present.”
“Natalie should,” said Heidi quickly, but Natalie shook her head, mouthed sorry to Heidi, and they watched Walter slouch his way to the front of the class, clear his throat, grin.
He was brilliant. He was somehow perfect. He played the old man, George Washington on his front porch, telling stories about his life to a bunch of middle schoolers sitting at his feet. He did it all in an English accent, which Natalie realized was just right. He was English, after all, for a lot of his life. He would have had an English accent. When Walter finished the class applauded wildly; Natalie and Heidi felt silly sharing their little collage poster after Walter’s performance.
“Mr. President,” said Natalie as they left the class. “That was excellent.”
“Thanks,” said Walter from under his hoodie. “Sick crown.”
“Oh. Thanks,” said Natalie. She couldn’t remember when she’d put it back on.
In science class her onion had reached its final triumphant stage, bursting into bloom. Everyone else’s was still just a shoot. Ms. Parker was scratching her head, looking up onions on the web, which were supposed to bloom in little compact balls of white blossoms. Natalie’s had bloomed purple, with wide, shining petals.
Ms. Parker handed the pot to Natalie after class. “Just take it home,” she said. “It’s keeping me up nights.”
So, a few odd little somethings, but mostly normal, kind of like Natalie in her button-down shirt and plain blue jeans, but with a sparkling paper crown on her head. After school she did her homework, had dinner, watched a movie with her parents, went to her room.
So, this is it, she thought. Time for bed.
She changed into her nightclothes, left to brush her teeth, returned, turned back the sheets.
It was just sixteen nights, she thought. It feels like it was so much longer.
She crawled under the covers, read for a while, then put the book away and turned out the lights. Please, she whispered, curled up under the blankets. I want to go to the Kingdom of Winter again. I want to go to the Kingdom of Winter again. I want to go to the Kingdom of Winter again...
She was there, not in the middle of the forest but right in front of the wall, in the snow, and things were different. She wasn’t wearing a dress, or a suit of leather armor. She was wearing her nightclothes. Her skin was normal, not a slice of nighttime sprinkled with stars. And she was freezing.
“Ah,” she said, starting to shiver. “I should have worn some shoes.”
There was a gate between her and the wall, a high iron fence that went as far as she could see into the forest in both directions, blocking the way. On the other side of the fence it was spring: the snow was gone, there was grass growing between trunks, bright green leaves on the formerly barren trees, strands of ivy climbing the wall. Birds were singing. It looked inviting and much, much warmer than where Natalie was, just a few feet away.
“Hello!” called Natalie through the fence. “Anyone there? Hello!”
It was really cold. She shivered, her teeth chattered, and she called and called through the gate. Finally, she saw something coming. It was Ms. Lavender, swooping gently through the forest like a puff of dandelion.
“Ms. Lavender! It’s me, Nightfall. Can you let me in?”
Ms. Lavender shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, Natalie. Even if I had arms, I couldn’t let you in. Your work here is done.”
“But I’m freezing.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Where’s Shrug? Go get him.”
“He’s somewhere. He has things to do, Natalie.”
“Please, Ms. Lavender? Please get him for me!”
Ms. Lavender frowned, looked away. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you so much,” said Natalie, watching Ms. Lavender glide away.
It took a long time. Natalie raised one foot out of the snow to try to warm it, then switched, like a flamingo, wondering if you could see frostbite if you were getting it. She blew on her hands, wrapped her arms around herself.
“Hello,” said Shrug, coming around the wall. He looked the same, except his hat wasn’t green anymore. Now it was white, like the snow.
“Shrug! Can you let me in? I’m freezing.”
Shrug shook his head, looking impatient. “Of course not. You’re done, Natalie.”
“I’m Nightfall.”
“You were. That’s done. Spring is here. You have to go. You won’t be able to come back again. Ever.”
“But, now what happens? Is life just normal now, forever? What am I supposed to do?”
Shrug shrugged. “The usual. Grow up, do stuff, get married, have babies, raise them. Stay away from daytime thinking.”
“That’s it?”
“Natalie,” said Shrug. “You were Nightfall. You came to the Kingdom. Who gets to do that? It will have to be enough.”
“But-”
“Goodbye.” He turned and walked around the wall..
“But it’s cold,” said Natalie quietly, watching him go until he was out of sight.
She shivered. Ok, well, I guess that’s it, she thought. Time to wake up now.
But nothing is so simple.
One last riddle then, she thought. Find the way home. But the girls led me there, once before. I just have to find it again .
She headed off the path, into the deep snow, shivering and shaking, teeth chattering together. She walked and walked, looking for that place where the ground became irregular, humped and jumbled, like the end of the world, but everything seemed just the same, flat and dull, identical in all directions.
Maybe I should go back, beg for help, she thought, but no. I can’t. Not ever. I have to get home on my own.
And then I will stay there, she realized, through spring after spring that some other me in some other universe is bringing. That’s how it will be. I’ll grow up, get married, have kids. Teach them to avoid daytime thinking, how to wake themselves up at five without an alarm, how to count to ten going frog, dog, bog, log... whatever Jessie said. I’ll have to ask her. I’ll buy them nice, normal clothes and make them paper crowns to go with them, and tell them about George Washington, with his wooden teeth and his zombie army. That is how it is going to be
She looked around, wondering which way to go next.
Now: think!
I’m freezing, and I’m not covered with stars, but I am Nightfall, for goodness’ sake. I should have some magic left in me.
She smiled, thinking of what to do. “What I really need,” she called to the empty woods, “is to find the door to my room.”
She turned around, and looked.
And there it was.
***
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