Lily's Dilemma (A Short Fiction Based on #129 Inkwell Prompt)

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Celeste lived in an old house in a village. She made dolls and earned a living. One day, Celeste was cleaning the attic when she found an old doll she made when she was learning the craft from her mother. She was a teenager back then. She knew every detail of those days, and the history of the doll was as clear as day to her.

She put it near a window and opened the window to feel the free breeze of spring. Suddenly, the doll started to sing a lullaby. It was a magical moment for Celeste. The melodious tone of the lullaby was so sweet to hear, and it reached the ears of all the members of that village. This lullaby made the villagers remember their past and long-lost dreams.

Lily was one of those people who heard the lullaby. She lived far from Celeste. She remembered her memories, especially the ones with Celeste and Mary, her two best friends when she was a teenager.

She remembered that day when they were playing in a river far from their houses. It was a school trip, and it was supposed to be fun. They didn’t know a tragedy awaited them. She remembered Mary drowning in that river. Lily decided that she should find Celeste and see how she is doing and catch up on old times with her. She knew that their shared memory about Mary was not sweet, but she sensed that she should pay her a visit. She knew that she would never leave her old house, and she should find her there.

When Mary drowned, her relationship with Celeste was shaken as well.

When Lily arrived to Celeste’s house, the door was open, so she went inside.

There was nobody at home.

“Celeste…….. Celeste……..” Lily cried.

There was no answer.

“She must have gone to the market,” Lily thought to herself because she remembered she sells dolls.

Lily went upstairs to check if Celeste was there when she found a doll by the window. She immediately remembered it was Mary’s doll. Lily took the doll in her hands and stared at it. Suddenly she saw flashbacks to the accident.

In fact, Lily had a vision. She was underwater, and she saw someone, a boy, pulling Mary’s feet underwater. He remembered the boy. His name was David. He was one of the mischievous and troublemakers of the village. He was also his crush. She liked bad boys. She was hopeful that he would say yes to her request to dance at the ball, which was upcoming that school year. But he ignored her, and she never approached him again. The memory of her rejection stayed with her all these years. She never understood how relationships with boys work and that was why she was never asked to dance at balls, she was never approached. She thought maybe she was too strong that no boy can convince himself to be with her.

Celeste came home and saw Lily standing in her room with Mary’s doll in her hands, frozen in time and deep in thought.

“Lily? Is that you? What are you doing here?” Celeste asked surprised.

“I came to see you…… it’s been so long,” Lily replied, feeling strange because of the vision and all those memories of her teenage years.

“Do you remember Mary? You should, because you made this doll for her,” Lily continued.

“Yes, I remember her,” Celeste said with a sad voice.

“I think it was David who caused the accident. When I touched this doll, I saw a vision of her. I was underwater, and I saw David pulling her feet underwater, and she lost control and was drowned,” Lily said, her voice shaking.

“I know,” Celeste was ashamed to admit that.

“You knew all this time?!!! And you didn’t tell anyone? Why?” Lily asked, demanding an answer.

Celeste didn’t say anything for a while, and kept silent with her head down.

“That day, I helped him escape because he was so ashamed and so fearful that he might get caught,” Celeste replied.

“We must find him and bring him to justice!” Lily said vigorously.

“He is already back. It’s been a few years now. He has lost a lot of weight, because he can’t sleep without a potion he got from a wise old man, if he doesn’t take that potion, he will die from lack of sleep,” Celeste said.

“Where is he?” Lily demanded an answer.

“Don’t you see? We all suffered enough. He just wants to be left alone. He loved her, he just wanted to make her pay attention to him more. When she said “No” to his request to dance with him at the ball, he got upset and wanted to take revenge, but he didn’t mean to make her drown. It was an accident. Pulling her feet underwater was just a bad joke,” Celeste said, trying to make Lily sympathetic about the whole situation.

“A joke that cost Mary’s life!” Lily said unconvinced.

“Why are you defending him?! He did something so shameful!” Lily said angrily.

“Are you in love with him?! Tell me the truth!” Lily continued, but Celeste didn’t reply because she knew Lily would judge her for her feelings.

“Where is his house? I need to see him!” Lily said forcefully.

Celeste showed Lily the way to David’s house. They arrived just on time. It’s been days since David took his potion. Celeste and Lily found David lying in bed with his eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.

“David! David! What are you doing? Did you take your potion?!” Celeste said on the verge of crying. Lily was standing there, not knowing what to do.

There was no answer.

“We must find the potion! It must be somewhere inside the house!” Celeste exclaimed.

Celeste and Lily looked everywhere for the potion in the house, and finally Celeste found it in the kitchen and gave it to David. At first, he didn’t take it, but soon he agreed. He didn’t fight, he was like a soulless body lying on his bed. He looked like a mad man. He hasn’t shaved for days or taken a bath. Celeste put Mary’s doll beside David’s bed and the doll started to sing a lullaby again, and David fell into a deep sleep.

Celeste and Lily cleaned David’s house. He woke up and noticed the change. He was a strongly built man and very handsome when he was in his full power and confidence.

“Thank you for saving me,” David said to Celeste and Lily.

“You should thank Celeste because she was the one who found the potion,” Lily said, a little jealous. She wished she had found the potion.

“Yes, Celeste has always been kind to me,” David said with a nice smile.

“To be fair, it was lily who suggested that we should come here because she wanted to see you!” Celeste said, pointing to Lily to speak to David.

“I just wanted to make sure you are okay, that’s all” Lily said, brushing off the idea of blaming him for Mary’s death.

“The weather is good today. Let’s go for a walk! It would be nice to get some fresh air!” Celeste suggested with excitement.

“Yes, it’s a good idea!” David said and jumped from bed and went to the other room to get ready. “You ladies don’t go anywhere, I will get ready as soon as I can!” David shouted from the other room.
They went on a walk, but at some point Celeste and David walked close to each other and Lily found herself walking alone.

Every afternoon, Celeste and Lily would come to David’s house, but David would only pay attention to Celeste. Lily suffered, but she couldn’t say anything. It was painful to watch them laugh and walk together.

After a few months, David was better mentally, and with the two women by his side, he felt less alone.

David knew that Celeste loved him because he helped him escape years back when Mary drowned.

He gradually felt closer to her and finally, on one of those walks, he opened up about his feelings.

“I will always owe you my life, you saved me twice! I want to spend the rest of my life with such a kind woman. Will you marry me?” David asked, his eyes full of tears.

Lily’s heart stopped when she witnessed this. As always, he acted in such a way, as though she did not exist. She was watching them and trying not to cry so hard.

Celeste said yes with so much joy.

Lily had a dilemma. She wanted to tell everyone it was David’s fault that Mary drowned, but she felt guilty about ruining Celeste and David’s relationship.

During their marriage ceremony, David found Lily sitting alone as always.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” David asked.

Lily was wondering what he wanted from her. They went into a quiet room to talk.

“I want to say thank you for keeping my secret! Can I trust you for never telling the truth?” David asked with a serious tone.

At that moment, Lily realized David never trusted her and that was why nothing romantic happened between them.

“Yes, you can trust me! I won’t tell anyone!” Lily replied, a little afraid of David because she sensed he was threatening her with that question.

“Good…. Good….. We are on the same page….. You know Celeste told me about your vision, and you should know I had a vision too when I touched that doll….. I saw you watching her drown, when I panicked and ran away, her only hope to be saved was you. I know you are a good swimmer. You didn’t help her! You just watched…. You wanted to bring me to justice, ha…. What about yourself??!! You never liked Mary, I never saw such a jealous woman…. You let your best friend die!!…..”

“I don’t want to remember………. Please go away………” Lily said while shaking and her head was down as David was shattering her heart into pieces.

“That’s enough!” Celeste said, standing in the doorway.

“Mary’s death was an accident… You both should stop making each other suffer!!…” Celeste continued.

A song started playing and everyone gathered on the dance floor.

“Where is the bride and groom? It’s time for them to dance!” Someone from the crowd shouted.

“Let’s go Celeste….. They’re calling us…. It’s time to dance…..” David said, stretching his hand for Celeste. Celeste looked at Lily’s anxious face, and said, “You’re going to be okay… I promise!” and together with David they left Lily alone in that room and went towards the dance floor.

Lily decided to not think about this subject and moved on, but she always had a nagging voice on the back of her head saying she should tell everyone what actually happened.