Emily

Haven't posted anything in eternity! xD Here's one I wrote recently. I would say I'm rather pleased with it.






There is a painting known as Emily. It is a heartwarming painting and has been displayed in many famous art exhibitions all around the world. Yet, no one could trace the origins of this painting. No one knows the story be behind Emily. Except me. And I am about to tell you this secret.

Paul stared at his painting for while. It was a rather decent painting of a cottage with a yard full of flowers and an oak tree by the side. There was a little girl playing with a bright pink ball at the centre of the painting. He decided that this was as good as it can get. Putting his palette and brushes down, he prepared to make do the final touches. He held up a blade of grass, a tulip, a daisy, a piece of bark from an old oak tree and a strand of hair from the little. “Painta Liva,” he uttered, casting a spell on the painting. At once the items he held disappeared and painting sprung to live. The grass grew wild and became less symmetrical. Tulips bathed in the warm, lovely sunlight and daisies danced to the passing wind. The oak tree stood at the corner, watching over the whole garden. The little girl was full of joy, and held the ball out as if she was passing it to someone. Paul smiled as he noticed details that even the best photographs could not capture.

“It’s missing something, don’t you think so?”

Paul turned around. It was the love of his life, Lydia. His heart started racing and his throat became dry.

“I… she… her… It’s called Emily.”

It was a great chance to tell her about the painting, his feelings, the loneliness and the love he felt for her. Yet, that was all he managed to squeeze out of his dying throat.

“Emily’s so lonely! Give her someone to play with.”
“That is what I’m trying to portray,” Paul imagined himself saying that, but couldn’t find the courage.
“Anyway I have to go. I still have lessons,” Lydia picked up her notes from the table and made her way out of the room.
“Ly… Lydia?” he could barely breathe. “Are you free this evening?”
“Nope, guess what? I’m going on a date! Remember Parker? He asked me out! He’s so… …”

Lydia went on talking, but Paul wasn’t listening. All his plans, the dinner, the romantic confession, were going down the drain. Then the school bell rung, rudely interrupting Lydia’s monologue.

“I have to go.”

She left the room, but Paul didn’t even notice.


Later that day, as Paul watched helplessly from his office as Lydia boarded Parkers car and went off to the date she had been looking forward to. His phone rang. It was from the Ministry of Peace headquarters. Paul belonged to a very special department known as Magic and other Unexplained Forces. The department job is to keep the existence of Magic users a secret from the general public. Its aim was to maintain peace between the public and the Magicians. Lydia was suspected to be a Magician working with special powers. However, she didn’t even believe that Magic existed. She might suddenly lose control of her power. It was Paul’s job to stop her and report to the headquarters.
“Hello?”
“Yes?” Paul mumbled halfheartedly, recognizing the voice of Merlin, the head Magician in their department.
“Your mission is over. Cut all ties and return to the headquarters as soon as possible.”
“Why?”
“We’re annihilating Lydia. The headquarters have decided that she is too dangerous. The assassins are on their way.”
“What!”

Paul dropped his phone in shock. Lydia, his Lydia, was going to be killed. He started panicking. He must go after her. He must protect her.

“Paul?”

Paul looked up. It was Lydia.

“I came back for something,” Lydia explained as she made her way to her desk hurriedly, “I can’t believe I’m so careless on my first date. Parker’s waiting for me.”

This was his chance. Nothing is going to get in his way now. Paul marched over and grabbed Lydia’s arm.

“Come with me.”
“Paul? What are you doing? Parker’s waiting…”

Before she could complete her sentence, Paul had already hauled her halfway across the school. They came to stop in the art room, where Emily stood in the corner.

“Paul! What’s going on?”
“Shhh!” he stained his ears as he swore he heard the footsteps of the assassins. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”
“Paul! What’s wrong with you? You’re just trying to ruin my date aren’t you?”

Lydia tried to struggle free. Paul held on to her and locked the door.

“Keep quiet! Don’t move!”

He was sure that the assassins were closing in now. Lydia suddenly started screaming for help.

“Shh! Shh!”

Somehow Lydia managed to break free and made a dash towards the door again. From that moment onwards everything happened so fast Paul had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that Lydia was tearing towards her own grave and he had to stop her. By the time he came to his senses, he was holding a brick and Lydia laid unconscious, but still alive, in her own pool of blood.

“No, no, no…”

Paul fell onto his knees, overwhelmed by what just happened. Then he heard a knock on the door.

“Is anyone inside?”

Paul recognized that voice. It was Merlin. Fear took over him. He frantically thought back on all the spells he knew. But none of the spell could guarantee Lydia’s safety, even at the expense of his own life. Merlin began casting a spell to unlock the door. Paul looked desperately around the room for any hope of escape. Emily still stood at the corner of the room. Her happy, yet lonely smile was freaking him out; her eyes seemed to stare through his soul, begging for a companion. Suddenly it hit him. Of course there was a spell that could not be broken. A spell created by him. Paul picked Lydia up.

“I’m so sorry. It never meant to end up like this.”

Paul took a deep breath, and casted his final spell.

“Painta Liva!”