Hi. My name is Twain Jarvinen. I am a teenage boy of 15. I live in a city called Kauniainen. It is a city of Finland, a Scandinavian country of Northern Europe. I have met a girl of my age named Anneli Hamalainen. She was born in a different city called Valkeakoski. She and her family planned on moving to my town of Kauniainen for her to study there. Her name is Anneli Hamalainen.

She was a very beautiful girl. She has snowy pale skin, icy blue eyes, and platinum silver hair that flow flawlessly on her shoulders.

When she was still new in Kauniainen, everyone welcomed her; everyone except the girls that were of the same age as us. That was since very long ago. As I could remember, when she was still new to our town of Kauniainen, she was lesser than 3.

The old folks used to say that they were just very jealous of her because she’s known to be the prettiest of the town ever since she came here.

A few years passed, we were at kindergarten. It was in the midst of the snowy season. She was strolling along the streets, she was buying something at a nearby store.

Until, the mean little girls came and pushed her.

She reacted and looked at them in annoyance.

Then, they pushed her to the ground. Then they pulled her fish tail braided hair and teased her saying, “It’s the Ice queen! The evil ice queen! Don’t take us to your cold and dark sanctuary!” They then stepped on the herbs she had just bought.

Good thing cause the store clerk lady caught them bullying her and then shoo them away. She helped her get up on her feet

After that, she hugged the lady then ran away to a place unknown.

I saw what they did to her, and so I followed her to the direction without letting her to see me.

Then I saw her crying and laying her head on the Weeping Willow tree. She looked even prettier as she lean her head on the tree’s body, as the willow’s leaves turned white because of the cold season.

I took the opportunity to approach her and talk to her.

“Hey… what are you doing here all alone?” I asked her.

She sobbed and looked away. Then I asked the same question to her over and over again until she will finally answer me.

She giggled and said, “Why, I should ask you that! Why are even here talking to a nobody like me?”

I was shocked a little after what she said. The girls bullied her just too much to bear. She doesn’t think of herself as someone anymore.

“You’re not a nobody. What is your name?”

She smiled and said, “Anneli Hamalainen, I’m Anneli, You?”

“I’m Twain Jarvinen. I like your name. It’s pretty enough for them not to call you a snow queen.”

From that very moment, I had a friend and so did she.

We were always together ever since that day. Anneli and I, we were like peas and carrots. We were inseparable.

Until we are now older, we are now in high school. We’re even classmates. Sometimes even seatmates.

One day, she called me to the school roof top.

I was rushing to the roof top when she called me.

When I was finally there, I saw her. She and I were all alone up there.

“Twain, you came. I’m glad. I wasn’t even waiting. Funny, cause I have just arrived a few seconds earlier than you.” She giggled.

I smiled and approached her.

“Why did you call me here? Is there something wrong?” I asked.

She gave off a relaxed sigh, and said, “Actually, there is one thing I would like to ask you…” she approached me.

She continued, “…do you really think I mean anything to you? Am I really something special to you? Or am I just that evil ice queen the girls keep calling me about?”

I sighed, and said, “Anneli…you are more than a someone to me…you’re more than a pretty girl named Anneli to me…in fact, you’re more than a friend to me…but you can’t be that enough to be only called as a sister…you mean that special to me…”

She then replied, “I’m not sure if those are just flattery words…”

“What do you really meant of flattery?” I asked

“I don’t want flattery words that are like a rose. It’s blooming flower is beautiful as it seems, but roses have stems which are filled with prickly thorns that are only meant to hurt you.” She said in a serious way.

I have never seen her like that before.

“Anneli…I don’t want to be the cause of your pain. I know that this world could be such a cruel one. I know that there are people out there that could be possible wolves in sheep clothing. But, I don’t want to be like that to you.”

“Why exactly?” she asked me with a straight and firm gaze.

“I was a victim of those things they did. I know you see those things they did to me. I’m pretty sure.”

She then looked at the baby blue sky and sighed

She then asked me, “do you have plans on making someone officially the one you hold special to your heart?”

I replied, “Yes I do…”

She asked, “May I ask who? I hope I’m not bulging in your private life.”

I chuckled after she thought that she was invading my privacy, and said, “I plan on making you mine.”

I can see how shocked she was as her eyes widen and immediately looked at me.

She smiled and said, “you know, Twain, I know that you saw how there are quite many other boys who asked for me to go on a date with them.”

“Why didn’t you go with them?

“I was expecting for someone to do the same for me. Just that, I have just witnessed it in this very moment.”

I smiled at her feeling so happy.

“You know, Twain, I have a feeling that people will judge you for this. People will think we’re not meant for each other. There happen to be so much more boys out there that are more handsome than you, but that doesn’t matter to me. They will never be able to make me happy like how you did from the very first day we became friends.”

She jumped at me and cried of joyful tears.

Years had passed, we are now 19.

I have noticed that Anneli isn’t feeling good.

She is always tired, her fair skin turns even paler, she’s become very fragile and weak, she often feels dizzy, she keeps vomiting, most of the time, as she says her chest hurts, and she has abdominal pain.

She’s experiencing so much.

Now, I treasure her a lot more for she’s become a more fragile flower.

I feel a bit disappointed too since she’s experiencing all of this pain. I have just so much plans for the both of us.

So, I planned on taking her to see the doctor.

The doctor checked her heart rate and her blood pressure.

“Is there anything you see, Doc?” I asked her.

“Hmm…I’ll say, she has Thalassemia, Anemia, and Plague.”

“What—Doc, are you sure about that? Those are a lot!”

“Well, first of all, she has Thalassemia. It doesn’t look like she has it just so frequently. Looks like for a long time. Then, that Thalassemia she has caused her Anemia. But, her Plague seems to be a fresh one.”

Anneli just had a relaxed sigh and sat there peacefully.

I feel like I don’t know something that she has never told me ever.

We then left the doctor’s clinic, and then we went to the Weeping willow tree and did nothing but just stayed there.

“I’m sorry, Twain. I wasn’t able to tell you this because I was scared.”

I shook my head and said, “No, it’s okay. I will still take care of you.”

She cut in my sentence and said, “No, that’s not it! I didn’t told you something yet because I was scared…I was scared to think that you’ll leave me for this…”

“Well, whatever that is, I don’t care! That’s it! I don’t care! I still love you even if you have to say something that’ll torment me forever!” I exclaimed.

“Twain…listen to me…i… ever since I was little, even before I met you, even before I was moved here, I had Thalassemia. Then I soon had Anemia. That is the main reason why we moved here. It was a lie when I told you that I moved here to learn. Because, to be honest, there are even better schools at my town, there were fewer bullies there. I know I won’t be bullied there if I stayed there. But, that isn’t the case. We were expecting to have me cured. I guess, there just isn’t a cure for me. I’m just good at getting more and more rare diseases! I don’t even know why I have Plague!” She cried.

I cut in her talk and hugged her.

“It’s alright. I understand. It will be alright. If I was able to just take that diseases of yours, I will keep them and let you fight every battle.”

After a few months, Anneli is dying.

Those days were just so agonizing. We were at our house as she lay down her bed.

She didn’t wanted to be cured anymore. She just wants to die. All of these things that happened to her, all that she wants now is…

“Twain…I know that it’s my time. I have one last wish for you. I want…to see the lilies of the valley…” she said with a weak voice.

“Why would you want?” I asked her.

“Isn’t that the national flower of our nation? I learned that during 3rd grade…” she left out a weak smile and continued, “I haven’t seen one yet. I have only seen one in pictures. I always wondered what it looks like up close. What does it even look like…”

I nodded my head and said, “I will. I will bring one for you…no…even a garden…I will give you a garden filled with all the lilies of the valley that you could ever imagine…” tears flowed from my eyes to my cheeks.

She then caressed her weak hands to my cheeks and said with a whispery voice, “All I ask is one lily. We are getting married soon…right?”

After that statement, she stopped breathing.

I went outside the house and ran. I ran away as far as I could go.

Then, I got tired and went to that weeping willow tree we used to go to.

Then just sat there, weeping with that willow tree.

As I sat there, there was a girl of beautiful laced clothing. She had orange hair, dyed to 2 other colors. She was carrying a box with her. In my mind, I think to myself that she might be as young as 14 or 15.

She came to me and asked, “What seems to be the matter, my good sir?”

“My girlfriend…she’s dying…she wants me to give her one lily of the valley.”

“Aah…lily of the valley, eh? That’s a pretty flower she asked for. Well, this is after all the country that has it, right? Why? What seems to bother you still?” she asked.

“I wanted to marry her…but she’s dying…” I weeped once again.

Then, there were children as young as 13 that walked along the street just pass us. Though they were quite far, I could hear their chat. I could hear every secret they whisper to their ear.

I hear… “Have you heard of the Dream Box?”

“No…what is that?”

“The dream box…the dream box is the beautiful and magical box that grants your one greatest wish.” The young lady said.

“You heard them?” I asked in wonder.

“Well, I am quite surprised that you did so too.” She said.

I just left myself in bewilderment.

“Do you want to know more about this Dream Box?” she asked.

“What is your name, young lady?” I asked.

“My name? Why do you want to know that?” she said.

“Please tell me your name. I don’t know what’s happening to me anymore.” I said gazing at the ground.

“If you wish…My name is Morticia.”

“What about your last name?” I asked.

She said, “Guardians of mystical things do not have last names.”

Yet in awe, my jaw dropped.

“Now…would like to have your dreams come true? I know you have one…do you think of your girlfriend? Anneli would love that lily now…”

“How did you know her name? I barely even introduced her to you!” I exclaimed.

Then, suddenly, we were transported to an isolated area but the Weeping willow tree was still there in the midst of the both of us. Even more surprising, it became night time even though the time says 11:30 AM.

The willow tree glowed violet to blue.

And Morticia’s eyes glowed gold in the dark night.

“Twain…little have you know that the Dream Box chose you to wish upon it. You are just one of the chosen ones.” She said.

“Why am I chosen by the Dream Box?” I asked

“Because, the Dream Box has heard the deep wishes of your heart. Now is the perfect time for you to let’s say, say it out loud.” She said.

I then made my wish.

“I wish…for a field filled of lilies of the valley, and that Anneli and I will enjoy our last days there together.”

She smiled, and said, “Your wish is granted…”

She opened the Dream Box.

Many beautiful and strange things came out it.

Many types of beautiful flowers just flew around as the box was opened. There were passion flowers, gazanias, plumerias, chrysantenums, dahlias, magnolias, roses, and most are just flowers and other plants that are just beyond discovery, and beyond the imagination.

Then, the lady Morticia was gone.

The isolated field of wheat I was in turned into a field of lilies of the valley.

It looked so beautiful.

Then I hear footsteps. I turned around and saw…

…Anneli.

I ran to her and hugged her.

“Do you like the present I gave you?” I asked

Tears flooded her eyes, and said, “I love it. My, what beautiful flowers they really are after all! Thank you so much, Twain.”

Then we spent our last days there together.