Chapter 21: Eli’s Choice

Eli was on her way upstairs when the phone rang.

“I’ll get it!” Oskar picked it up in his room. “Hello?”

There was a pause, “Oskar? Is that you?”

“Eli? I thought you were downstairs. In fact, I know you’re downstairs! I can hear you coming!”

She giggled, “I’m Hannah. Can I talk to Eli?”

“Hannah! You sound exactly like Eli. She told me all about you. She really likes you, you know. And Einstein too.”

“I like her too; a lot. You have a nice sister, Oskar. Can I talk to her?”

“Sure! She’s right here. Eli!! Phone!! It’s Hannah!”

“Okay, okay, you don’t have to shout.” She walked in and grabbed the phone from him. “Hello? Hannah?”

“Eli? I miss you! When can you come over again? We need to talk. I have some questions about our family tree.”

“What kind of questions?”

“Well, there seem to be some mistakes on it. A couple of things don’t make any sense. Besides, I’m bored. Can you come over? Mom says you can spend the night.”

“Sure! I’ll clear it with Mom and Papa first, though.”

“Good idea. I’ll wait.”

Eli bounced down the stairs and out into the yard where the sunlight could still be seen just touching the tops of the trees against the back fence. “Mom, it’s Hannah. She wants to know if I can come over and spend the night.”

“Ask your dad.” Elaine looked over at Rich.

“Papa?”

“Ask your mom.” His eyes twinkled.

Ha, Ha, very funny! Can I go? Please?” she stood there with the phone in her hand, fidgeting.

“Sure, Eli. I’ll take you. Want to come meet the Sandstrøm’s with us Rich?”

I can’t Elaine, I’m meeting Jack at the lab this evening. Eli, bring her over here sometime soon. We’ll have a pool party like in the old days.” He remembered how enjoyable it always was with the inherent chaos and the laughter of the children. It had been a long time since Jack and Henry had grown up, and Elaine’s insistence that they be careful about allowing too much contact with outsiders who would notice that the children weren’t growing older, had severely limited these pleasant events.

“Hannah? I’ll be over in a little while. Mom’s bringing me.”

“Okay, Eli, but…drive quietly, okay? Mom and Dad still don’t know who that was the other night.”

§

Elaine winked at them both as she pulled slowly away from the curb. “Quiet enough, Hannah? I promised Eli I’d be good.” She drove very slowly around the green, exaggerating each turn as she went, but when she pulled onto Tillingham Way, she popped the clutch, and with a small, barely audible squeal, accelerated down the block.

“Your mom is so neat!” Hannah exclaimed as she waved.

The two of them quickly went back inside and upstairs to Hannah’s room, but Eli paused to wave at Jason as they passed his room. “Hi, doppelgänger!” he called out to her.

“I prefer to be called ‘Hannah Jr.’” she retorted.

Hannah helped Eli unload her small suitcase into a drawer she had emptied for her. Eli immediately slipped out of her shirt and pants and put on a light blouse and shorts, since that was what Hannah was wearing and she wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible. Even after all these years, she had trouble dressing properly for the temperature. Papa had helped her pack her sun-proof clothing and had reminded her to take her special sun screen, Madeline hat, and glasses. They were going to pick her up around noon and there was no telling what they would be doing before then. Elaine had warned the Sandstrøm’s about Eli’s sensitivity to sunlight, but underplayed it a bit, since their new clothing was so effective

“Eli, my parents really like your mom. I’m so glad!”

“Me too. I think she likes them too. She talked to them long enough. Now what questions do you have about the family tree?”

“Well, it says here that my grandmother had a baby, a baby boy, before she was married, at about 17 years of age. That didn’t happen. She married my grandfather when she was 20 and had my father and my aunt. They were her only children.”

“I don’t know Hannah. The … person that gave it to us said it was exactly right. He assured us there were no mistakes. Did you ask your mom?”

“No! What if it’s true? She would never tell me anyway, and it might get you in trouble with her.”

“Well, I’m sure it must be true, but I’m really sorry. It must have been terrible for her. What else do you think is wrong?”

Well…every time a child is born that is not a direct descendant, the branch ends and there’s a circle with a number in it at the end of the branch. I suppose that refers to another page with another tree on it. Correct?”

“Yeah that’s right. You’ve got it. What’s the problem?”

“Well, there’s one name here at the beginning that has a branch, but there’s no number; just a dotted line that goes up about 2 centimeters, past Anne’s children, and then ends. What does that mean? None of the others do that.”

Eli smiled at her, “Boy, you’re good! What do you think it means? I’ll give you a clue: It’s not a mistake.”

“You mean it’s part of the secret? Tell me!”

“Sorry. Only if you guess right.”

“You’re mean! Give me another clue.”

“Nope! That wouldn’t be fair.”

Hannah sighed, “Well, it’s got me flummoxed. I’ll have to think about it awhile.”

“What do you do for fun around here?” Eli figured it was time to change the subject. “Should we go climb the tree again?”

No, I haven’t climbed it since you saved my life. I know! Let’s go for a walk and I’ll show you the neighborhood. I’ll take you over by Old Finchleian’s. You know, near where you were staying?” she teased.

“Ha Ha. Okay, let’s go. Maybe we can catch a bat or something.”

“Eeeww. Don’t you dare!” She headed for the stairs, “Mom, can Eli and I go for a walk? We won’t stay out too long.”

“Okay, Hannah, but don’t go too far. And don’t loose Eli.” She smiled at them. I’ll have some hot chocolate ready when you get back.” They headed for the door.

Once outside, they headed up to Tillingham Way, crossed the street, turned right and headed towards Southover. Eli really liked Hannah’s neighborhood. The houses were all neat and tidy, the streets were swept and everything seemed fresh and clean. Old established trees hung out over the sidewalks, their huge sturdy branches almost meeting above the road. It seemed almost as though they were walking through a long tunnel.

“Maybe next week you can come over to our house. Papa says you can come to a pool party if you want. You could even bring your brother if you want.”

“Thanks, but he has soccer practice every Saturday, but I’d love to come. Your brother sounds nice on the phone. I’d like to meet him.”

“He’s more than nice. He’s my best friend in the whole world! I know you’ll like him.” She realized that tonight would be one of the few nights they had been apart after all these years. She felt a sudden pang of guilt as she realized how quickly she had accepted Hannah’s invitation, and sweet Oskar hadn’t said a thing. She would really thank him when she got home. Maybe she’d make him some cookies.

Hannah ran her hand along the high brick fence next to the sidewalk as they turned left on Southover. “Do you have a boyfriend? Practically all my friends in school have boyfriends but me. Mom and dad say I’m too young yet, but to tell the truth, I don’t even care for boys. They’re loud and dirty.”

Eli laughed. “No I don’t have one either, but Oskar is anything but loud and dirty.” And he’s only six months older than me.”

Eli stepped out of the way behind Hannah as four or five older boys, talking and laughing loudly, came down the sidewalk towards them, passed quickly and continued on. They smell like cigarette smoke, they’re loud, and they’re kind of dirty. Eli smiled to herself.

One of them looked back at them for a moment and they heard him say to one of the others, “Did you see those identical twins? Nice!!” They all turned to look, then continued on, mumbling quietly to one another.

Eli and Hannah looked at each other a second, then Hannah giggled.

“They thought we were twins!” Eli said.

And they thought we were ‘nice?’” Hannah was puzzled. “But we are twins. Twin sisters.” She hugged Eli. She thought about how mysteriously exciting it was that they had met; that Eli had a secret she was sure she would finally share with her, and how close she felt to her after so short a time. It was as if they were destined to be together, that fate was directing their lives somehow. I like her so much! It’s like I’ve known her all my life. She took Eli’s hand and began to run, dragging her along behind. They ran hand in hand down the street until, out of breath, Hannah stopped by a gravel driveway and gestured towards a sign behind a low hedge.

“Here it is! Old Finchleian’s Memorial Ground.” She turned into the parking lot. Eli followed her across the lot and out onto the playing field on the path between the low brick clubhouse and a high, thick hedge. Hannah led her out into the middle of the field and they lay down on the cool grass together and looked up at the stars. “My brother and I used to come here when we were younger, and we would just lie here and talk about things. He just doesn’t have the time to come here with me anymore. And I heard they’re going to put up lights so they can play at night,” she said wistfully.

“Oskar and I like to sit out at night beside the pool and talk -- sometimes with Mom and Papa. Sometimes we even go down to the stream near our house and just sit and watch the water. I guess he’s not too old yet, huh?” And he’s not ever going to get too old either, she thought to herself, happily, at least, not without me.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Eli. Mom doesn’t like me to come here alone at night.” She snuggled up against her and took her hand. “It’s so nice and warm out tonight. I could almost go to sleep here.”

“You should have brought Einstein. We could have used him for a warm pillow.”

Hannah laughed, “He wouldn’t lay still long enough. He’d jump up and bark at every little sound. Then he’d want to play.”

Finally, they both got quiet as they lay there watching the stars. Hannah had told her the names of all the constellations she knew, almost as many as Eli did. And Eli had told Hannah her different names for them; names that were distant and ancient – even older than her grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather; names his father had told him when they lay on the grass together at night, watching the sheep on the high meadow. She felt relaxed for the first time since Gudmund’s death. She took a deep breath, smelling the night air as only she could do. The faint smells of the recent game still lingered; the smells of leather, rubber, torn grass, and even perspiration, but it wasn’t unpleasant at all. And Hannah smelled sweet and soft, like soap, lavender shampoo, and Einstein. They felt the cool breeze against their skin and listened to the chirping of the crickets. Eli had always wondered why crickets seemed for the most part to chirp in unison. Was it some sort of cricket symphony? Did they gather every night and play their unspoken favorite piece of music? Together, they watched as the sliver of moon disappeared momentarily behind a small cloud. Hannah looked at her watch for a minute, then announced. “Its about 72 degrees out tonight.”

“How do you know,” Eli asked, surprised.

“You just count the number of cricket chirps in 15 seconds, then add 37 to it. That tells you the temperature.”

“Really? I never knew that. Let me try!” Eli checked her watch and began counting. Suddenly the crickets stopped.

“Darn crickets! So unreliable,” Hannah complained.

“Shh! I hear something.” Eli stood up suddenly and looked towards the hedge. “Hannah! Let’s go,” she hissed.

“You’re scaring me, Eli. What’s wrong?” She got to her feet quickly and took Eli’s hand.

Damn! It’s too late! She thought fast, “Hannah? Let’s go climb a tree.”

“What? Why?!”

“Hello, girls! What are you doing out here all by yourselves!” Eli watched the glow of his cigarette as he approached.

“Hannah! Move slowly over towards that big Oak behind the clubhouse,” Eli whispered. She kept herself between Hannah and the large, stocky boy emerging from the darkness as she slowly backed toward the tree. “We’re minding our own business! Why don’t you do the same!” she said defiantly.

“Eli, He’s one of the boys that passed us earlier!” Hannah sounded relieved. “Hi! Do you live around here? We saw you earlier on the sidewalk.”

He smiled at her. “You’re much nicer than your sister. She’s a bit rude, don’t you think? What do you think, John?”

Hannah nearly stumbled as she backed into someone in the darkness. She felt his hands as they settled on her shoulders. “I agree, Rod. This one’s much nicer. It’s hard to believe they’re twins. Maybe like Jekyll and Hyde?” He squeezed her shoulders tighter as his thoughts turned dark. This could really be…interesting! He turned suddenly and looked toward the hedge “Got ‘em!” he shouted.

“Hannah. Listen to me carefully,” Eli said, in a low voice. “When I say ‘Einstein,’ run for the tree as fast as you can.” She could see a third boy rapidly approaching from around the far end of the hedge.

“But, Eli…”

John shifted his hands closer to her neck, caressed it for a moment, then put his arms around her waist and pulled her up against him. He smelled her hair, and nuzzled the back of her neck. He was thinking fast now. “I choose this one. You’re on your own, Rod. You and Lamar can play with that one.” Hannah’s skin crawled as she wriggled to get free, but he just tightened his grip. We’ll have to shut them up after. But they’re so young they’ll likely be too scared to say anything, especially if we rough them up a bit. “Upsy-Daisy.” He bent over and got a better grip on her.

“Eli!!”

“Einstein!!” She spun around and lunged for John’s legs, just as he lifted Hannah off the ground. They landed in a heap, but Hannah quickly jumped to her feet and disappeared into the darkness. “Go, go, go!” Eli shouted, as Rod flicked his cigarette away, wrapped his arm around her neck and lifted her off the ground. An angry John grabbed her by the legs “Got her!! Goddamn it! I’ll show you, you little bitch! Lamar! Go get the other one! I’m sure you can outrun her!” Lamar lumbered past them, gaining speed as he sprinted into the darkness after Hannah.

John let go of Eli’ legs, drew back and punched her in the stomach as hard as he could as Rod held her in front of him, arm still wrapped around her neck. She deliberately stopped moving and went limp. Out of the corner of her half-closed eye, she could see that Hannah had made it to the tree safely, but Lamar was close behind her. Time for a change of plans, she thought to herself.

Hannah scrambled up the tree safely and headed up into the higher branches. Lamar stood at the bottom with his hands on his hips. “Come down outta there! You won’t like it if I have to come up after you. It’s a long way down.” He really didn’t want to have to climb the damn tree after her. What a pain in the ass that would be. Bloody hell! They’re almost too young to be worth the trouble, He thought to himself.

“Stay there, Lamar! We’ve got the other one!” Rod grabbed Eli under her arms and dragged her toward the tree. After about 20 feet, he realized what hard work that was, picked her up, and threw her roughly over his shoulder. John stood there a moment looking across the street to see if anyone had noticed all the commotion. Nothing. Not a single porch light came on, and there was no movement. He followed Rod over to the tree, where Rod, completely out of breath, roughly dropped Eli in a pool of light from the nearby streetlamp. “We’ve got your sister down here! If you don’t come down right now, we’re going to hurt her…a lot.” John pulled out his knife and stepped into the light so Hannah could see it. He held the knife up for moment, then pointed it down at Eli’s motionless form.

“Eli! Are you okay? Please, don’t hurt her,” she sobbed. “I’m coming down.” She stepped gingerly down to a lower branch.

“Hannah! Stay where you are,” Eli shouted, as she jumped up and quickly stepped out of the light. She wanted desperately to get out of this mess without having to reveal herself, but she was running out of options. She could either show them what she was and try to scare them off, scaring Hannah at the same time, or she could show Hannah part of what she was and save her. Killing them was NOT an option; not with Hannah watching. She would never expose her to such a thing, or throw her entire neighborhood into a turmoil over the deaths of three…nothings. Poor Hannah! She must be terrified. She’ll never be able to come over here again without being afraid. Her whole neighborhood will seem different to her from now on. She remembered vividly how she had felt after Lord Törnkvist’s Jacob, with the flash of a knife, destroyed her innocence forever. She could feel the anger rise up in her. She felt her eyes change; felt them turn golden and cat-like. She clenched her fists at her sides and tried her best to force the Parasite back into its hole. No blood! No fangs! No feeding! She concentrated on Hannah and could vividly see in her minds eye what she would certainly look like to her; and her anger ebbed.

“What the hell?! Jesus Christ! Look at that!” Rod stepped away from her quickly. “Look at her eyes!”

“What? What are you babbling about? Get her!” John lunged at her, but she easily dodged out of the way, sprinted past Lamar and scrambled up the back of the tree. She was safely out of their reach before they could even react.

“Damn it, Rod! Why didn’t you grab her?! Now we’re going to have to go up after them. We can’t just let them go. They can identify us. What a mess this is turning into! All I wanted was a little ass and now it’s turning into something far worse, unless we get a handle on it. We’ll stay here. Lamar, go get your dad’s pistol.” Lamar disappeared around the corner of the clubhouse. John’s thoughts were darker now. That one is not going to intimidate easily, if at all; she’s tough. She’ll tell. Damn it! Whether we get any tonight or not, we may have to…. Damn! Damn! Damn!

“You two better come down now. It’s your last chance. I’ll give you five minutes to get down here, then I’m sending Rod up after you.”

“Why me? Why don’t you go get them?” Rod protested.

“Because it’s your bloody fault they’re both up there in the first place! ‘Look at her eyes,’” he mimicked in a falsetto voice. “What the hell’s the matter with you anyway? She can’t weigh more than 70 pounds soaking wet!”

Eli scrambled up beside Hannah near the top of the tree. She saw immediately that Hannah’s street, or at least the other side of the Twineham Green circle, was just over the trees on the near end of the field. She could actually just make out her house through the trees on the other side of Twillingham Way. So near, yet so far, she thought to herself.

Hannah, still sobbing, put her arms around her, “I’m so glad you’re okay! I couldn’t bear it if they hurt you.”

Eli looked at her intensely for a moment. “You…you would have come down the tree to save me?”

“Of course! They were going to hurt you! I had to! And you saved my life.”

But I didn’t endanger my own to do it, she thought to herself. She gently put her arms around Hannah and hugged her, “I’ll protect you,” She whispered. “Don’t worry about anything. But we’ll have to move fast. And you’ll have to trust me completely. Can you do that?” She felt an overwhelming urge to keep this beautiful child, this kindred spirit, this dear sister, safe at any cost – even at the cost of her anonymity.

“Yes!” Hannah said with conviction.

“You have to promise you won’t tell ANYONE this part of my secret.” She took both of Hannah’s hands in her own and looked into her sweet, deep blue eyes, exact copies of her own. I wonder if that’s the way my eyes look to Oskar.

“I promise!”

“Three minutes!” John shouted. He sounded fainter up here than she had thought he would. Thank goodness, Hannah probably didn’t hear the part about the pistol. They weren’t talking loud enough.

Eli climbed a bit further up into the tree and stepped out on a branch that had unobstructed access to the sky. Hannah hesitantly climbed up beside her.

“Please, don’t be afraid.” Eli took off her blouse, rolled it up in a ball and stuffed it in her pocket. Hannah suddenly noticed that Eli wasn’t holding on to anything. She was perfectly balanced on the limb. She stood there a moment, looking down at her feet; then she put her arms at her sides, looked directly at Hannah, and grew her wings.

Hannah gasped and grabbed the branch tighter. “What…what are you doing?”

Eli’s wings rustled softly as she put her finger to her lips, “Shhh! You promised, remember? Now, put your arms around my neck and wrap your legs around my waist. Don’t worry. I won’t lose my balance.” She looked down and saw Lamar running across the field with the pistol. “Please, Hannah, trust me. Please? I have to get you out of here.” She turned her back towards Hannah.

Okay, Eli.” She wrapped her arms around her neck.

“Tighter! You can’t hurt me. Tighter! Now, your legs.”

Hannah wrapped her legs around her waist and squeezed with all her might. She pressed her cheek against Eli’s.

“Now you might want to close your eyes. But you don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Hannah could feel Eli’s smile.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

Eli spread her wings and, seemingly in slow motion, fell forward, powerfully but silently flapped her wings twice, and floated magically out over the field. She banked silently to the left, gently flapped her wings twice more, floated over the tree line at the end of the field, over the nicely manicured back yards and trim two-story brick homes, and glided silently down into the green across Twillingham Way from Hannah’s own.

Hannah closed her eyes as Eli fell forward off the branch, then opened them quickly as she felt the wind from her wings swirling around her, and her hair twisted and turned in the vortex, mingling with Eli’s as it swirled chaotically around her face. She gasped as she felt Eli’s body press upward against her as her wings dug into the air and lifted them up. She felt exhilaration as suddenly Eli wings were still and, as one, they banked rapidly towards the tops of the nearby trees. Eli’s black velvety wings fluttered in the wind as they passed over the familiar back yard where she and Jason had played for years with Richy Johnson until his family had moved to Manchester. She closed her eyes again as Eli descended rapidly onto the green in front of their house.

Hannah clung to her tightly for a minute, then dropped to the ground. “Eli, that was … amazing,” she said breathlessly, “I…How did you do that? You’re beautiful!! Are you a fairy? But you can’t be! An angel?”

“Shh! Remember, you can’t tell anyone.” She looked around carefully. “Hannah? Will you be safe here for about ten minutes? Will it be okay if I leave you alone? I need to make sure they won’t ever do this again.”

“Please don’t! I don’t want you to get hurt. Please stay, Eli. I’ll just tell my dad and he’ll call the police.”

“They can’t hurt me, Hannah. That’s part of my secret too. But I won’t go if you’re too afraid to be alone.”

“I’ll be fine, Eli. Go ahead.” She was actually quite frightened, but she wasn’t about to let Eli know. “I’ll wait right here for you.”

Eli hesitated a moment, then smiled at her, “I’ll be right back.” She tapped her watch. “Ten minutes. No more.” She turned and smoothly lifted off towards the field. Hannah watched her disappear over the treetops, then looked around fearfully, imagining the remaining boys stepping out of the darkness and dragging her away. Finally, she hid herself in a big bush near the road.

§

“Time’s up,” John shouted. He reached out his hand. Lamar handed him the pistol. He nodded to Rod. Grumbling, Rod started up the tree.

“Are you looking for me?” They all turned at the sound of her voice.

“How the hell did you get down?” He gave Rod a dirty look. “Where’s your sister?”

“Safe.”

“Rod, keep climbing. She’s got to be up there.”

“Don’t waste your time. I told you, she’s safe.”

Rod stopped again.

“Damn it, Rod! Get your ass up there! We’ll take care of this little bitch. Grab her, Lamar.”

“We need to talk,” Eli said calmly as she dodged back, stuck her foot out and sent Lamar sprawling face first in the damp grass.

John raised the gun and pointed it at Eli. “Now that was stupid!” Get her Lamar! And try to stay on your feet this time.” Yep. I’m going to have to finish her. But there’s no reason why I can’t do her first. He relished the idea. Sex and revenge, all at the same time. And double the pleasure! He looked over his shoulder. “Rod? Haven’t you found her sister yet? When you do, be gentle with her. I want her down here in one piece.”

In a flash, Eli stepped to the right, lunged at John and snatched the gun away before he could react. “Get up against the tree, both of you. Rod, get down out of the tree. Now!”

Rod climbed down quickly and stood next to the other two, shaking like a leaf.

“Now, strip!”

“What?”

“You heard me. Take your clothes off! All of them! Or…” She waved the pistol at them.

“You’re just a little girl. You don’t have the nerve.” John walked slowly towards her, reaching for the gun.

Typical bully! Just like the ones that made Oskar’s life so miserable. She thought about her own miserable existence before Oskar; all the men in her life who had once been boys like these. And they want to do these things to Hannah and…. Her eyes blazed with anger. And changed. And this time she didn’t stop the transformation.

John stepped back, his eyes got big, and he stood there quietly, staring at her.

“I see we understand each other finally.” She opened her mouth and showed them her fangs. “Now, take off your clothes!” Her dark angry voice sounded primal; unearthly.

They stripped down to their underwear, then paused. “All of them!” she growled.

Once they were standing naked in front of her, she looked them over disgustedly, then shook her head. “Just as I thought.” Her voice was now savage; soulless; threatening. “ Not a decent-sized prick among you! But if you try anything like this again, WITH ANYONE, you’ll lose what little you have. I give you my word!” She nudged each of them in the crotch with the barrel of the pistol to make her point. “I’ll bite them off myself!” She gave them another fang-filled smile as her golden eyes blazed. “Or maybe I’ll just tear them off.” She reached for John with a clawed hand as he turned his head away and pressed his back against the tree. “And if you tell anyone about either of us, you’ll lose more than your pricks. Now, toss the clothes over there!” She nodded toward the clubhouse.

Once all their clothes were in a pile, she motioned towards the tree. “Now, climb the tree. All the way to the top.” One by one, they clambered up the tree and gingerly worked their way into the upper branches, oblivious to the scrapes and scratches they collected along the way. She pulled out their wallets, examined them carefully, and then threw their shoes and clothing up on the roof of the clubhouse.

“Everyone comfortable? Here’s where I say goodnight. Say hello to the neighbors for me.”

She emptied the gun into the tree trunk one shot at a time, letting the echo from each die out before firing the next. By the time she had finished, porch lights up and down the block were coming on and several angry men with flashlights were already crossing the street towards the field. Eli dropped the empty pistol on the ground.

In her nicest, lilting, little girl voice, she admonished them, “Now, mind your manners, boys. Remember, my sister and I know where you live. And I’m the nice one.” She held their wallets up in the light so they could see them clearly, flashed them a pretty little smile, put them in her pocket and disappeared into the darkness just as the first flashlights appeared around the clubhouse corner.

§

Eli glided silently down in front of Hannah’s bush and retracted her wings, but before she could even get her blouse back on, Hannah rushed out and put her arms around her. “I was so scared! Then I heard the noise and got even more afraid. I thought they had hurt you.”

“I told you they can’t hurt me. And they’ll never hurt you again either. They’re afraid of you.” Eli held her tightly.

“But why?”

“They’re afraid of you because they’re afraid of me,” she assured her as she stepped back and put her hands on Hannah’s shoulders.

“Eli! You’re wearing my locket!”

Eli smiled at her as she buttoned up her blouse. “I haven’t taken it off since you gave it to me.”

They walked hand in hand across the green and back toward the warmth and safety of Hannah’s home.

“I guess we shouldn’t tell Mom and Dad any of this, huh. Even about the boys?”

Eli smiled at her. “I think that would be a good idea, if that’s okay with you. At least for now. Someday soon, I hope.” She remembered Gudmund’s prediction that Elaine and Papa would marry within 5 years. Maybe that meant…

“Hannah? I’m not going to be able to drink hot chocolate with you. But I don’t want to hurt your mom’s feelings. I can’t have breakfast in the morning either. Is that okay?”

“What DO fairies eat then, Eli?” Sitting in the darkness alone, Hannah had decided that Eli was a fairy. “I know they’re supposed to like butter and cream. And sugar,” she said earnestly.

Eli smiled at her. “Thanks, Hannah, but I won’t need anything. I just need you to help me cover up the fact that I’m not eating anything.”

“My brother and I are quite good at it. I’ll handle it! Are you sure you don’t want anything? We have some nice sugar cookies, we have honey, and Dad puts cream in his tea. And we also have clotted cream if you like that.”

Eli squeezed her hand tightly, “Hannah, I’m not a fairy. Really, I’m not.”

“Well, until you tell me your secret, you’ll be a fairy to me.” Hannah really knew she couldn’t be a fairy, but it was so nice to think it, that she couldn’t resist. Eli was her fairy and that was all there was to it.

“Mom, we’re back!” Hannah held the door for Eli. Einstein bounded down the stairs, put his paws up on her shoulders and licked her face. “Einstein! Down!” As usual, he ignored her completely.

“It’s okay, Hannah. I like him too.” She hugged him around the neck.

§

Finally, after a fast game of scrabble and a bit of slight-of-hand with mugs of hot chocolate, the three of them said their goodnights to Hannah’s parents and went up the stairs together. Jason waved as he went into his room and flopped down on his bed, hands behind his head.

“Thanks for covering for me, Jason,” Eli called out as they passed.

“You’re welcome, Hannah Jr. It’s to my advantage to keep my food avoidance skills honed.” He grinned at her.

Eli laughed, “I like your brother, Hannah. He’s funny.”

“You wouldn’t think so if you had to live with him,” she joked.

They slipped into their pajamas, complimented each other profusely on their respective good taste in bedroom attire, had a brief pillow fight with Einstein, turned out the light, and got into bed together.

“Eli?” Hannah said quietly, “You don’t mind if I think you’re a fairy do you?”

“No. I kind of like it. Nobody’s ever called me a fairy before.” Lots of other things, but never a fairy.

She pulled her locket out, opened it and showed it to Hannah. “Now I have a picture of my sister AND my brother in my locket.”

“This is your brother? He’s cute! All that blond hair! I could just hug him and pinch his cheek!”

Eli laughed, “If you did that, he would turn bright red.” She paused, then her face lit up. “I know! When you come over I want you to rush up to him and hug him. You’ll see!” They laughed together.

They lay there quietly for a few minutes, then Hannah snuggled up against her and put her arm around her. “Good night, my Fairy. Sweet dreams!”

“Sweet dreams, Hannah.” She smiled as she remembered Oskar tapping those words through her wall that night so long ago, when she first began to love him.

§

“Eli? Eli! Please wake up. Please!” Hannah was up against the wall trembling.

“Hannah? What’s wrong?” She was instantly alert. She could hear Jason breathing in the next room, Einstein snoring in the corner, and assorted gerbils’ and hamsters’ fast, tiny little breaths in their cages. But no danger.

“I dreamt about…those boys. They were cutting you, and I just stood there watching. I didn’t do anything; I was too afraid. They had a knife and you were bleeding.”

“Hannah, it’s just a dream. I know in real life you would attack them, kicking and screaming. They wouldn’t have a chance against you. We’d take them out together.” She took her in her arms and pulled her back down in the bed with her. “I know you would! I just know it.”

Hannah trembled against her. “Hannah, please don’t be afraid. I’ll always be here to protect you. I promise. And fairies never go back on their word.”

Hannah kissed her on the cheek. “I love you, Eli, no matter what you are.” She snuggled up against her, and finally, after fidgeting and readjusting herself several times, drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

Eli cried to herself for all Hannah had lost tonight. She saw the worst of the real world encroaching on Hannah’s pure, safe, love-filled one, and there was nothing she could do about it. And she knew if she had just left her alone, none of this would have happened. Hannah’s world would have almost certainly lasted a bit longer. She kissed her on the cheek and gently stroked her long black hair. She watched her all night as she slept, just in case she woke up again, alone and frightened.