SilverTrees

Kpom Kpom Kpom

Arrgh. I must have slept off. I opened my eyes to the rapid knocking at the door.

"I'm coming..."

"I have no interest in whether or not you are about to finish. Get off when we land in a private bathroom, and not where people are waiting!", retorted an angry male voice.

Gosh.

Did he think I was..? No time for that. I readjusted my shirt, and rinsed my face. I flushed the toilet, and opened the door.

The bold frown was clearly written on the man's face.

"Sorry.", I said sheepishly.

He just walked past me, and shut the door. Oh well. I began my walk of shame as quite a fair amount of people had already woken up. My head hurt a little, and my neck was stiff. Probably due to the sleeping position I had had in the lavatory. I avoided everybody's eyes and went to my seat, sitting down meekly as a girl would who had just realized her skirt was torn.

I rubbed my eyes.

"You don't mind if I sit next to you, do you?"

I looked up to see the girl from before. The scarf was still on her neck.

"Um...". I looked at the old man, now awake, beside me. He too looked quite surprised.

"Excuse Sir... You will now do as I say", she said, bending down to meet the man's face, with a smile.

"You will exchange seats with me until I request otherwise."

She stood upright as the old man unbuckled his seatbelt and stood. He crossed over my legs and went to seat at the back, where she was sitting.

"Hi... I am France-lyse. We have not officially been acquainted.", she said with a smile, extending her right hand towards me.

I took her palm in mine.

"I am Tobi."

"Enchante, Tobi...", she gripped my hand.

I looked back at the old man, who seemed happy with his new seat like a toddler given a new pair of shining shoes.

"What did you do to the man?", I asked.

"Nothing. Just a basic bewitching spell.", she replied, brushing it off like it was nothing.

I looked closely at the scarf now. There were stains of blood. Bola. A frown appeared on my face.

"Does it upset you?"

"What? Oh. No no no, it doesn't. It just reminded me of someone close to me."

"Vampire attack?"

I chuckled. Vampires indeed.

"What was funny?"

"Oh nothing. I know you are a witch, but that doesn't mean fairytales now are real."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You think Vampires are fairytales?"

She laughed like I had cracked the funniest joke in the world. I was mute.

"Oh my, you are funny... Tobi, is it?", she said wiping a tear from her eyes.

"I cannot remember laughing this hard.... Thank you, Tobi.", she said, tapping my shoulder.

"Are Vampires real?"

She burst out laughing again, hitting my lap as she jerked forward and back in hysteria.

"Of course, they are real. Who wouldn't know that?", she replied, finally calming down. She smiled, her palms holding mine. She leaned in, and for a moment, I thought she wanted to kiss me.

"Do you see those two girls in front?", she said instead, pointing at some girls four seats away from us.

"Yes...?"

"The one on the left is a Vampire."

I looked at her, but she was serious. I reclined into my chair.

"And the man with you. Is he also a Vampire?"

She nodded.

I looked back at the old man, worried he too would have to buy a scarf. He seemed oblivious of whatever danger was imminent.

"Is he your friend?", I asked, turning back to look at her.

"It is complicated."

"Complicated."

She withdrew her hands, and rested her head on the headrest, reclining into her chair.

Tuhn Dun

"Attention, all passengers, this is your Captain speaking. Please, return to your seats, and buckle your seatbelts as we would be experiencing some tumberlance.... Thank you."

The plane began to shake as the air rumbled outside. A storm.

France-lyse held my hand... I think more for herself than it was for me. She rested her held on my shoulder.

"You have no idea how to be a Seer, right?", she said quickly.

"I have no idea what a 'Seer' is.", I replied.

"Why are you going to Senegal?"

"Family matters."

She released her grip on my hand as the plane settled.

"You do not trust me, do you?", she said, looking up at me.

"We just met."

"I see.", she said sadly. She sat upright, circling her lap with her right index finger.

"How did you two meet?"

"Huh?"

"How did you and Mr. Vampire over there meet?"

"Oh. It's been an ancient relation, if you really think about it, going back to generations before me."

I looked at her. Her eyes were closed. I sighed.

"He and my grandmother were engaged...."