Chapter #5Aloof Ethan by: Unknown I lay back against the park bench; the wood creaking in mild protest was the only sound to be heard. The lights of the city could be seen over the treetops, though being in the middle of this huge park still gave the impression of being far away from society. The building's looked small and insignificant from this distance, and this off track location was one the people seldom found. I knew that well, which was why I came here. Being alone every once in a while helped me to forget the stresses of school and the like. The night sky looked so beautiful, a thing left untouched and forever silent. Being here was calming and a regular activity for me, it helped to get away from all the pressures of society and I'd often sit for hours here.
I leant back further, laying my head on the top of the bench to crane my neck at the sky. The cool night air didn't affect me as much with the padding this jacket provides. The leather doing a good job at keeping my body heat in. It didn't do much against rain though, and apparently there was going to be a lot of that tonight. I first felt the few droplets hit my face making me groan. I pulled myself forward and too my feet, starting to jog as the rain began to pelt down. I tried to cover my head as the rain continued to get heavier, chilling me to the core within minutes. Even then I had barely come to the edge of the park, which was one downside. I needed to get out of this rain, and fast.
As I got out onto the street I began to follow the path home, but as I crossed the street from the park the rain took on a new intensity that made it downright dangerous to continue. Cars spewed fountains of water onto the sidewalk and the streetlights barely illuminated anything throughout the rain. Where had all this come from? The weather man said it'd be a light shower... just another reason for him to be fired. The closest building had only one light in front of it, a small old lamppost. It looked way to out of date in this city environment, and I'd never seen it here before. Then again, I never really paid attention to the city given how little I'd explored of it in the month I'd been here. I barely knew my way to school and yet the path to this park was more easily remembered, go figure.
It appeared to be open by the dull lights shining through its fogged windows. I was desperate for shelter and it was the closest option, so I jogged up to the door, pushing the door inwards allowing me access. Once inside I closed the door behind me, taking my surroundings in. It seemed like some kind of novelty store, containing sticks of incense and multiple strange looking objects with price tags attached. To be honest it had a rather homely feel and allowed me to relax slightly. The warmth began to seep back into my drenched form, making me sigh before I heard an 'Hm?'
I turned to face the source of the noise and was surprised when I had to look down to find the apparent owner of the store. She was short sure, but with my stature the gap became laughable. She barely reached my midriff, making her crane her neck up at me Her skin was so pale I couldn't be sure if she'd ever seen sunlight! Her clothing looked like something you'd see a strange priest wearing and that pink necklace...
"Hello young man, I see that you came here without thinking to dry yourself first?" She said motioning to the small puddle accumulating around my feet.
"Oh, I'm sorry it's just I-" I tried to explain myself for fear of being thrown back out in this weather, but she silenced me.
"It's no problem; this kind of weather would make anyone seek shelter. Though you are a tall one." She chuckled lightly making me give an uneasy smile. Something was off about this woman. "Would you like anything to drink?"
"I couldn't-"
"Oh hush, you're already standing here. If I found you a bother I wouldn't have asked, nor would you still be in my store." She said as though reading my mind. Somehow I had no trouble believing that she could throw me out without a problem if she wanted to.
"Uh, sure then..." I replied, following her order as she motioned for me to sit. She shuffled out of the room through a beaded doorway which blocked my vision, though I could hear her put a kettle on. The table was covered in a cloth that had multiple strange symbols written across it. I tried to recall any possible sighting of this language, but I'd never seen it before. I didn't get to study it further because I heard the beads part as she shuffled back into the room, two cups in hand. She sat at the opposite end of the table and slid the cup over to me revealing a steaming brown liquid inside.
"It's only hot chocolate; it's not going to bite." She said taking a sip from her own cup. I gave her a listless smile before taking a sip of my own. Nothing special but it did help warm me up more. "What's your name?"
"Ethan." I replied looking over at the grandfather clock.
"So, how long do you plan to stay here? Your company is enjoyable but at the same time I can tell you'll be missed elsewhere." She said keeping her eyes on me. Though I couldn't see them.
"Oh right, I need to get home." I said looking over at the window I found that I'd be waiting a while before the rain calmed down enough to travel home. "Do you have a phone by any chance?"
"Sorry, but I've never had a need for one." She said simply. Maybe she was a bit of a shut in. Well, that seemed to be the only explanation that explained this woman, and even then it was a bit of a stretch. "Hopefully this rain will die down soon, but in case it doesn't I have an idea to pass the time." A thin smile played across her lips making me shift uncomfortably in my chair.
"What is it?" I asked leaning back from the table slightly.
"I'll give you a reading." She said producing a pack of cards from up her sleeves, tarot cards. Though none of which in a style I'd seen before. "I usually charge for this but you seem like an interesting young man so I'll do it for free."
"Sorry but I don't believe in that kind of stuff." I said glancing over the cards as she laid them out, the figures on them were foreign to me and the lettering was in that same language I had yet to identify.
"You don't need to believe. It's only a friendly activity I'm offering to pass the time; and it's a one-time offer young man." She said stopping for a moment.
"Sure then..." I replied shrugging my shoulders, it could be interesting. She smiled again before resuming her shuffling.
"These things have been gathering dust. Good to finally get some use out of them." She sighed before setting them to her side. She fanned five of them from the top and laid them out face down upon the table. I couldn't see them from my angle, but she could. She flipped them over one by one, carefully studying each of them before speaking again.
"A royal shadow is laid over your own, which belongs to the Aloof Hermit. It is never seen nor heard, but that does not mean it is ever truly absent. In you it sees a Kindred soul"
"Well I'm not aloof or a Hermit, I don't exactly live in seclusion." I said motioning to the city outside.
"While that may be true, you still prefer the lonely places where you can be alone with your thoughts. Much as it does. As you see the world with the same mind-set it seeks to be your companion in it." She said reading in a strangely serious tone that made me lean back.
"And how long ago did it notice me?" I asked a tone of obvious scepticism entering my voice.
"...When you moved here a month ago." She said leaning back herself as I nearly fell back off my chair. How in the hell did she know I moved here that long ago? She must have noticed my wide eyed expression judging from the now genuine smile she wore. "Starting to believe now are we?"
"Who exactly are you?" I asked, hoping to god this was some prank, though I knew it wasn't. Was she stalking me? What kind of old lady stalks teenagers?
"No one young man. Just an old lady on her retirement plan." She cut off my train of thought with a slight sigh.
"Wait, you think running a store counts as a retirement?"
"I never was one for sitting around, plus this is much less strenuous than my last line of work." She said scooting off her chair and onto the floor, she approached a small container and picked an umbrella out before walking back to me. "Looks like the rain has died down. Still, don't want you catching cold more than you already have." I was about to object to taking it but she thrust it into my arms. "Take it, you need it more than I do." I took notice of the rain, though it was much more bearable it was still pretty bad so I just nodded.
"Thank you." I said standing up and heading for the door, she seemed nice, but the fact that she knew when I moved here still freaked me out. I decided it was best not to spend any more time here. Though that information about the hermit could have been fake, she seemed genuine with it. I opened the door but hesitated when I saw the rain pounding the streets. The old woman on the other hand was kind enough to shove me out into the rain giving me barely enough time to snap open the umbrella and raise it above my head.
"Now go, destiny stops for none." She said shooing me off before closing the door. I stood there for a few seconds in the chilling air, the rain pounding against the umbrella above my head before turning away. I continued to jog home, hoping it would rid some of the chill. It took me another half an hour to get home with the rain. By then it was past midnight and I unlocked the door with the small key in one of my pockets.
I snuck in, carefully closing the door behind me as I found the house silent. Everyone must be asleep. I crept to the stairs and pulled myself up them slowly until I made it to the hallway which led to my room. I opened the door and found my room, the great view still bringing a grin to my face. After that I fell into bed and into unconsciousness.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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