
"Is that right? Well, Emmett, you must know to not approach a stranger's household. The world is dangerous and you cannot know for sure what is safe and what is not. The woods are no place for a boy."
Emmett smiled wide in spite of this advice. She grinned back.
"I understand, Miss, but the woods allow me to live. It's the only place for adventure. I cannot continue to just hide in my home."
She frowned. "Where are your parents?"
"My mother and father were killed a few years ago in a fire. These awful men had attacked our village, stole women and children and our food. But my uncle took me in. He allows me to go wherever I want."
"Are you not afraid of being alone, especially after what happened?"
"Uncle says being afraid is useless. If everyone stopped living out of fear, the world would be a lot emptier. Are you alone in that house of yours?"
A look of sadness appeared on Adeline's face but then she spoke.
"You better head home now, Emmett."
"Are you sure you are all right though?" he asked with worry.
"Yes, Emmett, I am fine, now hurry home. Your uncle will probably be expecting you to return for supper."
"Yes, Miss, but I will see you again!"
Emmett disappeared swiftly back into the trees, leaving Adeline alone as she became overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions. Being lonely, lost in thought is one of man's worst dangers.
'How can he be out by himself with no one to protect him and walking around approaching strange homes he is obviously alone in life and needs someone to help guide him those men could hurt him like they hurt his parents and Anna and Elizabeth and Erin and Charles they drowned because of me they are dead because of me its my fault its my fault its my fault.'
The walls moved closer and her phony paintings sang louder.
She started punching the air and then straight through all her canvases. She ripped apart her sheets and knocked over chairs. Taking the scissors from the drawer, she gripped her hair with her right hand and started cutting it at the neck until the rest fell to the ground along with her tears.
After Adeline calmed down she started painting on the canvases that were not yet ruined. Her mind raced but her hand was steady as she created scenes of love and loss. Heartache and heartbreak drove her hands to draw something with depth and emotion. It was of trees on fire consuming the world as people ran to the river where they drowned instead. She drew more brutal and graphic images illustrating the pain of her spirit that never saw life until that very night.
When the sun rose the next day, she finished her last canvas with a painting of a woman willingly falling off a cliff in faith that her wings will emerge to lift her and save her.
'I'm pathetic and weak locking myself up in this tower believing this will save me. That boy is right, one must move on and have adventure in life.'
Adeline decided to leave, and so she packed some of her things in a suitcase, put on her favorite blue dress, and climbed over her balcony to leave it forever.