Chapter 3

L o s t   i n   a   f a i r y t a i l

If I haven´t been in this situation, I would open my mouth and stare. Now, I just stared shaking, hugging myself so I wouldn´t freeze.

As he recognized my face he looked confused. “W-what you do here?”

“Me? I… I was on my way to the top.” Yeah, I intentionally skipped the little detail about getting lost. “What-“

A loud thunder interrupted me. Me and the boy, whose name I didn´t remember anymore, jumped.

“We should find a shelter!” I found myself screaming, against the strong wind. Something sharp scratched my face and I turned my back to the boy.

“What?”

“A shelter!” I repeated covering right cheek with my palm.

“I don´t understand!”

I was about to cry, but at the same time I worried that the tears would freeze on my by cold wind red-burned cheeks.

“Sprichst du kein Deutsch? Parlez-vous français? No? Et l'italien?“

He desperately waved his hands “no”.

“Guess we won´t be able to talk much together.”

He nodded, but I doubt he was able to hear me. My words flew opposite direction. Though I admit, he was right.

“We find place now better! Hide from snow!”

“You don´t say,” I thought and followed him to the side.

The snow blanked reached them up to their ankles already and any cottage or motel was nowhere to find.  I looked up and saw the wall of trees in front of us disappearing in the milk-like dust.

“Maybe we shouldn´t…” I reached for his arm to stop him before he passed the first line. He turned back at me with a question across his face. However, how could I go into forest all alone with a boy I barely knew when I´m lost? Moreover, it was getting darker as the night was slowly approaching. I just shook my head.

“Less snow there,” he shouted my direction with a blank expression, but then he looked like he noticed something terrifying about me and asked me, if I was okay. I realized I don´t feel cold anymore and felt like fainting.

“Hey!” he grabbed me by shoulders and kept me from falling. Then he hugged me tightly and started rubbing my back. His warmth surrounded me and pain from the cold air hit me again. I guess I was back to senses. My knees got stronger and I straightened up again. I was able again to stand on my own now.

He took me by hand and led me on our way. Yes, we entered the forest and kept walking not to freeze. I had no idea, if we could face there any wild animals that could endanger us, or if there was any footpath for tourists. The ground was covered here with a thin white carpet. Few snowflakes were falling from sky through patulous tree-tops but it was quite peaceful here.

I realized I was squeezing his hand as a little lost child following blindly it´s saviour, but he didn´t seem to mind and walked a step in front of me leading us through from time to time helping me carefully not to fall. Well, it was just his human caring nature; he has a boyfriend anyway, doesn´t he?

“What´s your name anyway?” I asked glued to him.

“Taemin. And yours?”

“Friends call me Minnie.” Taemin nodded and tightened the grip as if assuring me that now we are on the same boat.  

From time to time he looked around and checked if we won´t see any trace of shelter. And I did the same.

If it wasn´t now and the weather wouldn´t mean big trouble for both of us, it would be wonderland and I would expect drafts and fairies to peep out from behind those old thick tree trunks.

As I was looking in the distance, suddenly an unknown dot of light twinkled in between the trees.

“Wait,” I made the boy stop and we walk back few steps, so I could see the light from the right angle. “There! Can you see the light?”

He stood behind me and lowered his head few centimetres to reach my level.

His face brightened up.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter