Chapter 7

It was like I was going through a wormhole filled with fine, gold sugar. I felt the rush of wind, the rough gold dust, and the cool silver bubbles press at my skin. I'm now spinning round and round, like a football spinning through the air. I kept going on like that for minutes, making me feel dizzy.

Finally, after what it felt like an hour, I saw the vortex open up. It opened up to a clear blue sky. It was almost as beautiful as the sky at Zion. The vortex spit me out.

I looked around; I was on the Eiffel Tower, on the balcony. The view was amazing. I could see the Arc de Triomphe, and the Léna Bridge. By look of the sun and sky, I knew it was midday. People were having lunch at cafes and restaurants. Some were having picnics at parks.

The sight was surprisingly clear. My eyesight seemed to have gotten better—I noticed every little detail. I could see every person's face. One man had a French beret and an artist's mustache.

Behind me was one of the Eiffel Tower's restaurants. There, too, people were having meals for lunch. I walked in; the set was lavish. The table cloths were pristine. The chairs looked comfortable enough for the Queen. My eyes didn't miss a thing. I could see every little dust flying around the air. I could see the little words printed on the menu boards. I could see every pore on every person. That's when I noticed it.

Nobody was moving. But everyone had their heads inclined towards me. Everyone was looking at me—even the toddlers who were playing with their food.

"Hi," I said. Nobody moved. I wasn't even sure if they were breathing. I moved, nobody else did. Their eyes were still fixed to where I was standing before. I ran to the elevator and pushed the down button. I hope it works, I hope it works.

A little ding went off and the elevator door opened. "Yes!" I made a little fist pump in the air and stepped into the elevator. Luckily, there was no one in the elevator. I couldn't take it if another random person was frozen and was staring at me.

I pressed the Lobby button; I wanted to get out of here. I had no idea what happened to those people but I had a feeling that it was connected to the vortex.

There was elevator music playing as I was going down. It was some lady signing opera in French.

Go to the Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. That is where you will find her. When you find her, you will find the mirror. Find the mirror. Find the mirror and succeed in your quest. I wish you luck, Alice.

The opera stopped, another song played. I kept replaying the words over and over in my head. Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.

The elevator made a little ding and I knew it was time to get off. The elevator doors opened. People were again, staring at me. They were all frozen. One man was standing in front of the elevator, looking at me straight in the eye. I pushed past him and ran out of the elevator.

The lobby was grand. The floors were made out of marble. The walls were pure white inlaid with a weaving gold pattern. I had no time to admire the French art hung up on the walls or the framed pictures of Mona Lisa because I was barreling out of the lobby and onto the street. It was breezy and cold, like a Spring morning.

I needed to find 'Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.' It was my only clue to finding Calithea. And her mirror.

I stopped at a pedestrian to ask where 'Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré' was. "Où se trouve la rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré?"

"Euh, il ya un arrêt de bus juste là," she pointed to a nearby bus stop. "Prendre le bus et dire au chauffeur de vous déposer à la rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré," the lady replied. Uh, there's a bus stop right there. Take the bus and tell the driver to drop you off at the Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.

"Je vous remercie!" I replied, thanking her. I ran to the bus stop, the bus already arrived and was loading its passengers. I climbed aboard and asked, "Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré s'il te plait." Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré please. I walked on only to be stopped by the driver.

"Frais," he said sticking his hand out. Fee.

"Ah," I replied. I closed my eyes and imagined a wad of Euros in my hand. When I opened my eyes, there they were—handy trick that I learned from Coach. "Combien?" How much?

"Cinq Euros," he replied. Five Euros.

I have him one of the bills and went to go find a seat. One seat in the way back was only left. I walked over there and sat tiredly. It occurred to me that I could've summoned a vortex, but I was too tired to. It felt weird to travel in a normal bus with normal people when the past couple of days I had been traveling around and using vortexes.

I closed my eyes and relaxed. In no time someone was nudging me. I heard his thoughts through the touch, he spoke English and he was headed to the same place I was. It was a boy about my age. He had nice blond hair and bright green eyes. "Nous sommes ici," he gestured outside. We're here. He was the boy who boarded the bus before me; he must've heard where I was going.

"Ah, je vous remercie," I replied. Ah, thank you. He got up from his seat—which was across from me—and made his way up the bus. I followed.

On my way, I noticed a beautiful woman taking out a violin. She was as pale as the moon and had long chocolate colored hair. I thought she was going to clean the violin, but she started playing a melodious tune. When I got to the front of the bus, people started swaying slowly and their eyes started drooping—including the driver's.

I wasn't sure what the woman was doing. I knew she was putting a spell on the passengers for them to sleep, but for what—I didn't know. I didn't feel sleepy at all. Soon, everyone was sleeping—except for me and the green-eyed boy.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I hissed, forgetting that I was supposed to be speaking French.

"I don't know! I don't feel sleepy," he said. "And how did you know I speak English?"

"Oh, shut up and forget about that!" I hissed. "Look!"

The woman was at a man's throat, drinking his blood. The man was already dead—pale and lifeless.

"Shit!" The boy muttered. The fished out a wand and sent gold light at the woman. That got her attention. She turned toward us and lunged at the green-eyed boy. Before she could get to him, I put up my shield.

The bus was filled with a loud screeching noise. She was at the back of the bus, some parts of her burned.

"Enchanter?" The green-eyed boy and I asked each other simultaneously. We both nodded and focused at the woman again.

She had already gotten up and was finishing up the man. I imagined all of my power gathered up in blue light and was flying at her. When I opened my eyes back up again, she was lying next to the man. She was no longer beautiful. She was burned and looked like a corpse.

The bus was reeking the smell of blood and rotten meat. I gagged and ran out of the bus. It had gotten colder, I started shivering—out of terror and because of the winds. The green-eyed boy followed out moments later. I looked at him questioningly, "The corpses?"

"I took care of it, don't worry."

I nodded and looked back up at the bus. People were starting to wake. The bus driver looked around and out at us. Then he closed the doors and drove off, as if nothing happened.

The boy and I walked on in silence. We walked pass a café, which I ran back and entered to order hot chocolate. "You want anything?" I asked the boy after ordering my drink. He nodded and spoke to the girl at the counter. He pointed at a chocolate muffin and said, "Ce s'il vous plait." This please.

The girl smiled at him and bagged the muffin. The man who took my order came back with my hot chocolate. I took it gratefully and was about to pay, only to be stopped by the green-eyed boy. "I'll play," he said handing Euros to the girl at the cashier.

We walked out of the cafe, drinking and eating in silence.

"What's you name?" I asked, after finishing my drink.

The boy seemed to hesitate, "Alec."

. . .

I didn't know how to end the chapter, so I ended with his name.

Chapter 8 is on the way!

~Kat

. . .