notahappyending – Page 3

Whispering Death (part 6)

A scream surfaced through Drina’s mind. It called out to her causing a spike of anxiety. Reach out into the darkness of her dream, she tried to grab for the invisible hand she knew. Voicelessly she cried out back to the void, panic running a cold chill throughout her body. No matter how far she reached, the voice was locked behind the shroud of endless space. The scream increased in volume the more Drina pushed to reach out, almost to the point of deafening when a jab to her side startled her awake. With a gasp, Drina grabbed the dagger she had under the pillow and wiped it out towards the assailant who had poked her. Stopping the tip inches from her sister’s face, Ocan waited unflinching and unamused.

Drina dropped the dagger with surprise, the disorientation now fading. It took her a moment to take in the surroundings of the hostel where she remembered that they were staying in. Half rolling over, she wiped at her face realizing she had been panting and sweating in her sleep. Calming herself down, she suppressed her emotions as the subtle whispers quieted down. Did she have a nightmare? Was Ocan here to help calm her down? Taking one final deep breath in, she sat up to look back at her sister. Ocan’s arms were crossed while she waited, her glare just as sharp as the dagger she held to her face.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to threaten you in my half state.”

With a deeper frown, Ocan replied only in their native tongue. It was low and quite, meaning only one thing. She was upset at her.

“That is not what I’m mad about.”

Staring dumbfoundedly, Drina waited for her to continue. When she didn’t push further, she sighed heavily, pressing the topic.

“If it’s not that, then what?”

Ocan pulled out a small pouch of money and threw it at her sister. It hit Drina hard in the shoulder causing her to grunt at the pain. It took a few seconds to realize it was the money she had used to pay for the meal last night.

“How could you be so rude! Lulu has been kind to us and you are being so cold.”

With a controlled breath, Drina closed her eyes to keep from getting angry. “That’s the problem, Jeta! We are getting too comfortable. We can’t get too close to these people.”

“She is a good person! Lulu has fed us and is taking care of me while you are working at the festival. She only wants to help us.”

Drina dropped the coin pouch at her side, reaching for the dagger to place back under her pillow. It was true that Lulu had done her a huge favor while she was doing the fortune tellings during the evenings. Ever since they had arrived into this town, Drina had been too lenient. “And that is why I paid her. Service given is a service paid. Once I finish the contract tonight, we are leaving here. It’s not safe to stay-”

Before she could finish her sentence, Ocan cut her off. “No. You may not trust her, but I do. I’m staying here.”

Without waiting for a reply, Ocan turned and began to walk away. Drina’s pit dropped. What did she just say? Grabbing the coin purse, she leaped off the bunk and rushed to follow.
“Jeta. Jeta!”

Ocan refused to face her, turning the corner to the front entrance. A small shiver of fear trickled throughout Drina’s body. Breaking into a light jog, she caught up to her sister in the middle of the hall, grabbing her wrist tightly to stop her. Turning Ocan to face her she continued in a hushed whisper, containing her fear in her voice.

“What do you mean you’re staying? We are leaving to head towards the Eastern Sea once we are done here. If we stay too long we’ll-”

Ocan broke the grip she had on her wrist. “We’ll what? Actually be happy? Meet people we like? I see how you look at Hestar and you have been losing control of your powers. We can’t keep running away. You can’t keep running away.”

Drina felt the whispers once more as her blood began to boil. “Running away? I am not running away. We are in danger from those who killed our parents. I am trying to save us!”

Ocan scoffed. “You are just paranoid.”

Drina watched as Ocan turned to continue towards the common room. Flabbergasted by her back talk, she clenched her fist as her body shook from rage. Paranoid? When did she think this? All she wanted was to keep her alive and safe. She did what she had to. Unable to control her powers, she watched as several figures floated about, calling to her as they pleaded for help. Drina couldn’t focus enough to hear their words as she stomped off towards Ocan. Unsure how many people were around them, Drina grabbed painfully at the back of Ocan’s neck to drag her to the back office where Lulu sat. Throwing Ocan against a small chair, Drina slammed the door shut behind them. With all the swirling ghosts and overwhelming wails of their cries, Drina could hardly hear herself think yet she needed to get things set straight. They were not staying another night in the hostel.

“Tonight, you are to pack up our things and meet me at the tent on the fairgrounds. We are leaving and that is my final say. You may think I am being paranoid, but you are naive.”

Ocan rubbed at the back of her neck, staring at her with terror. Drina knew she had never been this aggressive with her before, but she needed to be firm. Ocan stammered as she tried to gain the confidence to argue. “What’s the point in leaving tonight. We are in no rush. If you wanted to leave that badly, why not just go now?”

Drina gritted her teeth. “I have to fulfill my end of the bargain. After the seance, we leave.”

Ocan’s eyes teared up as she pushed out of the chair to stand in Drina’s face.

“When you want to selfishly do something, I always have to listen, but when I want to stay you tell me no. You want to leave so badly, then go. I am staying.”

Drina growled, her voice growing stranger with each word she spoke. The volume of her voice was no longer hushed in the thralls of her temper. Out of all the times, Ocan decided to defy her now? “Selfish? You think I wanted this? I am trying to stop fate and you think I am being selfish? Death is on the line!”

The whispers around her began to echo her words as the otherworldly voices chimed in. The swirls of spirits darkened the room as Ocan coward from Drina. Her eyes began to dart around the room, surprised at the sudden change in Drina’s appearance. Drina had no idea what she was seeing when a sudden hand touched her shoulder. Between being startled and calmed, the room shifted to sudden silence. If not for Lulu’s hand to stabilize her, she would have almost puked at the instant shift of energy.

“Ok, I think that’s enough out of both of you. You need to calm down and take some time to ground yourself. I understand this is a sibling matter, however, I fear any longer and things will be said and regret will ensue.”

Drina opened her mouth to retort when Lulu placed a firm hand on her hip.

“This can wait until tomorrow. For now, I think you should cool your head before you work tonight. Ocan will stay here and help me around the hostel until then. Besides, the poor girl is shaking.”

It had not occurred to Drina how upset she had caused her sister to be until she looked over to see her sobbing in silence. Closing her mouth, she was sobered by her actions. Releasing her power in full with no control, letting her anger control her emotions, and yelling at her sister all had taken a toll on her. If it was not for the strange power that had calmed her down, who knows what damage she would have wreaked. They still had unsettled matters to discuss, yet before she could continue, Lulu turned her around and shoved her out of the room. With the quick close of the door and the click of the lock behind her, Drina stood in a stupor in the common room. Did she just get shoved out away from her sister? The nerve of her! She stood at the door, clenching her firsts to pound at the door when Drina caught several people in the common room staring with concern.

Maybe the walk Lulu had suggested was a good idea. Dropping her hands to her side, she awkwardly rocked a moment on her feet before turning to slowly make her way back into the shared bedroom. Picking up her pace to her stuff, she freshened up, changed a few garments then made her way out of the hostel. When she had finally made it a few blocks away from the building, she had slowed down to smack her forehead. What was she thinking! She had nearly endangered Ocan and herself by that stupid argument. Already exhausted, she leaned against the side of the closest building and crossed her arms. This had been the first time they had ever fought. Was it really that important to Ocan that she wanted to stay? Although it wasn’t 100% true that she was being selfless, Drina did want to spend more time with Hestar.

If only she had not decided to read her fortune, they would have already been on their way out of town and looking for small jobs here and there to save for the trip. At least now, Drina would end up walking out of town with enough coin to pay for a boat ride out of Castromnia and still live comfortably. With a huff, Drina knew there was no turning back now. With her name on the line and Lulu protecting Ocan from herself, they were going to have to stay another night. Looking around her, the roads were quiet with only a few people heading off towards the market. With the entire morning to herself, Drina clicked her tongue. Maybe she could do a little shopping for necessities, and perhaps a trinket to give as an apology to Ocan. Her stomach gave a hungry ripple, reminding her that she still had to eat. Pushing off the wall, she felt the coin purse on her hip and followed the shoppers.

Whispering Death (part 5)

The end of Drina’s night had finally come to an end as she slumped into the couch in the hostel’s common room. What a draining night, she thought while resting her arm over her eyes. Ocan had already long gone to sleep, having checked on her before resting in the common room. Lulu had offered to make a meal for Drina before she headed off to bed herself. It was well past into the night, and the common room was empty and silent. Something she welcomed with open arms since her evening was spent surrounded by a constant stream of people. Who would have thought she was going to be as popular as she was? The moment the festival grounds were open and running, she had a constant stream of guests. It wasn’t bad considering she was good at what she does and the money was splendid. It was the dull and recurring questions and statements.

All anyone ever asked about was the same things. When will I meet my soulmate? Will I ever get rich? When will I become famous? Although each reading was always just a little different, sometimes Drina felt like a broken record. Repeating the same results or what the customer wanted to hear just to make some coin. On rare occasions, she would get a serious reading and the person was open to hearing what they needed to. They were so far and few that it was almost disappointing. Drina enjoyed those particular readings the most since it gave insight and was ultimately beneficial. It also helped flex her skills as a teller, challenging her to read beyond the basic template of patterns and meanings.

The extreme readings rarely happen where death is the threat in the future, which is why Hestar’s reading was particularly important. Several readings in the past had shown an early death, however, it was due to natural or unavoidable circumstances. This one was neither. It was a grave omen, one that always frustrated Drina since not all future readings explained what the cause was. In Hestar’s case, it revealed itself as unnatural and preventable. The best explanation for this type of reading was murder. Drina hardly knew Hestar and who would want to murder her, making this a difficult predicament. To save a life at the risk of her own or step aside and not interfere? In good consciousness, Drina could not simply ignore it.

With a heavy sigh, she wiped at her groggy face and opened her eyes. With a startling jump, Drina was face to face with Hestar. She quickly pressed her finger against her lip to keep her from yelping, her smile wide with mischief. Drina had been so deep in thought that she didn’t notice her presence. The heat from her face radiated while Hestar giggled.

“I am going to take a guess and assume it was a long night?”

Drina pushed herself up to sit facing her, removing her scarf around her head. “Yeah, nothing too strenuous though.”

Hestar sat close beside her on the couch. Playfully she traced her hand along Drina’s forearm, sending shivers throughout her body.

“I was a little surprised to see Ocan here alone. She told me about how to were out working at the festival. It’s nice that she is also helping out around here. Makes my job easier. She is such a good kid and a good worker.”

It seemed so odd for someone to speak of Ocan so fondly, especially a stranger who’s only known her for such a short amount of time. Drina felt just a little proud of Ocan for doing so well without her nearby. Although, it was a bit of concern why Hestar paid so much attention to her. Call it old habits, yet Drina felt she needed to keep an eye out for her even more so.

“What do you do around here anyway?”

Hestar smirked, resting her head against her arm along the couch. Her eyes sparkled as she continued to swirl her fingers lightly against her skin.

“I help bring in business to the hostel. Sometimes with fliers or just word to mouth as visitors make their way into the town. There is a lot of transient traffic since we are a crossway between cities. When there are events going on, I go bring people through the door. During the slow season, I clean and make beds. There is always something to do around here and it can be quite eventful.”

With a raised eyebrow, Drina gave her a teasing smile. “Eventful with transient folk? Should I be concerned that I am just a small fling?”

Hestar fluttered her eyes wide, a small blush brewing on her cheeks.

“I-it’s not like that. Sure I have fun once in a while, but not always with the tenants within the hostel…”

This time, Drina was on the offense. Leaning in to close the gap between them, she lightly brushed at the side of Hestar’s face, pushing back a small lock of her hair. “So I’m not fun enough? What a shame.”

The look of panic made Drina chuckle devilishly. It was unfortunate that Lulu entered the room seconds after, her uplifting sing-song cheer announcing that the food was ready as she placed it on the table.

“Meal is ready! I know it’s not much for a midnight feast, but hopefully, it will be filling enough.”

Drina lightly sighed, rubbing her thumb across Hestar’s lips before pushing off the couch to join Lulu at the table. The plate had a small freshly baked loaf with butter lavishly spread across it and an assortment of meats. Although it made her mouth water, she still felt the gnawing of a different hunger still left unsated. Lulu’s warm smile dampened as she spotted Hestar on the couch behind Drina. Looking between the two of them, she deliberated just what had transpired while Drina began to dig into the meal. Hestar hesitated a moment before deciding to join them at the table, listening to Lulu’s small talk about how Ocan had helped her around the hostel. Nodding to the conversation, Drina silently chewed while she listened. The warm meal was a blessing, even if it was small and simple. She felt so spoiled by Lulu even though she was able to pay her for it.

“How were the festival grounds? Did you get many clients?”

Both of the ladies sat waiting for Drina to speak, while she enjoyed the meal. It only took her a second to realize they had been watching her that they were expecting her to talk about how her work had gone. Shuffling in her seat, Drina realized how uncomfortable she felt at the attention. Never before had she really talked about the daily dealings of her life, even with Ocan was with her. It was common to spend days in silence as they traveled, something she had become comfortable with. Staring at her plate, she swallowed her food to delay.

“It was decent.”

It was all she could think to say, leaving the rest hanging in the air. Did they expect her to tell them about her experience? Maybe complain about some of the readings she had given? It was hard for her to know what was acceptable to say. The pressure caused her to panic, causing her to clam up even more. It was Hestar who broke out into a full-hearted laugh, shredding the awkwardness around her.

“Not a woman of many words. You and your sister are similar in so many ways, yet completely different personalities. Once you get Ocan to start talking, she can go on for hours!”

Drina stiffened, concerned about how much Ocan had spilled. It would be something she would need to pull her aside in the morning to deal with. As if reading her mind, Lulu reached out to touch her wrist.

“Don’t worry, she hasn’t spoken about you or each other’s past. Ocan has only spoken about the lack of conversations she’s had with you and nothing more. A girl her age needs to socialize more! Be around girls her age.”
Drina dropped her bread to the plate, feeling full and worried. Leaning back in her chair, she crossed her arm to stroke at her chin. She knew it was true, yet all the hiding and running hindered their ability to live a normal life. If only she had been born a regular girl and not a gypsy, she may have had a chance. Until they could escape this continent, there would be no rest. Drina pinched at the bridge of her nose before taking a deep breath in. Releasing it quickly in a huff, she dropped her hand from her face to look at Lulu in earnest.

“The festival was crowded and stifling. I made a deal with Mr. Gafrald which secured me a tent close to the entrance so at least the foot traffic is consistent. With the tent, it muffles the constant murmur and I can give a good clear reading.”

She paused, tapping her finger on the table in thought. It was much harder to speak now that she was able to practice the art of conversation. Uncertainty perpetually circulated her thoughts, making it hard to share. Casting a glance over at Hestar, she caught the admiration in her eyes while scanning her. It made Drina smile, one that was not easily contained. Since their arrival at the hostel, things have been eventful indeed. With a laugh, she turned her attention back to Lulu’s warm smile.

“It was a lot of fun. I haven’t been able to enjoy myself for a long time.”

Lulu gave a small cheer, standing to grab the tea she had been brewing on the counter for them all. “See, it’s not hard to let loose a little once in a while!”

Drina scoffed, her smile plastered to her face. “In’credaplicinta.”

Out of habit, the common phrase slipped from her lips. It was a saying somewhere on the lines of “not while I breathe”, often used in jest to tell someone off when they were pulling the person’s leg. It had been so long since she had heard the words, it had even surprised her. Hestar stared intensely, mesmerized by her language while Lulu pivoted on the spot to toss a motherly finger at her.

“Ah, not in my hostel! I will shake you loose of your stone-like appeal young lady, so help me! No one leaves without a smile here.”

Drina sat shocked while Hestar burst out into laughter.

“Well whatever you said, you’ve done it now! Getting in trouble with Mama Lulu here.” Hestar leaned onto the table, her hand balanced under her chin with a grin. Her eyes glinted with trouble, the kind Drina didn’t need to guess hard to know what kind. With a honeyed voice, she held Drina captive.

“Looks like your part of the family now.”

Why did she make things hard for her? Drina got lost in her eyes, her words sinking deep within her skin. Family was foreign to her, yet between Lulu and Hestar they made it feel familiar. Her heart pounded within her chest, frightening her. No, they couldn’t stay. Ocan and her needed to leave as soon as Drina solved Hestar’s fate and made sure she was safe. Drina’s face paled, a cold sweat sending chills through her body. This place was a trap and Drina knew it would be dangerous to stay any longer. Reaching into her pouch, Drina grabbed a few coins to pay for the meal and tossed them on the table. The sound of the metal clinking confused both ladies as Drina pushed from the table to leave.

“Thank you for the meal. I’ll square up the rest in the morning.”

Drina felt the icy cold walls of her isolation closing up on her, the safeguards she needed to protect her and Ocan. They were getting too close and she needed to place the distance quickly. Turning her back to them, Lulu called out to her as she made it to the door.

“Don’t worry about payment, Ocan’s help around here is payment enough.”

Drina didn’t bother to face her. She knew if she let it slide now there would be no backtracking. “Nothing comes for free. A service given is a service paid. Goodnight Miss Lulu.”

With that, she left the room and headed to her bunk. Ocan snored lightly as Drina crawled up carefully into the bed. Her heart hurt at the thought of her rude departure, knowing it would have upset Hestar. It was for the best, she was just a transient visitor to the town anyways. She could have any man or woman that came and went and Drina would just be another person on the list. If she could save her that is. The cold realization hardened her more. Love was not in Drina’s future and the only family she had was Ocan. Wrapping an arm around her sister, she hugged her close. Even though she tried hard to believe those thoughts, a tear slipped from her and splashed against the pillow.

The sounds of lightfoot steps startled her as she listened intently to Hestar entering the room. Drina held her breath, hoping that she would not try to come reason with her. The steps did not seem to head her way, instead she heard her climbing into her own bunk, shuffling until there was silence. No more could be heard other than the snoring of several others sleeping in their bunks and a few coughs as people adjusted. It took everything in Drina not to turn around to face the room and steal a glance over at Hestar. Even if she was awake and possibly looking back at Drina, catching her peeking will only show she felt guilty and feed the hope of the facade. Drina sighed disappointedly. Why did she have to fall for someone so beautiful and kind? With her eyes closed, silent tears streamed down her cheeks before the abyss claimed her into a deep slumber.

Whispering Death (part 4)

The festival grounds were busy as people prepared to open fully to the public. The festival mostly ran during the evenings and late into the night since it was in celebration of the full moon solstice. A good time for Drina’s powers, yet also a dangerous one. She worked we way to the far back tents and carriages. This was where they had all band together to sleep, everyone’s portable homes lined up in circles. Several hounds roamed the grounds, keeping a close eye on her. Oh a gypsy life, she thought. If she wasn’t constantly worrying about money and food, she would have gotten a mutt for herself as well since they were a specific kind of hound. To the regular eye, it was a mixed breed of dog. For those who knew better, they were spiritual dogs. The glow within their eyes in the dim light revealed their nature of shadow and magic. These were the best guard dogs, yet the most expensive since they didn’t eat regular food. It was based on a pact with the owner to share their own spiritual powers. For Drina that would be no problem because the wealth of her soul-well was deep. The issue was she would not be able to contain it and her control would be limited.

The number of hounds guarding the main tent gave her the inkling that the owner was within. Stepping up to the doorway, the few dogs stood alert. Stopping to take a bow, one that was used within her kin. The hounds took note, not moving from their guard as she stood to pass through. Even with knowing the traditions of her people, it still shook her core. One wrong move, even with her blood and power would mean death. Pushing past the curtains, she heard several voices behind the particle wall that was placed up. She walked to the edge of the wall and took a deep breath. Shielding herself, she stepped out confidently. There were 4 men in the room, one of them sitting behind a desk cluttered with paper and stacks of coin bags.

Her sudden presence in the room had brought a startling silence. With as big of a smile she could muster she kept her pace, stepping up to the desk.

“Good day lads, I am here to find work.”

The man sitting glared, his face turning red while the others waited for his word. His common tongue was heavy with accent, a dead giveaway of his lineage.

“How did you get past the dogs?”

Crossing her arms with a smirk, Drina tried hard to play it tough.

“I know how to deal with your kind. I am no stranger to your ways.”

With a hard front, the man examined her clothes and hair. It wasn’t exactly the style from her homeland, since she had to change it around to avoid attention, yet he seemed to have calmed down. Anyone stepping past those dogs would know a thing or do when dealing with gypsies.

“We have no room for performers.”

“I am not here to perform. I can read fortunes.”

The man chuckled humorlessly. “Oh, like we don’t have hundreds of those.”

The other men chuckled along, ridiculing her. Drina had come to the understanding that the man calling the shots was Mr. Gafrald. Lulu had given her the name and by the rings and jewelry around his neck, he fit the profile of a businessman. Typical, she thought. Pulling out her fan from her side pouch she made sure they all could see it.

“Care for a sample before I take a booth?”

The look in the man’s eye softened as he recognized the embroiders. It was the travellers’ rose, a mark any gypsy would know at first glimpse. Not only did it have the mark of their kins symbol, it was a tool well known within her family’s bloodline. The few men around him shuffled uncomfortably as one man leaned in to whisper in his ear. He spoke in their mother tongue, which of course she could understand.

“Could have bought it at a market. A lot of mi’riquals are murdered and plundered.”

Mr. Gafrald sighed, leaning back into his chair, replying.

“Ay, she could be a fraud. Call the hounds.”

Drina felt herself losing her cool. How dare they insult her. Mi’riquals were a term used for those who ran away from their bands, giving up their traditions and living as the tyrant kings’ citizens. Meaning, they chose to give up their life and turned traitor to their kin.

Gritting her teeth, she interjected.

“How dare you insult me. I am no Mi’riqual.” The men all stiffened, sporting the looks of a guilty man caught cheating on their wife. Nothing was worse than insulting a fellow gypsy, but a woman who had power was worse. “You will give me a booth, and give me 90% cut of my profits.”

In her anger she could feel her control slipping, the whispers around her gathering once more. The men looked around, realizing she was no fraud. Holding up his hands, he signalled for everyone to calm down.

“Alright, look. 60% and you get a prime booth.”

Drina was not going to settle easily. She knew how men bartered and had dealt with them since a young lass.

“85% and I will give you a seance. I may not be a performer, but I will give you a show to the likes you never seen. All ticket sales are yours and I keep the tips.”

She allowed him to take a moment to consider her offer before offering her hand to shake. “Do we have a deal?”

The man tapped the desk a few times before bursting into a hearty laugh. Standing up he took her hand, shaking it with a firm grip. Looking at the other men, he pointed a finger at her.

“Ehh, a true gypsy here! Knows how to barter like a true Brynian.”

Drina chuckled. He must have been comparing her to one of his own bands. Each band had different names, giving them strength in trade while traveling. The stronger the reputation, the better deals they would get with goods. He sat down, pulling out a ledger and pen.

“Alright, and what name should I put you down as?”

This was easier than she thought, half-heartedly giving her a false name. “Drina Forest.”

Mr. Gafrald sharpened his gaze, his smile curling sinisterly. Drina felt chills run up her spine as she recognized that smile.

“Your real name. There is a lot on the line for this type of deal. I need assurance that I am not going to be played a fool.”

Pulling out a contract, Drina felt the blood draining from her face. It was a contract she was well aware of, the kind that was not just a legal binding of laws. This was a blood-bind. She should have known better. He held the paper out, waiting for her to take it before continuing.

“You’ll perform tomorrow night, at the full moon peak. After the show closes, the contract will expire and release you.”

Drina swallowed hard, looking from the paper to the men around her. “My name.. You won’t sell it, right?”

Mr. Gafrald snarled. “What kind of a businessman would I be if I sold my clients’ names. I am not scummy like those back home. You have my word.”

His word meant nothing, just like hers. Reaching her hand out, she waited for him to pass a needle. It was a special kind, only for blood-binding. Poking the tip of her finger, it drank in her blood to fill with ink. Next, she held it like a pen, her hand shook as she held it over the signature line. Closing her eyes, she signed off quickly. After the last scratch of her name, the needle snapped loudly and shifted to dust. As it crumbled within her hand, she opened her eyes to see the red ink of her name on the paper. Lana Kisaiya Pearsley

It was done, he now had her name. If it had been another false name, the needle would have not broken and he would know she was lying. The man stood up, holding his hand out for the paper. Rolling it up first, she hesitated to pass it along to him. Not that she could do anything with it. Once it was bound, there was nothing left but to complete the agreement. Hers was to perform. Holding it tightly, she pressed it into his hand. They held a moment as she stared at him before letting go of the paper. Immediately after taking the paper, he tightened the roll harder then placed it on the desk to press it flat. Taking wax, he poured it over the seal and pressed it with his mark. Lifting it to show her, she could see the mark.

“If the seal is broken, your name will disappear but the contract will still be valid. This is for your security.”

It was an extra precaution, giving Drina a sense of comfort even if it could be another lie. He opened a chest, placing it on top of several others in the same manner. With the box slammed shut, Mr. Gafrald nodded to the man at his side. He reached forward and grabbed a bag of coins, tossing it at her. Catching it, she was surprised at how heavy it was. Opening it she fingered through the coins while the owner spoke.

“This is an advance. Buy whatever you need to prepare. Any money you don’t make up for with work, you will have to pay back out of this. Spend it wisely.”

With a cheeky grin, Drina pulled the strings of the bag closed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be expecting another bag this size or more before this festival is done.”

Not waiting for his reply, she turned to walk out of the room. As soon as she was around the corner, her knees buckled almost sending her to the ground. How she was able to hold out as long as she did was unknown to her. Covering her mouth, she could hear the men in the room laugh.

“She’s impressive, I’ll give her that! I am excited to see how well she does, we must keep

an eye on her for sure!”

It was small praise she was not used to, making her blush a little. Pushing to her feet, she quietly left the tent. The cool air nipped at her skin, refreshing her from how sweaty she had gotten from the stress. Drina might have to avoid telling Ocan about signing her name away to work at the festival. For now, she needed to get ready. Taking a quick look at some of the vendors near the tent, she was able to buy a few things she didn’t have on hand. Candles, incense, and a scarf for her hair. She needed to look the part of a gypsy to help sell her talents a little. No one would take her seriously, either way, yet when it came to festivals everyone wanted the atmosphere. It was not her first time playing the fortune teller and she knew what the customers wanted to hear.

Finishing her purchase, she turned to count the change received, almost running into one of the men from the tent.

“Oh.. uh, did I forget something?”

The man nodded, his face hard as he crossed his arms. “Yeah, come with me.”

Nervously, she followed him. He didn’t lead her back towards the tent, instead towards the festival grounds. He had almost brought him to the entrance when he stopped beside a small tent. Pulling back the flap, he motioned for her to enter first. Entering within the tent was a small table and pillows to sit upon. The man entered behind her, offering a smile.

“This is where you will be working. Mr. Gafrald always keeps his promises.”

Drina was impressed. Prime real estate indeed! Close to the gates, easy to access, making coin was going to be easy. The man behind her continued. “We will make up a sign for you in the next few minutes and you should be in business. Fel’astie.”

“Fel’astie, and my thanks to Mr. Gafrald.” With a nod he left.

Once the flap of the tent closed, Drina let out a giggle while looking about her booth. This was going to be a snap, she thought. Quickly she set up her area to prepare for the first guest. Setting up her table, she brought out her pack of tarot cards. Usually, we would use her fan, yet with all the gypsy around, the last thing she wanted was someone to recognize her from home. She didn’t have to worry so much about the townsfolk as much as she needed to worry about her other kin. They may not be in their old region, but the oligarchy king still had eyes and ears. Wrapping up her hair in the scarf, she finally had finished. Looking about her table, she clapped her hands. All that was missing was some tea and she would be good for the night. This was a luxury she couldn’t afford, although it was a lovely notion. Now to wait for her work to walk in.

Whispering Death (part 3)

The sun had come all too soon as Drina felt the poking at her side. Grumbling, she rolled over into the guard of the bed.

“Give me a few more minutes, Ocan.” All throughout the night she had struggled to sleep, Hestar’s lips the only dream she could conjure. It made for a very uncomfortable rest, one she wished to have spent the extra coin to sleep in her own bed instead of staring with her sister. It never bothered her in the past to sleep beside her, she cared very much for Ocan. Drina only just wished for solace to her pent-up tension and being in close quarters only made it embarrassing. She expected to hear the voice of her sister retorting, yet the voice speaking made her jump.

“My, what a little sleepy head. If you keep on you’ll miss midday.”

The owner of the hostel Lulu stood just near the foot of the bunk, Ocan smiling beside her as they waited for her.

“This one has been up for hours now, helping around while she waited for you. Poor thing was hungry but wouldn’t eat until you got up. I don’t usually do this for all the guests, but I made lunch for you both. On the house, yet the next meal will cost you.”

Drina rubbed at her eyes to remove the sleep, sitting up with a stretch. “You didn’t have to do that, we brought food we could eat.”

Before Drina could fight her any further, Lulu waved her off. “Nonsense, this is also to help thank Ocan for her help cleaning this morning. When you are fully up, we will be in the common room.”

Lulu chuckled light-heartedly, patting Ocan on the back as she turned and walked towards the hall. Drina quietly psted, catching Ocan’s attention before she followed. It was a look of concern, hoping she would understand her worry. Ocan returned her look with a wide grin. She checked around her before leaning in to whisper in their mother tongue.

“It’s ok, I helped her cook it and no one is around. I’ll be safe until you join us.”

Her tone was no more comforting than Lulu, they hardly knew anyone here and she wandered about casually without her around. What has gotten into her? Drina flopped back down on the bed, staring at the roof with a frown. It was really no surprise really though, since Drina was also being careless. Loosening up on her powers, kissing Hestar, and allowing Ocan to just leave her sight? These were things she would never have done in the past. Either way, there was no changing the present, only just pushing on to the future. Siting up on her elbows, Drina looked over to the other side of the room, where Hestar’s bunk was in view. It was empty as were all of the beds. Everyone must have been out and about with their day, and here she was being lazy. For a brief moment, it all felt nice. With a huff, she decided to get up, grabbing the bag at the head of the bed to pull out soap and some fresh garments. Taking everything with her, she went into the shower area and cleaned herself. Both her and Ocan only had few clothes, and mostly wore their travel gear. At least the hostel here had a place to wash their clothes if they chose to. For now, this would be enough to head down to the festival and seek out the leader who ran it. Maybe she could score a spot to make some money. It would help them continue their way and even afford boat fare.

Finishing up, she slung the bag over her shoulder and made her way to the common room. Ocan was right, the place was empty and the only voices she could hear was the two of them. Entering the common room, there was a divider in the middle separating the eating area and the lounge. The left side held several couches lining around the walls and a few chairs in the middle around a playing table. The right had counters and ovens to cook with tables about. Drina thought about if she had taken up the offer to follow Hestar last night, which couch would they have continued on. The thought made her blush, her steps quickened as she rushed over to the table beside Ocan. A small meal had been plated for her, causing her stomach to growl at the sight of it. When was the last time she had a full meal other than the dried lizard jerky she had made over several days in their journey? Two full sausages cooked over a grill, a heaping pile of rice and egg, and a baked yam overfilled her plate.

Without greeting them, Drina grabbed her fork and knife and cut into the sausage. The moment it hit her lips, she let out a moan as the flavor took over. It was juicy, tender and easy to chew. Hardly finished chewing, she shoved her mouth full of rice before swallowing it all. Taking the glass to her side, she guzzled the freshly chilled water before grabbing the small dinner roll beside her plate and tore a chunk out of it. Lula’s laughter filled the room, startling Drina at first. She shot her eyes up at her, watching her wipe a tear from her eyes while she chewed slowly.

“Both you girls! The way you eat, it’s like you have never eaten food before!”

Ocan giggled, watching Drina as she slowly chewed at her bread. “Drina makes us jerky from whatever she catches. It tastes dry and gritty. Sometimes we find berries or fruit but those are always bitter.”

Drina couldn’t help but feel offended. With her mouth still full, she complained loudly. “Ahhh, you eat it though! Sorry it’s not as yummy as this.”

Grumpily, she took another swig of the water. It was relieving to have something so fresh and not just from their bota. Lulu laughed alongside Ocan. Drina knew she meant well, yet the sting still hurt. Turning back to her food, she shovelled a few more mouths full of rice and ate the rest of the one sausage. Cutting into her yam, she caught Lulu’s eyes.

“Do you know anything about the festival in town?”

Lulu’s smile faded a little at the mention of it. “Yes, the Steaua lunii festival. Are you here because of that?”

It wasn’t originally the reason why, but after Hestar’s reading and the danger she might be in, Drina couldn’t stop the feeling that they were meant to be here. “At first no, we were only to pass through. But, since we are here, I might as well find work.”

Lulu suspiciously eyed her, leaning back in her chair like a defensive mother.

“How did you hear about the festival?”

Drina slowed her chewing, the feeling of a kid being caught doing something bad chilling her. She looked to Ocan first, then back over to Lulu. “One of the guests spoke of it.”

Ocan perked up. “Was it Hestar?”

Drina’s eyes shot wide. How did she know? She was sleeping the entire time they had spoke! She dropped her jaw as Ocan grinned.

“She came to say good morning to me before she left while you slept. Asked me how I slept. She’s really pretty.”

Her face flushed red at Ocan’s comment. Yes, Hestar was indeed, yet why did she stop to ask Ocan how she slept? Was it because of her nightmare? At least now the cat was out of the bag as Drina looked to Lulu’s disappointed frown.

“Hestar. That girl is trouble! Always sticking her nose where it shouldn’t be. You be careful of that one. She may be like a daughter to me, but she stirs up whirlwinds like the gods themselves!”

Rubbing at her chin, Drina tried to hide the grin on her face. Oh she stirs up something alright, she thought naughtily. Lula tsked, picking up her thoughts as she waved at her hopelessly. Ocan bounced between them, unsure of what she missed. Drina smiled at her dear sister.

“Well that was very nice of her. Maybe we will see her again tonight.” At the same time a small voice spoke within her, and maybe pick up where we left off. Lulu shook her head, uncrossing her arms to fold her rag she had on her to clean.

“If you’re going to the festival, what kind of work do you do?”

Drina stuck a small piece of yam in her mouth, chewing as she thought. There was no use hiding their origins since Hestar already knew. Plus with more of their kind, maybe they could meet someone who could help give safe passage to the next town over. Drina knew it was all a gamble, and she was hoping she was placing down the right cards.

“I can read fortunes.”

Ocan spoke out abruptly, excitement getting the better of her as she yelled it loudly.

“She can also commune with the dead! She’s really good at it!”

“Ocan!” Drina slammed her hands to the table, looking about as she lowered her head.

Lulu reached out to touch Ocan on the shoulder as she pouted. Slouching in the chair, she apologized. “Sorry.”

Lulu nodded. “It’s ok child. You must not talk much about yourselves that you got carried away. It happens.” Looking over at Drina she continued. “You will definitely be able to get work then. Most of the participants are entertainers. But you must be careful, the town may accept your kind here during the festival, but once it is over you won’t be as celebrated.”

Drina huffed with a frown. “I know. Being part of the event will just put a target on our backs. Will we be safe enough to stay here a few nights longer?”

With a grand smile, Lulu reassured her. “It will always be safe here for travellers. You have my word.”

“Good. Would you happen to know the person in charge? I’ll head out as soon as I am done with this meal.”

Lulu stood up from the table, grabbing the water jug to refill it. “It seems that I just so happen to.”

With a smile, Drina nodded. Good, at least she won’t waste much time. With the festival celebration lasting only a few days, maybe she could stop whatever danger was riding in the not-so-distant future.

Whispering Death (part 1)

It was a chilly night as the door of the hostel swung open. The owner glanced over, smiling brightly as two girls walked in. A tall-looking woman beside a younger child stepped through the doorway, removing their hoods from their colorful assorted clothing. The child looked worn from her travels, sleep claiming her as she rubbed at her eyes. The taller one wrapped her arms around her protectively, leading them closer to the owner. Both of the girls shared the same color of eyes, dark hazel with gold flakes. The owner was sure they were sisters just based on their similar looks and how close they were.

“Evening ladies, what brings you here tonight?”

The taller sister stepped out in front, reaching into a small bag hanging from her hip. The sound of coins clinking together could be heard as she pulled a smaller coin pouch out. Placing it on the table, the girl spoke.

“Just a bed for me and my sister to share. Anything will do.”

Her voice was melodic yet cold. The distrust was palpable to the owner, a tone she was well acquainted with. Anyone walking into a hostel late at night regardless of their appearance always had a story to share, if not a past they were running from. It wasn’t always that way since most people spent their time travelling and seeking adventure. Something about the way the older sister held herself said otherwise, yet who was the owner to judge?

“How many nights will you be staying?”

The lady glanced back at her sister, hesitating a moment. “For the time being, a few nights. We’ve travelled a long way and may need a night or two to recover.”

The owner nodded, taking up her pen to write in her ledger. “Alright. What name shall I put you down as?”

Absently she replied to the owner, hinting she had used this alias several times before.

“Drina Forest.”

With a welcoming smile, she led them into the back. The small hall turned into a larger room with several bunks lining the room. Each bunk had a storage chest attached to the top and bottom, along with a lock. The owner showed them the farthest back bunk, grabbing at the large ring of keys in her pocket. Pulling off the number to the bunk, she handed it to the eldest sister.

“Take the top, I hope it will give you comfort and safety.”

Drina’s serious face relaxed, giving the owner a relieved smile. Mouthing the words “Thank you” she helped lift her sister up to climb into the bed to sleep. The owner stepped away, heading towards the front once one before Drina stopped her.

“Um.. sorry what was your name ma’am?”

The owner turned back, the same friendly smile on her face. “Luludja, but please, just call me Lulu.”

Drina nodded, brushing her raven hair out of her face and behind her ear. It was a nervous habit, Lulu could tell. Turning she gave her space, leaving Drina with her sister. The room was quiet since most of the renters were already asleep or still out enjoying the night. Drina twirled the key in her hand a bit looking at the chest. She knew in places like this that the chances of a thief were limited, yet her trust issues didn’t allow for her to place anything within it. She pocketed the key, climbing up beside her already dozing-off sister. Maybe the several days of travel were too much for her. Leaning against the wall, her sister shuffled to cuddle in close to her side allowing them both to get comfortable. Drina brushed her sister’s hair off her face and shoulders, scanning around the room as she did.

“Lana,” her sister’s groggy voice in a barely audible voice pulled her attention back to her. “Are we going to actually stay here a few nights?”

Drina shushed her, “Remember Jeta, call me Drina. We mustn’t let anyone know our true names. I taught you this a while ago.”

“Do I really need to go by Ocan?”

Ocan rubbed at her eyes, fighting to stay awake by her sister. Petting at her head, she offered a warm smile. After all her teachings, she still had so much to learn. A name was a deadly thing to give away, especially with all the power she might have once she unlocked it. It was their bloodline, and Drina was well aware of what consequences awaited them. It took constant concentration to conceal her abilities and locking her gift away drained her. Yet in all it’s tiresome effort, it was worth it. She couldn’t risk the dangers for her or her sister. All Drina could do was hope to teach Ocan how to control her emotions and pick up some of the teachings.

“Yeah, I promise there is a reason. Now go to sleep.”

It didn’t take her much convincing before Ocan’s fully drifted off. Drina sighed heavily. Now if only she could follow suit. A few of the beds around them were still empty, giving Drina hope that maybe she could give in a little and feel safe enough to drop her guard just a little. Being constantly alert, it made her always feel uneasy. The hostel did give off a sense of peace though, as Drina continued to watch several others in the room. It was then that several footsteps could be heard from the small hall. Drina tensed a moment, seeing people entering into the building. Several looked like they had been partying in the nearby pubs, while others were dressed up in fancy duds. It was odd how respectfully quiet they had been entering and finding their way to the beds. Quite often in the past hostels, they could get loud and rowdy.

Without waking Ocan, Drina readjusted herself to reach into her bag. Pulling out her folding fan, she began to fiddle with it. It brought her comfort holding it, the black wooden guard carved with intricate roses and the inside decorated with constellations, their signs each with brightly burning stars within them. A small beaded It was her mothers, passed down to her when she passed. Drina still didn’t know the truth behind her death, but it led to their now constant running. She couldn’t trust the household she lived with, the constant feeling of fear and deceit around each and every person. Closing her eyes for a moment, she poured her thoughts into the fan. Hoping for the outcome to be a good one, she rolled her fingers over the flowers before flicking it open. Several whispers called out at her in a slurry, filling Drina with concern. Opening her eyes, she was drawn to the door instead of the result showing in her fan.

There at the entrance to the room of bunk beds was a woman. Blond hair that shimmered with the light, violet eyes as deep as the night sky, and a smile that made anyone’s temperature rise. She was wearing loose clothing, wrapped with dark colors around her hip and torso. It was tight enough to show off her curves in all the right places. Time paused in Drina’s world as she stopped for a moment to connect with her eyes. The pit of her stomach flipped. Emotions began to stir within Drina, her control slipping as the whispers grew. Dropping her eyes in a hurry from the woman, she looked to her fan. In the dead middle of the slips open was Cygnus the swan. Snapping her fan closed, Drina felt her heart pounding. Maybe telling the future when everyone was still up and about was a mistake. Opening the fan fully, she glanced at all the rest of the constellations. Why out of all of them did it have to be Cygnus? Glancing back up, she caught the woman’s eyes once more. She had moved to the right side of the room, opening her chest to take out clothes to change into.

Drina absently fanned herself, biting at her lip. The whispers are ever still present, reminding her to gain control over them once more. Breaking eye contact once again, Drina looked down at Ocan. She was the reason why she needed to guard herself. Indulging in a fling no matter how tempting it was didn’t matter as much as her sister did. It was an internal battle she fought with her powers that was almost disorienting when the pressure of the whispering stopped suddenly.

“Hey, sorry to bother you. I just couldn’t help noticing you when I got in.”

Drina’s heart jumped, turning to face the woman now up close. She stood by the foot of the bunk, her beauty even more magnificent up close. The woman’s eyes caught the head of Ocan, causing her to break her smile with a shock.

“Oh.. sorry I thought you were alone.”

With a quick reply, Drina spoke with a quiet voice. “No, it’s alright. It’s my sister. We had a long journey today and passed out right away.”

The smile returned hopeful to the woman while she took a step closer.

“I see, where from?”

It was hard to resist how stunning this woman was. Drina watched her playful smile stare up at her, stirring a fire within her. How was she going to answer her? Castromnia was a large country with five regions: Ellstria, Scion, Bablalion, Vercian and Gasfriac. Both the Scion and Gasfriac regions were at war while the other three stayed neutral, however, refugees were not so easily welcomed from either region. Drina was cautious, knowing that giving away her travels may cause concern if not distrust, especially since her kin were travellers to begin with. With a quick lie, she offered a grin.

“We came from West Vercian, near the lakes of Laruia.”

The woman brightened, taking another step closer towards the head of the bunk. Her hand crept ever closer towards her knee, sending shivers throughout Drina the moment her hand connected with her.

“Vercian! That’s quite far from home. What brought you here to Ellstria?”

Drina’s control was slipping, her emotions out of control as her breathing picked up. She needed to calm down, yet this seductive dish in front of her made her mouth water. Not to mention her travelling hand had made its way from her knee up her thigh. Clearing her throat, Drina’s eyes wandered from her face down her neckline and continued on past her chest and hips. Flicking her eyes back to the woman’s eyes, she licked her top lip.

“I hear the sights here are spectacular. Although, we are just passing through for now.”

With a chuckle, the woman withdrew her hand and finished walking to the head of the bunk. Stepping up on the bottom bunk, she lifted herself up over the edge, bringing her face close to Drina’s. The smell of sandalwood engulfed her senses as she stared into the eyes of the woman. Biting her bottom lip, she tilted her head at Drina.

“What’s your name?”

“D-Drina.”

“Hestar.”

Swallowing hard, Drina knew that this was the start of a problem, one she wasn’t sure she was going to regret just yet.

Failing Inspection

Flipping the folder open; the first thing she looked at was the small photo of a black and white house. Adol gave a little sigh as she picked it up and took a closer look. Two stories, four bedrooms and a small backyard. It was run down and had chipped paint from the looks of it. Rubbing her temples, she placed the picture down and picked up the report. Adol’s job was to go in and inspect the building to see what needed to be done to make it livable again. It was common for people to buy, flip, and sell old houses that were abandoned. Being an agent who travelled across the states, it was an excellent opportunity to see unique and out-of-fashion models of homes that were built throughout the ages.

She didn’t mind the work and loved what she did; the only thing she despised was the flights. Just as she finished reading the reports of the owners who bought it, the plane hit a hard patch of turbulence. The lights flickered as the captain announced the strong winds and that it will be over shortly. Adol nearly dropped the file as she clung to the arms of the chair near the aisle. Closing her eyes, she prayed internally, hoping the measly bolted chair would give protection. The plane dipped drastically and caused tremors before stabilizing out again. Taking a few minutes, Adol eventually let out her breath, not realizing she had been holding it for some time. Grabbing the bottled water she had beside her, she downed the whole thing and gasped after the final drop.

Calming down her breath, she stared at the back of the headrest in front of her. Why on earth people thought it was a good idea to pay to climb inside a flying metal death trap was beyond her. Not that cars or trains were any better, she tried not to let her technological phobia get in the way of her work. Letting go of the chair arms, she reached for the file that badly flopped from the small little table to the floor. Collecting it together, she looked once more at the old photo. Things she loved about looking at buildings were the simplicity that they had. They were sturdy and dependable, being that they were made of mostly wood or bricks. They don’t break down the way a car or cellphone would, and repair them if one faulty piece failed. No, instead, they still stand even when one room is out of order, and the only real flaw was if the electrical wiring set the house on fire. The only piece of technology she kept around her was a pager. She couldn’t be bothered to carry a cellphone since they died so quickly or you would lose reception, rendering it useless anyway. The problem with the world was that they relied too heavily on technology to carry us day by day.

Even though she was in her twenties, this deep-rooted belief probably came from her grandma. She smiled a little at the memory of her and how she would constantly yell at the phone when it cut off or at the computer when she couldn’t log into it. Her grandma spent hours telling her as a little girl how important it was never to trust it, that it was going to rule the world over man someday. Adol chuckled as she filed the photo away once more, placing the file back into her briefcase. With a small pat, she leaned back to close her eyes once more before they would land. Thoughts of her grandma put her to ease as she drifted to sleep.

*****

Pulling up in her rental car, Adol let out a small whistle. The shape of the house was in worse condition than the photo revealed. Turning off the car, she pocketed them and reached for her briefcase. Getting out of the car, she slung the straps over her shoulder and strolled up the driveway. Taking mental notes of the chipped paint, plants growing out of the rain catchers and decaying planks of wood around the window ledges, Adol took in a deep breath. Her work was more than cut out for her as she reached into the briefcase and pulled out a checklist. Walking along the side of the house, she checked off several boxes. With a tsk, she looked around the base of the house and wrote a note at the bottom of the page.

“Erosion of dirt around the house that exposed the foundation of the building was a big problem for the future. Recommend releveling dirt.” She clicked the pen and scanned the rest of the house before moving around to the back.

The backyard was in worse of a state than the front. It was overgrown, and the fence had rotted away. She had reckoned that it was already in bad shape before the place was abandoned. Frantic scribbles, she continued to note things when she looked at the base again. Crouching, she noted the ground level was much higher and where it should have been. Looking at the small steps up to the background and the state of the backyard, she shrugged it off. It could have been the cause of storms and wind that came from the north side of the building. Years of constant wind blowing down along the side could have affected the soil. She glanced once more around the side as she walked back up to the front. There were several trees near the path, and the grass had been visibly worn down or even patchy. Stopping, she knelt down and noticed a slight dip. If she had not done this as a professional for years, she would almost not have noticed the subtle difference. Standing up, Adol raised her eyebrows and frowned. Not her problem; she was just here to take notes and pass them along to her employer.

If she had been the one to look at this house, she knew it was going to be a costly fix even before walking inside. She walked up the steps of the front porch and looked under the mat. She had arranged with the owners ahead of time and knew that they were not going to be available at the time she was to arrive. This was preferred in her books since it meant she could work uninterrupted. Nothing irritated her more than owners asking persistent questions while she was evaluating the house before she could submit the report. Liability stopped her from being able to comment on anything until the job was finished. Sticking the lock-in, she struggled a little as it was sticking. With a hard tug, the door budged and flung open, almost knocking to her backside. With a tsk, she clicked her pen and wrote down the notes, speaking them out as she did.

“House shift may have affected door frame.”

Clicking the pen again, she stuck it to the top of the clipboard and entered the house. The smell of dust and rot was strong as she looked around the front entrance. Even though the owners said they had cleaned most of the rooms out in case of spiderwebs and possible mouse turds, the smell still lingered. Adol looked at the stairs just in front of her and to the door immediately to her left. Taking a few steps into the echoey house, she saw the hall just to the left of the staircase that led to what looked like the kitchen. Shoving the clipboard under her arm, she pulled off the file from her briefcase. The layout of the house was in the back of the notes as she pulled it out and clipped it to the board, placing the file back inside again. Even though she studied it several times, she still wanted to keep it out. Upstairs were the three bedrooms, the living room was to her left, and the kitchen was at the end of the hall. The forth room was to the left of the kitchen in the far back.

Turning around, she closed the door and placed the key on a small table near the steps as she ascended up them. Starting top to bottom, she reached the top step and examined the floorboards carefully. They were creaky but seemed to be in good condition, least enough not to send her plummeting to the ground floor. Scanning the roof, she found the access hatch to the attic. Upon request, the owners did leave a small latter for her to reach the small hole to have a look. Opening the latter, she managed to reach the small hatch and popped it open, taking a quick glance around. Spotting several issues, she waited till she closed the hatch and stepped down before clicking her pen.

“Leaky roof, replace. Insulation needs replacement. Smell of mild mold.” Finding checkboxes, she whispered “Check” each one she marked.

Routinely she went to each room, numbering them one through three from farthest from the stairs to closest. They seemed fine until she reached the third room, where the roof leak was obvious as the wall damage showed against the wall. Using her pen, she dug it into the stain as it crumbled the drywall beneath the paint. With a frown, she wiped the pen off before making a note of the damage, moving out of the room as she did. With the top floor complete, she made her way back down. Just as her foot tapped the floor in the front entrance, the sound of her pager had gone off. Clicking her pen, she clipped it on top of the clipboard, then placed them both on the table. She opened her briefcase in search of the pager and pulled it out to look at the message as it flashed across the small screen.

“IMPORTANT. CALL OFFICE.”

Adol scoffed. Did she need to stop and take this when she was already close to finishing? It would mean she would have to drive back into town and call from a payphone or at the hotel she was staying at for the night. Being that it had already been a long day with the plane ride, she sighed heavily as she looked back at the clipboard. It would be a waste to stop now and leave. It would require coming back tomorrow and risking missing the flight to return home in the afternoon. The house wasn’t far from town, but it would still be a hassle. Adol decided to shove the pager back into her bag, turning to pick up the clipboard again. A loud crash made her jump as she looked towards the closed door in front of her. She waited a moment before taking a few steps towards the door, grabbing inside the briefcase once more to pull out a flashlight. There was still daylight leaking in from the windows all around, but just in case it didn’t have as much lighting, she wanted that extra security. She flicked it on before turning the knob and pushing the door inward. The room was wider than she expected as she looked around to see where the noise had come from. A few items were still in the room from the original owners as she saw an old lamp, a small coffee table, and in the far back corner a painting laying flat on the floor.

Taking a deep breath in, she relaxed a little as she guessed the noise was from the picture falling over. Walking over, she scanned the floor and walls to see what evidence had contributed to knocking it over. The frame looked large and heavy as she kneeled down to lift it up. Straightening it up and leaning it against the wall, she saw that the frame was an antique. Plaster carved swirls and flowers embroidered the picture of what looked like to be a painting of an old family. Adol took a step back to admire it with awe and quickly to find what looked like a now dead mouse at the bottom of the frame. With a grunt of disgust, she turned away from the flattened body. The mouse had been smooshed against the floor and picture frame. It wasn’t a surprise to see that mice have taken up home in an old building like this. Looking around the floor again, she looked to see if he had friends when the flashlight flickered off.

Scoffing, Adol hit the side of the flashlight to bump the battery, turning it back on again. The untrusted flashlight of hers always seemed to die quickly, and each time she forgot to replace it.

“Oh well. It’s the best I have for now.”

While in the room, she did a quick inspection taking a mental note of all the things to mark down on her clipboard. She turned the light off as she returned back to the front foyer, placing it in the briefcase. She placed her hands on her hips as she looked down at the clipboard, wondering how the owners were going to afford to fix this property up when she noticed something odd. The clipboard sat where she left it alone on the table, her pen missing. She picked the clipboard up and looked around the floor for the missing pen, checking the table once more to see it empty. Scratching her head, she patted her pockets to see if maybe she had placed it in her pocket.

“Odd,” she thought, “I was sure I placed it on the clipboard.”

Taking her briefcase off her shoulder, she placed it on top of the table to look for another pen. A gnawing thought tickled the back of her brain as she felt as if she forgot something while she searched her bag for a pen. Eventually finding one, she cheered for herself as she clicked it. Turning back to the clipboard again, she jotted the notes down from the living room before she forgot. Feeling a small victory, she smiled at her efficiency as she decided to leave the bag for the last two rooms. Pulling out the flashlight, she placed it in her back pocket before walking down the hall. Scanning the roof and the baseboards, she felt a sudden shiver down her spine. Turning around, she looked back at the door to see nothing. Adol chuckled out loud as she turned back towards the kitchen.

“Man, I am getting jumpy. Silly mice, getting me all scared.” Convincing herself, she pretended not to feel like the shiver was from being watched. Old buildings always gave off creepy vibes, and she wasn’t going to let it interfere with her work. Superstitions were a waste of time and not to be believed, for she had seen many abandoned buildings and never believed in ghosts. She inspected the kitchen, finding a few issues and turned to look at the small opening around the door to the last bedroom. She noticed it extended a little further out past the kitchen and that the floor did seem newer, just past the line of where it extended. Was this an addition later to the house? It might have explained the dip in the soil outside. She didn’t look far enough into the backyard to have noticed that the kitchen was shorter. Adding this note to her clipboard, she felt a small chill as a breeze grazed her arm.

Adol shot her head up towards the back door. “Wait, a breeze?”

She turned around to look at the front door as well and saw that it was still shut. From how much time she spent in the front entrance, if there were a breeze, she would have noticed that right away. She walked over to the back door and felt around the edges. Nothing seemed to seep in from the outside, and as she checked the knob of the door, it was sealed tight. This definitely was a new addition to the original house as it was newer than the front door and had a slightly different design. Adol checked the blueprints of the house design again. Something about this wasn’t adding up. In the original files she read on the plane, nothing was mentioned about any updates made to the house. So either the blueprints were wrong, or the original owners made illegal changes to the house without a permit. The room was part of the floor plan as she turned to open the last room. Pulling out her flashlight, she scanned the roof, floor and walls to check the age. The roof was still part of the original look, but the floor was definitely newer. She turned to look out the window that gave a view of the overgrown yard.

“I’ll have to report this for sure. They might need to double-check the wiring…” A faint sound came from outside the bedroom. Adol paused and listened as she heard faint footsteps walking. Turning around, she walked back out into the kitchen and to the hall. Maybe the owners were able to make it? Was that what her boss wanted to let her know? She looked at the front door and was met once again with an empty house. Looking all around her, Adol tried to calm herself down. Footsteps, loud crashes, her missing pen; things weren’t adding up. Was she actually alone, or was someone playing a trick on her? Maybe she should just take her things and lock up the house and… All of a sudden, it dawned on her.

“The keys.”

When she was in the front after inspecting the upstairs, she could have sworn she left the keys on the small table. She remembered when her pen was missing that the only thing left was her clipboard. Tapping her pockets, she felt that they were empty.

Adol was determined as she took several steps towards the front door. She was going to check the table for the house keys when she felt the breeze again; this time, it was stronger. The light from outside was dimming as she knew it was well getting into the evening. She needed to leave soon and had been here much longer than needed. Worse off, the owners had no power in the building yet since they needed her approval first. Cursing under her breath, she knew that this might be a big problem that she needed to add to her notes. Leaking roofs and mild mold are easy fixes, but a draft in the middle of the house? That would not look good on her if she missed any details like this one. Using her flashlight, she ran her hand along the walls against the stairs. Maybe there was a gap from when they added the wall under the stairs. It was strange that there wouldn’t be a storage space placed here since it was common to have one under the staircases.

A small thought came to mind as she questioned it. Maybe since there were already alterations to the house that aren’t on the blueprint, that they might have done a poor job of covering the old closet. The wall was made of a wood-like panel that ran from the front to the kitchen entrance. As Adol checked it closely, she found what looked like a small opening. Her hand hovered over it as a confirming breeze pushed against her hand. She traced along the crack and found a small hole near the top that allowed her to grab the inner ledge. With her fast-beating heart, she pulled open a small door that blended perfectly with the wall. As it opened fully, Adol was greeted with an old web-covered entrance that led downstairs by brittle-looking stairs. Her mouth was agape as she looked at her clipboard with shaky hands.

“A hidden basement. They managed to hide a hidden basement this whole time.”

This was an amazing discovery. Never had she ever found something as wondrous as a hidden passageway or room like this. Adol stood in the hall conflicted as she swallowed hard. The smell suddenly arising from the breeze, almost made her gag. It was the same smell from when she first entered, yet there was something dark and damp along with it. She could hardly dispel the idea of dead animals that had been trapped down there and died, maybe even rot, as the stairs looked barely sturdy. This new dilemma now posed a serious question. Should she inspect it or just call it a night and let the owners know in the morning? The light had now just passed the horizon as twilight had dimmed in the halls. The only source of light now the one in her hand. With one final glance at the clipboard with her flashlight, she looked down the stairs with a stern look.

“It’s my job to do a complete check. I can’t back out now.”

Even with every fibre in her being telling her to leave, Adol pressed, stepping down into the small entrance. The air of the small space was damp and awful as she covered her mouth with the clipboard as a guard. With small, timid steps on the creaky steps, she made her way slowly down into the pitch black. The walls were made of cement; moss had grown thick along the sides further down into the hole as she descended. Just as she made the last few steps, she slipped and fell forward into the ground, dropping both the clipboard and flashlight. Expecting a hard floor, she was surprised as she landed in soft soil. In a scramble, she reached for the flashlight as it started to flicker. Adol’s breath was laboured as she slammed her hand into the light to get a steady beam. Dust from the soil flew around her as she clung to the only thing giving her sanity. Forcibly she calmed her breathing and looked around. The whole room was much shorter than it should be for a standard basement. The walls were dirty and covered as she glanced over it quickly, not getting a good look at what it was before seeing a wooden pole sticking out of the dirt. Focusing on the pole, she ascertained it to be a handle to a shovel as she stood up.

Almost hitting her head on the low-hanging ceiling, she walked over to the shovel. With her free hand, she grabbed it and pulled it out to look at the other end of it, only to yelp in terror. The tip of the tool was covered in dirt, blood and what looked like fresh guts. Before Adol could think, a sudden slam came from the top of the stairs as the door was closed shut. Dropping the shovel, she backed up towards the far wall in terror, just as her flashlight started to flicker once more. In a desperate panic, she slammed her hand against the flashlight to no avail as the light shut off. In the pitch-black silence, all she could hear was the clicking of her pen. Adol screamed.

Unexpected Changes

She started climbing down the side of the rocky cavern. The air was dark, heavy and dead. Obviously, there hasn’t been any airflow for some years now. How come a tunnel that ran deep into the earth like this has never been uncovered before? Cindy finally made it to the sandy bottom where she let out a harsh grunt. It’s been a while since she’s had to free climb in a long time without gear. She turned from the wall and looked out into the newly entered room of the tunnel. It was completely pitch black. Cindy turned on the light from her headband, squinting from the sudden brightness that enveloped the entirety of the room. It was a spacious gap that spread out into a circular almost smooth dome. The floor was a sandy spiral of speckled colors and small stones, reflecting the light coming from her headband. It gave a beautiful eyry glow.

Cindy stepped out into the open space, no echo bounced back as she took each step. It took her by surprise the silence from her boots as she expected the sound to vibrate off the walls. The room emitted a strange peace where everything seemed to be locked away in a different spectrum of time. She scanned the walls to see if any other tunnels lead further in, but found that this was a dead end. She reached the center of the cavern and inspected the middle. Shockingly there was a plaque with strange symbols discreetly placed just under the sand. She hardly noticed it as it purposely blended with the surroundings, bouncing off the same eyry glow the rest of the stones and sand did. With one slower glance around the room, Cindy knelt down to get a closer look at the plaque. She had studied different symbols from the past as well as dead cultures that left a very subtle hint of existence but had not encountered anything like this before. She reached out to touch the carved symbols but stopped just hovering over them. Instinctively she felt a sense of foreboding and withdrew her hand. She stood up and pulled her walky-talky out of her pocket. Still looking at the plaque she radioed her assistant.

With a damped bloop, she spoke into the mic, “Joe, I found what looks to be a meditation ring.” As she let go of the button another damp bloop sounded, signifying she was done talking.

A split second later a returning bloop rang and a male voice crackled through, “Anything cool looking? I don’t want to go home empty-handed this time.”

It ended with another bloop. Cindy frowned and shook her head. Did he think that all the explorations had to end with some big treasure? This was a quest for knowledge, not gold and silver. Her voice was laced with irritation as she replied, “Just get your ass down here.”

With the last bloop, she shoved with talky back into her pocket. He was going to take a while as he wasn’t very good at rock climbing. Cindy vindictively envisioned him falling on his attractive looking face as he came down. Why she chose him to be her assistant was beyond her comprehension. He was mediocre with any history or culture, greedy and very sly. A part of her wanted to release him from the position she gave him, but she had this nagging feeling he would be handy someday for her. She let him stay on her gut feelings. Cindy could never quite understand how she could understand these feelings, but they drew her to places no one else knew or discovered. This made her very successful with being the first person to uncover these hidden civilizations that people thought to have never existed. Although she firmly believed Atlanta didn’t exist, people urged her to go and find it because of her gift. Thankfully she proved herself right thus far.

While she was deep in thought she walked towards the walls and ran her finger along the almost perfectly smooth walls. It was as if the walls were somehow shaped naturally from water, like how broken glass would be smoothed down on the beach from the tide. Of course, that couldn’t have happened as they found the original cave so far inland from any major bodies of water. To top it off all the rest of the tunnels leading to this room were sharp and jagged, proving to be difficult to climb and hike through. As Cindy walked the outskirts of the room still running her hands on the stone, she felt like there was a reason she was brought here. This was no small coincidence that she happened upon the entrance and bullied Joe to follow along. She found herself smiling as he remembered his bitching and complaining the whole way through as she found slight pleasure in torturing him. He was a pretty city boy who struggled to the outback. It did come in handy though as he was amazing with technology where she was awful with computers.

Cindy shook her head as she realized she zoned out on thoughts again. As she forced herself back into the present she realized she was stopped at a particular part of the room facing the wall. Her hand stopped right on top of some very subtle markings left on the wall. It was the same style of symbols that was on the plaque. She hardly even noticed them as she moved her hand off the markings. She astonished herself on her inept ability to just stumble across things. She sighed and whispered aloud, “Now if I could only obtain the ability to communicate with people the same way I can discover things, I think I would be a pro.”

As she finished whispering, Joe fell off the remainder of the wall and landed flat on his face with a damp thud sound. She jumped as it broke her train of thought and she looked over at him. The room had an incredible ability to dampen noise that it was terrifying. She sighed as she realized it was just Joe and put her hands on her hips. “Are you wearing those boots I got you with the grip?”

Joe stood up with a grunt and he brushed off the sand caught in his stubbly face. He looked rough with the week look of growth and drenched with sweat. He said with absolute confidence once he was brushed off, “No. I am not.”

Joe turned on his headband and looked quickly around the room and drooped with disappointment. Cindy scowled but turned around back to the wall.

“It’s just an empty stupid room.” Joe whinnied, “What use is this to us? “Let’s go off the hard beaten path,” she says, “let’s go into this sketchy cave!” she says. “Hey, I brought us to a dead end with no profit,” she says!”

Cindy rolled her eyes and she hardly heard him kick something and caught him saying “ow” under his breath. Ignoring Joe, she pulled out some paper and lead to place over the top of the symbols. She thankfully imprinted the symbols onto the paper and studied the page intensely.

“I wonder what this means..” she thought out loud then trailed into thought.

Joe limped over behind her and looked over her shoulder at the page. Puzzled he asked, “How did you even see that? Do you think there is a hidden pathway that would open up from here?”

He gently reached for the paper out of her hand, brushing hers as he did so. Cindy blushed at the contact and let him take it.

Stammering she replied,” Oh.. uh… I kinda just… Found it. Like how I usually just “find” things.” She nervously chuckled as crossed her arms. She hesitated to say anything further as she always thought he would never believe her. Joe turned and walked towards the center of the room, studying the paper just as intensely as Cindy was. She watched him still with her arms crossed.

As he was walking she remembered the plaque on the ground and yelled, “ Stop! Don’t stand on the…” He kept walking and stepped on the plaque which shot a blinding light up and out of the ground. He was caught in the pillar of light jerked outwards as he shot his head up and silently screamed, pain wrenched through his face. Cindy was quickly dazed by the light and felt a harsh energy blow right through her. Voices of a different language blurred into her mind as she recovered her sight to see Joe trapped in the pillar of light. Confusion slammed her as the voices yelled loudly as she tried to take a step towards Joe. Cindy yelled out but nothing came out. As quickly as the light had burst out from the middle, a thunderous wind blew out and slammed Cindy to the wall. The deafening voices stopped and the light disappeared. Everything went black.

Cindy woke up. Her head throbbed violently as she tried to sit up. She must have hit the wall hard enough to knock her out. It took her a good while to recollect herself and try to make sense of where she was. It was still pitch black and she reached for her headband to feel it was missing. She rolled to her hands and knees and felt along the sandy ground to attempt to find the light, still in a daze. Suddenly she remembered Joe and the pillar of light and in a panic screamed his name. There was no reply and no echo in return. Oddly enough in her panic, she felt a strange calm. She tried to scream his name again but found her voice was quieter than she intended. She crawled still feeling the sand under her hand, the throb in her head still pounding. She couldn’t tell where she was in the room if they were still in the room, but she felt herself stop her hand in midair. Instinct hit her again as she knew she had reached the plaque. Where was Joe?

She felt the ground around the area and felt the fabric of a headband. Cindy fumbled as she gripped the band tightly and felt for the light switch on the light. Light burst forth from the bulb as she shakily tried to put the band around her head. She sat on her bottom, closed her eyes, and took slow deep breaths. Now that she could see, she needed to calm down. No use being unreasonable while trying to figure out what had happened. She allowed the strange peace to envelop her as she took her firm and steady breaths. On the last exhale she opened her eyes, ready for the worst. She scanned the room to find that she was indeed in the middle of the room and the plaque was right in front of her. The room was as if nothing had happened. There also was no Joe.

“Ok. Rationally, there is no way he could have disappeared.” Talking to herself helped her feel like she was still sane. “Maybe he got up and tried to leave.”

She leaned back onto her knees to look for footprints. As she surveyed the area she realized that there were no markings anywhere. The sand moved under her hands but left no indents as she shuffled on the ground. The sand purposely leveled out as if there was a brush flattening it as she moved around.

She leaned back on her legs and sat there. He was gone with no trace. She realized he had the paper that she traced the markings on. She looked around again and realized not only was there any signs of tracks. There was no sign of anything at all, including the paper. Sadness hit her just as hard as the wind did.

“What is happening…?” She felt like crying but the peace the room emitted would not allow for it. Cindy got up and walked to the wall where the symbols were. Maybe she could get some clues from the writings but as she approached they too, where missing. She stared into nothingness for a moment, then glanced at the plaque. The only way she is going to know what happened is to do the same thing. She crawled over to the plaque and took a deep breath. She slammed her hand down on the stone and closed her eyes while she did so. Still keeping her eyes close she waited. Nothing happened. She waited a moment longer then slowly let go of her breath and opened her eyes. She looked at the plaque and realized that something was different about it. She blinked, and slowly the realization started to sink in.

An angry, annoyed eye stared up from the stone, her hand over the other one. She blinked again. “Oh, God. I must still be dreaming. Or… or I hit my head really badly.”

A voice spoke into her head. ‘Please remove your hand from my eye. That really hurt.’

She ripped her hand from the plaque and yelped. She stared at the plaque and shook her head slowly. “No. This is impossible.”

The plaque no longer had any markings or symbols, just the eyes now staring back up at her. The look was now concerned and desperate. Cindy felt a sharp pain within her chest. She felt around the plaque and felt loose sand around it. She dug along the edges of the stone in the ground as desperation hit her hard despite the peace she felt from the room. She began to uncover the edges and was able to pull the plaque out of the ground. She lifted up the piece and slowly sank back into the ground, holding it shakily. Her mouth was dry as she was panting, and managed to finally force out the words.

“Joe?”

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