by K Dezendorf
They’d been together for nearly a year now. They’d only ever kissed, held hands, and on a few particularly spicy occasions, they’d cuddled. Macklass’ older brother, Hadwin, had explained to her that elves typically took their time with courtship, and that their relationship was moving rather fast comparatively. If this was considered ‘fast’, Rose was perfectly content with it.
A touch on her hand pulled her out of her reminiscing. “What’s gotten into you?” Macklass asked, his expression pleasantly curious.
“What do you mean?” She had to remember to speak louder than normal.
“You seem awfully pleased about something.” His lips quirked up in a teasing smile. “I apologize if I interrupted a happy daydream.”
“No, I was just remembering things.” Rose glanced down at the table, her face heated, and tugged at one of her errant curls. No more fantasizing. Time to get back to business. “So, did Jenkto say how much we’re supposed to bring back?”
“Five hundred, minimum,” he answered. “We’re running low on food.”
Rose mentally winced as she cased the room. There were certainly enough people, and thus wallets, to easily supply that. But five hundred just sounded really demanding. Especially for an event that’s hosting bands who likely needed all the revenue they could get.
Still, a job was a job, and Rose had to earn her place with the group. She had to. It was possibly the only way she could escape her nightmare of a home life and move onto something better.
“I think I can manage that.”
When Jerome came back with drinks, Rose politely declined the offered beer and excused herself to go to the restroom.
Navigating her way through the venue, she managed to locate the women’s restroom. It was small and worn with the occasional chip or cracks in the walls and tiles, but it was decently clean at least. A couple of the stalls were already in use, but there was one available. She waited until she heard the other women vacate and the restroom was empty. Then she took out a compact mirror.
“Kyan.”
Rose watched as a shadow behind her grew and changed shape. The head turned and stared at her from the mirror’s reflection. Only the eyes and the mouth were vivid, forming a visage that was impish at best, malicious at worst.
“It’s time to get to work.” Her quiet voice echoed softly against the tiled walls as one of the bands outside started playing.
************
Several hours later, it was well after midnight, and Macklass was driving them home while Jerome counted out their score. He happily announced they’d made it out with seven hundred and one dollars. Even taking into account the cost of tickets and drinks, it was over a five hundred dollar profit. Just as Jenkto wanted.
“Way to go, team,” he cheered, popping his hand forward from the backseat for a high five.
Rose slapped her palm against his, though she was unable to share in his enthusiasm. The whole affair left her exhausted and stressed. By the time they got back to the garage, Rose was falling asleep. Once they were parked inside, they got out to find two people waiting for them.
“Jenkto! Hadwin!” Jerome called out in a hooting voice. How did he still have so much energy at this hour? “You guys seriously missed out.”
“I’m sure you’ll tell us all about it,” Jenkto said with a roll of her pale blue eyes, though the smile she bore for him was an affectionate one. “Did you get what I asked for?”
“We made over five hundred,” Jerome announced proudly. He skipped over to her, slapping a thick wad of cash into her expecting palm, then pulled out one of the T-shirts he’d nicked. “I also snagged this for you.”
“Oh, goodie, I’ve been needing new clothes.” It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or not.
Despite being older than him, Jenkto was shorter than Jerome. She looked incredible, as always, her stance exuding a confidence Rose envied. Like Macklass, Jenkto was fair and lovely. Half her purple hair was combed to one side, with the other half in rows of braids. Her nails flashed a shimmering lilac as she took the shirt from him. It would go nicely with her dark, punk aesthetic.
Macklass cleared his throat. “I’ll be taking Rose home, before she makes a bed out of our floor.”
Rose shot him a petulant look, and he smiled letting her know he was only joking.
“Actually, Hadwin will be taking her home tonight,” Jenkto spoke up. “Macklass, there’s something we need to discuss.”
This announcement disappointed Rose, and Macklass, if the slump in his shoulders was any indication. However, he gave his sister a silent nod, then looked to Rose. “Have a good night, then.”
Rose nodded, offering him a smile. “I’ll message you when I’m home.”
Macklass inclined his head, then tossed the keys to Hadwin who caught them. “Make sure she gets home safe, and don’t hit anything.”
“You have my word,” then with a smile he added, “little brother.”
Macklass shot him a pointed look before leaving the room with Jerome and Jenkto. Rose watched them leave, trying to ignore the pang of hurt she felt that Jenkto hadn’t even acknowledged her presence. She slumped back into the passenger seat and buckled in while Hadwin took position in the driver seat.
“Mind guiding me?” he asked as he backed out of the garage.
Rose nodded. “That’s why I’m the navigator.”
Hadwin was the largest of his siblings, tall and muscular, with copper skin and dirty blonde hair. He was also the only one who seemed capable of growing facial hair, with thin sideburns joining into a goatee at his chin. It had taken a while at first before Rose was comfortable enough to be alone with him. Something she felt badly about, once she learned he was the most easy-going out of all of them.
In between Rose giving Hadwin directions, he chatted her up with small talk. He wasn’t a chatter box like Jerome, but he also didn’t prefer the silence like Macklass. He asked her how the concert went, if anything noteworthy happened, and if they’d managed to keep Jerome from accidentally burning the place down.
“I still remember that last place you guys hit up,” he recalled, stroking his goatee. “It was in…”
“An old lumber mill,” Rose provided, cringing at the memory.
The place had been a fire hazard to begin with… Several people were hospitalized, but thankfully no one was killed, and the fire department was able to get it under control fairly quickly. Jenkto had yelled at Jerome for nearly exposing them. Hadwin had yelled at him for not keeping his magic in check. But Macklass intensely scolded him for not only endangering himself and Rose, but also innocent bystanders.
“Right, right.” There was a long pause before he spoke again. “So, I know it’s none of my business, but… I want to say I appreciate… well…”
Rose glanced over at Hadwin, who looked incredibly awkward. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, just, it’s nice to see my brother in such good spirits. Macklass I mean. I probably don’t need to tell you this but he’s never been the most cheerful of the family, but… I think he really enjoys having you around. We all do.”
“I should hope so,” Rose said, laughing lightly. “I enjoy being around you guys too. Never a dull moment.”
He snickered, then he let out a slow sigh. “It never is with those kids.”
“Must be tough, being an older brother,” she surmised. Especially when their eldest brother was missing.
“More than you know,” he said softly. “I just… more than anything, I just want them to be safe, and happy if possible.”
Rose smiled. “Well, just my ‘humble onion’, but I’d say you’re doing a great job so far.”
He chuckled at her use of a Tradespeak idiom. “‘An onion a day keeps the doctor away.’”
“An apple,” she corrected.
“I thought apples were bad, they ‘spoil the bunch’ and whatnot.”
“No, that’s…” Rose shook her head, refraining from laughing. “Don’t worry abo
ut it.” She always enjoyed these conversations with him.
Hadwin dropped her off in front of her house, bidding her a goodnight and driving off. Rose stood on the sidewalk, looking up at her house. Anyone else would think it was your average home in your average suburban neighborhood. Rose knew better. Hell lived inside that house.
Rose took a deep breath, mentally steeling herself. She snuck inside, creeping up the stairs, stepping over the ones that squeaked. Once she successfully made it to her room, she quietly locked the door behind her. She managed to keep her eyes open long enough to send Macklass a text, shamble over to the bed, and bury herself in blankets. Within moments, she was sound asleep.
Chapter 2
The alarm was going off, but it wasn’t where it was supposed to be. About fifteen minutes prior, Rose had rolled over and slapped the snooze button, not ready to wake up and face the day. It went off again, and when she reached for it, it was gone from the bedside table.
Reluctantly, Rose sat up, grousing at having to leave the warmth of her blankets. The morning autumn chill was there to greet her. Glancing around the room, she spotted it. The little black box was precariously perched atop her slightly ajar bedroom door. With a sigh, she got out of bed to retrieve the alarm clock that was still screeching away.
As she reached up for it, the door slammed shut of its own accord. Rose jumped at the sound and the clock fell to the floor. The screeching died instantly as the back popped open upon impact, sending the batteries flying. Rose heaved another short sigh. Yep, just another day.
Picking up the pieces of the alarm clock, she tossed them on her bed and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. She did the usual morning routine; showering, brushing her teeth, and combing her hair. Wrapped in a towel, she went to her closet to pick out something to wear, only to find her clothes pulled from their hangers and piled on the floor of the closet. Rose made a noise of irritation.
“Kyan...” She uttered the name like a curse.
Ignoring the mess, Rose grabbed a shirt, a pair of jeans, and a brown hooded jacket to wear. The shirt in question was a Goosebumps shirt, which was gray and notably faded after three years of wear. It didn’t have holes in it though, and it still fit comfortably, and that was good enough for her.
She checked herself in the mirror, seeing bruising at the base of her neck and on her right arm. Even after a week, they still hadn’t faded completely. She pulled off the shirt and slipped on a thin, long-sleeved turtleneck underneath it. Perfect. She pulled on the brown hoodie to complete the ensemble.
As she was tying her shoes, her eyes caught sight of the glass cat statue on her dresser. It was a hideous thing, really. Its eyes were too large, its neck too long, and it was bathed in enough colors to make it look more like a peacock than a cat.
Aside from her miniature library of books and movies, it was the most important thing in that room. Probably the last remaining possession from her birth father, who left when she was still a baby. One year, while in the process of moving, her mother had been tossing out his things. Rose had rescued the cat from the purge, keeping it for herself.
After all these years, her mother didn’t seem to take notice of it, much like she didn’t seem to take notice of her own daughter. It was proof that, at one point in time, her father existed, and she liked to imagine that he loved her. She even liked to imagine that he had left it behind for her specifically. She’d probably never know for sure, because she was forbidden to even mention him around her mother.
Gingerly, she picked it up, feeling the cool, smooth glass against her skin, then gave the top of its head a small kiss. She placed the cat back on her dresser with care. Then, grabbing her backpack, she slung it over her shoulder and made her way downstairs to the kitchen area.
Her mom was sitting at the table, deep in conversation on her phone, bowl of oatmeal untouched save for the spoonful she was gesturing with. As Rose stepped into the kitchen, her mother’s body shifted in her chair so that she was effectively facing away from Rose. This wasn’t anything new. Her mother had been perfecting the art of avoiding looking at her daughter for nearly a decade now.
Shuffling around the kitchen in search of a quick breakfast, Rose found some bagels that had only just started molding. She picked off the gross bits and popped the bagel in the toaster. Rose then went to the fridge to check and see if there was any cream cheese left. The moment she pulled the door open, an egg fell out and splattered onto the floor. She groaned.
Before she could continue her schmear search, a blaring horn honked incessantly from outside. If only she had the choice to ignore it. Slamming the fridge door shut, she cleaned the egg off the floor and snatched the slightly charred bagel from the toaster.
As she headed to the door, she called out in a scripted voice, “Love you, mom.”
Her mom gave a short wave in answer. Or maybe it was more of a shooing motion. Either way, it was more than what Rose usually got.
Sure enough, Chad, her mom’s boyfriend, was waiting for her, lounging in the driver’s seat of a horrendous metal beast he called a truck. He might’ve been decent looking, if it weren’t for the pornstache and hair that was veering dangerously close to mullet status. Working on cars kept him in decent shape, but he always smelled of grease and tobacco. If only people could see the monster hiding behind the smile he was always sporting. The one solace she had was that after taking her to school today, Chad was scheduled to go on a week-long trip with his buddies, so at least she would be spared his presence for a few days.
Grudgingly, she walked over to where he was parked and reached for the back door. The car lurched forward and Rose snatched her hand back. She shot a glare at Chad who wasn’t even looking at her, but she could imagine the stupid grin on his stupid face. After a few moments she opened the door and moved to get in. The truck reversed this time, and she wasn’t quick enough to get out of the way as the open door slammed into her, knocking her down onto the sidewalk. Her chin painfully scraped the cement, but Rose caught herself enough to avoid any more damage. Chad wasn’t usually this public about it. Maybe he was trying to make up for the time he’d be away.
Picking herself up off the sidewalk, she tossed her bag in the back seat before climbing in as quickly as she could and slamming the door shut. Chad didn’t so much as acknowledge her existence as the truck leapt forward, pressing Rose back into her seat.
Her fingers brushed over her chin and a smear of fresh blood painted the tips. With a silent curse she dabbed at the stinging area with her sleeve. The brown would hide the dried blood. And, hey, at least, if on the off chance anyone should be bothered to ask, this time she could use the excuse ‘I fell down’ with absolute sincerity.
Rose leaned towards the window, watching the streak of houses and gardens steadily give way to business buildings and restaurants. The city itself was nice enough. It was decently spread out, not too industrial, and it had a good balance of all four seasons. Though Autumn had worn out its welcome weeks ago, having come early this year. Most of the trees had already surrendered their leaves, leaving them bare and skeletal.
A part of her, a very small part that wanted to cling to the familiar, was going to miss the place. However, the stronger part of her could not wait to get the hell out of this world. Away from her mom, away from Chad, away from that place she couldn’t even bring herself to call ‘home’.
Her first step was to eventually make her way back to the other world. After that, there was so much to discover. The idea was both daunting and thrilling all at once.
Chad’s truck screeched to a stop at a red light and Rose’s body jerked against the seat belt and her head hit the headrest in recoil.
As she attempted to readjust in her seat, something caught her eye. A short-looking man was wandering around the outside of one of the buildings. It was completely covered in tarping, as though there was fumigation going on. Curious, she watched as the man lifted one of the tarps, revealing a brick wall. Rose’s eyes widened
as the man walked right through the wall and vanished from sight, the tarp settling back into place.
Rose's heart leapt in excitement. Magic. It had to be. She tried to get a better look, but the truck pulled forward and the building was soon out of sight. She made a mental note of the cross streets.
By the time Chad pulled up to the school, the warning bell rang out and students began flooding into the building to make it to class on time.
“Thank you,” Rose murmured and quickly got out of the truck.
She heard him reply, “A ‘thanks’ is the least you can do.” Then he drove off, disappearing around the corner.
Jerk. Rose sighed in relief, feeling safer now that he was gone.
A breeze blew in, which wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t a negative degree wind chill. Rose curled into herself, hunching against the biting wind, keeping her hands firmly tucked in her pockets. As she walked, she couldn’t help but think back on what she’d seen earlier. A man who walked through solid brick. Undoubtedly, he was from the other side. If that was true, if it wasn’t just wishful thinking on her part…
To hell with school. She needed to go investigate. She could always forge an excuse note from her mom later.
Mind made up, Rose glanced around, seeing nobody save for the crossing guard who was heading inside, paying her no mind. Pulling her hood up, Rose crossed the street and started her trek away from school.
She backtracked to the cross streets nearest to the building. It wasn’t difficult to find. Even without the tarping, the structure appeared oddly out of place between the more corporate looking buildings on either side of it. It looked older, condemned, and she had to wonder why it hadn’t been demolished.
Rose glanced around, checking for anyone watching. There were a few people here and there. Most of them either focused on where they were going, or fixated on their phones. Turning back to the building, she went over to the area where she saw the man disappear.
Pulling back the tarp, she saw a very solid looking brick wall. Rose licked her lips, her heart pounding in excitement at the thought of returning to that place, of experiencing its wonders again. She knew it couldn’t possibly be that easy. However, there was still that fanciful part of her brain that wished otherwise. What was the harm in trying? So, taking a breath, she reached out to touch the wall.
