Spring Fever|| #Just抖阴社区It

"That would be two dollars." The cashier at the convenience store told me. I watched him hand me the things I bought, with droopy and unmotivated eyes. It was getting worse. I handed him the cash then sat on the bench that was outside after I had left the store.

Every one had something they were addicted to. Some people were addicted to harmful drugs like cocaine and heroine while other were addicted to anxiety meds. Some people found comfort in taking a puff out of a cigarette or a roll of weed but I was addicted to apple juice. It was my go-to comfort snack. I was not a fan of sweet things but apple juice always made its way into my heart.

The tasty sweet acidic flavor of the juice stimulated my thoughts while the added preservatives provided me with some energy. It was weird but it was my preference and I was addicted to it. If I didn't have apple juice everyday, I think my head would explode. As I took a sip from my juice box, I considered what I was meant to do next.

It had been three days since I arrived at the capital of Larandale where the royal family lived. I was lodged into a hotel for the meantime. Since I travelled to the capital on impulse, I contemplated what I was supposed to do. I was in a perplexed state of mind because I came all the way over here just because of a dream. A dream that made no sense whatsoever to me.

I willed myself to take a stroll even though the thick snow just made it hard to move. It was April already and yet a thick veil of snow covered everything that was under this country. I wondered what the scientists would have to say to this. According to the what I had read on the internet, neighboring countries are experiencing normal weather conditions. I wondered how long that would last.

If there was one thing I have learned about magic so far, it was that it was uncertain. If you expected it to go left, it would zigzag its way up. If it was to go down, it would spiral its way back to the left. The weather was like that too. Larandale was experiencing some weathering problems now because Ophelia, who was supposed to summon spring, went missing but who was to say this strange phenomenon would not spread over to the neighboring nations.

Saying I was losing hope bit by bit already was not an understatement. It also did not help that people were forgetting who she was. I did not know who I could ask for help or who could shoulder this burden and solve this mystery together with me.

I was all alone in solving a mystery which I did not know the beginning and did not know if it would ever end. I let my legs move on their own to wherever they wanted not caring if I got lost or not.

The juice box I was sipping from was empty now. I reached into the pocket of my coat to get another one but I halted my actions. This was because I had bumped into an unexpected stranger.

"Ah-" I heard her cuss. I looked down and saw a woman on the floor with scattered boxes all around her.

"I am so sorry, I was not looking. Let me help you up." I put the juice back in my pocket and helped her up.

"I was also not looking. I should have been more careful." She told me as she dusted the snow off her body. Her was about the same height as I was, maybe one inch shorter. She was a dark skinned woman with a head tie holding up her very puffy hair. As she looked at me with a gaze of gratitude, her eyes reflected so much experience I could instantly tell that she was older.

I glanced the boxes which were sprawled over on the ground. They looked really heavy and yet she was walking around with the two of them. I wondered how she was able to see where she was going with her carrying those two heavy boxes. I looked around but the unfamiliar place I found myself was kind of deserted. There was one to help her out even if she knew people around here.

"Here. I'll help you out." I offered then bent down to help her carry a box.

"Oh no no no, you do not need to do that." She tried to talk me out of it.

"Oh no, please, I insist."

She finally gave in after I refused to drop the box that was in my hands. She led the way as we walked towards her destination. I studied the architecture and the beauty of the buildings in awe. There were tall apartment buildings close to each other and I could see a bridge in the distance. I thought about how beautiful the scenery would be if it was not winter. It would have been filled with people walking around, doing their everyday things. I could imagine it.

"You are not from around here are you?" I heard the woman say from beside me. I didn't know that she had slowed down so that we could walk at the same pace.

"Oh no ma'am. I came from another state for work purposes."

"Please don't call me ma'am. I'm not that much older than you. My name is Maria."

I smiled. "Okay. I am Robin."

"Okay, Robin. What is your line of work?"

"I work as a senior editor for the nations newspaper/magazine."

"Oh, you are Robin Jacques! You also write some articles, don't you? I read your stuff. They are very interesting and enlightening."

I felt the heat rush up my neck as I looked down. I was not used to compliments at all. "Thank you."

"You don't have to be shy," said Maria. "If you were not good at it, it would not be your job."

"Thank you so much," I was guessing that my face was already getting red, "I am not used to getting compliments. Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize- we turn left here."
As we turned a corner, the scenery and structure of buildings changed.

It looked really familiar. The familiarity of the area left an unsettling feeling even though I had never been there before. The scenery of the area where I found myself was so vivid in my head. I tried really hard to remember where I had seen it.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?"

I was drawn out of my thoughts. "Huh?"

"The scenery of this area and the way it is surrounded by water. I have lived here for about three years but the beauty never gets old. It is so aesthetically appealing."

"I agree. It is really beautiful."

"Oh that and it also looks like it was carved out of Venice."

"Venice." I said, finally realizing how this place was so familiar.

"Oh! We are here. I help my grandmother to run an antique store." She told me once we stood in front of the small familiar building that had managed to infiltrate my dreams. I stared at the sign that was nailed up on the wall. "Oh that. Virgo Vírginum Antiqua. It translates to-"

"Antique of the maidens."