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Frank?” she teased.
    “Yes, and I’m going to suck your blood,” he laughed back, starting to chase her with his arms stretched high.
    Tina squealed and began to run. She laughed. It felt good.
    She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed like this. Her face fell serious as she realised maybe she never had.
    Frank led her to the shade of a tree, where they sat on the ground. It was September, but there was still warmth in the air.
    “Are you OK? I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m not really a vampire.”
    “I gathered. Otherwise you’d be a pile of ash by now.”
    “So, what was the black cloud?”
    “Black cloud?” she echoed the query.
    “Yes. The one that suddenly fell over your head.”
    “Oh. That. Nothing really.”
    “Fair enough. I didn’t mean to pry. I have enough of them myself. I suppose it lets me see others. But you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want. I totally understand secrets.”
    “You do?”
    “Yeah, I really do.”
    It was Frank’s turn to look sad. He wanted to get back onto safer territory
    Tina pulled the library book out of her bag.
    “Oh look at this guy. He’s perfectly menacing,” she said, pointing to a grim looking goblin.
    Frank made an exaggerated shudder, “Oooooh. He’d put some of my demons to shame. Tell you what. I’ll offer you a challenge. You use him in your painting and I’ll use him in one of mine, and then we can judge who makes him the most menacing.”
    “I don’t know. I’ve never shown anyone my work. Well, there was my art teacher at school, but she didn’t see this stuff. I’m only just starting really. It’s not good enough to show.”
    Frank put his face close to hers, “Just as well I’m not asking you to put it in an exhibition. Just show me. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”
    His hazel eyes were shining with mischief, but somehow Tina found herself trusting him. She didn’t even pull back when he was invading her space.
    She found herself accepting the challenge. Frank made a quick sketch of the gruesome goblin in his pad, and they parted company.
    Tina started on her picture the minute she got home. She already knew what she wanted to try to achieve.
    The fairy was still riding the unicorn, but the path had taken a steep turn, and they started heading into a shadier spot, with trees starting to encroach on the path.
    The goblin jumped out of the forest, startling the unicorn. But the fairy was braced and ready with her own magic starting to emerge like electricity from her fingertips.
    She worked all weekend on her project, and every evening after college for the next week.
    She’d splashed out on a small canvas and quick drying acrylics for this one. If she was going to show someone else, she wanted it to have a chance of looking presentable.
     

Chapter 6 – The Truth Will Out
    The allotted ‘reveal’ day finally came, and Tina was just about ready to show Frank her work. She was really nervous. She really wanted him to like it. He was actually studying art, so she viewed him as an authority on the subject.
    They were sat outside by the tree again, with sun shining its rays through the leaves, leaving a warm dappled light illuminating Tina’s hair.
    “Come on then, let’s have a look,” Frank said eagerly.
    Tina bit her lip, feeling very uncertain. Her friend noticed her hesitation.
    “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” he cajoled.
    “That’s not funny,” she admonished.
    For her those words cut like a knife through her soul. What should be harmless banter wounded Tina deeply. They brought back horrific memories which made her bottom lip tremble.
    Noticing her distress Frank felt bad.
    “Shit, I’m sorry. Look, no pressure OK?” he soothed. “You can show me your drawing when you’re ready.”
    Tina shook her head, her hair falling over her face.
    “No, it’s not that,” she said with her eyes looking at the ground. 
    “Do you want to talk about it?”
    “No,” she yelped,