The Eugenides Project

Chapter 1

It was a spring night gone bad. Cold with scattered thunderstorms. Erina, tired from a very fake social gathering walked wearily in the rain, a black umbrella held above her head. She eventually reached a picturesque boutique. In the window was a puffy light pink dress with a white bow down the horizontal center. She looked at it, and then down at her own formal, long, silk black dress. It would be nice to wear color once in a while. She shook the thought out of her head and walked to the door that had a closed sign clearly labeled on it. She pulled a hair pin from her hair and easily picked the lock. Ting, the bell sounded as she walked in. She waited a few seconds, silence. Must be upstairs, she thought to herself. As quietly as she could, Erina walked up the spiraling wooden stairs. As she reached the last step she saw a man with some headphones in his ears, working on white ball gown. A bright flash of lightening spread across the sky and made him jump. Then the lights were out. As he turned around, he jumped again when he saw Erina.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you. It's been a while Kaizer."

He looked confused at first, then his face lit up, in a dark way.

"God in heaven, it's Erina isn't it?" He looked around for a moment. Then asked,

"Where's Gina ?"

"Away." Erina replied.

"I'm not getting involved in your game. I quit a two years ago. I'm not coming back. This boutique is all I need."

Erina looked at him desperately, "We need you! It hasn't been as much fun without you anyway."

"I don't care." he replied indignantly.

"At least listen to the report, it might interest you. Otherwise I wouldn't have come." I pulled out a manila envelope with the word Confidential strewn across it in bold red letters. Hesitantly, I handed it to him.

"Don't be angry, think it through." I advised him.

Guardedly, he took the folder and flipped through the contents. The thunder played its cacophony tune as I stood nervously waiting for the reaction I knew would come. 3..2...1...0...-1

"WHAT!"

Close enough.

"Don't be angry," I reminded him, knowing it was a futile attempt. I would be angry if I was him too.

"Erina! You said Gina was away, not DEAD."

"It wasn't a lie," I retorted back. "And read carefully, she's only presumed dead."

"If this is a report coming directly from IRIS, she as good as dead!" He scolded.
"That why I want you to come with me. Let's go to Italy and search."

"Wait," he said suspiciously, "If you want me to go to Italy with you…that means you think-"

"She's alive," I finished.

"IRIS is never wrong." He said coldly.

"There's a first time for everything Kai. She's definitely alive. She wouldn't die that easy. Not the Gina I know…come with me. Help me find her."

"There's no way IRIS gave you a grant for this trip." He said.

"It's a secret grant," I replied, "friends in high places and all that."

Kaizer looked down at the ground and didn't answer. This was probably a hard thing to swallow.

"It's what MErina would have wanted," I tried coaxing him.

"Don't you dare tell me what MErina would have wanted. You have no right!" he said angrily.

He was completely right, but I still pushed. There was no time for niceness.

"You know it's true, MErina…gave it her all to save Gina. She knew how much you-"

"Stop there Erina. Don't say anything more or I'll call the police for breaking and entering."

The lights turned on again. I saw his pained face and decided to give up for the night.

"I'll come back within two days time. I can't wait longer than that. Here's my number if you need to contact me."

I looked at him and he said nothing. I turned around and slowly walked down

the stairs. I picked up the umbrella and walked out the door. As I walked

down the road, another flash of lightening struck and I looked back on the

Kaizer's boutique. The lights were off. The power must have gone out again.

This was a bad storm indeed, and it would only get worse with time. Turning

around, I quickly continued to walk down the dark, deserted street.