PART THREE

The walk to their childhood woods really put things into perspective. Trees they'd once thought were too big to climb now seemed only average, 'great mountains' merely hills, but even through the disenchantment of the visual side of it, the emotional side still rang true.

The boxes were in her backpack as she made it to the first location. If nothing else, Keira had an incredible memory. 'A brain no one could lie to, really,' Xandra had said. She remembered the first adventure fondly, that first awakening to the world of fairies that they'd created. She'd been Alavar the Strong, the blue-haired creature of the skies, and Xandra had been Medvith the Vicious, a fire sprite with a vivacious energy. They'd saved the forest from the cruel gnomes of the west, waged war with the tree creatures as their army, and finally, at the end, placed a spell to protect the place from ever being attacked again, only...they'd never finished the spell. They'd written it down on their little lisa frank notepad, but never said the last line.

From the boxes, Keira pulled out the two faded pieces of paper, horses and rainbows now more pastel than bright, and read it silently.

Here we stand, bold and bright.

Battles waged, we won the fight.

Hand in hand, we promise this day,

.......

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Keira looked up from the page and at the old, rotting stump theyd stood around, holding hands and chanting. Placing the pages into the little split in the center, she spoke, voice shaky.

"We shall always keep the dark at bay."

There it was. The first story, finished. A small part of her felt like it snapped as she finished the words. She stood, every ounce of her begging to grab the pages and put them bag, to hold onto her just a little while longer, but no... no, she'd made up her mind. Onto the next. She turned, walking deeper into the woods.

It didn't take too much longer to reach the second destination. The grand, wide river from her childhood was naught more than a bubbling creek in her young adulthood. They'd been mermaids, here, river beings who had to save the waters from the trash of the dam. It was a rescue mission, with frogs and catfish being the main quarry to save. They'd cooled off that july day by splashing around and catching creatures, setting them 'free' with the promise that they'd make sure the nasty humans wouldn't pollute again. They'd even built a makeshift filter of sticks and reeds, but it was long since washed away, now. They'd kept a twig each from the filter, and stood, pinkies intertwined, to make a promise.

"I promise never to not be a friend to the river, and never shall I not be your friend."

She'd said, and then Keira had gone to say the same, but Xandra had covered her mouth before she could finish, admonishing her for forgetting. They'd laughed about it afterwards and run home before curfew. Now, knee deep in the water, Keira stood with the twigs in hand, water running through curved fingers and pressing them up against the tips. She spoke, again, softer this time as she released them and let them drift down the brook.

"And never shall I not be your friend."

It was easier, this time, to allow the memories to flow and the objects to flow away with the current. More peaceful. Looking down at the box, Kiera stared for a few moments. One object left. Only one.