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🌸 Chapter 2: The New Guest
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The sky remained pink.
In this world without clocks or shadows, time seem meaningless when your having fun. The carousel had stopped spinning. The little girl was fast asleep, curled in a floating cloud-bed that glowed with every breath she took.
Miss Feather stood nearby, watching and smiling.
She always smiled.
But even now... something felt different. The wind changed direction, just slightly.
A ripple in the fabric of comfort.
Then a flicker.
In the distance, across the endless field of blue grass, a figure appeared. Not smiling, not laughing in joy, and not playing with the others.
Dazed, disoriented, but upright. That alone made them... odd.
A new guest perhaps?
It was a boy this time. Maybe twelve or thirteen..? Dirty blond hair, scraped knees, clothes that looked like they'd been through muds. His eyes squinted, not in fear.. But suspicion and caution.
Miss Feather's wings fluttered as she floated toward him. Her eyes sparkling at the new arrival.
"Hellooo~ and welcome, sweetie~!" she chimed, smiling warmly like a caring sister. "You're safe now~ Everything's okay~!"
The boy didn't answer.
He looked around, observing with too much curiosity and scepticism.
The world was soft, cheerful, musical. The pink trees and the blue grass look like candy.
"Where is this?" he asked, voice low, a hint of fear flickering in his eyes. Which didn't escape from Miss Feather's notice.
Miss Feather tilted her head, and smiled softly. "Silly! You're in the Comfort Zone~! It's the happiest place in the world! Nothing can hurt you here~!"
"Is this heaven?"
She laughed, light as a bell.
"No no no~ Heaven has too much rules~! This place doesn't need them~! You're free to be happy. Forever~!"
The boy didn't move.
His eyes scanned the distant carousel. The floating clouds, the field of pastel trees. And the swing set at the side.
He narrowed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling to calm his nerves. The girl in front of him seem friendly, perhaps she knows something.
"Miss, do you know where my sister is?.. a monster was chasing us, and we ended up splitting up. Could you help me find her please?"
The boy spoke in a almost pleading tone, he seems desperate to find his sister, but that might be an act to be seen as brave.
Miss Feather blinked—just once.
"Poor thing~ that must've been so, so scary~ But don't worry! I'll help you be happy again! Come here~ Let me help you!"
She stepped closer, raising her finger gently toward his forehead.
The boy took a step back, a sense of forbidding flared in his gut, if he were to allow her to do as she said. He felt like he would regret it.
"No!"
Her smile didn't drop. Not even slightly.
"Aw, don't be scared~ That's normal at first. But it's okay now. You don't have to remember anything bad. Being happy is better then remembering those bad thing, sweetie~" She reassured, a sweat and caring smile painted on her face.
He clenched his fists.
"Where's my sister?! And don't come any closer!!" He shouted, anger in his tone.
There it was.
A question that didn't belong in this place.
The wind slowed. The grass stiffened. Somewhere, a carousel horse twitched in place.
Miss Feather knelt gracefully, her wings casting a soft glow across the boy's face.
"If she's hurting you. then I'll find her, I'll take away her sadness too~ Just trust me okay~? You'll be happy!" She smiled, her tone filled with affection.
"I don't want you to," he blurted. "She wouldn't want that either!"
Miss Feather's head tilted once more. Her smile didn't crack—but it hardened.
"Some guests take longer to settle in~ That's okay. We have time~! Enough time to settle in sweetheart~" She stood up and clapped her hands.
Instantly, the world shimmered. A soft field of toys and sweets appeared around the boy. Animal plushie, lots of pillows, candy and snack, fireworks in the sky bloomed behind her in a soft pastel color.
"Go on~" she said gently. "Everything here is for you"
The boy looked around, eyes darkening.
He didn't speak.
But Miss Feather knows what he felt, the feeling she hated the most.
Doubt. Denial. Caution. Fear. Paranoia.
These Five emotion, always get in the way of happiness. Even when its right in front of them.
Miss Feather smiled.
New Guest always had this emotion stirring inside them. One she hated most was the attachments towards the outside world.
Those ones were difficult. But that's okay.
She's patience. She had enough time to nurture them. And eventually, even the stubborn ones would understand. That this was the only place left, where happiness could survive.
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