Trapped in the Featherlands

Reunion in the Badlands

“And you’ll get to meet my parents,” Lilly continued on her gleeful rant. “They’re pretty cool. My mom runs a small bake shop. She bakes all kinds of cookies and cakes and me and Sil get to try them all. You’ve had cake before, right? They have that here?” Lilly walked over a log breaking through a small creek. She looked back to Erica behind her, staring at the path in silence.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah,” Erica answered dryly. Her eyes rested with an absent mind.

“My mom makes the best!” Lilly gushed. “You’ll have to try the red velvet cupcake she makes. It is to die for!” Lilly skipped off of the log and down to a mossy patch. “And my dad is a science teacher at my high school. He’s pretty fun sometimes. He tells really stupid jokes, but they’re so bad, they’re kind of funny, you know? And school, you’ll get to see my school. School is… a place to learn and keep you out of your house all day. It’s pretty dull, especially when your teachers start sending home mountains of homework, but it can be fun too. All my friends are there; I’ll introduce you to them. There’s Claire who’s a riot. She’s in the drama department and is hilarious. There’s Kevin who is sweet when he’s not hitting on all the other girls. He says he’s just joking, but I think he’s just desperate. And then there’s my best friend Olivia. She’s been my bestie forever, ever since we were little. She’s very loud and a lot of fun to be around. I can’t wait to introduce you to them all. I may have to explain the whole ‘fairy’ thing to them first. Wings aren’t exactly a common thing on humans.” Lilly laughed. Erica did not. The pair crossed through a shallow meadow of sunshine painted buttercups. Erica trotted closely behind Lilly. The human, hit with the uncomfortable silence from her companion, slowed to walk next to her. “Hey, are you okay?” Erica paused. The fairy looked up and forced a smile.

“Yeah, why?” Erica asked.

“Well, you’ve just been really quiet since… the swamp,” said Lilly. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, of course not,” said Erica.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“Erica,” Lilly prodded. “If there’s something on you mind, please tell me. Otherwise my mind is just going to think the worst.”

“Nothing is… I’m just…” Erica stalled. She twiddled her fingers as she walked. Her wings drooped. “I just like listening to you talk.”

“Really?” Lilly asked. “There’s nothing else?” Erica stalled.

“Uh huh,” Erica said, her mind more lost than the pair had been since crossing into the Badlands.

“You sure?”

“These… other friends of yours,” Erica began steadily. “Are they… no, nevermind. It’s stupid.”

“It’s not,” said Lilly. “If it’s something I said that’s bothering you, it’s not stupid. Tell me.”

“These other humans, friends, you talk about… Are they as special to you as I am?” Erica asked, hesitating after every other word. Lilly stopped. She placed her hand on Erica’s shoulder, jerking her to a halt.

“Erica,” Lilly said, lost for words. “No. I mean, they’re special to me… but for different reasons. It’s complicated.”

“I’m sorry,” said Erica, pushing through Lilly and continuing to walk. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I just don’t understand your human customs, I guess.”

“Well, like I said, it’s complicated,” said Lilly, catching up to her. She grabbed Erica’s hand, stopping her once more. Erica turned to face the girl. “The truth is that I’ve… never felt for any of them the way that I feel about you. What we did back there… just friends don’t do that. We… humans do that with people we like… like, really like. I know it sounds weird, but it’s something extra special done between people who…” Lilly paused, catching her cheeks begin to brighten red.