His Muse

ένα(1)| principio

Author's Note -

Some chapters will have some sort of quote or interesting picture. Enjoy the new book .

I gazed out of the murky window of the taxi, my body jostling and swaying as we sped past the trees and small hardware stores dotted around the town. I checked my phone again. Still 2:13pm, it seemed like an eternity since I got in this car. I spent nearly all my bank savings on moving and the other half on the other thing and all I needed right now was to get a job and start putting away some money.

"Ivory, don't you think it's a little crazy to do this? Maybe stay for a couple more months and see where your head is at, this decision is too hasty."

"Don't get me wrong Ivory dear, it's just Jim, you know how he can be with money...maybe go back to school and finish your degree since you haven't officially quit yet. A scholarship is not an easy thing to get you know? Count your blessings."

"Hate to say it but it's really not the end of the world Ivory, rightly so it is earth-shattering but doing all of this is just a tad bit too much."

"I can barely survive as it is, do you think I have space for another child? This is something that should have been planned, I mean I hate to say such things to my niece but that train she was riding had no breaks, it was only a matter of time. At least now, you know not be like her... don't give me that, I paid for all the expenses, that's money from my goddamn pocket"

"Ma'am, we've arrived at Ridgeley Drive" The taxi driver said as he halted the car and turned to face me, his eyes zooming into my face.

"If you don't mind me asking" he continued "why here of all places to go?" I looked at him as he spoke, noticing the wrinkles embedded into his face at the sides of his mouth, the carved lines across his forehead which appeared and disappeared as he spoke. I stared back at him, his eyes warm and comforting, it was clear that he was asking from a place of kindness but I was sure I knew what I was doing.

"It's different" I paused as he chuckled, "it definitely is Ma'am, just don't get consumed by the place, it has a way of...of enveloping people and rooting them forever in, I know I'm an old man, with a bald patch and a round stomach so its not like my life is an example but just try and keep your head down and do whatever you came here to do" He finished, accepting the fare as he removed the last boxes out of the car. I smiled back, warmly, his words etched in my memory.

I stared at the taxi until it was a yellow dot disappearing round the bend. The wind thrashing my messy auburn- brown curls across my face. The air was cooler now, chillier and somewhat stilling at the same time.

I strolled in carrying all the remaining boxes into the cosy apartment, promising myself I'll sort it out in the morning. Wandering through the house, I was surprised to see how beautiful the place really was, the two rooms provided were relatively spacious, I checked the bathroom, making sure the water was working as I was in dire need of a bath, the sitting room already had a TV and a DVD player inside which meant I would spend the next few days watching as many of the movies I brought as possible. I double-checked the kitchen to make sure all the appliances and hardware were in good condition, as one would, excited for a fresh new start. I sat down, on one of the kitchen high stools to catch my breath, literally and metaphorically.

It suddenly dawned on me how lonely I was, moving to a new town without any friends or relatives to talk to, I longed for the nights when she'll shout for me to come downstairs and eat. When I would have to lie about Briony's whereabouts though I knew she was probably making out with some loser in a dark and dingy back alley, when all that mattered was what colleges to get into, what food contained the most calories (though I still don't care) and what was the hottest couple - once again still isn't something care-worthy. Longed for normality. The buzzing of my phone in my jeans pocket brought me out of my reverie.

"Weren't you supposed to call me when you get there?" Nalani inquired through the phone, I laughed nonchalantly.

"Well if you would've waited just a little longer, maybe I would have called" I mockingly retorted as she sighed quickly.

"Okay, but I was worried sick honey, I woul-"

"Worried sick? Really Nalani? I feel honored to say the least" I snorted, "anyways, thanks for asking, it's really nice here, really peaceful which is exactly what I actually need" I finished, scraping a stain of my jeans with my nails.

"I was eventually going to ask but great, I was hoping for that! Anyhoooo - and only for the purpose of cheering you up - guess who just broke up with Tyleeeerrrr?" she half sang through the phone, not waiting for me to reply, she continued "Ashline, apparently he was caught kissing some girl in Matt's party and she caught wind of it, she was FURIOUS..." she carried on hastily in her bid to tell-all but I couldn't help but stare outside the window, transfixed. It was across my house, a good two minute walk but it looked so .... barren "...you'd think she'd grown up b...". I hopped of the stool, walking towards the large window and placing my palm on the window, fogging it up. I looked at it so hard I thought my eyes will burst. Just as I was about to turn away, I could have sworn I saw multiple pairs of eyes, blinking all in unison.

"IVORY!" she screamed through the phone, snapping me out my reverie "you didn't answer my question! Probably because you didn't hear it. I have to go now because thanks to you, matron already knows I'm lying about my stomach ache" she said before ending the call. I stood looking outside for a few minutes in silence, it was only then I realised my heart was beating fast and hard. I shut the curtains quickly as I exhaled loudly, interrupted by a loud knock.

"Hello dear, I'm Magda, your neighbor, I leave just a few doors down and I heard there was a newcomer so I decided to come introduce myself and bring some treats" an old lady smiled at me kindly. I guess she noticed my slight bewilderment as she added, "okay I don't live here, couldn't manage it even if I tried, all the loud music and all", she laughed, I could feel her trying to pry her way in as she spoke, "I promise you I'm no harm, I just did not want to seem creepy walking nearly 10 minutes to give you food" she smiled. I looked down at her with the stacks of plates in an orange woven bag and ushered her in, I could kill her if she tried anything anyways....I'll just snap her brittle bones, and argue self-defence. She told me how there are rarely any new people in town so she took it upon herself to 'see this one'. How did she even know where I lived? I blamed that knowledge on the fact that old women had insane intuitions...if only I'd known. Grinning back too as I told her my name I held some of the baked and cooked goods she had in her hand. She kept glancing over at me as I put the pasta, cookies and pies in the fridge.

"You're really beautiful" she gazed at me intensely, "more than we all thought, it's gonna be a shock to them when they actually see you" she shook her head, either in wonder or disbelief - I couldn't decipher. I was just about to question her about what she meant when she suddenly perked up, her eyes shining passionately.

"There's a gathering in my house at 9pm in two days, you should stop over, I could introduce you to a few people, and then I could possibly help get you a job, you'll need something to keep you sane around here" she said, patting my shoulder before grabbing a pen and scribbling her address onto one of the cardboard boxes. She abruptly exited the house, not giving me a chance to politely decline her offer. I stared, awestruck at the door, a little annoyed that I couldn't thank her. What the hell just happened here?

I ate some pre-cooked food from Nalani and tidied up the kitchen and other paraphernalia needed for the kitchen before reciting Psalm 23 and dozing off on my sofa. As I slowly began to unwind, I mentally wrote down all the things I still needed to un-box and get from a store. I also noted that I needed to find a job because I wasn't going to go to school again.

The instant my mind shut down, I saw the eyes from earlier on. Except this time it wasn't multiple pairs of eyes, it was just a pair. Of silvery, blue eyes that stood high on the face of a huge light grey wolf. It was howling at me ... so loud that in my dream-esque state warm blood started dripping from my ears. Then everything was pitch black and all I could hear was the howl, over and over again until I woke up the next morning.

On the floor. Sweating.

Somehow.