Bell, Book, and Sandals

by Melissa L. Webb

  I stood outside the old brick building and gasped in awe. “Love it” was an understatement. The apartment building looked right out of the pages of a Dickens’ novel. It held grandeur in every pore as only classic British architecture could. I expected a street urchin to run by any moment, asking if I could spare a ha’penny or two.

  “Welcome to Enchantment Cove. The first stop to the rest of your life,” Van said as she closed her car door, staring up at the building with as much awe as I.

  “It is very enchanting,” I said, thinking even that word couldn’t come close to what it really was.

  She shrugged and headed past me, motioning me to follow. “There is something very special about this place. I love it here,” she told me as she used the keypad to let us in. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

  We crossed through the lobby. It looked exactly like a 20’s hotel inside. Plush red velvet lined everything and the matching red carpet sunk luxuriously under my feet. I wanted to linger here, plop myself down on one of the couches and never leave, but Van kept moving.

  I followed her down a long hallway filled with apartment doors. There were more apartments in this building than I thought would be. The doors were practically on top of each other. They must have been tiny on the inside. I suddenly had second thoughts about this. I know I was making a new start and all, but I don’t think I could survive in a bedroom the size of a closet.

  “We’re on the top floor. The elevator’s back here,” she said, pointing down the hall.

  A door opened loudly on my left. The creak of the hinges was loud enough to make a deaf man go crazy. “Hey, Van,” a masculine voice said.

  I turned to look. Leaning against the doorframe was one heck of a cutie. Shaggy dark brown hair, dark smoldering eyes. Possibly Native American. If he was, he defiantly made me glad Columbus had discovered this continent. Unfortunately, he only seemed to have eyes for the brunette beside to me.

  “Hey, Danny,” Van cooed.

  He grinned at her, then turned, sizing me up. “Is this her?”

  She glanced over at me. “Yes, this is my new roommate,” she said quickly.

  I arched an eyebrow at her. New roommate? I know I agreed to see the place, but…really, I hadn’t signed on for anything yet. Why did she seem so sure?

  He stepped forward, offering his hand with a smile. “Hi, I’m Daniel Blackhawk,” he said as he shook my hand.

  Blackhawk? Defiantly Native American. I returned the smile. “Hi, I’m Maxie. Maxie Duncan.”

  “Well, Maxie, Maxie Duncan. It was a pleasure to meet you,” he said before stepping back to his apartment door. He turned and looked at Van, a twinkle in his eyes. “You’re right,” he said, slipping back into his apartment.

  I turned around and looked at my new friend, confused by the conversation they just had. “What was that?” I asked as we headed down the hall.

  She threw me a hurried glance over her shoulder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said as we reached the elevator.

  It was one of those old cage types, one where you could see everything going on around you as you rode in it. She pulled the first screen door and reached for the second. I stopped her, turning her focus to me.

  “Why did he act like he knew you were bringing me here?”

  Van shrugged. “I told him I was looking for a new roommate. He probably figured your one of the candidates.”

  “Oh,” I said as she opened the second gate and entered the elevator. I followed her in, pondering what she had said. It made sense, so why was something bothering me about it? I felt like I was outside of an inside joke. Either that or I was having a bad blonde moment. Knowing me, it was probably the latter. I shrugged it off as best as I could. It was time to see what my future looked like.

  Van shut the gates, pushing the button for the seventh floor. I leaned back, watching the floor drop away from us as we ascended in the rickety, old cage. I watched as floors crept by, hallways revealing more tiny apartments. Once again, I was beginning to question my destiny. It couldn’t really want me to live in a closet, could it?

  As the fifth floor came into view, a small gasp escaped my lips. A black figure, no more corporal than a puff of smoke, stared out from the back of the hall at me. Its ruby red eyes glowed with intensity. I blinked, trying to figure out what kind of trick my eyes were playing on me.

  In that instant, the creature was gone. Staring as the cage climbed away, I tried to bring back the image. Had something really been there, or was I only seeing things? I glanced over at Van, who was staring at me with the same intensity the shape had.

  “Did you see something?” she asked, a slight arch to her eyebrow told me curiosity burned inside of her. Great. Now I was sure she was having second thoughts about sharing her apartment. I mean, who wanted a loon for a roommate?

  I shook my head, trying to smooth over any doubts she might have been having. “It was only a trick of the light. It startled me, that’s all.” I smiled reassuringly. “You know how old buildings are.”

  She nodded but didn’t take her eyes off me. “I know how this old building is. You’d be surprised what you might see in these halls.”

  I frowned at her. “Is this place haunted?”

  “It depends on your definition of haunted,” she said with a shrug. “But…this place definitely has spirit. Don’t you, old girl.” She smiled, patting the metal cage gently.

  Now I was the one worrying my new roommate was a loon. Who talks to elevators?

  She smiled again as she turned her eyes towards me. She no doubt felt the hesitation creeping through my body. “Don’t worry. Enchantment Cove is a safe place. For all of us,” she said as the elevator stopped. Pulling open the gates, she stepped out into the hall. “Welcome to the seventh floor.”

  I stepped out, looking around. More hallways, with more tiny apartments. Wonderful.

  Van led me to the end of one of the hallways, slipping a key into the doorknob of the last apartment. “Here we are. Home, sweet home,” she said, pushing the door open and stepping through.

  I followed behind her and did a double take. I couldn’t believe it. I had been expecting a hole-in-the-wall. Instead, I found a palace in its place. Okay, maybe not a palace, but I’ve seen five-star hotel suites smaller than this.

  I quickly inspected the apartment, saving the best for last. I pushed opened the empty bedroom door and looked around. It was huge, complete with its own master bathroom and walk-in closet. It was so much better than the suite I was currently staying in. I turned around and found Van staring at me, knowingly.

  “Well, what do you think?”

  “It’s amazing,” I said, a ridiculous grin plastered on my face. “How can the apartment be this big? There’s no way it should fit up here.”

  She giggled, amused by my shock. “All the apartments are this size. It’s just part of the charms of Enchantment Cove,” she said, stepping into the room. “So, have I sold you yet?”

  “Yes,” I practically squealed. “I’ll take it.”

  She smiled at my excitement. “I thought you might say that.”

  I couldn’t believe it. Finally, something was going right in my life. Who’d have thought destiny actually knew what it was doing?

  Seven