She whispered to the dark: "No job. No scholarship. No love. No one." Voice cracked—raw edge. "Just... me." Feet kept going—muscle memory, path etched in her bones. Wind whistled through leaves, carrying pine sharp, loneliness sharper. Why fight? Why climb? But she did. Higher. Away.
Peak crested gentle—a flat rock jutting like a throne for no one, rusted railing twisted guard. Below: town lights twinkled distant, tiny fires mocking her small. Sky vast above—stars pricking black, indifferent witnesses.
Moon sank heavy onto the stone—thump—knees folding, bag spilling beside. Pulled a can free—fsssht—foam hissing white, spilling over fingers. Long sip burned—bitter fizz, chasing ice cream's ghost. Wiped mouth with sleeve, stare lost to the void. "To me," she toasted the dark. "The fuck-up queen."
Shoulders trembled then—small shake at first. Building.
The dam cracked—shatter quiet, but total. Moon folded in—knees to chest, arms lock tight, body curling small against the rock's bite. Tears spilled hot—unstoppable flood, soaking sleeves, dripping to stone.
Sobs tore free—raw, animal: "Why?!" Voice echoed off peaks, bouncing lonely. "Why does everything I touch fall apart?! Why doesn't anyone stay?! Why wasn't I enough for anyone?!"
Chest heaved—gasps wet, body rocking. Sky blurred to smear, stars swimming cruel. Cries peaked—ugly, full-throated—then ebbed to whimpers, wind carrying them away. Alone. Always alone.
Moon uncurled slow—head tilting back, tear-streaked face to the endless. Voice dropped whisper, broken thread: "Hey... if anyone up there is listening... I'm so tired."
Tear traced slow—cold track down cheek, lost in hair. "I don't want much. Just someone who doesn't lie. Someone who hugs me when I break. Someone who stays."
Tremble took her—voice quaking: "I'm so tired of being the strong one. So tired of pretending. So tired of being alone." Words hung, smoke in the chill. Stars blinked—silent judges.
Wind sighed first—cold gust over the rock, raising gooseflesh. Then... shifted. Warm. Gentle almost—like breath, or hand unseen brushing her arm.
Moon startled—head snapping up, eyes wide through red-rim. "...That scent." Orchid bloomed—stronger than ever, warm-soft-sweet, like night flower kissing her cheek. Chasing beer bitterness, filling lungs with velvet promise.
Fwooo—
Flute note floated—soft silver, pure as first snow. Winding through wind, lifting her hair gentle, drying tear-tracks with invisible touch.
Moon's breath caught—chest still, ears straining. "...Is someone here...?" Melody curled close—silk wrap, chasing shadows. Orchid overflowed—deep, blooming full, heart's quiet call.
Moon rose slow—tear-streaked, eyes red-swollen, chest heaving ragged. But under pain? Spark. Curiosity, fragile glow.
Voice cracked—whisper to the night: "...Why do you always show up when I'm hurting?" Warmth answered—wrapping tighter, alive pulse in the air.
Sky shimmered faint—stars bending soft. Something called back. Not words. Just reach. Just pull. Come.
Moon curled tight on the rock—knees crushed to chest, arms locked vise 'round her legs, body a small, shaking ball against the mountain's bite. Sobs ripped free—deep, ugly heaves, shoulders jolting violent. Stars above smeared to liquid trails, sky a watery blur through her lashes. Every breath clawed in—jagged knife, lungs burning raw.
She threw her head back, scream tearing the night: "WHY?! Why me every time?!" Voice echoed wild off the peaks—bouncing lonely, fading to whisper. Tears gushed hot, unstoppable rivers carving her cheeks. "I didn't ask for a perfect life!" Fist slammed the stone—crack—knuckles blooming red, pain sharp but small against the ache. "I just wanted... just ONE thing to stay!" The words hung, broken plea to the void.
Sobs ebbed to whimpers—wet hitches, body rocking slow. Moon's face crumpled full: eyes swollen red, nose running, lips quivering ugly-real. "Dad left me." Whisper choked out, voice splinter. "Mom died before I even finished school. No home. No family. No place that feels safe. NOTHING!"
Tears soaked her collar, voice dissolving to gasps. "I never had a room that was only mine. Never had someone who stayed. Never had a place where I could breathe..." Crack hit hard—sob twisting the words, chest caving. "I don't want to be here anymore. I'm so tired. I'm so tired of this world..."
She looked up—wet eyes trembling, huge and innocent, catching starlight faint. "If there's anyone out there... anything... please just—take me away..."
Hush fell—wind dying soft, mountain holding breath. Then—fwooOoo——flute note drifted, silver thread on the breeze. Delicate, pure, weaving through the dark like a secret song.
Moon froze mid-sob—breath snagging, body stilling. "...The flute again..." Wiped her face rough—sleeve dragging salt, hands shaking wet. Eyes darted wild: shadows in trees, rocks silent. No one. Nothing. Just the note, hanging gentle.
Wind brushed her cheek—soft, almost kind—carrying the orchid scent: warm sweet, protective veil. It curled close, chasing the beer's bite, filling her lungs with night-bloom peace.
A broken laugh bubbled—small, hiccup wet. "Oh great. Now I'm talking to wind. I've finally gone insane." Voice raw, edged hysteria, but eyes softened—curious spark under the hurt.
The wind... responded. Swirled slow 'round her shoulders—invisible shawl, light as silk, warm against the chill. Lifted her hair gentle, dried tear-tracks with a sigh.
Moon sniffed—nose stuffy, gaze lifting slow. "You always come when I'm hurting..." Soft now, raw whisper, like confiding a friend. "Why? What are you? A ghost? A hallucination? A dream?" The flute hummed low—shimmer answer, delicate harmony to her ache.
Sparkle caught her eye—tiny, at her feet. Moon gasped—lean forward, breath held. "...What—?"
Silver thread bloomed—thin ribbon of light, wrapping her ankle soft. Swirled lazy, glowing faint like star-dust spilled. Her eyes widened—huge, teary pools, shimmering anime-big, lashes clumped wet.
"Oh my god... this... this is real?" Voice trembled—wonder cracking through pain, fingers hovering close but not touching.
The ribbon thickened—swirling faster, playful twist. Grew into a small wind-form: cute glow, like baby spirit born of breeze. Ethereal wisps, silver-edged, dancing light.
It brushed her—legs first, then hands, face—gentle tickle, wiping tears with invisible touch. Warmth bloomed where it passed, chasing sobs to quiet.
Moon's laugh trembled free—soft, breathless. "You're... you're comforting me?" Eyes huge, innocent gleam, lips curving small—first real smile, fragile as frost.
The wind-form circled—shimmer brighter, flute swelling harmonious. Magic hummed—air alive, mountain breathing with her.
Close on Moon's face—eyes massive, watery stars, lashes fanned wet but sparkling. Pupils blown wide, reflecting the glow. Cheeks flushed tear-streaked, mouth parted soft—o of awe.
"This is... so beautiful..." Whisper breathed out, voice cry-thick but wonder-laced. Smile held—trembling, but shining through the hurt. Like a child glimpsing fairy lights for the first time.
Burst—poof—more silver lights erupted: tiny orbs, firefly-swirl, dancing wild 'round her. Dozens, glowing soft, weaving patterns in the dark.
They circled—arms, waist, hair—lifting strands gentle into the wind. World softened: colors blooming faint, edges glowing ethereal. The wind giggled—musical trill in the air, bright and alive.
Moon raised hands slow—palms up, fingers splayed like catching rain. "I... can't believe this... Is this really happening?" Tears caught the light—sparkling jewels, falling slow as magic held them.
From above—drift slow, single petal: white as fresh snow, edges silver-lace, glowing soft like captured moonlight.
Moon inhaled sharp—breath catch, eyes locking huge. "Oh... it's beautiful..." Reached—fingers trembling, heart thump visible in her throat.
Petal spun lazy, landing palm-center. Touch—warm bloom, no chill. Her eyes shone—wide, innocent joy cracking the pain.
WHOOOOSH—! Silver exploded—burst radiant, wind cocooning tight. Hair whipped upward—wild halo. Clothes fluttered—silk in storm. Feet lifted—rock falling away, body floating weightless.
Moon gasped—tiny, breathless "W-wait—!" Eyes huge, wonder-fear mix, arms flailing gentle. Petals showered—hundreds now, swirling vortex. Flute crescendo—silver song, wrapping her full.
No gentle fade. Flash—poof of light and wind. Gone. Mountain empty, echo lingering.
Silence crashed—wind dying hush, silver vanishing like dream-wake. Rock sat bare, frost-kissed. Moon's bag spilled open—cans glinting dull, ice cream wrapper crumpled.
Her book tumbled out—face-up on stone, pages splayed. Open to the end: blank white, but now...
Shimmering ink bloomed—glowing faint, elegant script: "The Apothecary Diaries: A New Fragrance From Another World"
Letters pulsed once—soft glow, like heartbeat. Then faded. Night held still. Magic's whisper: Come home.