MOUNTAIN QUEEN: THE FAIRY’S SPOON
You can’t turn back when you make certain decisions. They always remember the sort of person that you were. And it’s borderline inescapable. So don’t try… Join the league of anarchy.
Two boys sat around a little barrel fire underneath a bridge with the IV drug abusers lying about like spiders in crevices. One boy had bright red hair that had grown out a bit with light brown roots. His eyes were a light blue and his complexion was ashy and there was dirt on his hands. He went to the stream to wash his face and arms. The dirt wouldn’t come off. There were small bruises on his arms where he scratched himself. The other boy had brown hair tied into a messy bun and was tall and lanky.
”Oi… So are you gonna get me food or what?” Damien said, kicking a druggy’s leg out of the way, and slapping Jojo on the back..
“Fuck off mate…” Jojo said angrily.
“Woah woah… calm down…” Damien laughed before he pushed Jojo into the river. Damien held Jojo underneath, “Calm down… It’s only a bit of water…”
Jojo bashed around in the water as Damien suffocated him. Water had entered his mouth and lungs as he struggled.
“Easy… Easy…” Damien said, before letting him go. Jojo dragged himself onto the muddy edge. He coughed and spluttered. Damien glinted in against the backdrop of the fire. Jojo looked up at him through strands of wet hair.
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“Beep… Beep… Beep…”
It had been going for ages. That “beep” sound. It was so irritating. Milly slowly opened her eyes. She was weak. Her arms felt like dead weights. She felt her body ache all over. The room was dark. She looked up and saw the beeping coming from a monitor next to her bed. She was in the hospital.
It took a few moments but she managed to get up. She was in a ward with maybe four others. She was in a gown. She went to the bathroom and then wandered down the hall and saw a few nurses and doctors. A nurse asked her if she was alright and that she couldn’t leave the ward. Milly asked what had happened. Why did her back hurt like a bitch?
“You and your friend were mugged,” the nurse said. Then Milly remembered Damien standing on her back.
”My friend?” Milly said. Zahra!
”Where’s Zahra? My girlfriend. I need to find her,” Milly said urgently. She was unconscious on the grass. She had reached for her hand, but everything had gone black. Her hand.
The nurse was hesitant to say. Milly’s eyes widened. It can’t be.
”Tell me what happened!” Milly said angrily. The nurse apologised and one of the doctors came down.
”Milly… Let’s have a talk…” she said. She had bright ginger hair like Ms Carruthers but she had a rounder face and was younger.
They went to a small room in the corner with a TV and couch. A superhero show was playing in the background and there were blocks on the floor and comic books in a rack. The doctor switched off the TV. A nurse came in with hot chocolate for them.
“Drink it… You will feel good,” The nurse said.
”What happened?” Milly asked the doctor.
”You were mugged. And they really hurt you. You were out for three days… And Zahra,” she said, “Zahra’s made a full recovery… She was lucky that some of your school mates came around just when they did to call the ambulance…”
Milly relaxed, “So she’s alright that’s good…”
The doctor seemed to be holding something back.
“What is it?” Milly said.
”It is best that you talk to Zahra…” she said.
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Her name was Zahra Khan. She was born in Angillia, in the Northern States. She moved to Soleno Park when she was 5 years old. Soon after she was dubbed the queen of the elementary school for her style and prettiness. Everyone had a crush on her. Everyone except Milly Clarke.
Zahra was drawn to Milly. She had this rough and tough reputation. Everyone told her that Milly was bad news. But they played together for a week - this led to Milly biting her arm, and things never being the same again.
Zahra Khan was told that she was a high schooler from Savannah High; that she was in many school musicals, and had won many talent shows; that she was very capable. But Zahra didn’t know who that was. She had no idea who she was.
”I am sorry to say that Zahra has Amnesia…” The doctor said to Zahra and her parents, “It’s too early to say whether she will regain her memories in time… But we will monitor it.”
”What? No this can’t be possible…” Zahra’s dad said.
”Zahra… Please…” Her mom said, holding her hand. Zahra pulled away. She hated physical touch from strangers. This woman was supposed to be her mom, but Zahra had no clue nor feelings for her.
Zahra’s Mom began to cry. Zahra was speechless. She didn’t even want to be Zahra. Who the heck was Zahra anyway? This was so annoying.
After some days of observation she was taken home and had rest. Many of her friends had visited. Her parents hoped that some of them would trigger a memory - anything at all.
“Maybe Milly can make her remember?” Zahra’s dad said. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulxCDcoJl7
”Milly? If her own mom cannot make her remember, who else can?” her Mom hugged her Dad and sobbed.
Zahra was in her room. A strange place with clothes, books, and posters of celebrities that she had no idea about. Her clothes were so uncomfortable. Her brother was in college apparently and was supposed to come down tomorrow. She rummaged through his closet and found a pair of sweat pants and a large oversized t-shirt with a Iron-Butcher logo on it. It looked like a band of some sort. Probably. Eh… It was comfortable.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFCHQPsXjD
So she had a girlfriend too. Her phone was riddled with photos and cheesy text messages from a girl called Milly Clarke. She was pretty, but not conventionally. Kinda messy…
She wandered the house. Her parents encouraged her to look around and take some interest. Maybe a memory would be triggered. Something…
”HISTORY of NORTHERN STATES: Volume 1,” - a book sat in a large bookshelf. Zahra didn’t know anything about this world - maybe this was a place to start.
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Milly knocked on Zahra’s bedroom door. Her parents had asked her to go up. Zahra was self isolating and wouldn’t come down for long. She would grab some food and be up in her room. It was unlike her. Usually she would be lounging around in the living room scrolling social media.
“Zahra?”
”It’s not Zahra… I’m Miranda…” Zahra said, looking up from the floor to which she was reading volume 1. Her hair that was always so neat was a mess like a skater girl and she wore boyish clothing.
“Miranda?” Milly said.
”Yeah I don’t know who this Zahra person is… Did you know Miranda Righthall was the first female president of the Northern States - that was like 400 years ago - but still her interviews are pretty funny. She made Darren Cooper look like a buffoon… Well he was a misogynist prick anyway…” Miranda said.
”Um… Zahra… Why are you like this?” Milly said.
”Amnesia, duh…” Miranda said.
Milly had taken the news badly. She panicked that Zahra had forgotten all about her. She had rushed all the way to her house… And now she was meeting this strange boyish person called Miranda.
“Zahra!” Milly said running to hug her, but Miranda pushed her off.
”Get off me you weirdo… Who even are you?” Miranda said.
”I’m Milly, your girlfriend…” Milly said.
“Ahhh… Yeah I heard… Yeah no… I don’t think this is happening anymore…” Miranda said
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