A Story A Day. Story 330 of 365: Books.

One of Serena's most valuable possessions was her book collection. She had inherited it from her grandfather, along with the mannor, and an incalculable fortune. She had expanded the three of them, added more than three hundred books to the collection, built a new sunroom attached to the house to read at the sunshine, and invested in some really good assets that yielded an interesting amount of profit. At twenty-seven she was richer than anyone she had known, and with as much time as she wanted to read her heart out.

She lived a solitary life, and after some time, she realized it wasn't good for her. She also realized that books were made to be read as many times as possible. Therefore she reached an agreement with the local library to have groups of school children visit her library once a month. The children brought joy into the house, and she cheerfully guided them through her library, explaining her love for books and trying to make it flourish in their small hearts. The kids were mesmerized by it, and they would sit on small groups around a book reading it outloud by turns, or would sit on the armchairs on their own and bury their noses on the books of their choice. Serena always served some beverage, lemonade or warm chocolate depending on the weather, and would listen to what all of them had to say. Some teachers took profit of the free time to rest in the gardens, while others decided to wander in the library themselves. One of them, about Serena's age, used to take books out of the library and into the sunroom. 

One day, after one of the group of school kids had just left, she took a new book with her to the sunroom, just to find that someone had left a book there. "It must have been that young teacher" she though. She picked it up from the table and saw that it was a compendium on Astrophysics, he was the Maths teacher, so it made sense after all. Serena decided to leave the book there, he might want to read it the following day after all. She sat on her favorite couch and dived deep into the words of the novel. 

The next week, when the young teacher returned, Serena decided to go talk to him in the sunroom. He found himself focused on the compendium, some pages of notes next to it, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. He was handsome, his hair casually tousled with some strands falling on his forehead. Serena cleared her throath, and he looked at her startled. 

-Sorry, the other week you left the book in here, and I thought I would talk to you a bit. 

-Oh, yes, sorry about it.- he stood up- My name is Ryan, incidentally. 

-Nice to meet you. I see you like Physics. 

-Yes, I love learning. That's why I decided to become a teacher. 

-I have many more books on the topic, you are welcome to pass by anytime you want. 

After some more small talk, they agreeded on meeting the following Saturday morning. After that day, there came another, and soon enough they were both considering taking things a bit futther. Serena invited him to dinner at her house, were they shared food and wine in the library. It was a romantic environment, at least for Serena. And then she made the question that changed everything. 

-So, what novels have you been reading lately? 

-Oh, I don't read those. It's just not my thing. I'd rather read books that teach me something, I think novels are a waste of time.- he said nonchalantly. 

A chill went through her spine. Serena stood up. 

-Will you excuse me for a second?

-Sure. 

Serena headed to the door, but didn't leave the room, instead she hid behind the old bookcases. She sat on the floor, had she heard what she had heard? She felt angry all the sudden. How could he be so narrow-minded! He was a teacher, for god's sake! She had to do something, and soon. The solution came to her clear as a vision. She snuck behind the bookcase just at his back, she climbed on the stairs to the took shelf. She knew the shelves moved easily, so she pushed and pulled, until she heard the noise of a hundred of books falling on her guest. There was a muffled scream, but nothing after that. Serena returned to the table, to find Ryan with his head on the plate, and a heavy leather-bound copy of "El Quijote" on it. She made sure he wasn't breathing anymore, and proceeded to pick up all the books and return them to their original locations. 

A Story A Day. Story 329 of 365: Leaves.

Akiko was looking through the window, kneeling on the sofa, her face resting on her hands, into the park across the street. There was a thunderstorm outside, and the trees swayed side to side, the wind blew against her house, howling, making the windows rattle. Her mother had told her she would be able to go outside as soon as the storm had passed. Akiko had to beg to arrive to that compromise, and as soon as she was given permission she had geared herself with appropiate rain clothing. The purple rain boots rested on the floor, next to the couch, her feet didn't even reach the edge of it. 

Her eyes, the same color as the sky outside, scanned the clouds looking for a clearing. It had been raining for three days, and she had been waiting to go outside for the same exact time. But it wouldn't stop raining. Akiko saw some cars passing through the street, spraying the water that had accumulated on the pavement. And behind the street, the park, the promised lands. There were trees with green leaves, trees with yellow leaves, trees with red leaves, trees with brown leaves, and leafless trees. Akiko didn't know their names, but she knew she liked them. If she stared intensely enough she could see how some of the leaves flew away from the trees, the brown mostly, also the red and the yellos, the greens hardly ever. Sometimes, the wind picked out some of the leaves on the floor and made them swirl, not by then, the leaves were too soaked and weighted too much, but she had seen it on the first day. 

Her mother called her out for lunch. It was still midday, but the sky was caught in a permanent twilight, so it might have as well been dinner time. There was soup and stew, winter food in the middle of fall. It made Akiko feel warm in the inside, it was a nice feeling. Her mother looked at her while she ate. Akiko loved her mother, she was sweet, and took care of her, she let her go outside and step on the puddles, she also knit her woolen sweaters, gloves, and scarves, and she had really long black hair that tickled her face when she put her to sleep. But must of all she loved her because she was both her mother and her father. She was the best mother in the world. 

-Mom, when will it stop raining?- she asked. 

-I don't know, Akiko. I hope that it will be soon, and then you'll be able to go back to school with your friends, don't you miss your friends? 

Akiko thought about her friends, she really wanted to see Koharu and Natsuki, and also Miss Manami. But she couldn't go back to school until the rain stopped, and she couldn't go step in the puddles until then, either. As soon as she finished eating, she went back to her surveillance post, nothing had changed, the cloud cover was still as thick as it had been, the rain was still falling, and the trees were still slowly losing their leaves to the wind. 

A Story A Day. Story 328 of 365: Food.

Everything in that town was perfect. Naomi and Sam had chosen it as their first weekend out together, and they couldn't complain a bit. It was a town in the middle of the mountains, a stream passed through it, half a dozen of bridges crisscrossing over it. There was only one road in or out, and few cars made it that far. Still, the town was always full of tourists, and the local hotel never had vacancies. Everything was clean, and everyone was polite and helpful, apparently everyone stuck to the rules and there was no need of police. The town was small enough for that, but one would think that with so many tourists, some problems might arise at some time.  

Naomi felt as in a dream, she was in awe over how incredible everything was. If she could have designed her perfect village, it wouldn't have been half as good as the town was. And the food they were served, it was excellent! Tatiana really knew how to cook, she would need to ask her what kind of meat was she serving, she never had anything so fine. Sam didn't care much about any of that, he could appreciate the beauty of the surroundings, but what he appreciated most was Naomi's company, although deep inside he had the feeling that Naomi didn't care for him as much. 

One evening they were having dinner at the dinning hall at the hotel, as usual Tatiana walked by the table and asked them how everything was, and what were they plans for the following day. They replied saying that they were planning to hike to the waterfall and back the following day, and Tatiana offered to make some sandwiches for them to eat on the way. Naomi thought it was the perfect moment to ask her about the meat.  

-Incidentally, the meat you serve is delicious. But I can't quite tell which animal is it from, would you mind telling me? 

-Oh, dear. It's some kind of game you only find in these mountains. You wouldn't expect me to give up my secret like that, would you?- she winked at them before excusing herself. 

Sam and Naomi finished their dinner with a delicious apple pie, and went to their room. In the middle of the night, Naomi shook Sam awake. 

-Sam, Sam! Wake up!

-What happens?- he replied, still asleep. 

-There's something wrong. 

-Are you feeling unwell? 

-No, I'm okay. There's something wrong here. 

-You love this place! What could possibly be wrong?

-I think there's something bad going on, it is too perfect, and the way Tatiana replied when I asked her about the meat, it was really unsettling. 

-Honey, you're just being silly, there is nothing wrong. 

-If you think so you won't mind coming with me to the kitchen, will you?

Sam got out of the bed reluctanly, it was cold at night, and the bed was warm and comfortable. But he loved Naomi and if that had to help her feel better, so be it. They descended the stairs in silence, and crossed the hall into the dinning room. The door to the kitchen was on the other side of it, and they had to be careful not to stumble on the chairs and tables. It was a close call, but they finally made their way to the kitchen door. Naomi put her hand on it and pushed hesitatingly. The door squeaked, but gave way. Opening it as little as possible, they both entered the kitchen. It was clean and in order. The knives were all set one next to the other, shinning and freshly honed, the pots were drying over the sink, and the plates piled up on the shelves. The fridges and freezers took up a whole side. They were all new, almost out of the box. Naomi wondered what could be inside of them, what would be Tatiana's secret? She pulled open the door of one of the freezers and almost let out a scream. 

On the shelf in front of her rested a human leg, and behind it there were other clearly human body parts. Sam and Naomi stared at each other in terror, without saying a word they knew what they had to do next, run away from there as soon as possible, and tell as many people as they could. The lights went on, unexpectedly. They both turned around towards the kitchen door to find Tatiana and two of the waiters blocking it. 

-So, you wanted a quick bite?- the hotel owner asked sarcastically. 

-You're a monster! You've been feeding us human flesh! Wait until the town and the rest of the world hears about it!- Naomi shouted, shaking to her bones. 

-Dear, dear, you're so young, so innocent, so... tender. You're going to make an excellent steak tartare. You're not going to tell anyone, because you're never going to leave this kitchen again... whole. Even if you managed to escape and told someone in town, they would bring you back here, everyone in town knows about my meat obtention methods, what's more, they encorauge it. 

-I don't  believe you! They are all too nice to let you do what you please. 

-Are they? They sometimes provide me with the ingredients themselves. Don't look at me like that my dear, how exactly do you think they are able to keep the peace in town? 

A Story A Day. Story 327 of 365: Illuminate.

It was late November and Lucy was on the street sitting on a bench. She was drinking some warm coffee, trying to cope with the cold of that afternoon. Winter had arrived early that year, and a couple of days before it had even snowed. She knew she would have to spend some time outside, so she had geared herself appropriately, she had put on a thick sweater and the winter jacket, and she was also wearing her favorite scarf and gloves. She waited for the sunset, sipping from her cup. 

People walked down the street, oblivious of the magic that was about to happen. She looked up, it would happen at any minute. She held her breathe, wanting to count down, but knowing that part of the fun was not knowing when it would happen. And, suddenly, thousands of lights lit up at the same time. Christmas lights. She stared at them overwhelmed, they were so beautiful. No one ever appreciated it the first time they lit, illuminating everything, pouring love and happiness. Only she did. She was the only one waiting for them to lit up. And they did it for her. 

A Story A Day. Story 326 of 365: Couple.

Rune and Najwa had been married for more than ten years. They were childless, for their own choice, and lived in a nice calm residential area. Najwa was a librarian, having been feed with love for books by her mother, a war exile. Rune owned a small shoe shop, the only one in town. It was a quiet life, one that suited them. Everyone in the neighborhood loved Najwa's arab sweet treats, and all of them waved at Rune when they saw him going for his morning walk. They were the perfect neighbors, the perfect couple.

Yet, no one knew all the truth. Najwa and Rune were indeed the perfect couple, but for reasons no one would have guessed, for reasons that were only discussed behind closed doors. Sometimes, they laughed while they wondered what would they neighbors think if they knew the truth, they could almost see their faces, hear their voices. They were cautious, and no one ever suspected anything, however. They would go on with their daily lives until dinner time, when they discussed other matters. 

Najwa arrived always earlier and started preparing dinner. Her husband and her had a pact to alternate her native cuisine with what Rune called "normal food". Najwa would out on an apron and tie her cutly dark hair on a tight bun atop her head, she then started chopping the ingredients for that night's dinner. Rune would arrive when everything was already getting cooked, he would kiss her, and reach for some beer in the fridge. They would chat about their day over the stove. While the food finished cooking, Rune would set up the table, two tall candles at each side, always the same. When the meal was ready they would sit on the table, and have the same conversation over and over again, murder. 

As strange as it might sound, the topic never got old. When they were dating, and as newly-weds, they had shared that common passion. Both had a need to kill, and they simply combined it, becoming more efficient, but also in a way more reckless. They almost got caught once, so they decided to stop it. They liked to remember the old good days, however, and that was why they would talk about it every time. 

-That was a good one.- Najwa remembered.- I also enjoyed a lot what happened afterwards. 

-Well, we can always repeat the afterwards...

-We should repeat that.- she saw that Rune was already standing up.- I mean the murder! 

-We have talked about that thousands of times, honey. We can't go back to that. 

-But I'm bored! 

-It's too dangerous!- her husband insisted. 

-You never let me do anything fun. But that's over, I'm not going to take orders from you anymore. 

Najwa's facial expression set off all the alarms in Rune's brain. 

-What have you done?- he could feel his heart beating faster. 

-Added some little poison on your food. Don't worry, I know my trade, it's going to be fast and look like a heart attack. You're going to make a beautiful corpse, all tall and blonde. 

Rune felt the pain on his chest, and on his arm, and felt life slipping away. The last thing he heard was his wife telling him: 

-Don't worry, I'll call the ambulance and play the inconsolable widow. They will never catch me. 

A Story A Day. Story 325 of 365: Guardian (Part II).

The next thing Hugh saw was his daughter Daphne. He was inside his mother's mind, Daphne's grandmother, who spent lots of time taking care of her. He felt comforted by the fact that his daughter trusted his mother so much, she was a wise woman, and would give her good advice. He spent those years hidden, without intervening, watching his daughter grow. However, his mother was old, and she died when Daphne was barely twelve. As she died, he found himself in another location, unable to say goodbye to her. To his surprise he became one of Daphne's teachers, the one she always talked about, he was the same age Hugh would have been, and quite possibly a father figure for her. It didn't last much, and during Daphne's teenage years Hugh jumped from one friend to the other. 

As Daphne hit her twenties, Hugh found a more permanent home. As a teenageer she had met Aram who would end up becoming her best friend. Hugh liked Aram, he was a quiet boy who thinked a lot and spoke a little, he almost never found himself participating in their conversations, Aram was a sensible young man on his own. He half-expected them to become something else, although in the bottom of his heart, he knew they would always be only friends. 

When Daphne moved to another country, he started to say goodbye to Aram. However, to his surprise both of them kept regular contact through email and Skype. He was there for her at every important moment of her life, and was the one who walked her down the aisle at her wedding. Their friendship was so strong that Daphne kept trusting Aram more than her husband. Hugh felt pride for his daughter, it took certain character to mantain such a stong friendship along the years. Through Aram's eyes, he saw Daphne have babies, and those babies grow, he saw her grow older, and finally he saw her die. He felt Aram's heartbreak when his best friend died in front of his eyes, but he couldn't stay to comfort him, as Daphne took him with her. 

He was back into the colorless, soundless, odorless place, he knew the voice was coming, so he was prepared. It did catch Daphne by surprise. 

-Who are you? Am I dead?

-Yes. 

Daphne sighted but quickly accepted. 

-And now? 

-You choose. 

Hugh could see his daughter considering what did she want, before saying. 

-I've had a good life. I've been happy, I've been loved. And I would like to help the world be a happier place, a place full of love. I want all the love and happiness that I have experienced to be spread around the world. I want my conciousness to become sheer love and be split in a million pieces or more, so it can reach every corner in the world. I want my soul to forget about it being me and be happiness. 

Hugh smiled to himself. He had done right, he though as he vanished into a million tiny pieces. 

A Story A Day. Story 324 of 365: Guardian (Part I).

It was a weird place, where Hugh was. There was no sound, no color, no smell, nothing. He couldn't feel anything either. He didn't even wonder where he was, the nothingness had taken his thoughts too. A voice called for him, and his thoughts came back rushing. The last thing he remembered was a truck heading into his car. 

-Hugh. You are dead. 

-Am I in heaven? 

-There's no heaven or hell. There's only what you want. 

-Are you god?- Hugh asked confused. 

-No, I'm not. I'm just someone who decided to stay here. There's no god, the same way there is no heaven or hell.

-And now, what? 

-Now, you choose, you decide what you want to do. If you want to vanish into eternity, if you want to wander as a spirit, if you want to go to your paradise, it's up to you.- the voice explained. 

Hugh thought about it. He was young, or he had been when he died. He had left a young wife and a daughter, he wanted to see her grow, become a woman, he wanted to guide her. How could he do that? He explained the situation to the voice, calmly but emotional. 

-I think it can be done. You will have to get inside other people's minds, people your daughter trusts. You might have to jump from one to the other, as she grows and trusts other people. You won't be able to make direct contact with her, though, you will only be able to guide the other people so they help her as much as possible. You'll be her silent guardian, always watching, but she will never know. At some point you might have to witness or listen to things you might not like, but you won't be able to do anything about it. 

-Okay. 

-Also, when she dies you'll come here together. You won't have a choice, however. Whatever she choses it will happen to you too. You won't even be able to speak, she won't know you're here. Remember, her choice will be your fate, like it or not. Are you willing to give up your right to choose to protect your daughter?

-I am.- there was no trace of hesitation in Hugh's voice. 

-See you soon, then.- the voice said as the place vanished. 

A Story A Day. Story 323 of 365: Attention.

It was her big moment, all the sacrifice she had gone through during those years, all that effort would end up in that moment. She was about to perform for the first time at a major event. She was old for that in comparison to her peers, but life had treated her that way and she never had all the opportunities. That night she would be able to forget about it. She looked into the mirror and fixed some stray hairs, made sure her make up was perfect, and awaited for the call to the stage. 

Her hands sweated, her legs itched under the tights. She started biting her nails just to remember she hadn't done that in a long time. She breathed in and out, telling herself it would be okay, but there was an uneasiness inside her that wouldn't leave. Someone knocked on the door shouting for her to be on stage in five minutes. She checked herself on the mirror once again, and reached for the doorknob. As she did a chill went through her spine. Was she forgetting something? She knew she didn't, but there was something in her mind bugging her. 

She carried that feeling to the stage, as she got into position behind the curtains. She counted the seconds before her big moment. Suddenly light was flooding the stage, hundreds of eyes staring at her. The music started, and as it did the audience started gasping. Something was wrong. A shadow passed by the corner of her eye. It was a man. Not a man, it was her boyfriend who promtly went down to one knee in front of her. She stared at him horrified. 

-Will you marry me? 

-No! You've ruined everything!- she shouted before running away in tears. 

A Story A Day. Story 322 of 365: Tease (Part III).

When she stormed out of the bar, she was disappointed, she had been very clear on what that meant or should mean, he hadn't played by the rules. She had had fun, she couldn't deny it. But it had been only that. Nothing else. He was a very good friend, but she couldn't see herself dating him. It was wrong. Yet she shouldn't have gotten so mad at him. She knew it had been a one time thing, she would've liked to repeat, but it would hurt him too much. She called him the following day and asked him to meet her for coffee. He was already waiting for her when she arrived. As he saw her, he stood up.

-Look, I wanted to apologize...- he started. 

-I'm the one who has to apologize. I treated you unfairly, you were just letting me know how you feel. I should've listened and waited. I basically covered my ears and ran away. You deserved to explain yourself. I was a jerk. 

-Yes, a bit.- he laughed, and just like that all the tension disappeared.  

She smiled in return. 

-So, I guess that was the only time we are going to sleep with each other, wasn't it?- he asked. 

-Yes, it's the best for both of us. If it happened again I would feel I was using you, and you would feel bad, because you want it to become something else. Something it can't be right now. 

-Too bad, it was some of the best sex I have ever had. 

-I told you I was good.- she teased him. 

-Heck, I wasn't bad either. 

They both laughed. They couldn't sleep together, but they didn't need to stop being friends. 

A Story A Day. Story 321 of 365: Tease (Part II).

The week passed slowly for him, since the wedding he had been giving a lot of thought to what had happened. He knew they had accorded it would mean nothing, but it had been so good, so good, he had started to wonder. He wondered why couldn't they do it more often. He suddenly realized that he loved her. Should he tell her? She had been clear, there was nothing else involved, and there would never be. Yet, what if she felt the same?

It was soon clear that she didn't. She sent him a message telling him that maybe they should reach an agreement so whenever one of them had need of it, they could sleep together as long as both of them were still single. He replied that it was okay for him, but inside he felt hurt. She hadn't had second thoughts. They meet on the following Saturday. She was as cool as ever, joking and teasing him about the night they had spent together. He was sulking, silent, smiling awkwardly. She realized something was amiss soon.

-What happens?- she was worried.- Are you okay?

-Yes.- he said unconvincingly. 

-No, you're not. What's on?

-Nothing.- he said looking guilty. 

She connected the dots. 

-No! Tell me it's not that! No, no. We had an agreement! It was only sex, nothing else. Look, you're my best friend, but we all know it wouldn't work. 

-You don't know that.

-I do, that was a big mistake, we shouldn't have done it. 

-But,... 

She left without letting him reply. 

A Story A Day. Story 320 of 365: Tease (Part I).

They had this kind of friendship that gets built in one second. She explained him things she wouldn't even tell her best friends, and he would listen patiently. They always felt very comfortable with each other, and people would sometimes push them into getting together. They would tease each other on the things they would do if they ever had a chance, but they never did anything. Either one or the other always had a significant other, and they weren't cheaters. Sometimes, their partners didn't fully understand their friendship, and, sometimes, they would ask for it to stop. But in the end, they remained friends and those relationships never lasted.

At one point they both were single, and they found themselves taking the other as plus one at the weddings. They always had lots of fun pretending they were together and then hitting on someone else while the people on their table stared horrified. At one wedding they got completely drunk and the teasing became too much.

-I know you want me.- she told him whispering in his ear.

-Of course I do, darling, you're the sexiest lady at this wedding.

-Am I?

He became serious, before adding.

-You are. And know what? I think we should do something,.. I'm single, you're single. Let's have some fun.

-You promise it will only be fun? Nothing else?

-I promise.

He didn't even have time to finish those words before she jumped on him. They were hungry of each other, they had been for a long time, trying to deny it, trying to hide it. They didn't sleep much that night, and as the sunrise appeared she stepped out of the bed and into the shower. He was still sleeping, and still did it as she was getting dressed. She poked him.

-Hey, I'm leaving. See you next Saturday.

He mumbled something in his sleep and turned around. She smiled and sent him a message. "It was fun indeed, we should have done this earlier. See you on Saturday as usual". 

A Story A Day. Story 319 of 365: Meltdown.

Bianca was a successful woman, she was young but she was already an associate at the law firm she had started working in as soon as she left law school. She was hungry for challenges, reckless, implacable. She was quick-witted and smart, her mind sharp as a scapel. Her comebacks were her pride. Many of her colleagues had started asking her for advice in important cases, knowing that she was able to see things in a different perspective. Her mind was her sanctuary, and it was a busy one.

Someone else wouldn't have been able to handle so much thinking, but to Bianca it was normal. She could be talking to someone and be thinking about something else as easily as breathing. She had never imagined she could lose that, until she did. 

It had been a hard working period. Bianca had had to stay late at work for months. Documentation and folders piled up on her desk, next to pieces of crumbled papers and half a dozen empty pens. She had been working hard, but she knew it would be worth it. One of those late days Bianca was feeling tired, she knew she needed a break, but the end was so near that she just couldn't stop working. She picked up the next paper on her pile, telling herself that as soon as she had finished that one she would go home. However, when she tried to read it, the letters blurred. She focused her stare, yet nothing made sense. She could read the words but, in her mind, they had no meaning, they were empty. Her brain had decided to shut down and it didn't even warn her. 

A Story A Day. Story 318 of 365: Metro.

It was late at night and the metro station was almost empty, at that hour it was mostly groups of tweens going back home, young couples snuggling, and her. She was on the platform, looking at the tracks, her stare lost. Trains passed in front of her eyes. Braking, opening the doors, beeping, and she didn't even flinch at it. People passed nearby, some of the drunk ones almost bumping into her, yet she stood in place. She would have seemed a statue if it weren't for the wind blowing her hair, and the occassional shifting of her weight from one foot to the other.

No one paid attention to her, she was no one. Her dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin made her one of the thousands of people who passed by the station. She was plain, nothing set her apart, and that was the reason why no one realized that she was the girl who always stood there looking at the tracks. It could have been different girls, but it was always her. 

If someone had asked her why was she doing that, she wouldn't have known what to reply. The first time she did it she was actually planning to jump into the tracks. However, she didn't. She was sure about her decission, she was tired of living, there was nothing meaningful in her life, nothing to stimulate her. She was bored. Yet, standing there, looking at her immediate death, she saw something hidden, something calling her, teasing her, challenging her. There was a pattern there, but it was hidden, and she decided she couldn't die until she had discovered what was it. And that was what she was doing. And that was what she would have told anyone who dared to ask. But no one ever asked. 

A Story A Day. Story 317 of 365: Fog.

The pass opened in front of her. Two tall mountains and a dirt road in the middle, the mountains were green with grass and moss as far as she could see, no trees would grow there. It was a rocky terrain, a wild one. No one lived there, only animals, and not many of them. The fog wrapped around the twin peaks like silk. She had hopped for a sunny day, but a foggy one was the next best thing as far as it didn't rain. She shifted the weight of her backpack, the climb was steep, and she would need to be comfortable. She had left at sunrise, with the hopes of having crossed the pass around midday. She still had a long way until her final destination.

The gravel cracked under her feet as she walked through the dirt road. It had been easy so far, she just had followed the track by the lakes, it was plain, and it was beautiful in a calm way. The mountains had loomed over it all the time, reminding her that not everything in life was easy, and that they were waiting for her. She was ready, she had been ready for a long time, that was just one more effort along the road, an effort worth taking. As she advanced towards the pass the terrain changed, there were more rocks, it was harder to walk, she had to mind her feet more lest she injured herself. Her pace reduced to a crawl, her breath was heavy with the effort of climbing. She stopped now and then, trying to figure out how much longer would it take her to get to the highest point, but the more she looked the farther it seemed. She could feel the heavy weight of her backpack pulling her, making it harder to advance. She told herself she had to overcome it, that the mountains were waiting for her, and they would be disappointed if she didn't make it. The muscles on her legs tensed and relaxed at a time, and that was the only thing she could feel. The track was steeper at every step, but that only meant that she was getting closer to her objective.

When the ground was even again, it took her by surprise. She stopped and looked around, in front of her was another valley, almost the twin she has just left, behind her the road she had just taken, and, side to side, embracing her, the twin mountains, their peaks still lost between the fog. She smiled at herself, at the mountains, she thanked them for the challenge, and they silently welcomed her into their territories. She felt at home. Leaving her backpack by the side of the road, she took a deep breath and sat on some rocks to contemplate the road ahead, it was calling her. She rested a bit more, eating an apple, they would have lots of time to know each other, but that would be the only time she would see it like that. The road awaited.  

A Story A Day. Story 316 of 365: Others.

Another stupid fight about something she had done, and she had already lost count of how many had there been. He would complain about her friends, about them not spending enough time together, about her flirting with other men. Her, always her, she was the one not working for the relationship, she was the irresponsible one. They had been dating since high-school, she didn't know better, neither did he. And they still loved each other, although, sometimes, she had to remind it to herself.

She yearned for adventure, for other arms, for other lips. She always said she would look for others, that she was still young and beautiful, that she deserved to have one-night stands, to be free. Never to his face, never. He gave her security, it was an anchor. She wouldn't even think of leaving him. In her mind, what she wanted to was to keep a facade relationship with him, while she went out with other people. She would never tell him, of course, he couldn't know, and it had not yet happened, but she wanted it to.

A Story A Day. Story 315 of 365: Open.

Mia did her best not to cry in front of Jake. She was angry and disappointed, but she didn't let her emotions show in her face. She didn't want to argue, not then, not there. Her nails dug on her palms as she tightened her fists inside the pockets of her coat.

-I'm going home. - she announced coldly.- I'm tired.

Jake kissed her goodbye, ignoring the pain he had caused her, thinking everything was alright. Mia wrapped her neck with a thick scarf, burrowing her face in it. The face bite her forehead, but she had forgotten her gloves. She walked briskly back home, letting the tears escape. Jake and her had been dating for some months, they had never really talked about it, it just happened. Mia had never thought about going out with someone else, she loved Jake and didn't think her love could be split. She had thought Jake had the same opinion, until that night.

It had all started like a normal date, dinner at a restaurant after a walk around the city. Over dinner they discussed lots of things, among them open relationships. Jake seemed to be strangely okay with them, explaining Mia that human nature called for polyamory, telling her that monogamy was not natural. She let it slip, she didn't agree with him, but she didn't want to discuss it any further.  When they left the restaurant, and as they looked for a place to have a drink, Jake continued with the topic.

-Mia, there is something I wanted to ask you.- he said, stopping at the light of a lamp post.

-What?- she could feel the cold wind on her warm cheeks.

-What would you think of having an open relationship?

Those last words still resounded inside her head as she walked back home. She didn't want that, she didn't want to share him with anyone else, and she certainly wouldn't go looking for someone else. "No, no, no" she thought, each "no" an energetic step. She understood Jake, in a way, but she knew she wouldn't be comfortable. And she took a decision, just because she didn't want it, it didn't mean Jake couldn't have it. She had to set him free, she had to beak up with him, it was the only way.

A Story A Day. Story 314 of 365: Button.

Months of campaigning, and a lifetime of sacrifice had brought Brígh where she was, at the Presidential house. She had dreamt of it since she was in college, or even before. It was a dream come true. And a huge responsibility, too. Balancing personal life and career had been hard, and it would be harder, specially as her husband, Amets, was a daydreamer. He said he was an inventor, and he did invent things, eventually, yet most of the time he spent his days with his mind on the clouds. Brígh loved him deeply, and she knew that was the only way for him to be happy, yet, she sometimes wished he would pay attention to what was happening around him. Furthermore, he had the rare ability to do things he was not supposed to do, in the end it was like taking care of a young child.

When they moved into the Presidential house, Brígh was very worried, there were so many things Amets could screw up she even considered banning him to enter some rooms. She didn't because that would be useless, so she let him wander around hoping the guards would stop him from doing something reckless. Needless to say that turned out to be a vain hope, as Amets managed to find every hidden spot in the house, every secret room and passage, and into the most secret rooms of it all. 

When Amets walked into it he had to look twice. He didn't know how he had arrived there, as he had only been wandering around. The room looked like a relic from old times, there was a typewriter, a couple of landlines, and some dusty furniture. It looked forgotten. And on a panel by the wall, a big red button. The button was calling him. "Press me" it whispered. What would it do? It was so inviting, he had to press it. Amets approached it with expectation, caressing it, he pushed it softly and waited. Nothing happened. He pushed harder. The explosion blew up half of the neighborhood.

A Story A Day. Story 313 of 365: Anymore.

"I can't go to sleep, he told me he would come before I went to bed". It didn't matter her eyes were closing and that she was dying to go to bed. She held her head up and battled the urge her eyes had to close. She had been burrowed on the sofa, but that had made her sleepy, and she had started to walk up and down the room, she had tripped on the carpet twice, and hit half a dozen of different things, but she wouldn't go to sleep until he came.

The sun had set a long time ago, it was pitch dark outside, the stars covered by a thick cloud cover. She never went to sleep so late, but she had to endure it. She had no other choice. She wanted to see him, it was their ritual. She always saw him before she went to bed. But it had never taken him that long. She kept walking up and down, almost walking on her sleep. She tripped and fell, crying out loud. 

Her mother went on her knees beside her, and stroked her hair. 

-Sweetie, it's time to sleep. 

-But daddy hasn't come yet!- she protested weakly. 

-You need to go to sleep, there's school tomorrow. 

She conceded, but only because she didn't have the strenght to argue anymore. While putting her to sleep, her mother wondered how would she tell her her daddy wouldn't be going back home anymore. 

A Story A Day. Story 312 of 365: Legacy.

Mot had been training for that all his life, before he even knew what he was doing, what was he supposed to do, before he was able to voice his opinion on the matter. He had been raised to it, trained to excel. He didn't know how to do anything else, he didn't know there were other options, he never had a choice. And his professor had just told him he was ready, that he needed to go out into the world and prove his value. "Make me proud" he had told him "come back successful or don't come back at all". 

It was Mot's first time out in the real world. He had learnt to navigate it at the center, but theory was not the same. He had to remind himself to be calm, he had to remember all the lessons. It was okay, that wasn't the hardest thing he would need to do. He looked into the hand-drawn map he was holding, his destination was close. It was marked as a really big house surrounded by tall fences, "unmistakable" was written next to it. And indeed it was, large, dark, surrounded by a pine-tree forest, it was not welcoming, nor had Mot expected it to be. He circled the property, looking for a sheltered enttry point. As soon as he found one, he looked both sides and gracefully pushed himself over the wall. He was agile as a cat, or even more. He fell on the other side without making any noise. 

His next destination was the library. Quiet as a shadow, he moved from one window to the other, until he found the right room. He pushed the window open and snuck in. He only needed to wait, if his information was right, he wouldn't need to wait long. And he didn't, not too long after he heard footsteps. All his muscles became tensed, it was the moment he had been training for all his life. He jumped on the person who had just entered the room, the person who was supposed to be the first of his victims. She screamed at his contact. It was an old fragile woman who looked into his eyes in tears. 

-Kill me, if you have to, but don't touch my family, they have done nothing.- she begged. 

Mot held her stare. She knew what he was thinking about, she could see what was inside his heart. He pushed himself away from her. He couldn't do it, he had been training all his life to be a killer, and he couldn't do it, he was not a killer. He was not, and he didn't know what he was anymore. 

A Story A Day. Story 311 of 365: Cluttered.

Never a moment of silence. Even when she was alone in a room, there was noise. Her mind was always active, always thinking. She had tried yoga and meditation, to no avail, she never understood how was she supposed to leave her mind blank. Even when she was trying not to think, she was thinking about not thinking. Sometimes, when she was doing things she has automatized, her mind raced, jumping from one thought to the other, making her stop and run do another thing because the solution was clear. 

It was exhausting, people never understood it, but her mind wouldn't stop. Not at night, not when she was running, or swimming, not at any time. Sometimes she couldn't focus on conversations because her brain had made a connection and was ignoring what the other person was saying. And it was not only that, sometimes her mind made her feel insecure, whispering that she was a failure, that she didn't deserve it, that she would never make it. There were times she wished she could open her skull, and relieve the pressure. But that was not possible, so, instead of cracking her head open, she wrote. And she wrote until the blood smudged the pages, she wrote until her mind was numb and it couldn't shout anymore, until there was some silence in her life. 

A Story A Day. Story 310 of 365: Pampered.

She closed her eyes. There was no sound around, as if the room were filled of silence. Her ears felt like they were full of cotton. She floated in the pool, the salt water tickling her skin. Moving her arms she moved closer to the walls, they were rough at touch, but not out of place. She had needed that for a long time, she was always caring for others, putting her needs last, giving up her things selflessly. She couldn't remember the last time she had taken a day off, but it was long overdue. She pushed herself away from the wall. 

The kids had given her a day off at the spa as a birthday present. At first she thought she didn't deserve it, that she had too much work, that she didn't have time to go to a spa. After some discussion, she accepted. Her husband dropped her off at the door of the spa, and as soon as he left she started feeling guilty. How could she be enjoying some time off, when her family was without her? The feeling of guilt washed out as she switched from pool to pool. And at that moment she was no longer worried about what might go wrong, she was free of worries, for once. 

A Story A Day. Story 309 of 365: Dragon.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom terrified by a dragon. The dragon would regularly kidnap children, and they were never seen again, probably eaten by the dragon. The king had tried everything on his hand to stop him, to no avail. Knights had gone to fight him, wizards had cast spells, but the dragon seemed immune to all of it. Children were kept inside the houses, and went accompanied everywhere, but, still, from time to time, the dragon managed to take one to his cave. And one day, the kidnaped child was the daughter of the king. The little princess had been playing outside in the inner walls, after she escaped her wet nurse, and when the dragon loomed over them the guards were not close enough to help her. When the king found out, he summoned all the knights and soldiers in the kingdom to try to save his daughter.

An army marched towards the dragon's cave, blowing their trumpets and firing the cannons. Inside the cave the dragon was trembling as the little princess comforted him.

-Don't worry dragon, it's going to be okay.

The princess had been really scared when she saw the floor getting away from her feet, and she felt the warm breath of the dragon on her skin. But as they arrived into his cave it was clear that he was only looking for someone to play with, he felt alone. The dragon was like a big cat. A big cat who didn't know how powerful he was and had ended up accidentally killing all his friends, but a cat nonetheless. The princess felt pity for him. When she heard all the noise outside the cave, she decided to do something about it. She ran outside waving her hands, one of the knights took her in front of her father, ignoring her explanations on how the dragon was actually good, and he was only lonely and scared. She shouted and fought, but she was only a little girl, and there was nothing she could do when she heard the dragon's screams as the soldiers entered inside the cave and killed him.

Another year passes by.

It seems like yesterday when I was writing something along these lines, trying to evaluate how my 25th year on earth had been, and I am already at it again, almost 27, getting dangerously close to the dreaded 30. Summing up a year in one post is difficult, how can I explain all I have lived during these 365 days? How can I express how I felt? It's a hard task, but it is not impossible. And even if it were, I am known to try to do all kinds of crazy stuff. So, here we go.

During this year in my life, I have lived in three different places. Funnily enough, it started in San Diego, where I was only staying for a week for Neuroscience2013. Following that I finished my adventure in Mexico, and went back to my parents' house. And finally moved to Barcelona on my own. I guess it's not every year you can say you have been around so many places.

Work-wise, it has been an intense year, with my stay in Mexico to learn a technique, the SfN meeting in San Diego, another congress in Cambridge. Furthermore, the clinical trial I had been working on for more than two years finished, and I was on the verge of tears as I was processing the last sample, it has been a lot of effort, I invested so much time on it, I guess it's like seeing a child leaving home (I'm getting emotional again). It has also been a hard year, being given the responsibility of having three students over the summer was exhausting, specially mentally, as it meant I didn't have a break from Easter to September, but I guess it was just a teaser of the times to come as I close up on my last year of PhD.

It has been a good year for traveling too. Starting in San Diego it couldn't be another thing. While in Mexico I could go to the beach twice in December, actually spending New Year's Eve there which I think was the most bizarre thing I have ever done. And, when I was finally able to go on summer vacations, traveling alone in Ireland for 21 days was a journey of self-discovery. Being alone in the plains, in the bogs, by the cliffs, it gave me lots of time to think, lots of time to appreciate the beauty in the small things. Also, astonishing scenery that still gives me goosebumps every time I look at the pictures. Traveling alone has also helped me meet lots of people, people who has had some kind of impact in my life, but that I didn't feel the need to keep in contact with. People who I will probably remember fondly at some time of my life.

I did lots of crazy things this year. I finished a novel, and starting editing it. It's funny how pushing yourself to do something can make you so happy, I always thought I would never be able to do it, and I did it. And not only did I do it, but I actually started this even crazier thing of writing one short story every day, and I'm already on number 309. I also started singing in a choir, which has been nice as it has allowed me to meet new people, and it has helped me understand I need music in my life.

In general, this year has helped me become comfortable with myself. I feel I am a better me, a me that loves herself, and knows herself better. I feel like I really know what I want, and I don't need to put up with crap from other people. I have understood that I sometimes hide behind a shell, that it's not easy to get inside my heart, but also that only people who deserves it gets access. I have understood that I can be revengeful, and that can be sometimes problematic. I have understood that it is important to have close friends and keep them close, because they are the people who can help you out. I have also become comfortable with my body for once and all, being able to forget about the flaws I see, because, in the end, the person who is with you is not going to care about them. I have become comfortable with the feeling of being alone, as only when you are okay with it you are able to find someone to share your life with. And I have also accepted that there is nothing wrong with being alone all your life. I still tend to overthink, but I am getting better. As I said, and I think that's the most important thing I have accomplished this year, I have finally learnt to love myself, and this feeling can't be taken back. 

A Story A Day. Story 308 of 365: Shell (Part III).

Time passed, and Edith started to feel nostalgic. She missed the sunshine, she missed the wind on her skin. She knew she couldn't go back, yet she yearned for it. Kai was already the king, and he was always busy. Edith felt left out, her only distraction being taking care of her children. One day walking around the palace, she overheard two courtesans talking. They were two young ladies of the nobility who had just recently started to attend the sessions. 

-You can't be serious, Ixchel!- one of them said. 

-Do you think I would joke about something like this, Líadan? 

-Well,...- her friend hesitated. 

-Believe it or not, I've a relationship with Kai!

-But he already has a queen. 

-That woman he brought from the surface will never be enough for him. 

Edith was heartbroken, she was suffering and in the meantime her husband was being unfaithful. She ran until she arrived to her room. She then took a decision, she would go back to the surface  there was no point in staying under the sea. She made sure no one followed her and swam back to her world, she emerged into a place she had never been. Luckily it was not far from her parents' town. Everything was different, no one seemed to remember her, and it took her some time to find the house were her parents were living. Edith had the hope they would have lived a better life after she left, free of the burden of a daughter, but the truth was that they were still as poor as they had been. Edith's parents had grown very old, and all the sadness of the world was in their stares. She didn't have the strength to tell them she was their daughter, knowing she was the one that had caused so much suffering. There was only one place she could go. The beach, were it all started. Kai was waiting for her there. 

-You were told you could never come back.-his voice was a whip.-You will be punished for this. 

-Haven't I had enough punishment? 

-No. From now on you are condemned at living both in the sea and on earth. Unable  to spend all the time on one, unable to stay away from the other. You will eternally wander between the two worlds, without settling. Because you were not able to mantain your decision. Because you didn't consider all the consequences. 

A Story A Day. Story 307 of 365: Shell (Part III).

Edith was given three days to make a decision. It was long enough to evaluate her options, and short enough to avoid overthinking. The thought of never seeing her grandmother again filled her with dread, yet she knew Adelaide would approve it if she decided to stay. On the third day, she was summoned in front of the King's presence. 

-Have you taken decision?- Áki asked. 

-I have.- Edith aknowledged.- I have decided to stay. 

-Do you understand the implications of this choice? 

-I do. 

-Do you understand that you will never ever be able to go to the surface, and you will never ever see your family again? 

-I do. 

-So be it, then. 

The King provided Edith a manor of her own, where she lived with a tutor who taught her everything she needed to know to become the queen of the sea. Edith had never studied anything and it was very hard for her as she had to learn to write and read. Some days she was about to give up, but then she remembered she couldn't give up. Kai tried to keep her busy, showing her around, and teaching her things about his daily life. Time passed and Edith hrew into a beautiful woman, her skin had become as pale as the rest of inhabitants, but the gold of her hair would always tell her apart from them. Some years after her arrival, it was deemed for her and Kai to marry. A royal wedding was a great festivity, also, under the sea. On her wedding day, three women went to her house to paint Edith's naked body with a thousand of iridiscent scales that would change colors everytime she moved. Such ornamentation made her feel anxious as she was already used at the nakedness. They also decorated her hair with shells of different colors, during all that time under the sea it had become messy and tangled, so making it flowy required lots of pain and effort. When she was done her tutor took her to the palace, where the ceremony was going to be held. Kai was waiting for her on the stairs. He was naked as usual, but someone had braided his green hair, and a crown was laid on top of his brushed ringlets. He smiled at her and took her hand. They climbed the last flight of stairs together. The King was waiting for them at the gates, there was also some other seapeople Edith had never seen. The gates were shut closed and a seaweed rug had been laid in front of it. Áki spoke with a clear voice so all the gathered could hear him. 

-Edith, daughter of the earth, I welcome you to our kingdom under the waters. 

-Áki, King of the sea, I warmly accept your welcome with the hope you will make me feel like the daughter you never had. 

-Edith, daughter of the earth, when you cross these gates that are now closed, you will become of the royal family. Bound forever to my son Prince Kai. 

Kai stepped on the rug and one of the doors opened slowly. He held his hand open towards her. 

-So be it.- Edith said before approaching Kai to cross the gates as husband and wife. 

The feast that followed the ritual was something Edith had never seen. Despite the lack of food sources, the cooks had managed to pull out more than thirty different courses. It was an acquired taste, however, once Edith had got used to the salty taste everything inevitably had, there were thousands of flavors to explore. The entertainment was first class, too, with artists come from all the corners of the sea. The celebration lasted countless hours and, by the end, Edith could feel her fake scales peeling off. 

The times that followed seemed the happiest in her life, her fairytale life had become real. She was a princess and would be a queen, and her prince loved her with all his heart. She couldn't have asked for more. She was happy for the first time in her life, long gone was the girl who picked shells on the beach. 

A Story A Day. Story 306 of 365: Shell (Part II).

Edith couldn't believe her eyes, there was a whole city underwater! She was so overwhelmed she didn't even realize she was breathing underwater. There were small white houses with seaweed growing from the rooftops. Bigger houses with terraces and balconies. And an enormous castle built in the same white stone, with columns of jade, mimicking the big algae forest. Kai took her through the streets, stopping from time to time to greet his subjects, people with skin so pale it looked blue, and hair of several shades of green, and an occasional head full of garnet hair. People seemed friendly, although Edith was unable to understand them, all of them were naked, as Kai was, and that made Edith feel uncomfortable, not only because they were naked, but because she was the only one who was dressed. They arrived to the palace and brought into the presence of Kai's father, King Áki. The king looked younger than Edith had expected, he was basically an older version of Kai. He welcomed her warmly, as Kai introduced her.

-Edith found my shell, father.

Áki nodded and added.

-You know what it means, don't you.

-Yes. I do.

-Do you want me to explain it to her?- Áki offered.

-No, I can do it.

Edith didn't understand anything, what were they talking about? Kai guided her through a side door to a stone garden. Fish of all colors were feeding in there. They sat on a bench and Kai started talking, looking deep into her eyes.

-The shell you found is a magical shell, but it is magical in a way you may not even imagine. The person who finds it has the right to marry the prince of the sea. Of course, it's only if you agree to.- Edith almost interrupted him, but he kept talking.- You have to know something, however. If you agree to marry me, you will never ever be able to see your family again. I'll let you some time to think.

Edith was left alone in the bench. She had wanted to leave her life behind since she could remember, and she was offered the chance to live her fairytale, but could she live knowing she would never be able to see her family again?

A Story A Day. Story 305 of 365: Shell (Part I).

Once upon a time, in a city near the sea, lived a young girl who was very poor. Her name was Edith, and she lived with her parents and her grandmother in a hut on the beach. Her father was a fisherman, but he only had a small boat and never caught much. Her mother would sell the catch of the day, sometimes she traded it for some fresh vegetables, but that was only if she was lucky enough. Edith's grandmother, Adelaide, took care of her, the only child after all her siblings had died. Adelaide used to tell Edith fairytales and stories of all kind, through her words, Edith learnt about magical lands and brave princes. And she also learnt to hate her life.

Edith would wake up in the morning disappointed she was still living in that shack, with no nice clothes, and no prince to take her to the ball. After she had done her chores, she would go to the beach and brood over her disgrace. She used to pick up shells, the only beautiful thing in her life. Her collection included shells of all shapes and colors, but she would find something new from time to time. One day, after a storm, she found a very large, turquoise shell, it was shinny, and polished. Edith ran her fingers through the silky surface, the edges were sharp, however. She put it in the pocket of her dress and went back home, where her grandmother was waiting for her. That night, she slept with the shell under her pillow. Edith was sure it was magical, and that thought helped her fall asleep. A noise inside her room woke her up, the moon shone through the window, and the sky was still dark. Edith sat up and looked around, she could see her grandmother sleeping a few feet away. But there was something else. And then she saw it, at the feet of her bed there was a boy. And just like that they were both on the beach, outside the hut, and he was holding the shell.

-You are the one who found this?

He was tall, and looked a couple of years older than Edith, not a man, but neither a boy. His hair was dark green, and his eyes, dark blue. He was very pale, with skin like moonlight. And he was naked.

-Yes.- Edith admitted shyly.

-My name is Kai, I'm the prince of the sea, and that shell is mine. It's a very valuable possession and to thank you for retrieving it, I'd like to invite you to visit my palace.

-Now?

-Why not?- Kai shrugged his shoulders and held his hand.

Edith took his hand and immediately found herself underwater. In front of her a forest of algae hid some marble columns.

A Story A Day. Story 304 of 365: Dance (Part II).

Prince Brendan and Countess Abigail's wedding was barely six months after that last ball. All the kingdom was invited to the wedding, which lasted for a week. Abigail had the chance to show off her skills by greeting kings and emperors come from far away. There was only one person missing, and, truth be told, everyone would have been surprised if she had appeared. Sophia had vanished the same day Brendan had announced he would be marrying the Countess, some said she was hiding her shame of being refused, some said the Duchess had fled the country and went to her mother's land. No one knew for sure, and no one even dared to ask her eccentric father. So, despite Abigail's best efforts, Sophia was the main topic on the wedding tables. The Duchess was not even there, and she was the star of the wedding. Princess Abigail, as she was known from the moment she married the Prince, decided to face her husband with that problem.

-Your Majesty, there is lots of talk about Duchess Sophia.- she told him in the privacy of their own rooms.
-Let them talk, you are the one I married, my queen.
-I know, but do they know?

He pulled her close and took her by the window of the castle. From there they could see the castle walls, the city behind them, with the Cathedral standing tall and proud, and the city walls outside. The river ran parallel to the east wall, and shone with the moonlight.

-Can you see all this? The houses, the walls, the river, the forest, the towns scattered around, the mountains in the horizon? Do you see them? Because they are all yours and I gave them to you. No matter if people talk about Sophia, because you are the one who is going to be the Queen, whether they like it or not.

The wedding festivities finished, and the newly-weds moved into a palace in the countryside to enjoy some privacy. Not long after Abigail became pregnant. It was a reason for joy, the King needed a heir, and the sooner the better. The Queen decided she was the one who needed to tell her daughter-in-law everything she needed to know, and ended up spending more time in the palace than in her castle. Abigail was overwhelmed, and a bit scared, she hadn't been feeling well, and the further her pregnancy went, the worse she felt. By the end of it she was too big and lacked the energy to move. Both the doctor and the Queen agreed that something was amiss, but the royal doctor was in the dark, he didn't know what to do knowing that if he failed, he would not live to see another day.

The days passed and the Princess was feeling weaker and weaker, the Prince was desperate as he saw the life leaving her beloved. Doctors from other lands attended her, but didn't dare to attempt any treatment for fear of the consequences. One night, a dark stranger appeared, she was wearing a hooded cape, and carrying a heavy bag that looked full of herbs.

-Who are you?-one of the guards at the gate stopped her.
-I have heard your Princess is seriously ill. I have come to cure her.
-I don't trust you, woman.- the other one said.

The other guard took him aside and told him off, they had been told to let any doctor in.

-Go find the captain!- he told him in whispers.

The captain arrived not long after, guarded by two more soldiers. He questioned the stranger, and when he was content with her answers, he let her in. They entered the palace and passed through dozens of closed doors, the Princes didn't seem to have lots of company. As they arrived at the end of a corridor, an open door greeted them. There was a fire blazing inside, and the Prince was sitting on an armchair, the weight of the world on his shoulders. The captain begged for his attention.

-Excuse me, your Highness.- the Prince looked at him.- This woman claims she can cure the Princess.
-Get closer, stranger, and take off your hood.

She did as she was told, raising both her hands and lowering her hood. Brendan was paralyzed when he saw the face he had known not too long ago.

-Sophia.
-Yes.- she skipped the formalities. The Duchess was tanner, and thinner, but she also looked wiser.
-We thought you had left.
-I did, I went to my mother's land, where I learnt about medicine and science. Where I learnt a woman can be a Queen on her own, and not only by marriage. Where I learnt a woman can be whatever she wants.

Brendan was completely stunned, she was a different woman, and she had the serenity of a Queen. And she was his only hope. He overcame himself, and took her to his wife's room. Sophia made everyone leave and stayed in the room alone with Abigail, who couldn't even understand who was helping her. Some hours later, Sophia opened the door finding a nervous Brendan pacing from one side to the other. She made him enter. Inside the room, Abigail was sitting up, her back on some pillows, holding a little bundle on her arms. She smiled at her husband.

-It's a girl.- she said with a tired voice.
-Indeed, she is your firstborn.- announced Sophia.

At that moment Abigail realized who she was. A look of confusion crossed her face, followed by one of anger.

-You?- she shouted, making the baby cry.
-Yes, me. I have saved your life, and your daughter's. However, there is something you should know. You daughter will never be able to dance, let alone walk. And, as someone once told me, no one wants a woman who can't dance.

Sophia took profit of the confusion to leave the castle, and she was never seen again.

A Story A Day. Story 303 of 365: Dance (Part I).

Once upon a time in a country far away from here lived a Prince named Brendan. Brendan was of marrying age, and his parents were insisting on him to choose a suitor, telling him he needed a Queen alongside him to rule. To help him choose, the King and the Queen would host balls and invite all the young daughters of the nobility. Every time Brendan saw so many ladies he was startled, how was he supposed to know which one was the right one? He quickly ruled out the ones that were much younger than he was, as well as the few ones that were older. He did his best to get to know the rest of them, to talk to them for a while on their own. Some of them were too boring, or too proud, and didn't make the cut. And in the end, it all came down to two young ladies, Countess Abigail, and Duchess Sophia. The Countess was a sweet short redhead who always wore her hair woven with flowers, she loved music and could play several instruments, sing, and dance. Her parents were close friends with the King and the Queen, and Brendan had know her for a long time, although they had never talked much. The Duchess couldn't be more different, tall with dark brown hair, black eyes, and olive skin, she was untamed, that was clear. Sophia's mother had died when she was a child and her father never remarried, choosing to raise her as both his daughter and his son. Sophia was educated, she spoke several languages, and could read and write perfectly. And the Queen didn't like her.

Brendan had to choose, but he couldn't. Both of them would make good Queens, and he liked them both. Abigail was beautiful like a sunny summer day, and as calm, nothing unexpected would happen with her. Sophia was the summer storm, something that could harm you but that you welcomed nevertheless, a challenge. And he liked challenges. Yet, his mother seemed to prefer Abigail, and he still didn't know what to do. Abigail was aware that she had the Queen's sympathies and made her best to met with her alone in the gardens.

-Your Majesty.- she said making a curtsey.
-My dear Countess Abigail, I am glad to see you. Come sit.

Abigail sat next to her on the bench facing the pond. The Queen took her hand.

-Dear Abigail, I am very happy to see you. You look beautiful today.
-Thank you, your Majesty.
-I wish to see you more often. As my daughter-in-law.
-About that, your Majesty. Prince Brendan is taking long to deliberate, and I have other suitors who would marry me at a moments notice, if you don't mind me saying so. I love the Prince with all my heart, but I can't wait until my beauty has vanished.
-I understand your impatience, dear. And I wish I knew how to force my son the Prince into taking a decision, but he is a grown man.
-You could organize one last ball, being a Queen means having to attend many of them, and the Queen has to be able to dance and behave above all others. As you yourself do, your Majesty. During that ball Brendan will be able to see who of us is best suited to be his Queen.

Needless to say the Queen loved the plan. Abigail was right, and also, both of them knew that Sophia lacked any of those skills, it was an elegant way to get rid of the Duchess once and forever. The day of the ball arrived and both suitors looked stunning in formal dresses. It was a small ball, with a select group of attendants, but both of them were nervous. During the dinner, Sophia managed to be the focus of attention thanks to her educated conversation, she was like a magnet, and Brendan couldn't take his eyes off her. The Queen, seeing her plan going awry, decided to take care of the matter, standing up she announced.

-Our lovely Countess Abigail, who is here with us, is a gifted harpist and singer, and I would kindly request her to play a piece for us to rejoice.
-Thank you, your Majesty. It will be my pleasure.

The musical piece was followed by a dance, that Brendan opened with his mother before moving into dancing with his suitors. The Countess moved gracefully, and looked light as a feather. Sophia was looking at her and the Prince swirling around, dancing, laughing, and knew her chances were over, she could never dance, and so she told Brendan when he asked her for a dance.

-I don't dance, your Highness.

Brendan had a look of disappointment on his face for a second, but hurried back to retrieve Abigail from the arms of an old commandant. Later that night Sophia stumbled on Abigail, who still looked fresh as the moment they had first entered the ballroom.

-Congratulations.- the Duchess said.
-Thank you. It was easy, no one wants a woman who can't dance.- the redhead said turning around.

A Story A Day. Story 302 of 365: Words.

Lost in his thoughts, Sunan was walking around the office. He had lots of work and needed to put some order and some priorities. As he walked around he talked to some of his colleagues about some projects, and tried to find his boss to discuss others. He saw the secretary of his boss, Raz, standing in the corridor. Raz had always been nice to him, and he liked her. Before he had time to say anything she whispered to him. 

-Good luck, Sunan. 

He was disconcerted and only managed to ask her. 

-What?

-Good luck.- she repeated. 

Sunan was unable to ask her anything more as his boss appeared from nowhere and left with Raz. He went on to continue what he was doing until he wondered what had she meant with that. Why would Raz wish him good luck? Did she know something he didn't? That was early morning, and Sunan found himself wondering what was going on more and more often. By lunchtime he was convinced his boss wanted to fire him, and he decided to talk to him. He knocked on the door and waited for his boss to reply. 

-Mr. Magnussen? 

-Tell me Sunan. 

-I was wondering,... is there anything I have done that hasn't pleased you?

-Why would you say that?

-I have the feeling that you want to fire me.

-What? Why would I do that? Where did you get that idea from? 

A Story A Day. Story 301 of 365: Black.

He was young, so young, but he knew what he wanted, a family. Since he had been abandoned to die hours after he was born, he had wanted a family. It was his biggest wish. However, he was left to see how all his friends were chosen by families, and he was left alone. 

It didn't matter he was playful and made fast friends with everybody. He was always the one who got to spend one more night without a family. He had lost count of how many of his friends had left, but they were too many. He was the older one left by difference a celebrity. And yet, Ann, the person who took care of the adoption process, never lost hope. 

-We will find the right family for you, you will see.- she would tell him every time she saw disappointment in his eyes.

But no one ever picked him, he didn't know why, but no one liked him. He didn't know but it was because of his color. He was black, and no one wanted a black cat.