Leading To You

7. Quest for the Elusive Muse

Ethan

"Hey, Ethan, you won't believe what happened last night!" Jayden exclaimed as he approached the table I sat at, in our favorite corner of the school cafeteria. He plopped down in the chair across from me, his eyes shining with excitement.

I looked up from my sketchbook, curious. Jayden had a way of making even the most mundane events sound like epic adventures.

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I'm listening. What's the big news?"

Jayden leaned in, his eyes shining with excitement. "I finally beat that boss in 'Legends of Calarion'! You know the one I've been stuck on for weeks?"

I chuckled. Trust Jayden for such dramatics over video games. "That's awesome, man. I knew you'd conquer it eventually." I say humoring him while patting his back.

Jayden was a very competitive gamer. For Jayden, his victory in the virtual gaming world was a momentous occasion. He was a competitive gamer, and 'Legends of Calarion' was his current obsession. While I appreciated the artistry of video game design, I had other creative outlets that held my attention.

He launched into a detailed account of the epic battle. As Jayden continued to regale me with the epic battle, I couldn't help but think about the dreams and visions that had been haunting my own nights. The encounters with the girl from the Fragment had become more vivid, more frequent. It was as if a door had been opened, and now my subconscious mind couldn't resist stepping through.

"Hey, are you even listening?" Jayden's voice interrupted my thoughts.

I blinked, realizing I'd zoned out during his storytelling. "Sorry, man. Got lost in thought for a moment there."

Jake gave me a questioning look, his brown eyes scrutinizing my face. “You seem to be always distracted lately.”

I just shook my head trying to dismiss what he said. Just then Leila came up to our table and plopped herself in the empty chair.

“Hey guys.” She greets us.

“Why are you late?” Jayden asks and I mentally thanked Leila for the interruption.

“Mrs. Collins wanted to see me. She wanted to discuss the essay I submitted on ‘Role of Literature in Shaping Minds’.” She replied. “Anyways, have you guys heard anything about the new play that opened downtown this weekend? I was planning on going. Anyone wanna join me?”

“I can’t.” I say. “I promised Mom I’d get back home early today.”

“I can go with you. Anyways, I really need a good sleep.” Jayden chimed in with a mischievous smile. I just chuckle while Leila smacks him on his arm.

The seniors were allowed to leave early today as there was a teachers' meeting going on. I headed home while Leila practically dragged Jayden to watch the play while he tried telling her that he was only joking when he said he would go with her.

—--

Back in my room, the blank canvas that once held the promise of my own artistry stared at me from the easel. Lately, my art has taken a backseat as my mind has been preoccupied with the Future Fragments. It's a bittersweet realization—that while my dreams have been hijacked by her existence, they've also been enriched by her presence.

My sketchbook, once filled with ordinary drawings of anything and everything around me, was filled with bits and pieces of her, the girl with the deep blue eyes. I study the sketches as if they hold the key to understanding what all this means. Her eyes, those deep and searching eyes, seemed to beckon me, to pull me closer.

I wanted answers. I wanted to know what connection we have. I decided to try and find out about her. Maybe that will help me take a step further in the right direction.

An hour into it, I sat cross-legged on the floor of my room, surrounded by sketches, notes, and a laptop open to a web browser filled with search results. My room was my sanctuary, a place where I could let my creativity flow freely. But today, it was also my command center, a place where I hoped to unravel the mystery of the girl from my visions.

She had been on my mind ever since that chance encounter in the subway. Her presence had seeped into my thoughts, an enigma I couldn't ignore. The visions of her in the Future Fragments were like fragments of a puzzle, and I was determined to piece them together.

The soft hum of the laptop's fan filled the room as I scrolled through social media profiles, looking for any sign of her. I didn’t have a name, only a face, and Strenmont was a vast city, and finding one person without more information was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

My gaze shifted to the sketches scattered around me. They were depictions of her, each one an attempt to capture the essence of the girl who had become an elusive muse. In my dreams and visions, she was both real and ethereal, a presence that transcended time and space.

I picked up a sketch of her, studying it intently. The details were hazy, like memories of a distant dream. Her deep blue eyes, the curve of her smile, the way her hair fell in loose waves—they were etched in my mind, but the reality was still a blur.

A knock on my bedroom door interrupted my thoughts. It was Mom.

"Hey, Ethan. You’re early today." she asked, pushing the door open and peering inside.

“Yeah, they let us leave early. Something about having a teachers’ meeting”

“What are you doing sitting on the floor? And what is all this mess?” She asked, her gaze took in the state of my room.

I smiled at her. "Just some research, Em. What's up?"

She entered the room and plopped down on the floor beside me, her eyes wide with intrigue. "Research about what? Is it about the girl?"

I nodded. "It's like...trying to find the missing puzzle pieces. The only thing is, there is hardly anything to go by."

I'd told Jake and Sarah about her, hoping they might have some insight, but they'd come up empty-handed. It was clear that if I wanted to find Maya, I needed to take matters into my own hands.

“You’ll find something.” She said, ruffling my hair and I swatted her hand. I hated it when she did that. She just chuckled at my expression. “Do you need any help? Maybe you could use an extra pair of eyes."

“No, it’s okay.” I replied with a smile.

“Okay then. I’ll leave you to it. But remember, you can always ask for my help. No matter what.” She said, getting up.

“I know, Mom. Thank you.”

As she left me alone in the room again, I resumed what I was doing. It was like chasing shadows in a city that held countless secrets.

I was rummaging through the papers scattered around me when I saw a card poking out from underneath my school bag. I lifted it up and on closer inspection realized that it was the card Dr. Callahan gave me. He had told me that I could contact him if I wanted to find out more about Future Fragments.

What if he had answers to some of my questions? What if he can help me? I’ll just give him a call.

The ring went on for sometime and I was about to hang up when the call was picked up.

“Dr. Callahan speaking. Who is this?” the voice on the other side asked.

“Hello, Dr. Callahan. I’m Ethan Altridge. I don’t know if you remember me, we met at ‘Hush cafe’ a few days ago.”

“Ah, Ethan,” he said, recognizing, ”the one who was skipping school that day. How can I help you?”

“Well,” I started, “you said I could give you a call if I had to discuss more about these Future Fragments.”

“What do you wanna know?”

“I have been getting these dreams, these visions about a girl. I don’t know anything about her, but I get this feeling that there is something between us. Something inexplicable but strong. I don’t know how I can explain it.”

“Hmm. How long have you been having these Fragments?” he asked.

“For over a month now. At first I didn’t think much of it. Then, it started being more frequent and I even saw her in the real world.”

There was a pause for some time before I heard his voice again. “Why don’t you meet me in the same cafe? Maybe we can discuss it in person. I’m free now.” He asked.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll be there in 15 minutes.” I said before I hung up.

With a sense of determination and a hint of hope, I decided to head out to meet Dr. Callahan.

“Mom, I’m stepping out for a moment. Will be back soon.” I called out as I grabbed my shoes.

“Where are you going?” she asked from the kitchen.

“To get some coffee. Dr. Callahan said he would meet me there. I’ll talk to you once I get back.” I said, heading out.

“Don’t stay out too late.I’m making dinner. And remember, you have school tomorrow. And all the best.”

-----

The cafe was relatively empty today. Dr. Callahan hadn’t reached yet, so I thought I’ll grab myself a cup of coffee while I wait for him. But I didn’t have to wait long. I saw him enter the cafe, his eyes, searching. I waved at him to get his attention. He passed me a smile before walking up to the counter to place his order and then approached the table I was sitting at.

We shared a handshake before he sat down opposite me.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me.” I said and he just gave a curt nod.

“You’re welcome. So, what did you wanna talk about?” he asked without any preamble.

“I just…” I began “...just wanna know what connection I have with this girl and why she keeps appearing in my dreams.”

“Before that you need to know that Future Fragments hold the key to understanding the intricacies of our existence. Imagine time as a vast tapestry, with each thread representing a possible outcome or path that a person's life could take. Now, Future Fragments are like glimpses into this tapestry, showing us snippets of the various threads and how they weave together. These visions, as you've experienced, are not mere dreams. They are windows into potential futures, shaped by the choices we make in the present."

I remained silent as I took in the information. “So are you saying that this girl, she’s a part of my future? That we could be destined to be in each other’s life?”

“All I’m saying is she could be. As I said, the future is not concrete and these visions are only nudges. What you really end up with will depend on the choices you make.”

“What is causing all of this all of a sudden and why isn’t everyone getting these glimpses?” I asked, trying to understand more.

“Well, we are working on finding out about it.” he paused. “You said you saw her in the real world. Did you talk to her?” he asked, curious.

“Yeah, twice. Once I saw her in this very same cafe. That's why I came here that day, hoping to catch her. Then I saw her at the subway station. We didn’t talk but what I felt in that moment, I don’t think I’ll be able to explain it. It felt like I had finally found a missing piece of myself.”

Dr. Callahan looked deep in thought at the information, for a moment I saw something flash in his eyes. Then he passed me a smile before taking a sip of his coffee.

“I just can't shake the feeling that our paths were destined to cross and will cross again, that these Future Fragments hold the key to our connection, like they're whispers from another dimension," I said while running a hand through my hair. "I saw her on the subway, and it was like we shared a secret, a connection that defied explanation."

Dr. Callahan, his expression thoughtful, nodded in response. "It's fascinating, isn't it? The idea that these fragments of the future can guide us, lead us to unexpected encounters and revelations."

I was about to reply when my heart started beating faster. As if carried on a gentle breeze, a familiar sensation washed over me. It was subtle yet unmistakable—a tingling at the nape of my neck, a heightened awareness that something had shifted in the atmosphere.

I couldn't shake the feeling that she was near. I turned around, a sense of anticipation and excitement filling me.

It’s her.