"Righlyn"
"Righlyn"
I hear the faint sound of my name being called. My eyes slowly open and I'm blinded by the bright summer morning light.
I realize after a moment that there is a faint tapping on my door.
"Righlyn?" I hear a small voice ask. The door opens just enough for him to stick his little head in.
"Hey, buddy. What's wrong, another bad dream?' I ask him
He nods his head and his dark brown curls bounce. He stays put by the door and his eyes stay on the floor.
"Come here "I say pulling back the blanket in an inventaion for him to climb in.
He doesn't hesitate. I give him a moment to get comfortable and settled before I ask him what his dream was about this time. Ever sense our parent's accident last year he has had them at an almost nightly occurrence.
"There was a monster and he hurt mommy and daddy." he tells me as he does he turns to face me pushing his head into my shoulder. I can feel his tears as they soak through my thin shirt.
"Jack, you know that monsters aren't real. We talked about this. Mom and dad had a horrible accident. "I tell him trying to calm him down
"Yes, yes they are real. He bit them and then they died." He says sniffling
I know that trying to talk my seven year old brother out of his theory wasn't going to work at this point in time, so instead I just ran my fingers through his hair and told him it was okay. I knew he was sleep when his crying had stopped and his breathing was calm. I decided to untangle myself from him after about fifteen minutes of laying there. I could hear the sound of pots and pans banging in the kitchen and decided to go see what my aunt and uncle were making for breakfast.
"What's for breakfast?" I asked walking into the kitchen
"I'm making waffles" My uncle tells me using his donkey from Shrek voice
"I'll set the table "I offer laughing heading to the cabinets to grab the plates
"Was that Jack I heard earlier" My aunt asks
"Yeah, he had another nightmare" I tell her
They share a worried look.
"It's just going to take him some time. He knows monsters aren't real." I tell them
"We know honey" Aunt Karen says softly
We lapse into a comfortable silence. Me setting the table, Uncle Charlie making waffles and Aunt Karen making toast. I lose myself in thought for a moment.
Aunt Karen and Uncle Charlie took us in after the accident. Jack and I moved in with them in their house in New Orleans. I don't really remember packing for the 900 plus mile move; I think I was in shock still. I miss Virginia, but honestly I was glad to get Jack away from the memories that would be waiting around every corner.
"The first batch is almost ready" Uncle Charlie tells us
"I'll go get Jack" I tell them heading out of the kitchen
He's almost completely hidden under the blankets all I can see peaking out are a few chocolate curls. I gently nudge him awake.
"Come on, wake up. Uncle Charlie made waffles." I tell him pulling the blankets off of him.
He's out of bed and out the door in seconds making me laugh. I follow him downstairs and sit at the table. There is a waiting stack of waffles. I take two and pour a generous amount of maple syrup on them.
"What are your plans today Righlyn?" Aunt Karen asks
"I thought I'd go and check out the quarter today" I tell her
I notice the look my aunt and uncle share.
"What?" I ask
"Just be careful and be home before dark" My uncle tells me tells me shooting my aunt a look that seems to stop whatever she was about to say.
"I will"
I am showered and dressed and ready to go. I grab my wallet and the keys to my car. The car I had to fight to be able to bring it. It isn't the faintest car , But as it was a gift from my parents I wasn't backing down and after a while they agreed to let me make the journey to New Orleans in it .
I took a moment to set up my GPS so I wouldn't get lost , I knew it was about thirty minutes away and in those thirty minutes I could get myself lost in another state. The drive was pretty uneventful, I only missed one turn. I found a side street and parked and headed towards the row of shops I saw coming in. I was rounding a corner when my phone went off signaling an incoming text from Sarah my best friend back home. I was lost in replying to the text she sent that I didn't see the person coming towards me and by the time I did, my body had already collided with him and my phone went crashing to the ground screen down. Two hands braced my shoulders to keep me from following the same path as my phone.
"Are you alright" a smooth low voice asked
"I'm fine "I tell him bending down to grab my phone, "I can't however say the same for my phone. I suppose that's what I get for not watching where I'm going. I'm sorry." I finish. The screen is shattered.
For the first time I look at him. He's tall with dark hair and chocolate colored eyes. His skin is a pale white. I feel as if all the air as been sucked out of me. I've lost the ability to speak. It took me a moment to realize he's talking to me.
"I'm sorry, what?'
"I said I insist on replacing your phone." he tells me with a smile
"No, that's okay, it was my fault anyway." I manage to stutter out
"Like I said I insist on replacing it" He tells me again his voice holds a note of finality, his eyes glued on mine.
"My parents taught me not to take anything from strangers, so I'm just going to go now" I tell him turning around to head back to my car. As I do I see a look of shock flash over his face.
I make it back to my car without looking to see if he has followed me. I feel a strange pang of disappointment when I realize he didn't. I go to slide into the car and realize I'm missing something. I pat my pockets and come up with only my car keys, my wallet is gone.
"Shit" I mutter to myself. I retrace my steps but its nowhere in sight.
First my phone breaks. Now my wallet is gone. This day blows. The drive home is a slow one. I don't need to get pulled over. I make it home well before dark. I notice a box on the front porch as I walked up the steps.
My name is printed in black marker on the top of it. Picking it up I enter the house yelling to my aunt and uncle letting them know that I was back as I make my way to my room.
I sit on my bed and open the package. Inside is a shiny new phone, my wallet is also in there. The note only has a few handwritten words:
"Here is your new phone, enjoy it; also you dropped your wallet.
Hoping in time we are no longer strangers,
Elijah Mikaelson"
I stared at the phone for a few moments before deciding to head back to the quarter to return it to him.
I didn't say anything as I left the house again. I figured I'd be back before anyone had noticed I was gone. It was during my drive back to the quarter that I realized I had no idea where to even look for him all I have is his name. Someone must know him.
I make sure the phone is in my pocket along with my keys, I lock my wallet in the car after pulling some cash and my ID out just to be safe. I travel the same path I did this morning hoping that by doing so I may run into him again.
It's almost dark and I'm no closer to finding him then when I began this person scavenger hunt. I decide to give up for the day and turn to head back to my car. I feel as if I've been walking for forever when I make the choice to enter a random bar in the quarter to see if someone in there can point me in the direction of the street I parked on.
It's dead, besides the three people sitting at a back booth there is only the bartender.
"Can I help you sugar?" the bartender asks. She's older and seems kind.
"I'm trying to find Gravier Street" I tell her walking up to the bar.
"You're a good bit away" she tells me
"Awesome of course I am " I say to no one
"What's your name sugar" she asks
"Righlyn" I tell her
"I'm Lizzy, If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing out here at this time anyway. It's not always safe for a pretty little thing like you to be walking around alone" She tells me
"I'm looking for someone, maybe you know him, Elijah Mikaelson?"
She doesn't say anything to me as she turns away from me and walks into the attached kitchen. When she comes back she's not alone. There is a man with her. He looks to be her age.
"My husband Robert here is going to walk you back to your car" she tells me
"Wait do you know where I can find him?"
"I'm guessing your new to these parts, so just some friendly advice, stay away from the Mikaelsons , they're nothing but trouble and danger" She says nothing else as she turns away from me .
"Come on, let's get you back to your car doll" Robert says opening the door leading me back out to the quarter
The walk back to my car was a quite one. I'm not sure how long it took to get back to it as my mind was stuck on the way Lizzy reacted to Elijah's name.
"Here we are doll. Now do us a both a favor and go home before you get your pretty little head into trouble." There is no anger behind his words just concern
I nod and thank him for walking with me. He waits for me to get in my car and start it before he turns to leave.
Now I have to find this Elijah guy. If he's some bad guy I don't want anything from him that would constitute a favor that could one day be called on to be repaid.
Pulling into the driveway I see the silhouettes of my aunt and uncle on the porch. Their arms are crossed over their chests as I make my way up the steps.
"Where were you, we were worried sick?" My aunt asks
"When I went out earlier... I lost my wallet and I went back to try to find it." Telling only part of the story.
"Why didn't you tell us you were leaving again" Uncle Charlie asks
"I didn't think I'd be gone for so long. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you guys worry." I tell them
"Just talk to us, let us know what going on, Okay?" they finish the sentence together
"I will"
"Alright, what do we feel like for dinner" Aunt Karen asks as we walk back into the house.