Helena and the Rings

Chapter 7: The Girl That Lives in a Shack

I believe it was the cold air that woke me up. I sat straight up, rubbing my arms gently. It was night time and I wasn't familiar with the old shaggy shed in front of me. A faded colored shed with a night light resting on a stump. Little flies flew around it. I got up quickly, grabbed the lamp, and moved it with the wind.

"Mom?" I said with one hand over my forearm, trying to keep parts of me warm. "Mom!" I called out louder.

Panic set in. This time, my mind bled with dispair. I walked up to the old shed, noticing a key and note on the ground. I opened the shed first before reading the note. Inside the shed was a small rocking chair, a bed, some firewood, tools, a bag that carried cans of beans and soup. There was a window at the far end. It was small but spacious enough for one person. I quickly closed the door, sat on the chair, and began reading the note.

"I have to make things right and keep these things away from you. Those creatures you saw...they can't track you if you smell like, well, alcohol. I left some bottles with you in the shed. I used to pour some in your clothes when washing them. It kept them away. Look, things got out of hand with Joe...I'm sorry I brought him there. I can't explain but if I live to tell, it'll make sense."

I flipped the paper over to the back.

"You and the ring, it has power. While I'm away, study it. Learn about it. It has powers as you could see. You are more powerful than you know. I love you. Hope to see you soon, Helena."

I held tight to the letter, upset, confused, and unaware of where I was and why. I looked at the ring. The old silver thing that looked nothing more than a cheap buying, was now some powerful object that nearly led to me and mom's death.

I looked around again, hopelessly. 

"She left me outside," I said angrily. "She left me here!" I got up and began to yell, scream, hit the walls. I didn't know what to do. I just sat on the dusty old bed that smelled like wet wood and dirt. I laid down, hungry, scared, tired, and feeling more alone than ever. I forced myself to sleep but it was hard. It was so hard...

***

The next morning I was so happy to see the sun shining in through the window. Everything looked a bit clearer now. The wooden floor that was overly stepped on. I figured someone really lived here for some time. The bed and the rocking chair was homemade and painted beige. The table was homemade. Seems like this whole place was a big giant craft project made by a teenage boy. 

It seemed like as soon as I put that thought into my head, someone walked into the shed. They as shocked to see me as I was to see them.

"Hey! Who are you?" The girl asked me. She fearlessly walked straight up to me while I sat down. I stood up and backed away just in case she was dangerous though, she didn't look like it. She looked foreign, with curly brown hair and soft toned skin. Light brown. Flawless facial structure. She was dirty though. Her gray T-shirt and baggy pants with the millions of pockets were stained with water and dirt.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyo-"

"You didn't know anyone lived here? It's a shed! Are you a thief?" 

Her voice raised, though I didn't seem frightened by it.

"I'm not a thief. I'm-I'm just..."

She waited for me to explain but I couldn't think of anything. 

"Can I please stay? I just need time to..." I stopped and took a deep breath. "I just need time to think."

The girl who looked a little around my age stared me down then looked behind me. I turned to see what she was looking at. It was bottles and bottles of alcohol. "That's yours?" She asked.

I hesitated. "My, uh, mom left it."

"Where's your mom?"

I was quiet. I looked down and shrugged.

"Fine," she answered quickly. "You don't look dangerous. You can-" She glanced at my ring for a second then quickly looked into my eyes and took a second to say anything else. "you can stay until you...figure it out or whatever.  I guess."

I let out a breath of air. "Thank you. Seriously, thank you so much."

"Whatever," she said and closed the door, turning on some lights I didn't notice up on the wall above before. They were green, blue, and purple. 

Nice. I thought.

"Do you want breakfast?" She asked me.

It was nice of her to ask but the way she asked wasn't so polite. I watched as she made her way to the cans of beans a soup, started up a fire and let a pot dangled over it. The two of us stayed quiet, pretending that everything was semi normal...