Page 12 of Gift from the Tree

Choking back the emotions clogging my throat, I stretch mine out. “I’m Willow.”

As soon as our hands touch, I feel a little shock, then a flash of bright light steals the sight in front of me and images begin to play across my mind.

It’s Gaster but younger, bopping a small baby on the nose with his finger as it makes sweet little noises. Gaster’s laugh makes the little one giggle and reach a small hand out of the swaddle toward him.

The scene changes to Gaster standing in front of a board, pointing at the writing, and shaking his head. The young man in the room with him is growing frustrated, throwing his hands up in the air, but Gaster gently settles his hand on his shoulder, telling him he’d figure it out, no doubt.

Then again with him hugging this man, tears rolling down his face. Over and over, Gaster with this man through different stages of life, years and years of friendship, it seems, and it just keeps going on until it stops.

Pulling my hand away from his, I clutch my chest and take a few deep breaths to calm my heart’s frantic beat. “What just happened?” I ask.

Tears are swelling in his eyes, causing the tirade of questions I was prepared to ask to dry up in my throat. “Those were clips of very important moments in my life. My best friend…memories I hold very dear to my heart.” He coughs to clear his throat before carrying on. “If it’s okay with you, Willow, may I see your box? I promise to be gentle and give it right back.”

Holding my box in one hand, I use my other to trace my name across the top lovingly. I can’t believe I’m so attached to a wooden box, but it’s the only nice thing I’ve ever received in my life. It may be my breaking point if something happens to it. I can see the genuineness of Gaster’s words reflected in the way he’s looking at me, so I give him a small nod and slowly hand it over.

With the clipped words and short nods I’ve been giving him, I hope he can put two and two together that I’ve been through some shit tonight and don’t want to talk, not that I’m just being rude.

Giving him a moment to observe my box alone, I sink down to the ground and lean my head back on my tree. My happy place. The only place in the world I’ve always been able to come to and find some resemblance of peace.

Until now.

Now my mind’s plagued with the events that happened tonight. I close my eyes to try to calm my thoughts. I can’t break down yet. I’m still not safe. Even though we’re in the woods, it’s still nowhere near as far away as I need to be.

“Willow,” Gaster speaks, getting my attention, “where’s your necklace? The one mentioned in the note.”

Quickly reaching up, scared to death that something happened to it, I frantically run my hands all over my chest until I feel the outline of my gem. Pulling it out, I cling to the amethyst for a moment, sending up a silent thank you to whoever sent me this. Giving it a little kiss for good measure, I let it fall down my chest over the cloak.

Gaster’s gasp makes me jerk my head up to look at him, but he’s already on his knee in front of me. “That’s impossible,” he whispers, more to himself than to me.

“What’s impossible, Gaster?” I ask a little more forcefully than I meant to, but his reaction to seeing my necklace is sort of scaring me.

“The stone that’s attached to your necklace, it’s from where I’m from, Willow. It’s extremely rare and very sought after.”

“What? No, it’s just an amethyst, Gaster. It’s my birthstone and purple’s my favorite color,” I argue.

This time, he has amusement written across his features, which confuses me because I didn’t say anything funny.

“Why are you laughing at me?” I ask with a frown, so tired of people making fun of me, and I don’t want him to do that to me as well.

“I’m sorry, Willow. I didn’t mean to upset you. My best friend’s favorite color is purple, and he was also born in what would be considered February here in this realm, so an amethyst would be his birthstone as well. The thought just made me smile.”

Well, it makes me feel better that he isn’t laughing…Wait, what? This realm? Did I hear him right?

“This realm? What the fuck does that mean?”

Before answering me, he laughs, then tries to cover it up with a cough. “Sorry, Willow, that caught me off guard. You have his mannerisms as well.”

“Whose mannerisms? Who the hell are you talking about?” I ask, my frustration and confusion getting the better of my attitude.

Nothing makes sense…ever.

“We need to get you out of here, Willow. You’ll return to Elementra with me, and we’ll figure all of this out together.” Gaster holds his hand out for me to grab expectedly, and for some reason, that just pisses me off. I’m so tired of being told what I can do, what I will do, won’t do, everything. I’m always being told.

He must’ve realized he fucked up because his eyes widen a little at the look I’m shooting him. He jumps in quickly, cutting off my snarky remark.

“I’m sorry again. I’m not doing a very good job of this. I didn’t mean to say it like that or make you feel like I was forcing you to come with me. What I meant was, this isn’t where you belong, I don’t believe you’ve ever belonged here. Whatever happened tonight, I felt your power a whole realm away. It won’t be safe anymore for you to stay in the nonmagical realm. You need to come home.”

Power. Realm. Home.

---