Pencil's End

By Hrichita Paul

Designed by Freepik

What should I write? I'm chewing my pencil's end. There's a little girl who comes to visit me in the afternoons. Sometimes, she brings me oranges and sometimes, homemade jam and pickles. She feels like my only neighbour even though when I draw out the curtains from my apartment I can see more than 30 houses and buildings lined up. Whenever I'm struggling with the next line, she mutters, "Bring out the magic" moving her imaginary wand above my head. Suddenly, my creative spirits punch the keyboard, streaming words. I sigh and tell her, "what would I do without you Lovell" She simply smiles which seems to never indicate anything.

One winter morning, Lovell brought me some caramel biscuits that her mother baked for her to share with me. Lovell's mother thought I was a good influence and she let Lovell hang out with me as much as she wished.

While nibbling the edge of my biscuit, I tell her, "They are delicious and I have got some news for you. Well, not the 'news' kind of news but you will know." My words blend with heightened anxiety and slowly comes out, “I'm writing a story about you and I'll name it My Fairy Girl.” The innocent smile she puts on makes me believe I'll do her story justice.

I find myself wanting to keep her with me forever, to adopt the little fairy, wishing her to fly for me and only me. "Sinister thoughts Ivan" I tell myself and hit my head with my palm.

This is how cupidity starts. I become the things I abhor. I end up damaging the wand and then

the little fairy.

Why did I call her that sad afternoon? I wanted to show her the first chapter of 'My Fairy

Girl' I was too selfish — too excited.

She crossed the road swinging her hands and I watched from my window. I froze at the sight.

The shadows lifted her in a van and raced.

I called the police, trembling with unease, fear and from the failure of being unable to save

Lovell from the kidnappers. The officer shouted at me, "Speak Clear!"

"Lovell, Mrs. Rill's daughter was kidnapped. Diax street No.13, Sir."

After the call was over, I ran down the street and rang Mrs. Rill's doorbell. "Mrs. Rill — Lovell, our Lovell has been kidnapped!" Before running to the police station, the only words she left me with were ‘I trusted you.’

We never found Lovell. Thirty nights passed by. I finished writing My Fairy Girl sixty days after Lovell vanished. I could not save her and life was too much for me. I hope she will receive my gift.

Lovell was rescued by the police on 19th January, sixty seven days after she was kidnapped

and the first thing she hears is "Your writer friend Ivan died but he left you a story"

About Hrichita Paul:

Hrichita Paul, 20 (she/her) is a masters student and a literature graduate from Assam, India. She has previously published poetry, and horror fiction. She is fond of cross-genre writing, dark academia, literary fiction, and anything gothic!