Spring Fever|| #Just抖阴社区It

Days had passed. Days.

And Ophelia was nowhere to be found.

I had gone to all the places where I thought she could be or where she could be found but she was gone. I had no doubt in my mind that this was magic related which meant I didn't understand squat. In the past five years, whenever she performed the summoning ritual, she always came back the next day or two days later. Of course I wasn't there but a part of me knew that this strange disappearance never happened with the other rituals. If only I knew the winter maiden. If only I knew someone else who knew the secrets of the maidens, the chances of finding Ophelia would increase.

But as life would will it, my thoughts and hopes were just me building castles in the air. The reality of the situation was a heavy truth that was going to bring me right back down to earth. The truth was that I had no plan whatsoever. I did not even know where to begin. The law and police were out of the question because I was the one last seen with Ophelia and explaining that she never made it back to her apartment because she disappeared in the middle of her summoning ritual just won't cut it.

A deep sigh escaped my mouth as I rubbed my hands on my face. I was tired. Not mentally but physically. I still had enough resolve to find Ophelia but I could not do that if my back felt as though I had carried seven Santa clauses for a ten mile run.

My head which had been laying on my steering wheel was starting to pound. So I got out of the car and walked into the coffee shop I was parked beside for half an hour. As I walked in, the smell of undiluted caffeine hit my senses. I was feeling myself get more energized. I walked to the counter while fiddling with my pockets to see of could get some change. There was a slight chatter in the coffee shop because it was barely filled up. The snow these days were so heavy, It was hard to believe that the month of March had come to an end.

"Good morning, welcome to Hot pipes. What can I get you?" The cashier said and yawned immediately after.

"Umm, coffee Black. No sweetener just black." I replied.

"Name please?"

"Robin."

She wrote my name on the coffee cup and looked at me while she poured the coffee. I was rubbing my hands from the cold when she said,"Seems like you have it worse than us."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Your eye bags are really bad like you haven't had good sleep in months."

"Yeah you could say that." I breathed out a nervous laugh.

"It's weird though. Everywhere I go it's like everyone just seems so unmotivated yet restless. Like spring fever but in the winter."

"Do you converse with all your customers this way?" I asked feeling slightly amused.

"Only the lucky few." She grinned. "I'm Olivia."

"Robin."

"I know." She shook the coffee cup and handed it to me. "That would be $2.59."

"Thanks." I gave her the money.

"It's weird that it is the last day of March and the snow seems to be going nowhere."

"Maybe by April, it will all get better."

"I sure hope so, I can't handle this cold. Thank you for your patronage, we hope to see you again."

"Thanks."

"Oh And try to get some sleep. It will help." She called after me and smiled. It was cryptic. It was weird. It was not important.

"Thank you."

The cold winter air hit me as I stepped back outside. There were barely people outside and those that were outside, were extremely sluggish. I sneezed as I was about to enter my car. This cold air was doing me no good. I took out my phone and called Ophelia's secretary.

As the failing time echoed in my car, I let myself savour the hot coffee that went into my mouth. Sweet things were too overrated.

"Yes, Hello?"

"Hi. This is Robin Jacques."

"Oh. Mr Robin. Good morning. We haven't seen you in days. I hope everything is okay?"

Was it? "Um yes. I just wanted to know if your boss checked in today?"

"No. She hasn't been in since the day of the runway show. Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Yes, I was just wondering if Ophelia showed up at work today."

"Ophelia? Who is that?"

"Your boss."

"Is that what the O on the awards stands for? I kept wondering why I couldn't remember her first name."

"It is Ophelia Raymond. Everyone knows that."

"I do not remember an Ophelia Raymond but if you say that is what the O stands for, I will take your word for it. Have a nice day."

"And you too."

As I took my last sip of coffee, I stared forward. I was unsurprised by the current situation but the fact that Ophelia was beginning to disappear from people's memories but shocking to say the least. Magic was beginning to prove itself a nuisance to me. Why were people forgetting about her? Another question added to the pile of unanswered uncertainties.

I drove back to my apartment with one million and one thoughts racing through my head. I began to feel like the coffee did nothing. Like, the caffeine did the opposite of helping me stay awake. This was because I could feel my eyes drooping. I shook it off and went to my work table once I entered my apartment. I had several emails to try to and several works to edit but that was the moment my eyes, body and mind, closed and I fell asleep.

I felt as though I was drifting. I knew I was asleep but I couldn't bring myself to a state of consciousness. I was back at the palace garden where Ophelia had received her maiden abilities. But I was not watching Ophelia and the old lady this time around. I watched myself watch them. I stood there for a while but jumped in fear once I heard a male's voice close to me.

"It is such a beautiful yet painful process, isn't it?" A man which I didn't even know was right behind me said to me. He was looking straight ahead, at the spot where the transfer was happening. I thought maybe he was one of those characters that you see in movies, those who cannot see you.

"Who are you?" I asked.

But he ignored my question. "Sadly, that's is the way life presents itself to us. Still, it is such a wonderful thing to be alive isn't it?"

This time around he turned to me, looking right into my eyes. Feeling uncomfortable, I averted my gaze and looked at the ground. Noticing that the floor was now concrete instead of grass, I looked around and saw that the scenery had changed. There several buildings around, they looked like building from Venice. Although there was one that stood out to me. It was not as if it was special or it was fancy. It was exactly the same as the other buildings. The thing that piqued my interest was the sign. It was in latin, Virgo Vírginum Antiqua. Which translated to Maidens Antiques.

I turned to the man once again. "The truth cannot remain hidden forever. If your heart truly seeks it, you will find it." He said with a smile.

Then it all vanished.