Chapter Text
It was dark and hot. Dark ash filled the entire space, making a kind of grey mist. Huge dark grey clouds floated through the air. Orange flames were consuming everything in their path.
Hilda ran as fast as she could from the flames surrounding her. Burnt trees fell in her path, making it very easy for her to fall straight to the blazing ground. In her hands she held Twig. Almost reaching the seemingly safe lawn, Hilda looked back and saw a woff that had fallen to the ground. He appeared disorientated due to the large black pillars of ash rising above the burning forest. Hilda let Twig go to the safety of the lawn and rushed to help the fallen one.
Running up to the woff, Hilda struggled to pick and lift him up. The woff turned clumsily and tried to take off. After several unsuccessful attempts, the woff took off. Hilda made sure it was all right and quickly ran back to Twig.
But all of a sudden:
CRUNCH
A large flaming spruce tree began to fall rapidly into Hilda's path. She sped up, wanting to get to the lawn where Twig was before the tree fell.
...but she didn't make it....
CRASH AND CRUNCH
Hilda didn't make it to safety. The spruce fell with a crash right on top of her head. She was knocked unconscious by the impact...
**About an hour ago at Hilda's house**
Hilda's mum, Johanna, was doing her usual weekday design work. Noticing that she was thirsty, Joanna took her mind off her work and went to the hot kettle. As she approached the cooker with the kettle, she was about to take it, but suddenly she was startled by the elf Alfur:
Alfur - "THERE'S FIRE IN THE WOODS!!!"
Johanna jumped away from the cooker in fright.
Johanna - "What?"
Alfur - "I've just been informed by e-mail that there's a FIRE IN THE WOODS!!!"
Johanna - "Oh no..."
Johanna remembered that Hilda and Twig had gone into the woods. This caused her to panic. After calling the emergency services, Johanna started to pack.
The whole town had already heard about the huge forest fire. The fire department and the Safety Patrol had been out of town for years. Even ordinary people had taken buckets of water to help with the extinguishing.
Johanna with Alfur had already arrived on the scene. Firefighters from helicopters are pouring water on the forest while veterinarians are treating the injured animals. The Security Patrol is also surveying the forest.
Johanna starts running along the edge of the fire, trying to find Hilda.
And so half an hour goes by.
She and Alfur were still running. Johanna's adrenaline just couldn't tire her out. The firemen were struggling to stop the fire from expanding.
Suddenly Johanna heard someone running towards them. It was a slightly injured Twig.
Johanna - "TWIG! Where's Hilda? Is she okay?"
Twig only whimpered desperately. It was clear from his tone that something bad had happened.
He ran off in the direction he'd come from. Johanna ran after him.
Hilda was laying by the burning pieces of fallen wood. Mum ran over to her.
Johanna - "Hilda! Are you all right? Can you hear me? HILDA!!!"
Silence. Only the crackle of burning wood could be heard.
Johanna - "We're going to get you out now... you're going to be heale-"
And then she saw a burnt bone with the remains of burnt flesh on it. Hilda's arm was just burnt off. It was obvious that someone had doused her with water, as her slightly burnt clothes and hair were wet. There were numerous burns on her body on the side of her burnt arm. Her head was covered in blood and had a huge dent on it from the impact.
Alfur - "Oh my god..."
Johanna - "Hilda..."
She started to cry.
Mum just couldn't comprehend what had just happened. It seemed unreal to her, like a dream...
..but it wasn't a dream..
**A few days later**
On the TV news:
‘A few days ago, there was a terrible fire in Huldrawood Forest. The forest fire claimed the life of just one person named Hilda Pearson. The blue-haired girl was in the woods at the time the fire started. The girl's only parent received compensation. The cause of the fire, however, is unknown. Experts recommend staying in homes as a toxic storm is coming due to the fi-"
Johanna nervously switched off the television:
"Why did I let her go there...? It's all my fault..."
Alfur - "It's not your fault. You didn't know this was going to happen."
Hilda's mum approached Twig. After examining the bandages on his back, Johanna poured him some water. He still continued to whimper pitifully.
After that incident, some people passing Johanna looked at her so obliquely, as if Hilda was the culprit behind the fire. But she wasn't. And Johanna knew it.
Hilda's friends and their parents believe that Hilda had nothing to do with the fire. Speaking of the friends (especially Frida and David), they too grieved that Hilda was no longer with them.
But why did the fire happen? Was Hilda there alone...
Or was she?