shadows

1 - 10

This wasn’t a phone call she wanted to make. Green wouldn’t keep herself from expressing her displeasure in complete honesty. Glaring at her dear pupil. She opened the contacts on her phone. Scrolled for the name from the none too short list. Glared again, at her dear pupil. Pushed a thumb on the contact. Lifted the phone to her ear. And sighed as the ringing flowed out from the speaker.

Ralphie was an old friend. The families had ties that went back generations. And with Ralphie and Green born on the same day, merely hours apart, they were destined to grow up together. The family ties tied them too in a knot that couldn’t be undone. And that was fine. Except, Ralphie loved Green dearly. Not romantically, of course. He was eleven when he announced that he was asexual. And it fell upon his many brothers and sisters and cousins to continue the lineage. Everyone laughed. A few were worried. The few who understood the eleven year old Ralphie well. And those few were proven right. Much to their displeasure.

It was Green that complicated the old relationship. When she announced at nineteen that she couldn’t bring herself to care for anyone romantically because she had given her heart to Ralphie and he had crushed it when he came out. And now, she had her heart no more. Of course, everyone laughed. A lot more were worried this time. Running their eyes between the two old friends.

The truth wasn’t that simple. And it was known only to Green and Ralphie. Neither of whom had any motivation or intent to reveal it. And the discomfort was entirely Green’s.

“Greenie, honey, you’ve made my day,” Ralphie greeted boisterously answering the phone. “Tell me. How can I make your day?”

“First, can you not be so dramatic every time?” Green asked. Exasperation loud in her voice. “We’re not in a movie.”

“You wouldn’t like that,” Ralphie stated matter of factly. “Stop with the nonsense already. Anything bugging you?”

“Yeah,” Green admitted. “And you can help.”

“Perfect.” Ralphie sounded like he meant it too.

“It’s going to sound strange,” Green started. “So, stick with me. There was an incident in the morning.”

“The ripple,” Ralphie said in the same voice. “Yeah. I felt it. I was quite sure you would feel it too. I was right. You’re intrigued.”

“Yes,” Green agreed. “I am. Intrigued. And more. Are you at work today?”

“Of course,” Ralphie said. “Why?” His curiosity was piqued. His voice sounded closer, like he moved the phone closer to his lips. And the curl of his lips coloured the words as they slipped out. This was him letting his excitement run free.

And Green was all too ready to play ball. “You didn’t feel anything? Just now? Not too long ago? A ripple. At the airport? We are following it. Ray and I. It’s important. I’ll keep you posted. Can you look it up? We’re trying to find the person.”

“I was busy,” Ralphie said. “In a meeting until just now. All morning. We walked out. Had lunch. And your call came in. And you know, I need to be closed when I’m at work, especially in a meeting. Can’t get distracted. You said it was at the airport. You think this person flew out?”

“Yes. We do,” Green admitted. “I hope we are wrong. But I don’t see much chance of that. We are hoping you can tell us where this person flew to.”

“And you’ll follow?” Ralphie asked. Already knowing the answer.

“Of course,” Green said.

-

Ralphie came back with the answer a week later. He plugged the drive to Green’s large screen tv. It was a clip taken from the airport terminal’s cctv.

“Her name is Emilia White,” he said, pausing the video. The young woman’s face filled the screen, with him having zoomed in on her. “She hadn’t come with a plan. Or a destination. She bought a ticket on the earliest flight flying out of the country. First class. Urusula. She bought a travel magazine. Seemed excited about something inside. She was expressive. The other passengers found out it was a small town. I couldn’t get to them. And the air hostesses didn’t get much more. One of them did learn that she, Emilia, is pregnant. And seemed to be of the idea of giving birth in a nice place. Somewhere beautiful. Thus, the small town. At the airport in Urusula, she took a taxi to an inn. She is at the inn as of today. As of right now. But the manager at the inn didn’t think she would be staying long. She seemed to have enjoyed the city enough. Said she would be returning in winter, when the city is its most beautiful under the snow. I got you two tickets to Urusula. The flight’s tomorrow. Morning. I can’t come along.”

“Thank you,” Green said. Meaning it. “I will keep you in the loop.”

“Of course,” Ralphie said. “I am a bandit too now. Got myself dragged in, without room for escape.”

They shared a laugh. Before leaving, Ralphie gave them the tickets and the visa. He had taken care of everything. And an envelope. With the picture of Emilia’s face inside.

-

Two days later, Green and Ray were at the inn. Sitting inside the manager’s office. They were late, after all.

“She left yesterday,” the manager said. He was a nice middle aged man. With a slight bulge of a belly. A receding hairline. Light brown eyes that were almost too expressive, almost too lively. And a voice that was much too pleasant. There was just something unreal about him. It was like a celebrity, a singer, was acting as the manager of the inn temporarily. A part time job. A way to relax, to escape a harsh schedule. “She said she was going to Avian. She took the city tour bus.”

Green thanked the man. And walked out. Ray followed closely.

They had flown first class. And weren’t too tired. Which was good. Because Green’s calm fell as they left the inn. Ray had never seen the expression on Green.

“What is it?” Ray asked, worriedly.

“Avian,” Green said. “You don’t know the town, do you?”

“I think I do,” Ray answered slowly. “It’s one of the old circles. Popular among the purists. Something about these places being closest to the origin. What else?”

“That’s common knowledge,” Green said. “Yes. You would know that. But that’s not what concerns us. The town is also home to others like us. Shuuto. Those with the more radical ideas.”

Ray’s face fell too. Horror replacing all else. She understood now. Why Green was so, animated. “We are not too late. Right?”

“Let’s hope not,” Green said.

They couldn’t wait for the city tour bus. They rushed to inn’s travel desk. Reserved a car for the day. To drive them to Avian.

A half hour later, they were racing down the scenic expressway to Avian. Neither caring enough for the beauty outside the window.