Finley (Pt.1)

I lay in bed, staring at the dark ceiling. The faded red paint was covered in a sparing amount of small cracks, evidence of untreated water damage. I turned to my side and gazed at the moon looming high outside the large window.

I knew all along how he felt about Finley. Knowing that, I can’t afford to lose her. If her memories are holding me back, then I need to face them head-on.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the memories clashing in my mind. I focused on separating my own memories from hers. The cold life I experienced was pushed down deep, letting the harsh warmth of Finley’s memories shine through.

~~~

The sun burned bright above the castle walls. It was the first day of the summer festival, and we’d become lost among a sea of hurried people. I could hear the trumpets announcing the King’s speech, and I squinted my eyes as I tried to make out the shape of his face in the distance.

I leaned forward and wobbled, nearly falling back off of Papa’s shoulders. He steadied me with a hearty chuckle, and I held tightly onto his head in fear of another accident. I watched the King address the crowd, but most of his words were too lengthy for me to understand.

After the King waved to the crowd, he turned back and stepped into the castle doors. His short, golden hair blended in with the golden color of his cape as he disappeared within the doorway. The Queen followed him closely, her long ruby red hair whisking around in the wind.

I could barely see the boy holding her hand as he walked beside her. The vibrant hue of his short hair matched his mom’s. Papa turned around as the doors shut, and he walked through the cluster to a cooler part of the kingdom.

Papa removed me from his shoulders and placed me on the ground by a rectangle of hay. He rustled my hair and walked off to a nearby merchant stand. I grew bored quickly and decided to jump and climb on top of the hay bale.

I watched the people running from place to place, rushing to experience as much of the festival as they could. I leaned forward and hummed, turning my attention to the kids playing in the sun.

Gross. It’s wayyy too hot to run.

“Did you… get up there, by yourself?”

I looked down at the boy who called out to me. He looked really clean and fancy, and wore a weird black robe. I saw him shuffle his feet, and I looked over to where Papa was. I could see that he was in the middle of bartering, and I took that as an opportunity to cause some mischief.

“Yep, climbed up here all by myself. And you know what, fancy blanket? I bet you can’t!”

The boy narrowed his gray eyes and dusted himself off. He huffed and looked at the hay beside me, the flat top ending just above his waist. He looked between it and me, and I smirked self-satisfactorily as his face grew more anxious.

“Come on, I don’t got all day.”

“Give me a moment.”

The boy stepped back and removed the robe from his shoulders. He folded it neatly and placed it on a nearby barrel. I crossed my arms and tapped my heel on the hay to show my impatience. He lifted his head and clenched his fists, narrowing his eyes at the hay.

After taking a deep breath, he sprinted toward the hay beside me. I watched him jump and slam into the hay, his hands desperately clawing at the other end as he tried to lift himself over the edge. I clapped and cheered him on as he slid over the hay. I could see a few strands clinging to his creaseless clothes and winding through his hair.

The boy rolled over and pushed himself up into a seated position. I laughed hard at the ridiculous look on his tinted face and the strands of hay sticking out all over him. I clutched my stomach and wiped a tear from my eye.

“H-hey, shut up! You only did it better because you’re a slum monkey!”

“You—! I don’t know what a ‘monkey’ is… but I know you’re tryin’ to be mean, so quit it!”

The boy huffed and crossed his arms, looking down on me like a gutter rat. I stuck my tongue out in defiance, and he reacted as if I’d insulted his mother. Before he could make any moves in retaliation, a dark shadow was cast over him from behind.

The boy turned slowly, and we both tilted our heads up at the towering figure. A dark shadow was cast over his face, making him appear as if he were a fearsome monster.

“Finley… you’ve finally made a friend!”

Papa threw his head back and laughed heartily. I frowned as hard as I could to show him my disgust, but he ignored me and switched his focus to the boy cowering beneath him.

“Your name, young man?”

“M-m… Matthias, sir.”

Papa grabbed Matthias’s shoulders. I could hear the boy squeak as Papa tightened his grip. I pushed myself up and stood on the hay, trying to show Papa that I didn’t need him meddling in my affairs.

Papa’s always a bother. I don’t need rich friends.

“Well, young Matthias, that girl there is my precious granddaughter. Never will you find a finer friend. Just keep her out of trouble, will you?”

Papa removed his hands from the confused boy’s shoulders and patted off the bits of hay clinging to his sleeves. Papa walked over to me and dropped a warm paper bundle into my hands.

“Eat up, little ‘un. Once you’ve finished hangin’ out with your friend here, we can head home.”

‘Head home.’ Those words make me sick. I’d rather stay here than go back to that soggy place.

Papa walked off to a nearby wall and plopped down in front of it. I clutched the bundle of food in my hands tighter when I realized he’d be going hungry again.

“H-hey, Finley?”

I turned to look at the boy sitting beside me. His eyes were wide and shiny, a reflection of the innocent and peaceful life privileged children had in the inner city. I huffed and sat back down, ripping open the paper bundle Papa had given me.

“Your grandfather… I know I saw him before. He’s a knight, isn’t he?”

I scarfed down the warm sandwich, the thin slice of meat barely adding a touch of flavor to the otherwise chewy, bitter bread.

“He shows up less often now… is he alright?”

I looked at Papa, his head leaning against the hard wall behind him. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his lips were starting to crack. He was starting to doze off.

Papa hasn’t been alright since Miss Natalia left. He said she was ‘the last one,’ and that ‘no one else wanted to waste their time on me.’ Whatever that means.

After Natalia left, Papa had no one else to take care of me. He quit his job as a knight, and we were forced to move to the slums. The house was so close to the drainage system that we’d get flooded every other week.

“He needs to go home.”

I hopped off the hay bale and started walking to Papa. I heard a thump behind me and turned to see Matthias steadying himself on the ground. He looked at me with an anxious expression.

“Ah, well, it was nice meeting you… um, Finley.”

I turned away without another word and rushed over to wake Papa. I pulled him up and we walked home together. That night, I couldn’t help but think of the rich boy and what his home must be like. I envied him greatly.