by Jaymin Eve
Rubbing the steam off the old mirror so I could see my reflection, I grabbed my hair cream and quickly ran it through the damp ends. Then the heat protection. Hair dryer was next. It was one of the few high-quality pieces I owned.
Ten minutes later: long, shiny, loose curls. For how long one never knew, but right now “good hair day” was mine. I never wore much makeup; it was expensive and my mom had always encouraged me to avoid it for as long as possible. So I just swiped on some mascara, liking the way it enhanced the cobalt color of my eyes, and pale lip-gloss. My skin was naturally tanned – olive was how my mom described it. My heritage was Caribbean on my father’s side, and Australian on my mother’s. She had moved to America with her parents at the age of five, and they never left. My father was third generation, born in America. His grandparents emigrated from Dominica.
My mother’s parents had died before I was born, and my father’s when he was just a child. So I had no grandparents alive, and my parents had been only children. Mom always said small families could be perfect, with more than enough love to make up for lack of numbers.
She was right. It had been perfect.
I shook off the melancholy and forced myself to smile. I had to keep living … even more so because of the fire – I had to live for all of us. Plus, my parents would not want their deaths to steal anything from me. I knew that logically, but it didn’t mean I could just erase my pain.
I was dealing with it. Day by day.
Aware of the weather, I dressed in one of my few pairs of jeans, and a white, long-sleeved, fitted shirt. To finish my outfit, I pulled on a worn-out pair of black Converse that we’d picked up from a thrift shop. They were the most comfortable shoes ever, and until they literally fell off my feet I would not give them up.
Stepping into the living area, I took a second to pay attention to the view outside the double front windows. Someone had opened the old blinds and I could see straight out into the street. Daelight Crescent. Even the name was oddly mystical.
Movement across the other side of the road caught my eye. One of the gates was opening. The house behind it looked straight out of European royalty. A castle, for sure. There was no other explanation for such opulence and beauty. The glimpse I caught was brief: some towering turrets, cream and stone accents, a huge drive, and enough landscaped gardens to keep a team of gardeners busy year-round. A low, sleek car emerged, distracting me. The vehicle was dark, like a rich deep purple or burgundy. It rumbled, intensely powerful, as it slowly glided onto the road. I didn’t recognize the make or model, but it was clearly expensive. The engine purring with just enough grunt that I had no doubt it was going to be fast.
I shifted forward, wanting to catch a glimpse of the occupants. But the tint was so dark I saw nothing but a large shadow. Actually two. It was possible someone was in the passenger seat. I realized then that just because I couldn’t see them, that didn’t mean they couldn’t see me. We had no tint on our windows, and if they glanced across to my side of the street they’d have a full view of me gawking like a weirdo. Feeling my cheeks heat up, I sank down into the old couch, hiding myself. After waiting a few moments, I was just poking my head up to check if they were gone when—
“What ya doing?” Michael’s voice was close by. He’d crept around the couch and popped up beside me.
I might have let out a bit of a shriek, almost falling face-first off the chair. “Holy heck, don’t sneak up on me!”
He let out a loud laugh, shaking his head. He was still laughing as he took off down the hall again, back in the direction of his room. If it was possible, my guardian was acting even odder than usual. I dusted off my jeans and quickly followed Michael. I wanted to tell them both that I was going out to explore.
Even though the door to their bedroom was wide open, I hesitated just outside. We were still getting to know each other, so there was a certain awkwardness in invading each others’ privacy. I watched as Sara neatly unpacked their things; Michael was trying to fix the cupboard door that was hanging from one hinge. He wasn’t really one for carpentry talent, but he always had a go.
Sara finally noticed me hovering in the doorway. “Hey, Em. Everything okay?” She pushed back her mess of curls. Dust was scraped across her forehead, dark circles under her eyes.
I nodded, forcing that smile again. “Yeah, I’m all unpacked, so I was just thinking about heading out and exploring Astoria. I’d love to see the town.”
Sara finished folding the last shirt and closed the drawer. She was a little OCD with clothes, color and style coordinating. Michael was a mess; if clothes were left up to him, everything would be thrown into a pile in the corner.
“That’s a great idea,” she said. “It looked so beautiful when we drove through last night. I’ll have to find some time to explore too.” She glanced at her husband. “I’m still trying to get Michael to tell me how we ended up in this town, and especially how we lucked out renting on a gated street. I feel so much better about leaving you alone knowing there’s security here, but sometimes when things are too good to be true…” She trailed off, and we all knew what she was thinking.
Michael brushed a hand through his thinning red hair, shooting a smile at Sara. “Like I said, I was chasing up on some reports of weird happenings, energy surges, bright lights, disappearances – the usual things. Astoria has never been on my radar before, and then suddenly I’m inundated with countless news articles from here, some of them dating back at least a hundred years. I have no idea why this area never came up before. I’ve made that same search numerous times on the dark web, but this time there was all of this new information.”
He pushed the cupboard door closed. It was straight for about five seconds before a creak had it lurching back on one hinge. With a curse, he turned his back on the door and faced us. “So I started searching for rentals here, and strangely enough, there was nothing but this one place in our price range. It was a private rental. We got accepted without any fuss, over the phone. Kind of felt a lot like fate.”
Fate. That was a funny way to think about it. I mean, the way he explained it did really seem as if someone wanted us to come here … but that would be stupid. I refused to buy into their theories. No one knew about the Finnegans. They were nomads. Ghosts. They never planted roots, got jobs, or did anything that established them in a town – in and out, leaving very little trail behind.
No one would have lured them here. There was no reason at all for that to happen.
Since Sara and Michael were exchanging their “conspiracy theory” face, I knew they were about to hit their research again, so I bade them one last goodbye before heading to the front door.
“Don’t forget to grab your door key and security card, Emma,” Michael yelled after me. “They’re quite strict in checking you’re allowed in here. I passed at least five guards this morning on my way to get food.”
Geez, five guards … overkill much? I grabbed my wallet from my room before making my way to the kitchen to pick up the card and key sitting on the bench. It all went into my pocket.
Cool breezes wrapped around me as I stepped out onto the cement porch and made my way down the couple of stairs. Even though I told myself not to stare, I still had to check out the houses across the street.
The road we had driven in on was at least twice the size of a normal residential street. There was an actual dotted white line right down the center, dividing our side of the street from theirs.
The guard last night had been pretty blunt in his warning to stay on our side, which only made my urge to run across and touch the forbidden side that much stronger. Of course, I wasn’t five, so I managed to restrain myself, all the while feeling a tad annoyed that there was any need for such a divide. Sure, they were rich, probably famous, judging by the ten-foot-high fences, but we were all people. Different but the same. Money shouldn’t make anyone think they were better than anyone else.
Of course, I’d love to have more than thirty-five bucks to my name. A
few new pairs of shoes. Maybe a car so I didn’t have to walk everywhere. But I was aware that the things I valued most in the world could not be bought with money. Which meant, for me, it was not worth chasing.
Shivering in the cool air, I took off at a brisk walk and it still took me ten minutes to reach the front gate. I wasn’t stopped by anyone; the street remained empty and quiet. The same guard from last night was waiting in a small booth. In the cloudy light I could see that he was probably only a few years older than me – very handsome, a few inches taller than my five foot eight, and built like a linebacker. Pretty standard for security nowadays. His midnight-dark skin was clear and beautiful, and I had instant envy. My skin was pretty easy to handle for a teen, but was still known to break out on occasion.
“Where are you heading?” he asked, handing my card back after he’d logged me into the system. “A bus rolls by in about fifteen minutes. Pulls up on that corner.” He pointed to the right, down a fairly deserted-looking road. “If you use your Daelight Crescent card, you’ll get free transport around.”
Wow, that was a double bonus. “Awesome.” I beamed an actual genuine smile. “Thanks for the info. I’m really just hoping to explore the town. Maybe check out the school. I’ll be starting there next week.”
Summer break finished up late-August, so early next week I’d be starting my senior year, and I was nervous. Then, once I got through the new school thing, I’d have to deal with my birthday. I was turning eighteen on the fifteenth of September, so I had a lot going on.
“Are you heading to Astoria Highschool? Or Starslight Prep?” he asked, the odd dark gray of his eyes standing out starkly against all of that lovely skin.
“Starslight Prep,” I said without hesitation. “It was the only one that offered me a scholarship, and I needed…”
I trailed off not wanting to advise him of our current financial situation. I might not care about money, but most people did. Most people judged. He didn’t seem to though; his expression didn’t change. I actually couldn’t get a read on his thoughts at all, which was somewhat relieving.
Just when the silence got awkward, and I was about to wave and head for the bus stop, he gave me a bright smile. “Starslight is a great school. You don’t have to worry. They only offer scholarships to students worthy of attending. It’s one of the most exclusive schools in the country, and graduating from there you’ll have no trouble getting into college.”
Another bonus. They were adding up fast this morning. The only way I was going to college was with multiple scholarships and financial aid, so maybe this new school would have some programs or contacts to help with that. Returning his smile, I nodded and half-turned.
“Well, thanks again…” I paused, waiting for him to fill in the blank of his name.
“Ace,” he said with a wink. “You can call me Ace.”
“Cool name,” I replied, waving and starting across in the direction of the bus stop. I turned back briefly as he called after me: “Take care out there, Emma. Not everything in Astoria is as safe as Daelight Crescent.”
I briefly locked eyes with him before marching away. How had he known my name? I definitely hadn’t told him it. Must have been attached to the card or something. I pulled it free for a second and had a look, but it just said “Resident of Daelight Crescent,” with a barcode to scan. No name.
Maybe it was logged in the computer. I refused to believe there was anything supernatural going on here. Sara and Michael were the only ones living in a fantasy world.
I stood on the corner for a few minutes before a white bus rolled up. Ace had been right about the card thing; I barely even flashed it before I was waved on. It was empty, so I had my pick of seats. I chose one about halfway, right against the window so I wouldn’t miss any of the scenery.
Astoria was just as pretty as it had been last night. Prettier actually, even in the dull, cloudy-day light. Ocean on one side, forests on the other, I felt as if I’d stumbled on fabled faerie lands; surely there was no place on Earth as stunning as this. The houses even seemed storybook-like – cute cottages, sprawling beach abodes. The bus stopped a few times, three people got on, but none sat near me.
Which was fine by me. I was in town-watching mode, not small-talk-with-strangers mode. All too soon the bus entered the “main street.” Well, at least according to the driver, who was randomly shouting out information on the town. Seemed we might have been in the historic section, which was why I chose to exit here. As good a place as any to start exploring.
I spent the next few hours strolling around, window shopping, observing the many people who were busy living their lives. They were so happy here, always smiling at me. I didn’t trust it; it was bizarre. But at least the scenery was stunning. Early afternoon, I made my way back to the bus pick-up. A different driver this time, a gray-haired woman who looked pretty close to retirement age. Again my card was just glanced at and I was waved on board. There were half a dozen or so passengers seated now, so I plonked down in a free chair near the back, in front of a blond girl who looked my age.
Slumping back into the soft seats – this bus was surprisingly nice – I briefly closed my eyes. I was tired again, despite my decent sleep last night.
“Are you new here?”
I jolted, eyes flying open as I shifted around in my seat to face the blond girl. She had leaned forward and I found myself staring into startling green eyes. If they were real, they were absolutely stunning. From what I could see, she was tall and thin, her features narrow, face angular. Not exactly pretty, but with the interesting look of a model. “I’ve never seen you on the bus before,” she continued on, cheerfully chatting, “and I ride it almost every day.”
I pushed back some of my wayward hair, swallowing hard. It was immediately obvious she was ultra-confident, which somehow always made me feel extra-introverted. Finally I found my voice. “Yeah, we just moved here yesterday. I was exploring the town.”
She chuckled, revealing slightly-crooked white teeth. “Not much to see. Lived here my entire life, and let me tell you, this is one boring-ass town.” She held her hand out to me. “I’m Cara. It’s great to meet you.”
I shook gently, then pulled my hand back to rest on my lap. “Emma. It’s really nice to meet you too.”
She seemed genuine and friendly, someone I would have enjoyed hanging out with in my old life. After my parents died I lost contact with most of my friends. They tried to stay in touch, but I was so broken, and after a while they just couldn’t deal. I never blamed them. I was depressed being around myself. They at least had the chance to leave.
I knew I needed to put some effort into life again, to make friends. It would be nice to know someone before I started school. Hopefully she was going to the same one as me.
Just as I decided to ask her, she said, “So what school are you going to? I’m at Stars High, senior year.”
“I’m going to Starslight too. Senior also.” I paused briefly. “I’m extra glad now to meet you. Starting a new school in senior year was not in my ten-year plan.”
Cara winked at me. “Don’t stress, I’ll show you the ropes. I’m not at the popular table or anything – none of us mortals are – but there are some nice people who go there. One or two.”
That wasn’t exactly promising. Cara pulled out a cell then, the case all shiny and pink; the screen lit up. “What’s your number? We should hang out over the next few days, when I’m not working, that is.”
Right, cell phone. Something most teenagers had. “I actually don’t have a phone. And since we literally just moved here last night, there’s no house phone either. If you write your number down, I’ll text as soon as I can.”
Maybe Sara and Michael had some money in the budget for a cheap cell. Wouldn’t hurt to ask. Or it might even be time for me to search out a part-time job. Cara’s eyes widened, as if she couldn’t even understand what I was saying.
“Girl, how do you possibly survive without a phone? I live on the ‘Gram and
Snapchat. Every moment is a photo-op, you know?”
I nodded, but I really didn’t know. What the heck was a Snapchat? The bus was nearing my stop, so I started to shift forward in my seat, scrambling around to find a piece of paper. “Do you have a pen?” I said, pulling out a receipt from my pocket. My key and card came out too. Just as I was about to shove them back in, Cara reached across and plucked the security card from my hand.
“Where did you get this?” she said, sounding absolutely astonished. “Do you know how much trouble you can get into for stealing one of the elite’s cards? A Daelight card?”
I blinked a few times before reaching out and taking my card back and shoving it into my pocket. “It’s my card. I didn’t steal anything. I live on Daelight Crescent. That’s my security pass.”
She was staring at me really weirdly now, eyes narrowed, lips pursed. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking, if she believed me or not, but there was no time to find out. My stop was next, so I pulled the cord and the bus slowed just before the large security gates.
Cara still seemed to be in shock; definitely no condition to be exchanging numbers, so I just gave her a rueful smile and hopped off. So much for making a friend. Clearly the fact that I lived on Daelight Crescent had freaked the blond girl out. Another odd thing to add to my experience in Astoria.
Stepping up to the gates, I squished down my unease. I’d forgotten how imposing the barriers were until I was standing before them. Like seriously, I was pretty sure Buckingham Palace had smaller fences around it. Ace was no longer manning the security booth. Another hulking man had taken his place, one with a mess of dark curls that hung over his ears, and steely blue eyes. He gave me the creeps as he took an exceptionally long time looking over my card, and then staring at my face.
