Author Updates: Wow! Thanks for all the Reviews! I'm glad everyone has taken to the storyline so well. In reply to Katrina Swann, when I first chose the name "Ayanna", it was for another story completely irrelivent to Falling The Wrong Way. The story fell through, and I decided to bring Ayanna into the story...her resemblance in name to Alanna was brought up by some of my other friends, who came over to read the story. Who knows, maybe it does!
* * *
Falling the Wrong Way
Chapter 3
* * *
The train rolled to a stop, the breaks screaching as the train station rumbled to a halt. Kevin sighed and stood, streaching his legs and grabbing his trunks from the seat beside him. Ayanna was already singing through the doorway, determined to be the first out of the blasted train. Kevin still couldn't figure out the difference between Ayanna sleeping and wearing that gown and Ayanna dressed in every daywear. Today she wore a shirt advertising "The Tiki Room -- Preserving The Birds of Spain Since 1875" And many birds flitting about the shirt, each proudly bearing a banner saying "the tiki room" on it. Kevin wondered idly how she got such a shirt, all the way from spain - and in English - but did not press the matter.
Easily he swung down off the train, happy to be off. The bustling streets of Boston thronged outside of the cool train station, all types of people moving in a large mass down the street. The smell of the sea and the cry of the gulls was familiar to Kevin, and it gave him a pang in his heart as he thought longingly of the California waves. Ayanna was wasting no time in pushing her way through the crowds, it took Kevin all his stregnth to cut through the masses Ayanna seemed to be moving through relatively easily. She hunted down a cab as soon as she broke through to the street side, and it pulled up just as Kevin was hurtling his way down. Ayanna sped into the cab and did not rest untill Kevin was in and they were moving. Then, Ayanna let out a huge gasp of air, and she slouched against her seat happily.
"Why were you going so fast?" Kevin asked irritably, rolling down his window to get a breath of fresh air.
"Foreign embassies." The girl said simply, as if it were the easiest thing to understand anyway. "They crawl all over this city, it's one of the main portals, though not the one we are happening to take."
Kevin nodded, thinking his own thoughts around the matter. He understood Ayanna's rush to get to the Cab, but he had no idea where they were heading untill they pulled up at a very fancy hotel. A glance around and imbronzed on the doors read: "The Westin Hotel." Kevin nearly fell out of the cab as they were getting out; this was no regular hotel! The Westin was like the Ritz almost, a very large scale, fancy, important hotel. As they got out bellboys rushed to their service. A few hung back and looked interested, as those that surged forward bowed and murmered "Glad of a safe arrival, your magesty." Kevin was at a loss for what to do, so he just nodded his head in what he hoped was a regal fashion.
Ayanna's fingers closed around his arm and she steered him away from the rushing bellboys, inside the cool of the hotel. "A select few have been told a prince was here, not of your whereabout country." She informed him, checking in to their room.
"And they don't need to know, right?" Kevin said cheerfully, flinging himself down into a very posh armchair and getting a few glances from well dressed people.
"Right, Kevin. Now, I've checked us two rooms, but they are joined by two doors. I figure we shower and change - new clothes have been provided - then we spend the day in boston. Tomorrow bright and early the portal opens for an hour, and we have to be there, or it closes again."
"When, exactly do we have to be there?" Kevin asked with a cringe, already knowing he would not like the answer.
"The portal opens around six, so we leave at four in the morning." Ayanna said primly before the bellboys came in and bid them follow to their rooms. Kevin groaned and stood, knowing that the wake up bell would only come too soon the next morning.
* * *
Kevin had to admit, the Westin was the perfect hotel. The shower was lovely and the two showerheads made him feel like he would never get out again. The towels were thick and fluffy, and the entire place was made for grand royalty. They had placed him in the Presidential Suite, but he had a strong suspicion the ajoining doors had not been there before they came, and would leave soon after they left.
Who ever picked clothes had a very good taste. They were all big line model names, trendy but still comfortable. Everything from the basketball sneakers to the fitted tee was made as if to fit him and him alone, and he had the same suspicion of a little bit of magical handiwork involved. At that moment, as he was admiring the view from up on the high floor, a polite knock sounded and followed through as Ayanna flicked open the door and strolled in the room.
Though her face was a mask of uncertainty, she was beautifull in the clothes the mysterious provider had set out for them. A low cut white shirt with "Bebe" written across it provided a form fitting t-shirt, and it wasn't every person that shopped there. A black mini skirt with pink ruffles gave her the illusion of being taller than she was, a good thing for the short little miser. And finally, trusty black sandals which had class and style, but also dependability. Her face broke into the first shy smile Kevin had ever witnessed from the otherwise brazen girl, and she threw back the tumbling waves, let down and artfully styled, and said: "So, you want to hit the sights or what?"
* * *
Kevin had never experianced anything like the upper section of Boston in his life. The quaint storefronts that gave an exceptional view of the ocean front succeeded to take his breath away, the items were designer labels and simply stunning. Though Ayanna said they would not be bringing such articles into Tortall, she did not prevent him from buying for his friends. And Kevin did so, if he saw a skirt that Bryanna would really like or a sweater that would make Molly seem a new girl. Rylie would love the shoes Kevin bought him, and Kyle would fall over backwards at the jersies sent to him. It was all going so well, and everything was perfect.
For lunch, they traveled down into the less poshy section, to make it blunt, a horrible section. Kevin could not see why they were leaving the golden glimmer, but Ayanna gave him a small smile and said "there is no other pizza in the world like Santarpio's, you'll see." Santarpio's was right next to a loud Airport, but it seemed not to bother Ayanna in the least as she entered the old building. In the smokey interior a few characters hung out, but not many. Waiters in skimpy little minis trudged around taking and bringing orders, then running back to the kitchens to hang with their friends. Ayanna and Kevin ordered, and Kevin had to admit the pizza looked great when it came.
The taste of the pizza sure made up for any misgivings he had about the place, it was delicious. A burst of flavor, everything good a pizza ever had magnified times a thousand it seemed. [author's note: Santarpio's is a real place, so if you are in the Boston area, go to the airport in east boston and find Santarpio's. I do not lie about their pizza.] Ayanna watched with a satisfied smile, and ate quite a few pieces herself.
The day was spent languidly, shopping and sight seeing and stopping at any cute looking cafe for lattes or a try of their special cheesecake. Sometimes Ayanna would tell Kevin to hush and run into the nearest shop, and a look around might provide him with any kind of character. Ayanna never explained these rushed retreats, but after the danger the day lightened again.
For dinner, Ayanna took them to a very interesting looking Chinese resturant near a theatre. The food there was different, a mix of all nationalities and a main undercurrent of Chinese. [also a real place] Ayanna told Kevin that she could provide tickets to any show at the theatre, a big place where broadways were often performed. Kevin said he had actually wanted to see Oklahoma, advertised there. They ended up seeing that and Othello, coming home around midnight. Ayanna bid him good night and hurried into her room, leaving Kevin dissapointed: He so at that moment wanted to kiss her.
* * *
A knock on the door sounded at exactly four in the morning, and Ayanna strolled in to wake Kevin. He groaned and flipped over, forcing Ayanna to beat him with a pillow a few times before he rolled out of bed, mumbling that he was up. He rubbed his eyes and saw clothes layed out in a neat pile on a chair near the writing desk. He moved over and put them on lazily, examining each piece of material. These were not every day clothing, but rough cotton and silks, and an outer layer of fleece and a rubbery material that proved, after a try at the sink, to be waterproof. Kevin bundled the rubbery parka like thing under his arm and went out into the hall, where Ayanna was already waiting with breakfast.
Kevin had never eaten a bowl of cereal in the hallway of a fancy hotel, and if there was anything he could do, he wouldn't repeat the experiance. A few early morning risers walked past, giving them an unusual stare before hurrying on. It took both Ayanna and Kevin no time to eat before they started off. A nondescript cab was already waiting for them at the entrance, and took off at a gravel crunching speed down the streets of boston, empty but of a few cars for once.
Ten minutes later Ayanna was saying good-bye to the cab driver and crunching her way down a gravel path to the ocean. Kevin shivered, in the early morning it was very cool. There was no one about, no dog walkers, no drunks. Under a dock, as Ayanna had promised, there lay a very forboding cave. The sides where the land met the incoming rush of the water were steep, they would have to get in the boat and ride down the sides. Ayanna gave Kevin a life preserver and she herself struggled into one, buckling the clips and adjusting the straps.
Ayanna was in the front, Kevin in the back. The boat was a sturdy canoe-like structure, easily twelve feet long and fifty or so pounds. At the bottom were oars, made for cutting easily through the waves. Ayanna gave Kevin no instructions, bade him no last goodbyes, but pushed the boat off the edge of the bank. Kevin nearly fainted as the nose jutted out into air, nothingness; then slowly, as if a camera was flicked onto slow motion, pointed down and fell towards the rushing water.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oooh, I love a good cliff hanger! Please keep R&R, I really enjoyed reading your posts. Don't be afraid to critique, and if you think something really important should happen, tell me! You never know, I might just add it.
* * *
Falling the Wrong Way
Chapter 3
* * *
The train rolled to a stop, the breaks screaching as the train station rumbled to a halt. Kevin sighed and stood, streaching his legs and grabbing his trunks from the seat beside him. Ayanna was already singing through the doorway, determined to be the first out of the blasted train. Kevin still couldn't figure out the difference between Ayanna sleeping and wearing that gown and Ayanna dressed in every daywear. Today she wore a shirt advertising "The Tiki Room -- Preserving The Birds of Spain Since 1875" And many birds flitting about the shirt, each proudly bearing a banner saying "the tiki room" on it. Kevin wondered idly how she got such a shirt, all the way from spain - and in English - but did not press the matter.
Easily he swung down off the train, happy to be off. The bustling streets of Boston thronged outside of the cool train station, all types of people moving in a large mass down the street. The smell of the sea and the cry of the gulls was familiar to Kevin, and it gave him a pang in his heart as he thought longingly of the California waves. Ayanna was wasting no time in pushing her way through the crowds, it took Kevin all his stregnth to cut through the masses Ayanna seemed to be moving through relatively easily. She hunted down a cab as soon as she broke through to the street side, and it pulled up just as Kevin was hurtling his way down. Ayanna sped into the cab and did not rest untill Kevin was in and they were moving. Then, Ayanna let out a huge gasp of air, and she slouched against her seat happily.
"Why were you going so fast?" Kevin asked irritably, rolling down his window to get a breath of fresh air.
"Foreign embassies." The girl said simply, as if it were the easiest thing to understand anyway. "They crawl all over this city, it's one of the main portals, though not the one we are happening to take."
Kevin nodded, thinking his own thoughts around the matter. He understood Ayanna's rush to get to the Cab, but he had no idea where they were heading untill they pulled up at a very fancy hotel. A glance around and imbronzed on the doors read: "The Westin Hotel." Kevin nearly fell out of the cab as they were getting out; this was no regular hotel! The Westin was like the Ritz almost, a very large scale, fancy, important hotel. As they got out bellboys rushed to their service. A few hung back and looked interested, as those that surged forward bowed and murmered "Glad of a safe arrival, your magesty." Kevin was at a loss for what to do, so he just nodded his head in what he hoped was a regal fashion.
Ayanna's fingers closed around his arm and she steered him away from the rushing bellboys, inside the cool of the hotel. "A select few have been told a prince was here, not of your whereabout country." She informed him, checking in to their room.
"And they don't need to know, right?" Kevin said cheerfully, flinging himself down into a very posh armchair and getting a few glances from well dressed people.
"Right, Kevin. Now, I've checked us two rooms, but they are joined by two doors. I figure we shower and change - new clothes have been provided - then we spend the day in boston. Tomorrow bright and early the portal opens for an hour, and we have to be there, or it closes again."
"When, exactly do we have to be there?" Kevin asked with a cringe, already knowing he would not like the answer.
"The portal opens around six, so we leave at four in the morning." Ayanna said primly before the bellboys came in and bid them follow to their rooms. Kevin groaned and stood, knowing that the wake up bell would only come too soon the next morning.
* * *
Kevin had to admit, the Westin was the perfect hotel. The shower was lovely and the two showerheads made him feel like he would never get out again. The towels were thick and fluffy, and the entire place was made for grand royalty. They had placed him in the Presidential Suite, but he had a strong suspicion the ajoining doors had not been there before they came, and would leave soon after they left.
Who ever picked clothes had a very good taste. They were all big line model names, trendy but still comfortable. Everything from the basketball sneakers to the fitted tee was made as if to fit him and him alone, and he had the same suspicion of a little bit of magical handiwork involved. At that moment, as he was admiring the view from up on the high floor, a polite knock sounded and followed through as Ayanna flicked open the door and strolled in the room.
Though her face was a mask of uncertainty, she was beautifull in the clothes the mysterious provider had set out for them. A low cut white shirt with "Bebe" written across it provided a form fitting t-shirt, and it wasn't every person that shopped there. A black mini skirt with pink ruffles gave her the illusion of being taller than she was, a good thing for the short little miser. And finally, trusty black sandals which had class and style, but also dependability. Her face broke into the first shy smile Kevin had ever witnessed from the otherwise brazen girl, and she threw back the tumbling waves, let down and artfully styled, and said: "So, you want to hit the sights or what?"
* * *
Kevin had never experianced anything like the upper section of Boston in his life. The quaint storefronts that gave an exceptional view of the ocean front succeeded to take his breath away, the items were designer labels and simply stunning. Though Ayanna said they would not be bringing such articles into Tortall, she did not prevent him from buying for his friends. And Kevin did so, if he saw a skirt that Bryanna would really like or a sweater that would make Molly seem a new girl. Rylie would love the shoes Kevin bought him, and Kyle would fall over backwards at the jersies sent to him. It was all going so well, and everything was perfect.
For lunch, they traveled down into the less poshy section, to make it blunt, a horrible section. Kevin could not see why they were leaving the golden glimmer, but Ayanna gave him a small smile and said "there is no other pizza in the world like Santarpio's, you'll see." Santarpio's was right next to a loud Airport, but it seemed not to bother Ayanna in the least as she entered the old building. In the smokey interior a few characters hung out, but not many. Waiters in skimpy little minis trudged around taking and bringing orders, then running back to the kitchens to hang with their friends. Ayanna and Kevin ordered, and Kevin had to admit the pizza looked great when it came.
The taste of the pizza sure made up for any misgivings he had about the place, it was delicious. A burst of flavor, everything good a pizza ever had magnified times a thousand it seemed. [author's note: Santarpio's is a real place, so if you are in the Boston area, go to the airport in east boston and find Santarpio's. I do not lie about their pizza.] Ayanna watched with a satisfied smile, and ate quite a few pieces herself.
The day was spent languidly, shopping and sight seeing and stopping at any cute looking cafe for lattes or a try of their special cheesecake. Sometimes Ayanna would tell Kevin to hush and run into the nearest shop, and a look around might provide him with any kind of character. Ayanna never explained these rushed retreats, but after the danger the day lightened again.
For dinner, Ayanna took them to a very interesting looking Chinese resturant near a theatre. The food there was different, a mix of all nationalities and a main undercurrent of Chinese. [also a real place] Ayanna told Kevin that she could provide tickets to any show at the theatre, a big place where broadways were often performed. Kevin said he had actually wanted to see Oklahoma, advertised there. They ended up seeing that and Othello, coming home around midnight. Ayanna bid him good night and hurried into her room, leaving Kevin dissapointed: He so at that moment wanted to kiss her.
* * *
A knock on the door sounded at exactly four in the morning, and Ayanna strolled in to wake Kevin. He groaned and flipped over, forcing Ayanna to beat him with a pillow a few times before he rolled out of bed, mumbling that he was up. He rubbed his eyes and saw clothes layed out in a neat pile on a chair near the writing desk. He moved over and put them on lazily, examining each piece of material. These were not every day clothing, but rough cotton and silks, and an outer layer of fleece and a rubbery material that proved, after a try at the sink, to be waterproof. Kevin bundled the rubbery parka like thing under his arm and went out into the hall, where Ayanna was already waiting with breakfast.
Kevin had never eaten a bowl of cereal in the hallway of a fancy hotel, and if there was anything he could do, he wouldn't repeat the experiance. A few early morning risers walked past, giving them an unusual stare before hurrying on. It took both Ayanna and Kevin no time to eat before they started off. A nondescript cab was already waiting for them at the entrance, and took off at a gravel crunching speed down the streets of boston, empty but of a few cars for once.
Ten minutes later Ayanna was saying good-bye to the cab driver and crunching her way down a gravel path to the ocean. Kevin shivered, in the early morning it was very cool. There was no one about, no dog walkers, no drunks. Under a dock, as Ayanna had promised, there lay a very forboding cave. The sides where the land met the incoming rush of the water were steep, they would have to get in the boat and ride down the sides. Ayanna gave Kevin a life preserver and she herself struggled into one, buckling the clips and adjusting the straps.
Ayanna was in the front, Kevin in the back. The boat was a sturdy canoe-like structure, easily twelve feet long and fifty or so pounds. At the bottom were oars, made for cutting easily through the waves. Ayanna gave Kevin no instructions, bade him no last goodbyes, but pushed the boat off the edge of the bank. Kevin nearly fainted as the nose jutted out into air, nothingness; then slowly, as if a camera was flicked onto slow motion, pointed down and fell towards the rushing water.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oooh, I love a good cliff hanger! Please keep R&R, I really enjoyed reading your posts. Don't be afraid to critique, and if you think something really important should happen, tell me! You never know, I might just add it.