Chapter 3.11 There is Nothing Awesome about Moonlight Falls

 

It was still dark with the early morning sun not yet peering over the snow capped mountains when I found my way to my new, yet temporary, home that Autumn had rented for me. The walk from the train station was spent in total quiet. Not even the sounds of crickets chirping. Nothing but sounds of silence.

Back home in Twinbrook it was warm and sunny as spring was transitioning into summer. But here in Moonlight Falls there was a chill in the air. A thin layer of frost clung to the blades of grass and hung from the trees that were starting to change color. I should have been cold, but my newly acquired fur kept the chill away.

Just thinking about the fact that I now have fur made me sick. But I couldn’t focus on that right now. I didn’t want to think about the past 24 hours, and how everything had changed so drastically.

 

All I wanted to do was crawl into bed, and sleep my cares away. I was so exhausted that I didn’t even bother pulling back the bed covers. I just passed out on top of the bed, which to my delight was surprisingly comfortable. Who knows, maybe when I wake up I will discover that this was all just a horrible nightmare. In the morning I will find myself back in my nice safe bed, in my own room, with Captain still asleep by my feet.

No such luck.

I was rudely woken up by loud, and very annoying, banging on my front door. No one knows I am here. Who on Earth could be at my door? And what could they possibly want?

 

I stood at the door and demanded to know, “Who is there?”

I looked through the peephole to see three people standing at my front door. One was a female bride of Frankenstein looking sim; I guess you could call her a ragdoll. She had blueish grey skin with scars from stitches all over her body and face. To the doll’s far left was a male fairy. That is not a comment on his sexual orientation. I mean to say that he was a literal fairy, wings and all. In the center of this intruding trio was a female. She looked human enough, but in a place like Moonlight Falls who’s to say otherwise. In her hands was a giant wicker basket wrapped with a variety of foods and other useless trinkets.

“We are your Moonlight Falls Welcome Committee,” the middle human female sang as she talked. She was way too perky for it being so early in the morning. They have said only seven words to me, and I already hate my neighbors.

“Go away,” I growled.

 

“We are here to welcome you to the neighborhood,” the ragdoll added in almost perfect harmony of annoyingly upbeat enthusiasm.

“We have a welcome basket for you,” the female human chimed in.

“Are you going to come out or not?” the fairy was not as patient as his female companions. Either way, I was not going to open the door.

“I don’t want your stupid basket,” I growled louder, “just go away.”

“Well,” the female human didn’t let my roar dampen her positive attitude, “I’m just going to leave the basket here for you. I live two houses down, so feel free to stop by anytime.”

“I said leave me alone, and GO AWAY!!” I let out such a loud roar that it surprised even me.

Without saying another word the trio left the basket at my door and walked away. But before leaving the fairy turned around and flipped me the bird.

 

Finally, I can go back to sleep. My bed was looking softer and more comfortable the closer I got to my bedroom. I was proud of myself for yelling at my neighbors, so they will never bother me again. No more stupid interruptions.

Or so I thought.

“Well, that was rude.” a voice reprimanded.

I looked around the bedroom, and found no one else there with me. Don’t tell me that not only do I now look like a beast, but that I am slowly going insane and hearing voices in my head?

“Who’s there?” I demanded.

“It’s me.” the voice said, “I am over here.”

I frantically looked around the room. I looked under the bed and in the closet, but no one was there. I double checked the bathroom, but the source of the voice was yet to be located. I peeked out the window, but there wasn’t anyone outside either. There was not a single person to be seen.

“You’re getting warmer. No, stupid. Now you are getting colder.” the infuriatingly obnoxious voice directed me as I searched the room once again.

Plumbob, I really am going crazy. “I seriously need to get some sleep.” I moaned.

 

“Try looking in the mirror dumbass.” the voice was getting short with me, which was not called for. And looking the way I do, the last thing I ever want to do is look into a mirror. But I was too tired to argue, and too exasperated to play anymore games. So, I did as I was told and looked over at the mirror.

The mirror could have come from a medieval gothic castle, it looked that old. The mirror stood tall, almost as tall as the dresser, and had ornate carvings all around the glass. But what really caught my attention was the giant floating mask looking back at me. “Hello there,” the mirror smiled at me. Of course the house that Autumn picked just ​had to have a taking mirror. This is just my luck.

Wait, what am I saying? A talking mirror? There is no such thing. This is all just part of my dream. There is no face in the mirror talking back at me. There is no such thing as a magical mirror. On the other hand, 24 hours ago I would have told you that witches and fairies don’t exist either.

 

“I know that you are new to Moonlight Falls,” the not real talking mirror continued speaking to me. “But trust me when I say that you do not want to piss off your neighbors. Especially not with Grendel in charge.”

“Who the fuck is Grendel?” I asked the magical mirror of my sleep deprived hallucination.

“That doesn’t matter now,” the mirror replied. “Right now you need to go to that poor girl’s home and apologize for being so rude. But you can’t go dressed like that.”

Before I could utter one word of protest the all too real mirror magically transformed Grandpa’s old rags that I was wearing into a stupid looking suit.

“There, that is so much better.” the face disappeared, but the voice remained so I could see myself in the reflection.

“I look ridiculous.” I complained.

What the plumbob have I gotten myself into?!?!

 

Side Note: There are only a few notes this time around. I am not sure how many of you read these chapters from the Reader in WP, or from the blog site itself. But just in case you missed it, I updated the site header to show Beast Lincoln.

For this chapter, and for the others going forward, I am adding different lighting and filter effects to the photos. I was going for a reverse Wizard of Oz type of effect where everything in Moonlight Falls is dull with dark tones. After all, Lincoln certainly isn’t in Kansas anymore.

Please let me know what you think of the effects. Is it too dark or not dark enough? Are detail getting lost in the edited photo? Please be honest. I am a big girl and I can take criticism (as long as it is constructive). It won’t hurt my feelings.

And as always have a great day or night depending on when you are reading this.