My window was fixed, but from what I saw the outside of the wall was still busted. The bricks were damaged, that was something I hadn't thought could happen from a tree... I told Uncle Dylan I was going to go with Lune. That I'd be at her place watching movies and wasn't sure if I'd be back tonight. He seemed uncomfortable. I assume from worrying about me disappearing like Aunt Florence, but he let me go.

I packed my bag, placing my laptop at the bottom, a few books on top, and a warmer jacket. I touched up my makeup, fluffed out my hair, and leaned back. Alright... Good.

I leaned back, throwing my bag over my arm and shutting off my lights. I ran down the stairs and waved goodbye to Uncle Dylan in the kitchen. His brows tugged down as I reached for the door. His smile faded as Ricky waved goodbye.

As soon as I got outside, the cold air embraced me. I shivered, the sun was down. It was now dusk. I ran back to where Basil and I were.

Wait.

Where is he..?

Basil's footprints were being filled in by the snow, I couldn't make them all out. But I could still try. I started toward the tree line, I didn't memorize anything when I went chasing after the light. Though, this looks familiar...

It was so quiet you could hear the trees crackling. Tree branches were breaking from the weight of the snow. It didn't feel peaceful now. I never looked at the woods with fear. Especially not in my home town. They were places once full of wonder and beauty, but now it's replaced with a horror I've only felt from movies.

Like a bone breaking, something popped and cracked behind me. I took a deep breath, my heartbeat echoing in my eardrums. Maybe Basil just stepped on a tree limb, he has a habit of coming up behind me.

I turned around. "Basil?"

There was nothing there. Maybe the tree limbs were just falling... I continued on, slowing my walk down until I was about crawling. It's scarier here without Gem or Basil.

I don't like it. Is this what Aunt Florence saw..? I took a deep breath, wrapping my arms around myself. I don't like that thought. Goosebumps raced across my arms. What a gross feeling...

I don't want to imagine what she could've seen. Basil was scared of something the other night, there's more than him... Oh please don't tell me I've made progress on her cases. I'll seem insane if I propose the idea. I'd upset Uncle Dylan with it as well...

I rubbed my hands together, trying to ignore the ideas popping into my mind. But I could only imagine cursed creatures behind me. The ones with razor teeth and narrow eyes. Disfigured bodies and chewing on eyeballs.- Can this stop??

I lost Basil's footprints now. They were filled in by the snow. I groaned, glancing around. Is there any sign of him?

Is that one..?

A tree stood burnt, as if lightning had struck it and split it down the middle. Its limbs were falling off as flames were snuffed out from the snow. I didn't hear thunder and it's only snowing...

I clenched my bag strap and backed up. My back ran into something and I screamed, enough to echo through the trees. A hand clasped over my mouth. I flailed and bit down into the palm. It tasted burnt, like charcoal. "Gah, Roxanne-..." Basil groaned, yanking away.

"Basil?? Stop doing that! Don't shut me up..." I groaned, seeing his black hair come into my vision. I turned around, his hands were shaking. The burnt taste remained on my lips. I curled my nose and spit it off my tongue. "Don't scream like that here..." He put his finger across his lips as he grasped the sleeve of my jacket. Something rustled 5 trees away, shaking a stack of limbs. Basil didn't look frightened by it, so I took his lead. And I don't feel like arguing...

I pinched my lips shut as the wind picked up. It howled through the trees, blowing my hair back with a strong force. Basil clenched my jacket and started to pull me toward a path of his footprints.

I want to ask. The tree, the noises. But maybe I'm just paranoid. I get like that... I tried to escape my sleeve from Basil's grasp. "Can't you hold my hand instead?" I asked, my jacket slipping off my shoulder.

He glanced back before pulling his hand away. He shook it, tapping his fingers on his other hand. Ashes fell into the snow. That explains why his hands taste burnt... That's not something I'd expect. It sounds odd, even if it is true...

"Are you hurt?" The words felt ignorant. I've never had a person taste burnt though. It left a bitter taste on my lips, like the time I ate a Pringle I set on fire. He laughed, a humorless one that weighed in sorrow. I can't recall ever hearing him laugh with amusement... "No, not really..." He let out a sigh as he reached for my hand. "Is this better?"

I took his hand into mine. He continued to walk, not looking at me. "Is this another custom? Like the shaking hands?" He asked. I hesitated to nod. "Kind of.." Even if that's a bit of a lie, it's not the worst. I felt the ashes from his fingertips. They crumbled against my skin, leaving a residue on me.

I guess this is something I'll add to the notes about him.

-

We arrived at the cottage. Seeing it with the remaining sunlight revealed more imperfections. The roof crumbled near the right corner, all the windows were boarded from the inside out, and the door was a bit fractured down the front.

Basil released me and approached the door. "Oh." He glanced back, his hair falling across his nose. "There's another cat... So, if he hisses at you just ignore him." With that, he opened the door. It creaked, scuffing against the wooden floor.

A new one? Is Gem okay? We walked inside and I glanced around for her. It's weird she isn't with him.

The walls were still covered with the aged yellow papers. Still blank. I noticed the cat's food bowls in the corner of the broken kitchen. The stove was cracked across the top, and its right burner shattered. The fridge door was broken as well.

"Where's Gem?" I asked, Basil opening one of the rooms. "There." He pointed inside. I walked over and looked inside. Gem rested across a table, fast asleep next to an open book. The room looked like a potion room. That's the only way to put it.

I was relieved she was okay. But still, processing everything in here was a new task... The shelves were lined with bottles, topped with corkscrews, and filled with items. Rose petals, fox tails, oak bark, banana leaves, and one had teeth. That's... Disgusting. I looked down into a pot he had on the table. There was a tiny rock fire pit below it.

"This looks eccentric, I'm certain..." He lifted up the book and slammed it shut. "I've been trying to figure out the cure for the curse in this." He brushed off the cover of dust, revealing a blank red cover. I nodded, placing my hand on the only open spot on the wall.

It looks brittle. The walls were colder than the snow. They were secure, almost cage-like. I pressed against it. It doesn't budge. It must be stronger than I thought...

I sat my bag down on the floor and reached for my books. "Do you have any way of measuring the time that's passed?" I asked, trying to find a spot to sit down.

Basil motioned me out of this room and toward the bedroom. I pursed my lips. I snatched the bag back up and started after him. I wish he brought me there first.

My eyes traced each piece of paper on the wall. There still wasn't anything on them. Is it decorative? If so, that's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. But maybe it is his interpretation of wallpaper.

I placed my bag next to the bed as I looked around. The corkboard had changed, there were notes written in burgundy ink. Basil's handwriting was a pristine cursive. I couldn't read it well. But I saw my name.

Why is my name here? I squinted my eyes and continued to scan.

I looked at the only two papers with something on them. I reached toward the first one. A map was illustrated underneath.

Go to the first cemetery located in Socorana. Follow the dust trail until you end up 'here'. Continue on.

"Oh— Careful. I can't have those become derelict..." Basil pushed my hands away, sighing. "None of this is any use for you..." He stepped away, approaching the bookshelf lining the wall.

"Where's Socorana?" I raised my brow. Basil shrugged his shoulders. "Never heard the name... Why do you ask?"

"It's on this note?" I gestured toward the paper. I thought he wrote these... Maybe it's a story place. He does have a lot of books...

The floor creaked as Basil stumbled, catching himself against the fireplace. I jumped, stepping away from the papers. "Basil?" I furrowed my brows as he stared down at the fire.

Our eyes locked, not breaking to blink. The tension grew strong enough to choke you. "What note..?" He asked. I pressed my finger against the corkboard underneath the one I read.

"Uhm— No, you're it. You're it. You're..." He lifted his head to continue but pinched his lips shut. "No... That makes no sense. You're not wise... Or angelic, or even supernatural for the matter..."

My cheeks flushed red. I've heard that before. Dad said something similar... The words felt like a dull razor in my heart. I feel like I've become so heavy I'd fall through the floor... I tucked my hands into the crease of my arms.

Basil stared at me. He cocked his head to the side before closing his eyes. "Why do you look like Gem when I step on her tail..?" He asked as his voice fell into a softer tone. "I didn't step on you, have I?"

"You didn't have to say the angelic part, you know..." I rubbed my hands together. "You're not. You're human."

We stood still for a few moments. All words I could've said feel like they're choking me out. It's stupid. It's unfair...

Human. Why am I so offended..? I felt like I was slipping back into my old ways. It sounded like my dad. I tightened my fist. Does Basil even understand..?

I tried to ground myself. "It hurt my feelings..." I whispered into an exhale. His eyes fluttered open. "It did?"

"I'm sorry. I do not mean you're not kind. I just expected you to be something else..." His words didn't make me feel better. It felt like he took his shoe and ground the salt into my wound.

I curled my nose. It doesn't even make sense. He sounds crazy and I want him to realize. But his existence to me is crazy... "Do you really see those papers?" He asked, breaking the distance between us and taking it off the corkboard. "Yeah?" If I'm honest, he's freaking me out too.

He tightened his grip on the paper, only to panic after and straighten it out. "I- I need you to tell me exactly what it says, now. Write it down, please. Hurry..!" He shoved the papers into my hands. I wanted to say no. I wanted to turn around and cross my arms, pout about his words.

I still caved though. I grabbed the notebook and pencil from my bag. I sat on his bed, it was comfier than I expected. I ran my hand along the sheets. The quilt was made up of random fabrics. I wonder if he made this himself...

I began to jot down the exact same thing on the paper. The map was hard. I don't often copy these things. It was shaped odd, narrow, and thin like an island. I'm not sure why Basil needs this...

Does he need me to write it clearer for him? Can he not make it out..? I could ask... "What do you need this for? I mean, it's here..?" My words made it click.

"Well, I can't see it..." He paused, tension building across his shoulders. "I can't— it's the curse. They prevented me from the cure, and I don't even remember who they are!" Basil's voice grew louder, echoing off of his walls. He paced back and forth, picking at his hands. He confirmed what I figured and more. I bit my cheek and jotted down the first page.

I ripped it off and grabbed the second one. This one didn't have a map. It was a recipe. Is this the cure? It doesn't sound safe.

1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 cup of water
2 teaspoons of salt
4 tablespoons of blood from the sorrowful tree
1/4 of mercury
Shave a panel of glass halfway
Mix until glowing

As much as I didn't want to, I wrote it down. I ripped it off as well, stacking the papers on top of each other. Basil snatched them from me before I had a chance to pick them up. Rude...

"Oh— Socorana... Mercury..?" He glanced up toward the ceiling and I cringed. "Not the planet..." I don't pay enough attention in school to give him this kind of lesson.

"It's a toxic substance," I said, titling the top of the page Basil. He furrowed his brows and left the room. Bottles clanked, cats meowed, and papers ruffled. A clank occurred and scurrying nails ran into the room.

A scarred up cat ran into the bedroom. Its back arched when it saw me, hissing. It was brown, a color I had never seen. This is so odd... I lifted my legs into the bed, the cat backing up into the corner.

Maybe it's scared of me... Where did Basil find a cat this scarred up? He looks like he's been through a war. "What in the seven universes is this..?" Basil returned holding a bottle of mercury. It swayed in the bottle, making my jaw drop open.

"Where the hell did you get that??" My back ran into the wall as I inched away. "I don't know..." I should've known that would be his answer. He lifted the note again and sighed, glancing around the room. "It doesn't correlate with any of the other ones..."

"Yeah, cause they're blank..?" I crossed my arms. Basil closed his eyes. "You don't see them? Every note on this wall was one I was left with or found." He began to trace his hand across them. "This one makes the most uneasy..."

"What does it say?" I raised my brow, the cat still side-eyeing me from the corner. "It tells me we're not alone in these woods."

I don't like that. I took a deep breath as my heartbeat picked up. "Could something have taken my Aunt?" I asked, Basil's fingers curling into his palm.

"I wouldn't truly know..."

-

We spent the evening writing down every single detail he could remember, he read the notes he saw to me and we tried to connect the dots. It didn't help as much as I prayed it would. He did make the recipe. It was beautiful to see in the bottle. It felt so magical.

I held a candle in my hand as Basil sat next to me with a book. His warmth was gentle compared to the wind howling outside. The fireplace casted an orange across us. I peered over trying to read some of the book, but the letters were small. The mean cat stayed in the corner and Gem curled against Basil's legs.

"Have you ever seen anything?" I asked. Basil lifted his head and sighed. "Uhm... Not particularly." His reply bored me. It felt like a dead end again.

"What about the ashes?" I continued to pry. He furrowed his brows before he held up his hand. "Energy..." He sunk into the floor, tucking his nose closer to the book. "When I feel negative emotions to an extreme, it builds up physically. The energy travels from my fingertips, up my arms, and will end up destroying me if I don't dispel it."

Basil's eyes dimmed. They grew fainter from the white, almost becoming grey. "That's why I had to leave you in the snow. If I held you, I'd end up burning you to death in a matter of seconds. I'm sure you'd rather be cold then—" He went silent, closing the book so slow there was no snap.

"Don't move..."

Something stepped outside. A jarring shift from our peaceful chat, I could feel the presence. I felt eyes. I heard faint labored breathing...

I looked at Basil. Something told me his eyes were on me as well. The cats obeyed and went still, holding their breaths. I don't like this... I want to go home. I want to be in my bed, watching cheap romance films, and sleeping. I don't like this. I don't want this. I just wanted to help and understand...

The fireplace went out. "Don't... Speak..." Basil whispered, trying to not move his lips. I wanted to gulp, but my mouth felt numb. My eyes filled with tears as I tried to resist the urge to grit my teeth.

The floor shook. Much like the earthquake the other night. I held the book tighter. Basil grabbed my wrist and yanked me up along with the bottle. The candle went out as it fell onto the floor. He jolted to the door, kicking it open.

My feet felt like they were trying to trip me. Basil was fast, faster than I could be and it was too difficult to keep up. The bottle swished, with each wave it would glow brighter. "Do not turn around!" Basil instructed, tightening the grip on my arm. I nodded, the cold wind smacking into us.

It burns my eyes. I can't see. Basil halted, close lining me on my stomach in the process. I groaned, trying to stabilize as the burning expanded across my abdomen.

Something warm was close. I opened my eyes as Basil moved to my hand. Red swirled across the snow, clearing all in its path, swallowing trees whole, and growing stronger by the second.

"Is this a portal??" I stepped back, but Basil's grip on me was tight. I couldn't move much. "Yes, I presume..." Basil stepped back as well, his hands beginning to tremble.

A deep growl echoed behind us as the ground shook. Basil glanced around. His breathing grew heavier as he tried to find a clue of what to do. He looked down, cringing before he threw the bottle into the portal. It shattered the liquid and the red faded into a silver. The snow crumbled and without a chance to stop, our feet slipped.

"No— No, shit!" I clawed at Basil's arms, keeping him locked to me. I interlocked my arm around his. He did the same. The portal swallowed us both. Silver, red, and green swirled around me. They flashed, it was a seizure-inducing roller coaster.

This is like a lightning bolt hitting a tsunami. Electricity frazzled in my ears. Each beat of my heart made my vision shrink. I don't like this... It hurts..? The force of the air was jolting, the pressure was enough to make me throw up. I feel sick. I feel awake, I feel tired, I feel like I'm being torn apart, yet I'm here whole—!

I held my breath, the lights dimming between bright to nothing, matter was evaporating and becoming new shapes. His eyes absorbed the colors, changing red, silver, and green as they did. My hair smacked me in the face, Basil's hands were tight. They felt like they were melting into me, leaving a permanent mark on my veins.

This isn't real, it's not real. It isn't real.

It's real.

A guttural, moist growl sounded through the portal as the being was electrocuted.

"Roxanne..?"

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