I didn’t know it yet, but that necklace would mean more than either of us could imagine.

I looked at the horizon and reflected.

This would be the last day, yes, but I was still satisfied with how our story had ended. We had been through happy, painful and even scary moments together, but I had fun. And that was what mattered. I could consider myself satisfied.

But why, then, did I feel something completely different inside me? I wanted more, I needed more.

I wasn't truly satisfied, I was trying to convince myself I was.

I still had so many questions, about him, about the world, about everything. And there were still so many experiences we could have had together, so many possible adventures. So how could this be the end of everything?

But I had to accept it. I couldn’t hold on to a thread so thin, so short and hope it would never break. It would have been impossible.

I decided to ask him one last question. For selfish reasons. For myself. To feel better about myself.

“Jill.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you help me so much? What made you do it? I don’t understand, you could have left me right away, as soon as we got out of that forest, but you didn’t. Why?”

My question surprised him. Maybe he hadn’t expected such an abrupt change in tone. But I felt like I was running out of time. I had to ask him now.

“What do you mean? You begged me to help you. What should I have done? Leave you there, all muddy, with a broken leg?”

He was getting defensive, I don’t know why. He didn’t like my question.

“I’m not criticizing you. I just don’t understand your choice.”

“What other choice could I have made? It was the only one.”

“That’s not true, and you know it. I remember, that you initially wanted to leave me there.”

He couldn’t say anything to that. He hadn’t forgotten either.

“But then I didn’t, and I’m glad about that. I would never have forgiven myself if I hadn’t.”

“But that wasn’t the point of the question.”

“What was it, then? Why did I hesitate? Is that what you’re asking me?”

“That too.”

“Look, I had other problems to deal with that day. Personal stuff. So I wasn’t myself, period.”

“Is that guilt you’re talking about why you took care of me? All this time? It’s been almost a month, damn it. You should have just left me there. There was no point in doing so much for me.”

“Why are you saying all this?? What’s wrong with you? You never act like this.”

"What's wrong with me? I'm not that stupid."

“Nina, just say it. What is it?”

"Tomorrow. When I wake up, you won't be here anymore, won't you? Please, don’t lie to me."

He didn’t expect that either. But who had he taken me for? I could feel that atmosphere. The scent of farewell in the air.

"Uhh...Yes. Yes, that's right."

I knew it.

“So what was the point of caring for me for so long, if you were going to abandon me anyway? What was the point??”

“What kind of question is that? I couldn’t leave you there. I promised myself I would let you heal to the best of my ability, and so I did. I did what I had to. But I have other things to deal with, so many problems to think about.”

“So I was just one more problem? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”

“That’s not what I said, you’re not listening to me. I can’t afford to take care of you anymore. I have a lot of debt, Nina. I have to work constantly and every extra coin I save is necessary for me. I can’t do more than that. Now you don’t need me anymore. You can move and go wherever you want, you can survive on your own. You can go back to the life you had before. Before all this mess.”

“I can go back to ‘before’?? Are you even hearing yourself? Why do you think I tried so hard to avoid my village? Because I didn’t like it anymore?? No! Because I can’t go back! The life I had before doesn’t exist anymore!”

I was out of breath. I had talked too much, shouted too much. I was letting it all out, all the poison I had accumulated and kept inside me for that whole month.

He sighed. Maybe I was ruining the day, but that wasn’t important. The conversation we were having was much more important.

“Haaa… Nina, I don’t know what happened to you, and you don’t want to tell me. And that’s okay. It’s not a problem for me. But you have to understand that I have my own life too. I’ve had my own misfortunes, and I’m still suffering the consequences of them today. So have compassion. I’m young too, don’t see me as more than I really am. 

I think you’ve idealized me too much. Ours, as similar as we may seem in some ways, are totally different worlds. You’ve had a different life than mine. You’re not made for this lifestyle, you don’t deserve it. You deserve a stable, quiet life. Not all the chaos that mine brought. Please, try to understand me.”

“You say ‘understand me’ so much, but you don’t even try to understand me. I have no one left to lean on. I lost everything that night, and then you showed up. You saved me from that darkness, from that torment. You’re the only one I can rely on now. What will I do if you leave me too? I’m completely alone!”

“Nina… You know I can’t do anything about this. That’s exactly why we can’t stay together, it’s just not possible. You’re a sociable girl and I’m sure you’ll find other people to be with. You won’t have any problems. Trust me.”

“How can you talk about trust now?” I couldn't hold back the tears.

“Nina…”

We hadn’t found a point of agreement. 

The argument had been pretty pointless. Nothing was resolved.

We just hurt each other.

“Haaaa… Let’s go back now.”

And without me being able to say anything or protest, he picked me up and started walking down, towards our tent. Or rather, his.

I didn’t say anything. There was nothing left to say. It was over. It was all over.

But I felt like we were forgetting something. What was it?

By the time we got there, it was already dark.

There was a figure that kept pacing back and forth in front of the tent, tense.

Then it saw us and jumped, as if gripped by fear.

“There you are at last! Where did you go?? You weren’t coming back! You shocked me when you appeared out of nowhere from the darkness!”

Ah, it was her again. The Rich girl. She was back, just as I imagined she would. It was very predictable, I must say.

And there was silence. Neither of us answered. We weren’t ready yet.

"You guys? What happened?"

Still no answer.

“Are you ignoring me?”

I still didn’t say anything, but he, instead, decided to speak. He was acting mature, again.

“No, no, sorry. Come on, let’s go inside.”

“Okay…” she replied, confused.

I went to sleep without saying a word. It would have hurt too much.

He didn’t try to talk either. Maybe he was offended or maybe he didn’t want to continue to be cruel.

It ended like this.

It was the last time I would feel the soft feeling of that blanket. That had accompanied me for that month. For those twenty-something days. Unforgettable days, that I would remember forever, but that would soon seem so far away.

I was completely wrapped up, from head to toe, and I had curled up as much as possible. I wanted to feel the blanket everywhere. I wanted to feel that soft embrace. And I felt it. Everywhere. Even in my right leg.

…What? In my right leg? I felt the softness of the blanket? The most I could feel, there, usually, was only pain. Nothing else. How could that be possible then?

Wait… The ointment? Was that the reason? The ointment? Really?

No burn, no stab, no dull ache. Just… warmth. The kind that said: “You don’t need help anymore.”

It was starting to really work. So he would really leave me. His duty would be done perfectly.

I didn't want to think about it.

I tried to go to sleep, hoping that in the morning I would wake up with my leg still broken. Like it always had been. I wanted it to be that way. I didn't care about the pain if I could just stay like this for as long as I wanted. That was my only wish.

And I hoped.

And hoped.

When I regained consciousness, however, the place where I was was not that tent. That forest. But another one. A very green one, and with many trees. It reminded me of another forest; the one near my house.

I sat up, a little confused. I was lying on the grass, on the flowers, but I didn't know how I could have ended up there.

I tried to look around, to understand where I was. Everything seemed so similar, so familiar. But I couldn't explore, after all my leg was broken, where could I have gone in that condition?

Or maybe not.

My leg was fine. There was nothing wrong with it, in fact it even seemed prettier than usual.

I tried to stand up completely, with my legs too. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it, since I wasn't used to it anymore.

But everything was fine, I could stand up.

I started walking, wandering through the forest, and every now and then I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye, probably some curious animal.

At a certain point I noticed something familiar, a tree in particular. Yes, it looked like that one. That tree in Shae Forest.

'FtS'.

That writing again. It was that tree.

So I was home again, but how was it possible? I was too far away to have gotten there in one night.

I started running. I didn't like the scene. It reminded me too much of that day, that time. I ran as fast as I could, but with every step I took I felt heavier and heavier, and more and more observed.

Observed? But by what? In the forest there were only animals.

Nothing could observe me like that.

I looked around.

Then I spotted a little animal on a tree.

A little bunny.

No way… Crusty! I can't believe it! It was her! How could that be? Crusty hadn't been with me for a long, long time. And she never went up trees. She just wouldn't have been able to.

I tried to get her down safely. I was afraid she would fall and hurt herself.

"No! Crusty!"

The branch she was resting on snapped. And she fell from a very high place.

One of her legs broke, the right one to be precise.

I took her into my arms. She really needed help. It kept bleeding.

I quickly ran home. As fast as I could.

When I saw the chimney hood I knew I had arrived.

I opened the door, looking for bandages, or anything I could find.

But the house was empty, there was nothing, no one.

When I looked down Crusty was gone too.

I was alone.

Completely alone.

No…

I kept looking at the spot where Crusty had been a second before, when I started hearing strange noises.

I walked out of the house, and suddenly it went dark.

My eyes were hit by a bright red-yellow light.

The house was on fire. And falling apart.

The chimney was no longer billowing smoke.

There was a person in its place. Sitting right on the chimney. But it didn't look human; its face was strange. It had long ears.

It was like it had a mask on.

I looked around, and when I looked back at the figure, it was already gone.

Then it appeared in front of me.

Very close. Too close.

Watching me.

Judging me.

And then it took off his mask.

Huh? A mirror?

The figure gave me the mask.

The mirror disappeared.

And the mask started to burn. Like everything around me.

But the darker it got, the clearer it became. 

It was a rabbit. A rabbit-shaped mask.