Chapter 7- Wild Run
Flora woke up and instantly jumped up. She looked around the room she was in and sighed in relief: coats flopped on floor, mess of shoes on the ground and peeling painted walls. She was home! Quickly she sprinted upstairs, ran into her bedroom, and flung herself in front of her mirror. Bloodshot eyes, messy hair, and pink glasses. She was herself!
Flora swiftly changed into some fishnet tights that had small butterflies on, a short brown skirt and a baggy orange jumper. She tied her hair in a ponytail, cleaned her glasses and stormed downstairs.
“Morning Flower,” crooned her mother.
“Good morning mother,” responded Flora whilst she pulled on a pair of converses.
“Moring Fawra,” Alfie shouted with his mouth stuffed full of food just as Flora opened the door.
“Moring Alfau,” she mimicked and fled the scene before her mother could tell her off.
Flora hurtled to Esmeralda’s house. She twisted around lampposts and dodged moving cars. The street that was desolate with life the night before now beamed with it; a pack of rattletrap cars charged down the roads, sires blared, birds chirped, it was a symphony of chaos but it was Flora’s life she was used to shoving through crowds of late workers and busy mothers. Though she found herself huffing and puffing outside of a familiar mahogany door.
Chapter 8- The Red Book
A sweet chime welcomed Flora in; it warmed her heart and made her face melt into a grin. She loved this place. To Flora it felt like home; more than her own. She pinched herself suddenly. She’d only been here twice before and she was already thinking about staying forever. She sighed and let her eyes look around the room. The starry roof that filled the room with light, the clutter coating the magenta carpet, the magnificent tree growing through the roof, the book shelves that stored hundreds of stories she couldn’t wait to read. No she literally couldn’t, this is not her house.
“Planning on standing there forever,” whispered a gentle voice from above. Flora jumped backwards as she noticed Esmeralda hanging upside down from a branch crawling along the ceiling.
“What are you doing up there?” shrieked Flora, rubbing her glasses to make sure she wasn’t seeing things.
“Why are you down there?” retorted Esmeralda. She waved her hands about and Flora wondered how she wasn’t falling.
“You have to come down, what if you fall?” yelled Flora whilst trying to pull her down. Esmeralda started to wobble.
“Well I will if you keep tugging me!” she cried. Flora stopped suddenly, and Esmeralda, not expecting her to let go, started to fall off the branch. Flora reached her arms as if to catch her but it was too late Esmeralda fell and landed with a big oof.
“Ouch,” she stated once lying on top of Flora. “Luckily you were there to break my fall,” she laughed.
“Yeah, lucky you,” Flora grumbled. Esmeralda quickly jumped up and put a hand out for Flora who hesitantly reached for it before being pulled up.
“Well that was fun,” giggled Esmeralda, “Now what brings you to my humble home once more.”
Flora fixed her skirt, then stepped back,
“Oh, well I,” she stuttered, squeezing her left hand then took a deep breath, “Something weird happened to me and I think you know why!” she blurted. Esmeralda just stared at Flora blankly; it reminded Flora of looking at a sheep.
“Why would I?” She answered bluntly and started to walk down the small pathway that ran through the middle of her house. Flora quickly chased after her, stumbling over fallen pots and piles of blankets.
“Wait where do you think you’re going?” exclaimed Flora. Esmeralda didn’t answer, she just kept walking. Flora grunted, Esmeralda was ignoring her.
“Why are you ignoring me!” groaned Flora.
“Who says I’m ignoring you, I simply do not want to answer your question,” Esmeralda answered curtly before winding round a corner. Flora staggered after her.
She glanced around the room they had entered and stared in awe at a gilded framed painting hung on the wall. It looked so unusual compared to all the jumble in Esmeralda’s house.
“Hurry up!” urged Esmeralda when she noticed Flora had stopped and was admiring the intricate carvings on the pink wall.
“So now you’re talking to me,” Flora huffed, then she reached out grabbed Esmeralda, “Can you please slow down I need to speak to you.”
Esmeralda stopped, turned around to face Flora, reached out to the side of her head and picked up a red book. Flora squinted her eyes and noticed the golden lettering on the cover.
Infinite lives
“I believe this is the answer to your question,” whispered Esmeralda.
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