+1+
There was a strange chill in the mountains when we returned to the town. We could have been back in two days, but Ty said wait three. Three is a good number.
There is a sharp change in temperature just beyond the infamous “Welcome To Cascade Falls” sign.Inside the town lines the sky abruptly changed from a warm summer blue to a dark muggy gray, the clouds swirled animatedly and I swear I could hear the screaming town residents from the main road.
The town seemed haunted.
Ty kept her eyes forward. Nodding slowly as I drove back into the town.
The queen still stood in the middle of the road, a few black inky moths fluttered beside her dramatic dress. It was as if no time had passed for them.The air was thick with something supernatural, all her energy and focus was on making the curse strong. . .making it stick
She looked up when she saw us, her eyes still glowing, now with tiny black veins dotting the skin around them. Her dark wings still unfolded at full attention. I drove until I was a few feet away from her.
“I don’t want to do this”, Ty said to the queen, “So, I’m asking you to stop this now. We have your name. Cillian found it. If you don't stop we will use it against you.”
Her eyes darted towards me.
The queen closed her eyes, slowly lifting from the ground. She sent a flurry of dirt and light rain with her. The fast beat of her wings creating a windstorm. The screams of the townspeople chorusing in the background
“Then say it”, the queen dared me
Every time I opened my mouth my tongue became caked with dirt and rain. I squinted to see her hovering above us. A wicked smile on her lips.
“It won’t work”, I yelled, “It won’t work. . . because I don’t love you.”
I could see Ty clasping her locket. She had done that a lot, this was supposed to be her last day without her daughters.
“. . . but we found someone who does.”
The queens eyes went wide shaking as the small figure emerged from the car.
“Stop”, said the very small voice, from the very small figure.
The storm settled and I watched as the Queen dropped closer to the earth. Her eyes on the figure who had spoken those words.
The figure in question was a woman who was barley five feet and frail. She had a streak of gray in her tidy hair and tiny gold glasses she was blind without.
“Thanatopsis” the woman spoke the queens true name, “Stop. Break. . . this curse.”
Thanatopsis floated gently back down to ground, obediently. Her eyes were filled with fear and happiness. Mistrust and relief all at the same time.
“No “, the queen explained to the woman, “They threw me away. I have to make them pay.”
“No”, the woman said, “They didn’t throw you away, they gave you to me and I think we had a wonderful time together. I demand you stop this.”
“I deserve to be queen”, she said ,”You have to understand that, Mama.”
The queen’s mother nodded. Because she was in fact the only mother the queen had ever known. When the Thanatopsis was a baby this was the woman who raised her when she had been switched. The woman who kept her safe and warm even when she awoke to find her daughter had shrunk to only 6 inches tall.
Every night before she went to bed, she would whisper to her mother the strange set of letters and sounds that made up a name that was true to her heart. A name she had always known. A strong fae name.
The moths began to swirl around the woman, but she showed no fear. The woman saw Penelope still entrenched in her nightmare along the side of the road. Something tugged at the old woman’s heart. A motherly instinct that made her realize this was the baby that had been taken from her.
“Thanatopsis”, the woman said, “Wake. . . Penelope up.”
“NO”, Thanatopsis fought against her name, “They took everything for me, they deserve to --"
“Thanatopsis”, The woman commanded , “WAKE HER UP.”
Thanatopsis didn't have a choice.
Penelope began to stir, reaching for her shades and standing up. She surveyed the scene, but her expression was a mystery behind the tinted lenses.
“Thanatopsis”, Peneople said smiling. Glad to finally have her name, “How quaint a name. My dear sister we finally meet.”
“We’re not sisters—“
“True. You are no longer a sister of mine”, A harsh voice barreled out of Penelope’s lithe body, “You were going to use your gift to do this to my court. You are dangerous, Thanastopsis. We can’t ever let this happen again. You will be punished for this. Wake the Cottingly sisters.”
The use of her name caused Thanatopsis to shutter. Never before had she been so vulnerable to the truth . Suddenly Thantopsis' mother broke away and took her daughter in her arms.
“I love you. I missed you.”, the old woman said
“I know”
“ Thesia would have found you if you’d stayed with me . . . Ty told me it was for the best we part.”
"I know, Mama"
Thanatopsis pulled her mother in, her lips drawn tight together.
“I love you, Mama. See what pain they caused us. We missed out on 12 years together. This is why I did this. We were so happy and they took that away. The Unseelie court took two daughters from you. Please don’t let them punish me. I did it for us. Everything’
“Sweetheart. You can’t take away what you’ve done to this poor town."
"They'll kill me", she whispered to her mother.
“Enough”, Penelope said, “It’s time to do away with you, Thantopsis”
“No”, Thanatopsis held on to her mother, “Don’t let them hurt me, Mama—“
The woman slowly let go of her daughter.
“Take her to the car”, Ty whispered to me and suddenly I remembered this was all real. This wasn’t a story,
“Is Penelope going to kill her--”, I start
“This won’t be pretty”, Ty says looking straight at me, “You should wait in the car too.”
Thanatopsis’ mom took my arm and I led her back to the car. She was a strong woman despite her size and calm demanor. She stood tall not letting her emotions get the best of her.
“How did you know ?”, she asked me. “How did you know I knew her real name”
“Apr—Thanatopsis. When she told me her story she said being with you was her happiest days. I thought for her to be happy she wouldn’t be living a lie. I thought maybe the only person who ever loved her.. . was you.”
“You’re a good boy, Cillian.”,she said, “I’m glad my daughter found you”
"It's not really like that with us ", I said, "At least I don't think so anymore."
"Well, I'll ask you not to give up."
I nodded because that doesn’t seem like the kind of comment that you can easily respond to.
+2+
I didn’t stay in the car, I couldn't not know. I ran back to the road where I saw Tirney and Thistle wide eyed and wearily stumbling down the road to Ty.
“It’s time”, said Penelope. Her voice rang out in the silence, “We must hurry before the humans awake.”
Thanatopsis is on her knees, the heavy skirt of her dress flared out on all sides. The tiny Unseelie Queen, Penelope circled her.
I could vaguely hear Thantopsis saying “don’t kill me” over and over again.
“My dear sister I feel for you. I will never be able to make up for the misdeeds of our mother but you are you are just a venomous and traitorous to your people as she was”
“I have done nothing against my fellow Fae. I did all to prove my strength. Thesia made a mistake getting rid of me.”
“The Fae are not your people. You were raised among humans. Treated as an equal and you turned your back on them. Used them as mere pawns for your selfish gain.”
“Please”, Thanatopsis begs, “It was all stolen from me. I am meant for greater things”
“You had your chance at greater things. A family who took you in as their own, beauty, talent and. . “, Penelope's darkened gaze moves to me, “Perhaps the chance to have the love of a human boy. How rare a thing for a Fae to ever experience.”
Penelope approached where Thanatopsis kneeled.
“You are a disgrace, dear sister and you will be punished.”
"We are not sisters", Thanatopsis says again.
Penelope motioned for Tirney and Thistle to stand at either side of Thanatopsis, each one taking one of her arms and holding it straight.
“Pleas don’t kill me”, she begged.
“Death would be mercy”, Penelope decided, "Your punishment will be something worse."
Before she could protest Penelope shoots a hand out gripping one of Thanatopsis’ delicate black wings.
She screamed her eyes finding me and Ty. She argued again for her injustice, I was rooted in my spot and for the first time not in fear. This is what had to happen to save the town.
This is what happens when fall in love with the evil queen. You're not allowed to save her.
Penelope reached down to the bulging bone beneath her skin for leverage and with force pulled out Thanatopsis’ wing in one tear, ripping it halfway from her spine. With another tug the appendage was removed body
Thanatopsis’ screamed and withered against the hold Tirney and Thistle had on her. The ground beneath her was now wet with her tears
“Please”, she begged, “Please no. I’ll change ple—“
Her plea was cut short as Peneople tore out the other wing halfway. Thistle grimaced, she looked like she wish she was still in a nightmare.
Thanatopsis' voice went hoarse from screaming.
I couldn’t take it anymore and ran to her , Penelope’s shaded eyes on me.
“I’m not a bad person”, she looked up at me her purple eyes lost, “I’m just like you, Cillian. . . you've done bad things too. . . tell them.”
I bring my hand to her cheek and she closes her eyes, but I know I’m never going to be able to tell her what she wants to hear.
“You’re not like me, princess. Cause see, I’ve done my time. Now it’s time for you to do yours”
I settle in front of her and place her head in my lap.
“I’m sorry, Cillian”, she manages, “I just wanted to be more.”
“I know”, I said.
Her eyes close in anticipation and when the tears fall I take her hand and it closes tight on mine as Penelope reaches down to finish the job.
Tirney and Thsitle let her go once the last wing is lying disgarded with the others.
Penelope steps around her and pushes me aside. Penelope kneels in front of Thantopsis.
“Nature’s gifts have never been bestowed on such a wasted creature. Without your wings you will no longer be able to create nightmares you so loved. You are no longer a Fae. You are a wingless creature who is not quite Fae not quite human. You are now at the mercy of your own destiny."
Her face rest on it’s side her eyes wide and focused on Penelope, like a moth waiting for death on the ground.
“Dear sister”, Penelope says, “May we never meet again. You have been saved from your true destiny. Do good with this life I'm giving you.”
With that she turns and walks down the long stretch of road. It takes several minutes before she reaches the bend in the road and disappears. I expect her to disappear or fly away, something majestic and fitting for a queen. Then I remember she is just human, after all.
I turn around bracing myself for the gory scene before me but the road is empty, except for a deep red blood stain on the road.
They are gone.
I run towards the spot where she laid expecting it to be some sort of glamour or trick.
“Ty”, I shout, “TIRNEY, THISTLE”
“Cillian”,
I see Ty is behind me.
“Where is she. I have to--”
“There is no time for good-bye, Cillian I think summer is over for us.”
“Ty ?”
“Yes”, she says
“Why here ? Why did you come here ?“
“The summer I first came to Cascade Falls it was a small town mourning the lost of Cirian O’Conner. I thought if I could use my gifts to bring a little happiness, it might help the town move on. So every summer I come here and bring a little extra happiness with me. It’s the least I can do.”
“Will I see you again”, I call
She opens her mouth and says something but I can’t make it out and as soon as she was there she disappears.
I turn to see the sunrise and slowly the town begins to wake up.
Summer is over.
+3+
Summer ends early in Cascade Falls this year. Dread and melancholy are all there is and people decide to head home early. Maybe in the privacy of their deluxe cabins, RVs or tents people discuss the nightmare that seemed to go on forever. It can’t be undone, it can’t be unremembered
It's the water, some say. It was what happened at that party by Lake Tahoe. . . its . . . something.
So it’s just easier to pretend to forget.
I sling my duffel bag over my shoulder and lock up the foreman’s cabin before I leave. I won’t miss this crappy shack. I take my time down the path and suddenly I feel all nostalgic. Like this place is going to disappear once I leave.
The pink neon lights on top of the Ty’s barn had long since gone out and a drive to their house in Reno turned up nothing. They were just gone.
When I reach the welcome center Jerry is outside bantering with Logan. They get quiet when I approach and Logan claps a hand on my back.
“Next summer you and me, right ?”, he said giving me two thumbs up and a fake punch
I don’t want to tell him no, but I don’t want to lie, so I just give him a pat on the back.
I straighten up and turn to Jerry. He is pretty wise for an old guy; he knows a lot more than he is willing to let on. He keeps one hand on his walker
“Jerry I—“
“No Cillian, you were right. I wasn’t much of a grandfather to you. You look just like your dad, it’s hard sometimes. I just don’t want to loose you like I lost him”
I remember the way her screamed my name when he was under the curse. Not like he was afraid of me. Like he wanted to save me.
He lets go of his walker and gives me a real hug.
“Thanks”, I say
“Wish I could keep you around all year, son”
"Yeah", I say because it's going to take more than one summer to fix this.
We let go and I climb into Logan’s car. I don’t look back as we head out of the campsite and past the town limits. Cascade Falls was back to being a sleepy town, waiting and hoping for the summer. Where for just a little while everything seems magical and anything is possible.
Logan slows down at the Greyhound station outside of Lake Tahoe , when I get out the motor is still running. We give each other a solid salute through the dirty windshield.
I think I’m going to miss it here.
“Where you headed”, the counter guy asks
“One ticket. Vegas.”
Epilogue >
