Annie found herself weaving through the sea of people's feet, caught in a situation where she had to make a swift exit from a place that had descended into chaos. Although she was hesitant to leave, she realised that she had no other option.
She whispered to herself in an attempt to reduce her hesitation, "It'll only be for a short while. I'll be back before Felix even notices."
As she wandered the festival stalls, driven by her insatiable thirst for adventure, her curiosity was piqued by a narrow, dark alleyway that seemed to beckon her to explore it. Despite feeling a little uncertain, she couldn't resist the allure and ventured into it alone.
Stepping into the alleyway was like diving into a cold, linked well. A place separated from the colourful, cheerful festival, it was like a passage to a dark realm behind. As she walked, the eerie silence sent chills down her spine with each echoing step.
Annie came across a worn-out sign that said, "See Your Future." Interested, she stepped inside, and the creaky door announced her arrival. The interior was dimly lit, and the cluttered space was filled with an assortment of strange objects, making it quite challenging to navigate without accidentally colliding with something. shelves lined with mysterious jars containing various soaked substances, while the air was thick with dust and a peculiar scent.
Annie tentatively explored, her fingers moving swiftly to sense every corner of the room. As a glint of light caught her eye, she turned around to gaze at a neglected crystal ball placed on the counter. She was tempted to touch it, but an old woman descended a rickety staircase. Her eyes bore into Annie's with stern intensity.
As her hand hovered over its smooth surface, a shadow fell across her. "Touch nothing, young lady!" The old woman's voice, raspy and laced with an exaggerated accent, echoed through the room. Her eyes, like chips of obsidian, locked onto Annie's with a chilling intensity. "The Crystal Ball is not a toy, nor is it a spectacle for the curious."
As Annie turned her back to face the old woman, her hand inadvertently brushed against the ball, breaking it into several shards that glittered like tears on the dusty floor. Annie was startled, leaving her momentarily taken aback.
⟪ There was an awkward silence that enveloped the room. My mind went blank; I couldn't think of something to get out of here. As I looked at her, I couldn't help but notice the way her nose seemed to curve ever so slightly, like a sickle. It seemed that the wrinkles occupied all of her face.⟫
Before Annie could have the opportunity to explain, there was a sudden movement. With the speed of a lightning flash, the old woman raised her hand, her gnarled fingers twisting in the air. The door, which had been stubbornly ajar just moments ago, slammed shut with a bone-jarring thud. Shadows flickered on the walls as the heavy curtains draped over the windows slid closed, engulfing the room in pitch darkness.
Panic turned to terror, and Annie felt like a cold hand squeezed her heart, but the darkness wasn't the only thing that terrified her. The sudden shift, the crackle of unseen energy, and the not-understood whispers of something far more menacing.
"It is a witch! She will transfer me into a frog. Annie fell into her silent thought, unable to speak.
Then came a flicker of light. A single candle, perched precariously on a dusty shelf, sputtered to life. Its meagre flame did little to dispel the darkness. But it did reveal the old woman standing before Annie, her face bathed in the flickering orange glow.
She was frozen in place and could only stare in terror as the old woman took a step closer. Anne covered her eyes, sensing the impending threat, and screamed, "Please, don't turn me into a frog or an insect!"
Her thin fingers with nails like claws honed on shadows ripped at the air and yanked a black wig from Annie's head, unveiling her golden hair. It cascaded down her shoulders like a river of molten sunlight. Each strand seemed to shimmer. It was a waterfall of gold that danced in the dark.
And then, the old woman spoke. Her voice, although still raspy, had lost its sharpness. "Golden hair," she whispered, grabbing the candle to get a better look at Annie's face. "This golden, silky hair has those lapis-lazuli blue eyes."
Annie felt a surge of confusion as she stared at the face of the old woman, which had been a mask of rage just moments ago, suddenly twisted into a completely different expression. There was a fleeting glimpse of something that appeared to be amazement.
With a swift motion, the elderly lady effortlessly snapped her fingers, restoring everything to its initial state. Promptly thereafter, the door gracefully swung open, while the curtains gracefully separated to welcome the warm glow of sunlight into the room.
She swung her hand, ordering Annie," You had better clean up the mess you made... The broom is behind the door.
Annie remained silent, blinking at the unexpected turn of events. The old woman replayed, as she noticed Annie did not lift a finger, "Do you want me to use my magic on you?"
"No, no, no... It's okay!" Annie replied, refusing her suggestion.
Unsure of what had just transpired, she cautiously proceeded to clean the shards of the crystal ball, her mind swirling with questions about the mysterious old woman and her strange reaction.
"I did not ask you about your name, young lady. My name is Juliet. What about you?" The old woman, Juliet, asked
"Annie, my name is Annie." Annie paused to smile at her.
"Well, Annie! If I were you, I wouldn't smile", Annie's face hardened at her sentence, and then Juliet added, pointing at the shattered ball, "You prevented me from making a living. I used to use my crystal ball to see the future of my customers. But don't worry, no one comes here very often; they don't distinguish us from the charlatans," she sighed as she said the last part.
"I'm not sure what reaction I should show in this situation... Listening to her story like stupid is the worst; I need to get out of here as soon as possible" , Annie wondered.
"I'm truly sorry about the crystal ball," she said, each word measured and careful. "I'll leave you to your work now." She bent to retrieve her black wig, clutching it like a shield against Juliet's piercing scrutiny.
"Not so fast!" Juliet commanded, but it was too late since Annie had already escaped.
Annie ran as fast as she could, and she didn't dare look back. Once she sensed that the eyes observing her were no longer present, she paused to catch her breath. And Juliet's words echoed in her mind, a haunting whisper that refused to fade.
"Golden hair...and those lapis-lazuli blue eyes."
"Who cares about the nonsense? ... I won't meet Juliet in any way; why should I overthink it? "She was talking to herself in an attempt to calm her pounding heart.
Looking around, she could not recognise the surrounding buildings and exclaimed in denial, "Don't tell me I'm lost?!" She nagged, " No way!"
A faint sobbing sound reached her ears. Turning towards the source, she noticed a young girl sitting by herself, tears streaking her face. Concern etched on her features, Annie approached the girl cautiously.
"Are you okay?" Annie asked gently, crouching down beside her.
The little girl looked up, her big hazel eyes filled with tears. "I lost my mommy," she sobbed.
Annie brushed the little girl's tears away. "It's going to be okay... I'm Annie; what's your name?"
"Lily," the girl whimpered.
Annie reassured Lily, saying, "What a beautiful name, Lily! Let's search for your mom together, okay?"
Despite feeling a knot of worry in her stomach, Annie tried to sound confident. Holding Lily's hand, she began scanning the crowd, relying on the description given by the little girl of her mother for any indication.
After searching for a while, Annie spotted a woman in the distance, frantically calling out Lily's name. "There, Lily! Your mom is over there!" Annie exclaimed, relieved.
But as Lily rushed towards her mother, a fast-moving carriage thundered towards them, the oblivious driver not seeing the little girl darting across the street. Without a second's thought, Annie lunged forward, pushing Lily out of harm's way.
However, the horse pulling the carriage reared up, startled by the sudden movement. Annie found herself directly in the path of the panicked animal. Before the situation escalated, a figure leapt into action.
Fortunately, Lord William, the eldest son of Duke Philip, cleverly concealed his noble status behind the humble attire of a commoner. For hours, he had been observing the festivities from a distance.
Lord William acted quickly and confidently as he approached the untamed horse. His agile movements were a remarkable sight as he swiftly mounted the horse with a single leap. His calming presence immediately halted the horse's movement and prevented any harm that could have occurred from its attempted escape.
As William dismounted, his eyes met Annie's. There was a shared moment of profound silence that enveloped them, contrasting with the astonished gasps reverberating throughout the surrounding crowd.