If Wishes Were Horses 19

Today’s word count: 1732      Total word count:  37,484

Will dropped me off outside my flat and I thanked him for an enjoyable and educational trip. He went away happy, probably convinced that I had developed a new passion for bird watching, and I did nothing to enlighten him. Why should I spoil his happiness if he thought he’d converted me to being a twitcher?  Of course I should have known what awaited me when I turned the key in the lock and walked inside. Dee, or should I say the Dark Elf, almost knocked me down in his eagerness to reach me. I’m sure he ran along my hall and skidded to a halt just an inch or so from me.  He flung his arms wide as if to hug me and said, “Angie! I’m so glad you’re home! I’ve missed you. Have you missed me?”

“No. Not in the slightest,” I said, ducking under his outstretched limbs and walking straight past into the lounge. “I didn’t give you even the tiniest thought. I hate to disappoint you, but you are not the centre of my universe.”

He followed me to the lounge and stood leaning on the door jamb, looking at me coolly. He wore a dark grey business suit and a green tie with a narrow silver stripe. His shirt was a very pale sage green and I could see cufflinks at the end of his sleeves, shaped like a ragged leaf. The overall impression was of a woodland grove, but one where the sun rarely penetrated. 

“You can be so cruel sometimes. I wonder why I bother with you.”

“Please feel free to stop bothering me any time you like. Don’t feel under any obligation to continue visiting me. I’ll handle it if you never come back. Trust me.” That kept him quiet for a while and I began to feel that maybe he genuinely felt upset but then I told myself to sort out my mind and stop being stupid.  I walked through to the bedroom and began unpacking my overnight bag. 

“Did you enjoy it?” he asked and I genuinely had no clue what he meant. 

“Did I enjoy what?”

“Your night away from home.”

“Well I wasn’t there to enjoy myself, but it’s a nice place and I’ve never been before, so it was a new experience.”

“I expect it is nice. What did you like best about it?”

I was tempted to say that the best bit had been the fact that he hadn’t followed me there. I have to admit I was confused over why I’d had two days grace from his presence. It couldn’t be the pebble, or it would have prevented him arriving at the flat. After all, I had it clutched in my hand, in my jeans pocket, yet he stood there right in front of me. I thought I’d dig a little to see what I could discover.

“I thought the lake was pretty.” As far as I’m aware there is no lake in Aberystwyth, I certainly hadn’t seen one, so I didn’t have any memory of one that he could read. It made no difference, however, as he ploughed straight on as if there were. 

“Oh yes. Very pretty. What else?” He was fishing to see what I would let slip.

“The castle.” Does the place have a castle? I’ hadn’t the faintest idea. “With the art gallery in it.”  He nodded sagely but it was clear he didn’t know he was listening to a pack of lies.  I decided to push the point.  “Have you ever been there?” He thought I was setting a trap so he immediately denied it, confirming my suspicion that he had been nowhere near me for two days.  “I’d have thought you’d have come with me. Did you have something more important to do?”

“You aren’t the only person in my life you know. Since you left so rudely and didn’t tell me you were going I found my entertainment elsewhere. I had a lot of fun,” he taunted, but I refused to get dragged in.   I couldn’t help wondering why he’d chosen to dress himself in a business suit and it concerned me a little that he did actually know where I’d been and who with. I hoped Will wouldn’t suffer for being my escort for the last two days. I could try to warn Dee - the Elf -  off hurting anyone at work, but after the incident with Father Brendan I daren’t, for fear of making things much worse. I tried another approach. 

“That’s an interesting outfit you’re wearing. What made you choose that particular style?”

“It felt right for you today, sort of efficient and businesslike.  Do you like it?”

“Fascinating colour scheme. Very autumnal.”

“Well, it’s autumn. Don’t you like it?”

I took my time to reply, giving him appraising looks, up and down, as if considering carefully.  “It is excellently co-ordinated. The colours go well together and are suitable for the season. It is stylish, obviously you’ve dressed to impress. I’d say it has,” I paused before finishing my sentence, “......glamour.”

As I spoke the last word I saw a shimmer pass across his outfit, like a ripple on a pond, and he shuddered like someone had walked over his grave. Then I wondered idly if elves had graves, but I came quickly back to the conversation when I heard the tone of his response.

“Very clever,” he said with a sneer. “You are becoming much too arrogant for your own good. Do not attempt to annoy me. You should know by now what happens when my anger is roused.” I felt an immediate stabbing pain behind my left eye. 

“OK I’m sorry. You can make me suffer. I know that. Please, I meant no harm. I’ve been doing some research about wishes and the creatures that can grant them. I came across a reference to glamour while I was reading.” Somehow my apology seemed to give him strength and I felt the headache subside, but my legs suddenly felt heavy and when I tried to move my feet they would not obey.

“You are still not wearing my pendant. Where is it?”

I couldn’t stop myself. I walked over the where I keep my jewellery box. As I got near the odd sensation passed to my arms and I reached out to open the lid. To my horror I reached into the box and lifted up the pendant chain, then held it out to the Elf. He took it from me and fixed it around my neck.  “Now,” he said “It is time for me to grant you some wishes.  Let me see what you want.”

My head swam, but there was no pain, just a sensation of someone throwing things around in my mind as they searched for something specific. “You’re still thinking of that Paul person?” he said sarcastically, “After what you two did? You disgusting hussy.” I knew that whole night had been his doing, but I couldn’t prevent the wave of shame that passed over me.  “That’s better. Remorse is good for you. Now, what else do you have in your tiny, overheated mind?”

The sensation went on. I wanted to reach into my pocket and take hold of the starling egg, but I couldn’t move my hands. It was as if I had been tied tight with many loops of rope.  “Perhaps you would like a new apartment? I could see about having this one demolished for you so you have to move. No.” He went on staring straight into my eyes as he offered more possibilities. “I see you want your friend to find a new man in her life. But I’ve already granted that one.” My eyes widened, the only part of me I seemed to have any control over. “Oh yes. I told you I have other people in my life. Your little redhead friend met a new man last night. She is completely besotted with him and can’t wait to tell you all about it. He’s really not a nice person though. I wonder how long it’ll be before she works out that she’s made a serious mistake. How many bruises she’ll have to hide before she comes to her senses.” 

Poor Minty. If she had fallen under this spell she would have no choice but to continue a relationship with someone specially selected to hurt her.  Eventually Elf found what he wanted. 

“Aha! You’ve had a good couple of days away from work and you wish that you could have more time when you didn’t have to go into the office.  That’s easy to fix.”

The heaviness left my arms and legs and suddenly I could move. “You monster!” I shouted. “You do nothing but hurt people. None of your earlier efforts were misunderstandings at all. You’ve wanted to injure me and the people around me intentionally from the very start.”

“Just granting your wishes, Sweetie. It’s all from your mind – your ideas – I just make it happen. You want a few days off work?  No problem. I hope you enjoy them.” Then he clicked his fingers on both hands and disappeared, leaving me to wonder what I was in for. It didn’t take long for me to find out. Less than five minutes after he left I felt suddenly and violently sick, and had to rush to the bathroom to throw up. Even though I’d had very little to eat all day there seemed to be an awful lot that wanted out of my body. After a while the rest of my digestive system joined in. He was right, I’d have to take a couple of days off work at least with this kind of attack. 

I needed to research what type of beast Elf was, but I doubted whether I would feel up to reading and researching anything for days while I felt so ill. I took off the pendant and chain and dropped them on the bathroom floor, hoping it would help me to feel better, but no luck. Even clutching my blue pebble made no difference. It seemed as if the magic had simply brought a virus into my life, rather than this being a magical infection. It was up to my natural defences to fight it off and I suspected I had a few rough days in my future.