shadows

1 - 07

“Isn’t this nice?” Emilia thought.

A ripple of warmth.

The magazine almost slipped out of her hands. She might have held on. But she grabbed attention anyway. The gasp of surprise was audible. And her neighbours turned heads her way. This was the airport. This was the waiting area for the passengers of the first class. And it was quiet.

“Sorry.” Emilia apologised. But she was more interested in the magazine than her soon to be fellow passengers. And her disregard neither surprised nor rubbed anyone the wrong way. She looked young. She looked carefree. The magazine she was so engrossed in was a travel magazine. Didn’t take much to guess that she found something very interesting. And since she appeared to be going on a holiday, everyone cared more about what it was she had found.

A boy in his teens sitting behind her got up, lifted himself on his toes, peeped over her head at the book, and found what he was looking for. The answer was Avian. He returned to his seat. And told his mother. His mother didn’t tell anyone, but he had been loud enough. Didn’t take long before everyone had the answer. Avian. Surprisingly, more than half hadn’t even heard the name. Everyone pulled out their phones, and searched the internet. And everyone was satisfied enough. They didn’t need to be detectives to know the young woman was definitely going over to Avian.

Emilia couldn’t care because she had just discovered something amazing. “You can hear my thoughts?” She asked.

A ripple of warmth.

It was as if the world opened a new door for her. A door which awakened her to a whole barrage of impossible possibilities.

“So, we could talk this way?” She thought.

A ripple of warmth.

Her smile was growing like a tree. With no ending in sight.

The air hostess showed her to her seat. This was all very new to her. And if she wasn’t so happy already, she might be excited like a first time traveller. Now, she appeared nonchalant. And she had no idea how much of an effect that had on her fellow passengers. By when she had an inkling, the plane was in the air for a half hour. And the air hostesses were making their rounds, asking passengers if they could get them anything. The younger, and at least in Emilia’s eyes the prettier one of the three, stopped by her.

“Ma’am,” the air hostess said in her practiced pleasantness. “Can I get you anything?”

“Water, please,” Emilia said. And then, “thank you,” when she accepted the glass of water.

The air hostess bowed, so her head was by Emilia’s, and leaned closer. And whispered softly. “Ma’am, are you comfortable? I apologise if I am being presumptuous. You are pregnant, aren’t you?”

Emilia was surprised. She looked down at her stomach, and the hand resting on the stomach. “Am I being obvious?” She asked.

“No,” the air hostess answered. “I think it’s the training. We are taught to observe. So we are able to serve better. Also, my sister is pregnant. In the early days, just after she found out, she was just like you. Glowing. Blissful. And caressing her stomach. If you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate. Give a ring. And I’ll be right over.”

“Thank you.”

The two young women shared a grin that had a conspiratorial note. The exchange wasn’t exactly missed. And everyone who noticed, turned their attention toward Emilia. She was quickly turning into the beacon for the flight.

Seventeen hours was long. By the end, Emilia had learned the name of the air hostess. Layla. The two had become friends. Exchanged contact information. At least the email ids. Emilia promised to share the phone number after she got a new sim. Layla even personally helped Emilia to the door when getting off, not that Emilia needed it. She was just happy to accept her new friend’s help.

She had arrived in Urusula. The winter capital of the world. A nickname earned by the sheer number of tourists who visited Urusula in the winters, when all of the city was covered under snow. Turning it into a fantastical place that was breathtaking. Heavenly even. A long time ago, it was even called the one place that wasn’t to be missed in a lifetime. For missing it was like missing something as great as life-defining.

It was summer now. Urusula was still Urusula. Beautiful. Just not breathtaking. And not as heavenly. And not as busy with tourists. There was still a lot to see. A lot of beauty to enjoy. And Emilia was in no rush.

-

“Do you like it here?” She thought.

A ripple of warmth.

“I like it too,” she thought aloud. She was on the balcony. There wasn’t much to see. The street was quiet. The houses quiet. It was late in the morning. And if Tabby was like everyone else, then they were all probably out at work. And they would be returning soon. At least some of them. Like Tabby.

“I’ll be back for lunch,” Tabby said. “We’ll go out. Your first day here. We must celebrate. And there can be no better celebration than a meal of the food of the gods. No. Even better. Food that the gods would be envious of.”

Emilia didn’t have much to unpack. She had brought along all of her favourites dresses and t shirts. And worn them all in Urusula, until she was satisfied. The only reason she even brought them was because she couldn’t give them away without wearing them one last time. And having done that, she gave them all away. There was a collection bin for salvation in the inn’s lobby. She didn’t even have to go very far.

And so, she arrived in Avian with just the backpack. Inside, the bare necessities. The phone charger. The camera. The camera charger. The laptop. The laptop charger. And the magazine. She hadn’t found an electronic copy of that edition of the magazine. Which was weird. But she had no intention of giving that much thought. Until she did find it, she would keep the physical copy. Maybe, even after. She had already grown affection for the magazine. It seemed to be the guide. It did bring her here.

“This seems like a place we can call home,” she thought.

Nothing.

“Really?” She thought.

A ripple of warmth.

“Something’s wrong?” She thought.

A ripple of warmth.

“Trouble?” She thought.

A ripple of warmth.

“Followed us here? The same one?” She thought.

Nothing.

“New trouble?” She thought.

A ripple of warmth.

“Too much?” She thought.

Nothing.

“Good,” she thought. “As long as it isn’t too big. As long as I can deal with it, without getting you involved.”

A ripple of warmth.

She grinned. And fell quiet, as she saw Tabby turn in from the corner. And the promised divine food for lunch was all she had on her mind.