Astrid is an artist who creates incredible masterpieces inspired by her dreams and visions from her vivid imagination. But lacking memories of her life before one ominous day in a forest, has caused her to live a disconnected life.
Only when she en...
"No. There has to be something. There has to be a way," Astrid mused sadly into the off white, summer dress that covered her knees. The wildflower pattern matching that of the dress that her daughter wore.
True set Amber down and crouched beside his wife.
"Please, Astrid. Don't do this to yourself. This is not your fault and it is not your responsibility."
"Then whose is it? Somebody needs to do something True. People can't live like this. Natanstrelle can't stay like this."
True put his arm around Astrid's shoulders and pulled her towards him.
"I know. My Astrid, I know," was all he could say in response. It, of course, did not settle his wife's thoughts, nor did he think it would - he simply didn't know what else he could say.
"Mummy?" Astrid heard her little girl's voice and hurriedly wiped tears away from her eyes. She then shook herself out of the net of depression that managed to bind around her slouched shoulders.
"Come on, let's go and find Mimi," she said to little Amber, then clumsily got to her feet, making True follow her movement. Then held out her hand for Amber to hold. All three of them then made their way to the cottage's front door.
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Gentle chirping was the only sound that could be heard within Strelle Forest that night. The air was still and the atmosphere was peaceful.
A subtle orange glow pressed against the calm shadows from the living room window. All conversation, between the three Strelle dwellers, faded like the flames of the fire they ritually congregated around. Amber was now tucked up cosily in her bed that her father built and placed lovingly in his and Astrid's bedroom.
Once the last ember within the fire died out the three decided to retire to their rooms also. True went straight to his room, that he now shared with both his wife and his daughter. Astrid picked up the cocoa mugs to take to the kitchen and insisted that she didn't need help to wash them. So Naomi made her way to her room.
The light orb, built within the walls of the cottage sensed Astrid's presence in the kitchen and lit up the room so that she could see what she was doing. She filled the sink and scrubbed the three mugs. She took in the peaceful calm of the quiet night that Strelle Forest provided for them.
"Astrid…"
A strange whispering voice sounded in the still air. It was so quiet that Astrid thought that she was just hearing things, and so, ignored it. But it whispered again.
"Astrid…"
"Naomi?" she called through to the empty living room. However, she knew this voice didn't belong to Naomi or True. It sounded familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
"Astrid…"
That sound gripped her focus and drew her to the front door. She opened it and followed the sound. It guided her through the darkened trees. Each step the voice grew louder and louder. She stumbled amongst the tree roots until she reached the lake, where True proposed to her all those years ago.
