• Thorns


    He watched her. He admired her. The way she moved her small fingers as she wove vines within one another. She concentrated as she delicately moved the vines so they wouldn’t come undone. Her dark chocolate brown hair that swayed with the wind, her luminescent deep green eyes…she was gorgeous. Even the way her chest moved when she breathed was nearly hypnotizing. Just graceful little movements caused him to stare.
    She concentrated on the way the vines were. She bit her tongue so it was part way out of her mouth. Careful not to hurt the roses, she tied a small knot on a ring that she had created with the stems. Once finished, she inspected every inch. Finally, she smiled innocently, satisfied with her work.
    “Ta-da!” She giggled as she held out a small wreath constructed of rose flowers and their stems. Her smile lit up her face. “For you brother, Reagan!” she declared with a sing song voice. Though, Reagan looked mortified at the ring she held. “Reagan?”
    “You’re bleeding.” Her brother’s gentle fingers took the crown from her, and held her hands to inspect them. Tiny red droplets formed on her finger tips and the creases of her palms. He looked up at her with pained eyes. The same green that her eyes held were instilled in his.
    “You’ve hurt yourself, Raine.”
    Raine clenched her hand into a fist and quickly drew it away from Reagan’s grasp.
    “It’s from the thorns. I’ll be fine.” She said. Holding her fist close to her face, she slowly opened her fingers to see the blood had covered her hand now. She frowned. “Mother will not be pleased if I get blood on my dress.” She said with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. Regan laughed, and took the handkerchief from around his neck. With the same gentleness as before, he took her bloody hand and wrapped the handkerchief around it. After tying the knot he smiled up at her once more, and Raine returned it. She then spoke.
    “Try on the crown. I want to see it on you.”
    Reagan’s smile soon faded. He let go of his sister’s hand and picked up the wreath. He seemed hesitant. “It’s alright to wear, I removed the thrones. That’s why my hand was pricked so much.”
    Reagan nodded. He placed the crown on his head, and adjusted it to fit more snugly. Raine smiled and giggled with pleasure. Some of the petals blew in the soft breeze.
    “Thank you, sister.”
    They sat there for a few minutes, silently. They took in the area around them with much fervor and zeal. The flowers were in bloom. It was spring, the season in which their country was known for. The scent of the many perfumes and fragrances tickled their noses. They lay down in the grass next to each other, their hands intertwined. Raine and Reagan were never to separate, and never to part, together as long as they could be. But, their vow seemed to mean nothing to the ones that surrounded them.
    The flowers began to wilt. The happiness melted away and the air became cold as everything became dark. He was alone, with no senses. He couldn’t hear, couldn’t feel, he wasn’t even sure if he could speak. Reagan screamed.
    He could feel his heart in his chest, pumping blood at an unnatural pace. Reagan, out of breath, tried to crawl into a near consciousness and awareness to what was around him. The blackness disappeared and light streamed to his eyes as he squinted, waiting for them to acclimate. A hot sticky feeling over took him now that he was covered in sweat. He clutched the sheets of his bed. Feeling had decided to come back to him in a torrent. Everything seemed to have a more vibrant feel. He could even feel the humid air rest on his skin. Reality soon entered his mind as he saw a young woman with long blonde hair and sea green eyes stare at him with a concerned look.
    “Nightmare?” She asked with a weak smile. Caroline.
    Reagan looked to the walls that surrounded them. Bare, and concrete they loomed. Where had the field gone? He already longed for the flower’s scent once more, and the touch of his sister’s gentle hand in his. The feel of the grass haunted him. He wished to return. It had gone to the back of his mind he supposed, to his memories.
    “Yes. A nightmare.”
    Reagan scratched the back of his head, trying to get the thought of the field out of his mind. He couldn’t bear the thought of not being able to go back for real. If all else failed there was always his dreams. Caroline smiled down at him. “Well, it’s over now.” She said in her normal sweet tone.
    Caroline was a maid of the household. Ever since Reagan could remember, she had always been there ready to help him in any way possible. Caroline grabbed his hands and forced him upward. “Hurry up, lazy! The mistress wishes to have tea with you this morning!”
    “And this is different from a regular morning?”
    Caroline crossed her arms and hit his head.
    “OW!”
    “Lose track of the days again, Reagan?” She heaved a sigh as she tapped her foot in annoyance. Reagan couldn’t help but smile crookedly. For some reason…Caroline reminded him of his mother. “It’s the first day of spring silly!”
    “Spring…” Reagan muttered. “It’s here already?”
    Caroline shook her head. She went over to the window behind him and moved the curtains aside so more light streamed in. “Honestly, Reagan. You need to learn to observe the world around you more!” She pushed open the window. Sounds of birds chirping caressed his ears, and the smell of the field from his dreams tickled his nose.