CHAPTER SIX:
𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲
❝ ɪ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴍʏ ᴘᴀɪɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴘᴀɪɴᴛ ᴍʏ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ. ❞
✧･ﾟ: - *✧･ﾟ* :･ﾟ- *:･ﾟ✧
"If you want to make the indication of a happy little cloud, all you do is just sorta tap." spoke the man in the telly.
"I AM DOING THAT, WHY AIN'T IT WORKING? WHERE'S MI HAPPY CLOUD?" it was taking everything in me to prevent myself from tearing this sketch pad I was holding into a million pieces. Again, the things I do for love...
I bet Porcelain's a natural at this. She might even have her own studio and everything. I bet my lucky socks she can even paint in her sleep!
Right now, I was illustrating—or trying to, anyways— a scenery from the wilderness much like the painter in the TV was doing, following his lead. He kept naming colors I didn't even know existed such as phthalo blue and lizard crimson! Or was it alizarin crimson?
Obviously, so far, no good.
"Maybe because you're using your brothers' old broken crayons instead of actual paint?" Jackass intervenes.
"I... haud yer wheesht!" he laughs at my surrender. He continues to play with my brothers, lying with his stomach flat on our old bear rug. I am still doubtful whether or not Dad truly purchased that from a furniture store or hunted it down himself.
"Some little trees back in here." he effortlessly makes wee brush strokes near the line of the horizon, creating these illusions of trees from a distance. It must be a normal sight or a rule of thumb for actual artists, I'm sure, but as an amateur seeing it for the first time... I was absolutely captivated.
I imitated his brush movements with a used and abused pencil, making quick marks from top to bottom to create what should be leaves. I was getting a bit woozy from constantly looking up to the television and immediately back down to my drawing.
"You're trying too hard for her, Merida. And on your own too. You should've just asked me for help." Jack flatteringly places a hand on his chest and ups his chin whilst batting his annoyingly long eyelashes at me.
"Lad drew a decent bunny once, and now he thinks he's the new Bob Ross."
"Hey, it did get me the highest grade in class!"
"Say..." I realized something, "what if you and Bob are related?"
Jack eyes were as narrow as a hanging bridge, "Seriously?"
"What? You two are both Rosses!"
He scoffs as he sets his attention back to attaching tiny race car tracks with my brothers, "Lass was told she could be a descendant of a famous painter once, and now she thinks everyone with the same surnames are related."
"Touché." was all I could say.
I crumpled the sorry excuse for a drawing I had summoned from the gates of the underworld (let's be honest, literal demons could draw better than me) and threw it over at Jack's noggin.
"Hey!"
"Whoops! Sorry, lad. Didn't know I had a good arm." He was about to flip me off but remembered the presence of youngsters in the area.
"Darlings?" a voice rings through the living room walls. I looked for the source and saw Mum peeking through the entrance that separates the living room from the kitchen. Seeing Jack, she smiles, "Jack, didn't know yer here!"
"Good afternoon, ma'am. Yes, just ten minutes ago. I'm sorry I didn't greet you."
"Oh, nothing to worry about. How's Emma?"
I ignored them and resumed watching this Bob Ross guy paint. He reminds me a lot about Elsa. Aye, I get that's not saying much because pretty much everything reminds me of her now. First, the obvious relationship and affinity with art. And second, just their general perspective on life and their seemingly innate ability to see the beauty in everything.
Like, seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses. Or whatever that one French song meant.
"We don't make mistakes, just happy accidents."
I hope you're right, Bob Ross.
Meeting Elsa was like a cold day in July. Sure, I probably would've met her in a different circumstance as long as she resides in Aurora Creek, but I doubt any other path would end with us in this situation. No, it had to be this way—perfectly arranged like a set of doors in a long empty hallway, waiting for me to open each and every one of them. It was like fate, you know?
Or was it just an accident like Bob Ross said? A mistake?
"What you doin' there, dear?" Mum startles me by asking. She points to the sketch pad and mess of crayons on the couch.
"It's for a lass!" I heard Hubert jeer. Hamish made kissy noises alongside Harris, with their backs turned and hands rubbing affectionately on their arms, making it appear like they were making out with someone. Sons of Loki!
"Lass?"
"NO!" I exclaimed a little too loud for someone trying not to be defensive, "Just trying a new hobby out. Yes."
It sounded like I was convincing myself more than I was convincing her.
"Ahh. Don't let me stop you!" Trust me, I won't. She gives me a quick kiss on my head and went back to the kitchen.
Minutes later, Jack started to complain about how much he misses Hiccup. Off his rocker, I tell you.
"Ye miss him, or do you miss his...?" he slaps me hard on the shoulder before I could finish my sentence.
"Come on, let's bounce."
"Aye, aye!" Thought I'd spend the entire day training to be a professional artist, but you saw how that turned out.
"Mum, Jack and I are going to Uncle Gobber's!" I yelled from the room, already lacing on my faded sneakers.
"Merida, I don't want you going to that bar again." I didn't answer.
Just before leaving, I stuck a tongue out at my brothers who were still aggravating me with their kissy noises. "Bye, kids!" Jack waves and miraculously, they returned to their angelic state and reciprocated Jack's wave. Devils, I tell you. Sheep in wolf's clothing.
Stepping out of the gate of our house, Jack continues to yap about missing his brunette lover who probably loved dragons more than he could ever love him or himself. "I swear, when I see him, I'll—"
"If you finish that sentence, I will literally beat the livin' devil out of ye, Ross."
I always thought it was Hiccup who was going to be the clingy and lovey-dovey one between them as Jack wasn't a very affectionate lad before they began dating. Now, look at him. I guess love truly does change you.
"Say, I've been meaning to ask: who does wear the pants in your guys' relationship?"
"Who said anything about keeping pants on?" he smirks.
I wanted to die.
With a walk that felt like forever having to deal with Grandpa's jokes and remarks, we finally reached Grubber's burger stand. It was Freddy's turn to serve that time.
"Hey, Hiccu—"
"HICCUP!" Jack dashes through the streets, leaving me alone. Good, I didn't want to be the audience to their disgusting public display of affection anyway.
"You won't... you won't believe who was just here literally three minutes ago!" Hiccup says as soon as I got there.
"Who?"
"Elsa!"
"Elsa...?"
"ELSA!"
"As in, Elsa?"
"ELSUH."
"Yer bum's out the window."
"I don't know what that means but AYE." he confirms once more, "S-she said she wanted three burgers, so Fred here had to discuss again the 'Buy 1, Take 1' policy to her. It was a long discussion... in the end, she went home with the three burgers she asked for, giving Fred her fourth one. Huh, I guess h-he really does get free food."
"Dagda's beard." I practically slammed my head on the counter. I just sat there like a lost soul. How could we be three minutes too late?! Happy accidents, you say, Bob Ross?
"So close yet so far." Jack adds insult to injury. "It's for the best. You probably would've embarrassed yourself in front of her. Or we would do it for you."
Ugh.
"Wait, you said she grabbed three burgers, correct? That could only mean that she's... bi!"
I scrunched up my nose at the far-fetched-ness of his theory. I wanted to throw my own bum out the metaphorical window, "Excuse me, how exactly does taking three burgers tell one's bi-ness? Er, bisexuality."
"I know it sounds insane, but the two burgers represent boy and girl. The third burger is her. She likes boys and girls!"
"Or that could also mean she's into threeso—"
"SHUT YER GEGGIE!"
Hiccup and I just looked at him like he was crazy, which he was. So was his sister! "Absolute mad man lad." was all I could add with the current state of agonizing agony I was in.
"You weren't kidding though, Merida. She really was as pretty and porcelain-like as you said she was." I internally cried even more, being reminded that I wasn't granted the privilege of witnessing her beauty out in daylight. "Still p-pretty freaked about her hair being blonde now but— but she wears it well. She turned paler, too. That's another thing. I hope she's okay?"
"What was the Bonnie Haddie's hair color before anyway?"
"Brown." Like Jack.
"Now, her hair's like freshly fallen snow."
✧･ﾟ: - *✧･ﾟ* :･ﾟ- *:･ﾟ✧
Freshly fallen snow.
Hiccup had a way with words. Even back here at home, I still couldn't forget the way he compared Elsa's crowning glory to something so cold and dangerous yet also a bringer of joy and a remembrance of times of purity and innocence. I never cared much for symbolisms or things that reflect indirect truth. I was always a 'call it like you see it' kind of gal. Until I met her. I'd love to know. I'd love to see the world through her eyes. And with our museum date soon, I finally will.
Once again, more evidence of love changing people.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Seriously, what was it with people interfering with my train of thoughts lately?
KNOCK KNOCK.
Knocks? Not on my door but on the window right next to my bed.
I checked whatever the hell was causing that noise and wrinkled my forehead at the sight of both Jack and Hiccup, sitting on the roof of the first floor, the one I so gracefully fell off of the other night. It was midnight. What are they doing here so late? And together? And through my window? They were welcome to use the door anytime, these bampots.
"Er, good evening?"
"Come with us." they invite me in unison like a choir, holding out their hands for me.
What in the world? "Where we goin'?"
"To Elsa."
To Elsa? Why? Why now? I know I'm head over heels for the lass but I'm not that nuts that they'd think I'll just appreciate them waking me up this late to go and see her whenever they please!
Not even giving me the chance to ask any more questions nor protest, they had already pulled me out of my room by sheer force as they each held a hand of mine. With a sudden yet strong gust of wind, the boys did something I'd never imagine they'd do in twenty lifetimes: they jumped in the air.
"What are ye—? AH!"
Closing my eyes as an instinct, I prepared myself for the hard impact that the landing would offer to our sorry bums when we hit the ground, remembering the unorthodox 'sky dive' I did that Dad had seen one night.
But it never came.
I know our roof wasn't that far from the ground! We should've hit it by now.
Still, it didn't come.
But what did come was a change in temperature and the swift lightness I felt from my body. What was going on?
I opened my eyes slowly, partly due to the intense pressure the wind was pushing on my face, making each eyelid opening hurt, but also because I was afraid I might not like what I'd see.
There we were.
Here we were.
Up in the sky.
In the middle of the night.
Gliding like a flock of migrating ducks, like Peter Pan and Tinkerbell on pixie drugs!
WHAT
IN
THE
WORLD?!
I looked to the two lads on my sides to make sure I wasn't the only one freaking out, but I was.
Jack seemed to be having the time of his life, with a Cheshire cat smile on and all, as we sailed through the air as if he's used to flying. Hiccup was even more so entertained. Boy, does he feel like a dragon now.
WHY HAVEN'T THEY EVER TOLD ME THEY COULD FLY?
Are they one of those peculiar children with peculiar powers? That's what this was, right?
They didn't say a thing. They just held on to my hands tightly as they navigated me through the starry night sky. We were now about to fly over Grubber's— no, the Cresent Moon! Wait... my Aunt Maudie's Diner!
What I found weirder was even I couldn't say a word. I had the strangest feeling that if I spoke so much as a word, it would break this flying enchantment we were in. So, silent I stayed, and enjoyed the moonlight shining on our faces.
"We're going to let go now,"
WHAT?
"You can do this. We believe in you."
DOUBLE WHAT?
"On three!"
NO, NOT ON THREE! NOT ON ANY NUMBER!
"One..."
STOP!
"Two..."
YE LAVVY-HEIDED WANKSTAINS!
"THREE!"
SUGAR HONEY ICED TEA!
With a forceful swing, I flew across the air like a ball hit by Babe Ruth's bat! Right in front of my path were mountain ranges of... picket fences? After another scream that destroyed my lungs worse than chain-smoking ever would, I lift my body weight up to fly above these fences that just appeared out of nowhere and to my surprise, it worked. It worked?
More appeared, and with each one, I continued to hoist myself defensively. I don't know how I was able to do that, but I can, apparently.
How dare Jack and Hiccup just come into my room in the middle of the night to put my life in danger?!
What was wrong with them?
What was wrong with the world?!
With the questions pouring in my head, I hadn't noticed the massive ladder in front of me until I crashed into it.
"Ow!" My royal bump against the ladders had put my flying abilities to a halt. I was now slowly falling to the ground about to share my first and last kiss to the concrete streets of Aurora Creek, meaning my immediate end.
Jings, crivens, help my life!
I am so haunting Jack and Hiccup for the rest of my afterlife.
Thinking quickly, I grabbed on to the ladders. Gods, did it hurt. I think I got splinters too. What now? Do I climb?
I couldn't believe what I saw when I looked up from the ladders— well, everything that was happening tonight gave me a disbelief I could not begin to compare anything to— but, a few hundred steps, maybe more, on the tippy top was Elizabeth Denise Ellednera.
Standing with her back turned and her hair in her usual braided updo like a doll released from her box.
I called for the lass because... because I don't know! You're stuck in a weird alternate dimension with a surreal concept of how space and time works then you see a familiar face within the whole kerfuffle, you obviously call for them.
She didn't answer. She didn't hear.
All there was left to do was to climb this thing up to her.
And I did.
The air was cold. The pressure and temperature would change dramatically as I ascend further to the top. I wondered if I was already among the clouds. But there were no clouds. Heck, there was no ground either, at least not that my naked eye could see. There was only darkness beneath my feet. As I reach nearer and nearer, so did the abyss under my sneakers. I wasn't going to let it get to her first.
I climbed higher.
I could hear the sounds of what I think were clocks ticking and tocking.
Higher.
Alarms were triggered. I looked around to find the sources of these gods-forsaken noises but there was nothing for miles.
Higher.
The ticks, the tocks, and the ringing were piercing through my ears.
Higher.
Now in front of me were blue doll shoes that still looked brand new.
There she was.
With shaky hands, I supported myself on the ledge Elsa was standing on and pushed myself up, careful not to bump into her as I was only inches away. When I turned around to face her finally, I was horrified.
Not only was she no longer inches away, but she was also now trapped inside a fishbowl, unbothered, and unresponsive.
A FISHBOWL.
Elsa swam in the giant glass container like she was born in it, born to do it. Her head bobbed lightly up and down; her body moved with grace. Her eyes were closed as mine were wide open, glued onto her.
I looked back to see if anything else had changed around me. Sure enough, the ladder had disappeared. No way up or down.
I turned to Elsa and once again, she was as far away from me as she was when I was still back down at the bottom of the ladders. I didn't think any more of it and began chasing after her. I climbed all the way up here; I'm not going to let her get away again!
As I ran, the emptiness around us began to fill with eyeballs appearing into thin air. None of them were focused on me as they all stared blankly at... Elsa, like an entrapped animal, displayed for everyone's viewing pleasures.
She turned around and locked eyes with me. Her eyes twinkled brighter than the stars in the blackness surrounding us. She was happy to see me? Was she stuck in this world too?
Then, there it was. Her smile. I still get that rewarding feeling of being the reason for her to flash such a beautiful smile.
But the feeling was short-lived.
Fire.
Her hair caught on fire... while she was underwater! The fire grew and grew. It engulfed her head. Her body. It did nothing except to surround and trap her in its warm embrace. Still, she holds her smile. Her skin did not melt, nor did it begin to darken, or turn to ashes. No cry for help.
She simply stands there, flashing me the bright pearls between her lips, letting the flame do to her whatever it wanted to do. I stood there as well, bewildered with the whole scene, eyes as wide as the floating eyeballs in the void. We both didn't move a muscle.
Was I supposed to help her?
Was I supposed to do something?
After a silence that felt like an eternity, she opens her mouth to speak with the softness of a feather-filled pillow, "Merida..."
"Merida."
"Merida."
"Merida."
"Merida..."
"Merida..."
"Merida...!"
"Merida...!"
"MERIDA!"
"MERIDA!"
"MERIDA!"
"Huh?"
"What's gotten into you, lass?" the voice yells in frustration. It was Mum. Oh no, she's in this world, too?
Cushions. Blanket. Pillows.
I was back in my room.
Greeting me as soon as I opened my eyes were Mum and Dad, towering over my bed. They did not look happy.
"You were off your head, you were! Yelling in yer sleep like that."
It was just a dream? Yup, that should've crossed my mind first rather than the peculiar powers theory.
"I'm sorry."
I convinced them that I was going to be fine now and that they could leave me be, assuring them from the screaming deal. Seconds after they left, Dad returned. He sat on my bed, looking me in the eye full of worry. I felt awful.
"I don't mean to be a meddling parent, dear, but did this dream had anything to do with a certain quine you met at a... certain bar?" my cheeks began to burn like the fire that swallowed Elsa in my dream. He chuckles.
"I'm worlds away from being good at dating advice but just know, ye shouldn't give up, lass. Take the risks. Be brave,"
Be brave. He tells me that all the time.
"...and when you find ye don't like the end results, well... at least you knew you tried and gave it yer all."
I didn't say a word. I slowly made my way to the edge of my bed and swung my legs over. I pushed some of my weight over Dad's shoulders so he could tilt down and meet my level. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. His shoulders shake as he lets out a light chortle.
"You're wrong, Dad." I tell him, "Ye really are good at giving advice."
When Dad left, I was once again all alone in my room. I was awake long enough to see the change in light and color of the sky through my window, where Jack and Hiccup had knocked on in that bizarre dream of mine.
That was just some stupid dream. All dreams are weird. It's not something prophetic, right? Right? Why would it be?
Disrupting my thoughts one last time was my phone ringing. Practically screaming it to my face was the notification I received in all uppercase letters and a heart emoticon.
Jings, crivens, help my boab. I almost forgot.
'D8 W/ PORCELAIN!!!!!Z!!!!!! <3'
✧･ﾟ: - *✧･ﾟ* :･ﾟ- *:･ﾟ✧