Road to Nowhere

Chapter One

With that, we were off. 

Soon, we met up with some other girls that lived near us and all of us began walking to the store to buy our ribbons.

"Why are we buying these again?" I quietly asked Marian. Sharon O'Toole was leading this mission, though no one- except for Patty Fitzgerald, Sharon's number one croney- seemed that excited at the choice of leader.

Marian sighed. 

"Because Danny Love is having a Halloween party this year. He invited Sharon and told her to invite all of us, too."

"And we need to get these ribbons because?" I asked.

"I guess Sharon wants to look pretty." 

I guffawed. 

"The day she'll be pretty will be when hell freezes over. And who is this Danny kid, anyway?" I asked.

Marian sighed at my comment about hell freezing over. 

"She's not ugly, Eva. I guess on the inside, she is, but- anyway. Danny's family moved here two weeks ago. How can you not have heard about him?" Marian explained.

"Well, I'm sorry that I don't spend my time thinking about the newest boy to the neighborhood," I  laughed. Marian laughed a bit, too. 

The rest of the walk to the store was dominated by Sharon talking about how great Danny was. I, apparently, was the only one who hadn't met him.  

Once we purchased the ribbons for the party, we began the walk home. On the way, Marian and I were discussing Danny Love.

"What kind of a last name is 'love' anway?" I asked. "I bet he thinks he's the cat's meow."

"Well, he's not that bad looking," Marian replied. "At least, that's what I've heard."

"I'll be the judge of that," I laughed. 

(June, 1997. Paris.)

"Danny Love?" Wes repeated.

"Yeah. We grew up in the same neighborhood."

"Well, can you tell us more about him? What was he like?"

(Flashback to Pittsburgh, PA; October 31, 1960.)

"Really, Eva? We're going to be late again!" Marian sighed. Marian was lounging on my bed, watching me make the final touches to my Halloween costume.

"I can't help it!"

"Yeah, right."

"What can I say," I said, turning to face Marian, "I'm a creature of habit. How do I look?"

Marian and I had decided to go as Daisy Duck and Minnie Mouse. I was Minnie, since I had darker hair.

"Very cute," Marian nodded, hopping up from the bed. "Can we go now?"

"You betcha," I said as Marian walked to my bedroom door. I followed, grabbing my camera on the way out. 

We walked a block or so to the address Sharon had given us. Marian and I stopped in front of a dark brown house with white shutters and trim. It had a very warm feeling about it. The mailbox on the street had 'Love' printed on it in white lettering. 

"This it?" Marian asked me.

"Yep. Let's go in!" I said. "Wait, wait- turn around!"

As Marian turned, I snapped a picture. 

"Okay, now we can go in!"

I knocked on the door since Marian was too shy to do it herself. I could hear 'It's Now or Never' blasting from somewhere inside, and the voices of a bunch of kids. When no one came to the door, I rang the doorbell. 

CLANG!

"OK, OK, I'M COMING ALREADY!" yelled a boy from inside. In an instant, the door flew open. 

"Welcome, ladies. Charmed to meet you. Step right in, welcome to the Love residence," the boy said. Marian stepped in before me, and the boy shut the door once I entered.

"You must be Marian and Eva," smiled the boy.

"I'm Eva," I said, extending my hand.

"Danny."