Page 209 of Naughty Nelle

CHAPTER 14

Feverishly, I twist and turn. Nightmare after nightmare assaults me, each one more frightening than the one before it. Dragons torch me. Monstrous trees strangle me. Sea serpents drown me. And giant knives cut me apart.

Periodically, I wake up, drenched with sweat. Sometimes it’s pitch-black. I’m terrified and scream. Other times it’s bright. Oh, how the light hurts my eyes. Objects and people float by me, but they’re all a blur. Not knowing where I am, I drift back into unconsciousness to escape the pain.

The horrific dreams won’t stop. One, in particular, keeps recurring. I’m a child again. An ugly witch holds me prisoner in a rat-infested cell. What am I doing here? I’ve been good. “Let me go! Please!” Howling with laughter, she sears me with her branding iron. Oh, the pain! But I don’t let her see me scream. I can’t! Biting my trembling lips, I reach deep into her pocket and wrap my fingers around the large metal key she keeps there. Do it! In one swift move, I stab the cold metal into the thick green vein that snakes up her neck. “You, bitch!” she shrieks as a fountain of blood spurts out of the puncture. Soaked with her blood, I quickly unlock the cell door. I run faster than I ever have, only to have the raving mad witch chase after me. My lungs burn as much as my seared skin. Finally, I can run no more. I’ve come to the end of the earth. And so has she. I have no choice but to jump off the edge into the gray sea miles below. Splash! I stroke furiously. I’m free! But, free to do what? The sea never ends. My tears mingle with the salt of the cruel sea as I wonder: Will I be swimming forever?

“I’m so tired!” I cry out, desperately hoping the sea will take pity on me and carry me back to land.

“Of course, my dear, you’re tired,” says a sweet voice.

The sea has heard my plea and now seems so nice!

I slowly pry open my eyes, one at a time. Yes, I’m on land! I can smell flowers. People are clambering around me. My vision is cloudy. I can’t make them out.

“You’ve been delirious with a raging fever for over a week,” says the voice I heard in my dream.

“Thank goodness, it’s finally broken,” says a second one.

“You almost died, dear,” says a third.

I blink my eyes several times. Slowly, everything comes into focus. I’m back at Faraway, lying in my bed. A vase of wild flowers sits on a stand next to me, and the Badass Fairies are hovering over me.

“You must have picked up something from that disease-ridden moat,” says Fairweather as she gently wipes my forehead with a damp cloth.

“I had to throw out my dress and bonnet!” tisks Fanta. “Flossie was able to repair the tears, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t get out the stains or that awful smell.”

The events that have brought me here come back to me with the mad rush of a rockslide.

“You’re lucky that nasty crocodile we keep in the moat didn’t eat you alive,” adds Fanta.

There’s really a crocodile in the moat? I thought I was making that up when I gave Hook the brush off. Truth be told, I’d be better off dead than back here. I wish the crocodile had gotten me. Or The Huntsman had killed me.

I’m near tears when Winnie tiptoes into the room. She’s holding a tray with a tea caddy and cup. Her presence brightens my spirits a little.

“Hi,” I say feebly.

She smiles at me. She looks different. Maybe my vision is still impaired. As she gets closer, I realize my eyesight’s just fine. She’s lost weight. She’s a lot thinner.

“We’ll leave you two alone,” says Flossie. She and her sisters fly out the door.

Winnie carefully sits down on my bed, placing the tray on the nightstand. She plumps another pillow under my head, then pours me a cup of tea. She holds it up for me. I feel like a helpless child.

“I always give tea to my children when they’re sick. It makes them feel better.” Her soft voice spreads itself like a blanket on my chilled body.

I take a sip of the hot beverage. Chamomile. Elz’s favorite.

“Where’s Elz?” I ask, sounding a little stronger. Her bed doesn’t look like it’s been slept in for a while.

“She’s gone.”

I bolt up, knocking the teacup out of Winnie’s hand. “She’s dead?”

“No, no, Jane! She’s not dead! She’s gone back to Lalaland. The staff felt she was ready to start a post-rehab apprenticeship.”

My heart sinks. Elz is gone? I didn’t get a chance to say good-bye to her.

“You missed her going away party. It would have been more fun if you’d been there.” Winnie reaches into her pocket and hands me a folded up sheet of parchment. “Elz made this for you.”

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