Falling Into The Sky

It was dark, creepy, and the only path was towards a giant oak tree, with whispers so loud it became white noise. Few words broke through, book, guardian, keeper… None of it made sense and Rae would admit, if only to herself, that she was scared. It was too real. The shadows were deep, taking no distinguishable form, it flowed like liquid, when it brushed against her skin, shivers went up her spine making her hair stand on end. She wanted to ask for help but her words were trapped.

The noise was silenced with one question. “Who’s the guardian?”

Rae continued, pretending her heart wasn’t racing, it stopped when a figure fell in front of her, the only distinguishable thing that could be seen were golden eyes. “I am the guardian.”

Rae awoke in sleep paralysis panicked, heart racing, and sweating profusely. She took a deep breath and counted backwards from five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

She turned her head. Next to her was a little black book. She looked at the ceiling then turned back. It was still there. She got up to do her daily routine ignoring the desire to check the book laying on her pillow innocently.

Rae contemplated the dream while in the shower, the hot water soothed her allowing her to think. Her amma always said that dreams come from Universe, God, Love Energy, any name works. It’s our way to connect to our deepest selves, other dimensions, lessons we need to learn, pasts we never lived. “Rae. Get a grip! Amma’s stories were just stories.” She let her worries and thoughts run down the drain.

To bring the book with her or leave it? Did she want to know what was inside it? Will she be the cat that dies or the cat that comes back satisfied? She went back and was disappointed when nothing changed when she grabbed the book.

Stepping outside she took a deep breath smelling the pine. Nature helped her recharge and think, and a walk to the cliffs was overdue. Hiking up hills, over fallen trees, through streams, and paths only the animals knew, she spent time touching the trees, whispering their beauty and watched as ferns swayed in her direction. The wind kept on playing with Rae’s long hair despite many attempts to tame it, making her laugh like a child.

This is what she longed for. Freedom. She made it to the top of the summit overlooking the trees as far as the eye can see and the view was glorious. She pulled the book out of her pocket and flipped through the blank pages while leaning on a boulder. Maybe it was a sketchbook?

“Will you just open it already!” Rae jumped, and looked for who was talking to her. Behind her, hanging upside down from a tree branch was the thing she saw in her dream… It swung his body and flipped down to the ground landing on two hooves. “You are not crazy. I am very real. My name is Dren and I’m the guardian of that book.”

Dren had a human face and torso, with hair a deep violet, from the waist down he had what Rae could only guess were goat legs, his eyes were golden and playful, full of life and mischief. “I’m Rae. What exactly are you?”

“I’m Fae of course! Can’t you tell? As I said, I am guardian of that book and thus connected to it. However, I can be anything you want. I can be a pet.” His body flowed and shrank into a cat. He looked up at her smiling and wound his hindquarters and jumped turning into a bird landing on her shoulder. “I can be a bird and make you look like one of those Disney princesses. Or…”

He flew in front of her turning into a handsome human man. He smirked at Rae, reaching to cup her cheek intimately, “I can be a lover.” Rae rolled her eyes and chucked the book off the cliff. He screamed and dove after the book. After a minute an arm was perched on the cliff's edge and a very feminine body was pulled up with it. Dren walked towards Rae, placing the book next to her again, then flirtatiously said. “You could have said you prefer women. Gender means nothing to us.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Rae said, smirking as she took the book and threw it off the cliff again.

Dren’s jaw dropped at the audacity and once again hopped down glaring at Rae until her eyes were blocked by the mountain face. It took a little longer this time before Dren came back up, this time looking like himself, but more irritated, tired, and dirty. “You have goat legs, shouldn’t you be good at rock climbing?”

“I am good at climbing! But where the book lands, I land. Have you no care!”

“Have you?”

They eyed each other and Dren let out a sigh. “Fine. I started it, but I looked gorgeous! You’re weird.”

Rae gave a laugh, “I’m weird and you’re vain. Can other people see you or am I talking to myself?”

“Both. I allow who can see me, but if I’m something from this world I don’t really care who notices. For now I’ll look human.”

Rae smiled at him. “Interesting. How do I read this book? And why do I have it.”

Dren hopped on the boulder, sitting next to her. “To answer your second question first. This has been in your family for generations. Those who can connect with us become the Keepers and the pages clear with each new owner. This is a book of requests. Open to a page, read the request, and if you accept it, the words remain until it is fulfilled. Once fulfilled you will be gifted.”

“What happens when it’s complete?”

“You ask a lot of questions. I don’t know. No one has ever completed the book as far as I know.”

Rae fidgeted with the book in her hand for a few moments deciding what to do. She opened it.

You are the Bookkeeper. Whose secrets and magic you hold near. The Guardian of this book will be your guide and peer. To grow and be. Abundance and healing to those you see.

Do you accept?

“Yes.” Rae whispered, the words faded and new ones appeared.

In my meadow where flowers are vast. You must find the one that was asked. It brings harmony to all and shows who you really are. Ask and shine like a star.

“Great! We’re looking for a flower. That doesn’t seem that bad now does it?” Dren smiled and elbowed her, she gave a skeptical look.

“Judging how this day has been I doubt that’s all we have to do. Let’s do it.”

Dren hopped down and took Rae’s hand guiding her to stand. He took out a bulb from his pocket that grew into a staff and hit the ground. Vines shot from the ground circling and wrapping themselves around the two. Rae shouted her surprise stepping closer to Dren, he put his hand around her waist and winked. When the plants unfolded themselves they were in a meadow bursting with color, flowers of every kind, farther back pools of water connected to a stream. She walked to the closest pond, dug into a pocket, and pulled out a coin. Closing her eyes, she made a wish, dropping it into the water. Dren watched with curiosity not knowing what she was doing. As he opened his mouth to ask about it he heard something approach from behind them.

Nothing was there but a pathway through the flowers and grasses moved toward their location. When the edge was reached, peddles flew in the air and a beautiful creature appeared. Her skin was sun kissed, with magenta hair that looked like leaves with blue a stripe. Her face had the same stripes across her cheeks and eyes so blue they were almost black. “The Bookkeeper and her Guardian. Welcome. My name is Xio.

Xio reached out and held Rae’s hands and guided her from the pond to the middle of the meadow. “Did you know that flowers have language and each one brings with it the energy of it’s meaning along with their colors? They tell us many things, things we are afraid to speak. Which flower brings harmony and helps you proclaim who you are?”

Rae’s amma knew flowers. She was always planting, arranging, and gifting them. She would talk about the meanings, but Rae didn’t pay attention when she was little. She knows colors, hopefully that will be enough. What color means harmony? Blue is healing and water. Purple is royal and represents the third eye; intuition. Our crown is violet but sometimes white for our connection to spirit. White flowers were a good place to start and she looked around.

Harmony. Connection. She looked at Dren who pointed to the sky. Blue, white, yellow... Yellow is energy, children, the sun soothes and brings joy, that can be harmonious. Looking around again she saw a flower that looked like a lily. It had a white base with multiple pink stripes on the sides. The center of the petal had a green to yellow gradient. Pink for self love, green for nature and magic, Rae was confident in her choice. “Xio, is this the flower?”

Xio came over crouching in front of them, whispering. She smiled warmly and looked up at Rae. “This is an amaryllis, the knight’s star. Pluck a few of the heads and put them in the pond.”

Rae did so and walked over the closest pond and placed them on the water’s surface. “Please be correct.” The once clear water turned dark blue like the night sky, the flowers looking like stars.

“You are correct Bookkeeper.” Xio stood behind her watching the water twist and change. “It also means knowing the magic of your spirit, what makes you unique and beautiful. Who are you?”

Before Rae could think about all of that she was pushed into the pond. Instead of getting wet, she was suspended in the air above the clouds awestruck at the view. Then she fell. “DREN!” He appeared in front of her taking both of her hands. “What is happening?!”

“You must claim your spirit!”

“What does that even mean!? I don’t don’t know what you’re talking about!” They hit the clouds, everything became blinding white and wet. Streams of water swirled around them creating shapes until they broke through the bottom.

“What makes you fly? What do you connect with?”

She always wanted to skydive but not like this. In her panic filled mind she didn’t notice her hair covering her face. She shook her head to get it out of the way when it was pushed down again. Giggles surrounded them as her hair split and started to braid and unravel “…the wind?” She looked at Dren, he smiled and nodded. “I’m part of the Wind!”

A gust pushed beneath making them fall into the sky. The fear was released Rae laughed loud and full. She saw the cloud line behind Dren, gave a warning, braced for impact. They burst through the pond with a splash and landed on the ground gently. Adrenalin ran through her with deep breaths and hands shaking. “That was... was… I don’t know…”

“Bookkeeper, what makes you beautiful?”

“I am free like the wind.”

“Thank you for fulfilling our request. Please take your gift to the address located in the notebook. One is to keep the other is to sell.” Rae held up two light green stones with yellow-white cloud like veins. “It represents happiness, abundance, luck, freedom, and protection. This is jadeite each is worth twenty-thousand.”

The meadow faded away and they were back at the boulder. Rae put the stones in her back pocket and clapped Dren on the shoulder, nodding towards the trail. “Care to join me?”

"With pleasure.”