Izoven: Song of Fire ✓

Chapter 2

"We're about halfway there," Emery told her mother on the phone, as she glanced out the diner window. "We got hungry on the way and saw this little place that supposedly has the 'World's Best Turkeyburger'."

The diner's air smelled faintly of stale chips and old cleaning supplies. Emery wiggled her nose every few seconds to try and shake the smells away. In an attempt to distract herself from her nose prickle, she scanned the diner once more. The scarce crowd did little to prove this was the world's best anything. With only five customers, it was awkwardly quiet with the exception of an old antennae radio playing the best 80's hits in a station Emery didn't recognize. 

If this was desolate, she wondered how empty Bellenau was. It was still a few hours up the mountain. She didn't remember much about her visits there, but—according to the web—it was a town in decline. 

Bellenau had a total of 3,042 inhabitants. The number decreased every year. The local school was in a horrid state; there were only small businesses and local agriculture; it was hard to get anything shipped in or out; and, according to a very angry bed & breakfast review, the internet was crap. Everywhere.

"Emery are you listening to me?!" her mother barked through the phone speaker so loudly, even Seth flinched.

"Yes! I got it already. I will thank Mrs. Baker for taking us in when we get there."

"Good," Anabella responded. "She's being more than generous, so it's only fair you help her around the library. Don't be tardy and work hard."

"I still don't understand why we can't stay at Grandpa's. It can't be that bad."

"Be my guest, if you like sleeping on the floor and without a roof. There's nothing left there."

"What about Grandpa's things?" Emery asked, knowing well he had many valuables in that house. Maybe some of the antiques would jog her memory or something. 

Anabella hummed, thinking it over. "Well, I only kept a handful . . . whatever was really memorable. The rest were donated to the library." 

A sense of excitement flooded her senses. It seemed her luck was finally turning around. What were the odds of her working in the same place her grandfather's things were?  This trip was going to be a piece of cake. 

Emery flinched the thoughts away as Seth pointed behind her. The overpowering smell of freshly grilled meat wafted up to her nose. With a look over her shoulder, her mouth turned to water. A waitress walked up to their table, two steaming burgers on her tray. 

"Gotta go. Food's here. Love you." Emery hung up quickly. She couldn't let her mother's rants come between her and the food. Shiny, greasy yellow cheese melted off the tender patty and onto her plate. Her stomach erupted in a hungry growl. 

"That's the . . . sixth time your Mom has called today?" Seth asked, slurping his cake-flavored smoothie. 

Emery slumped her shoulders. "I shouldn't have told her what happened at Dr. Lloyd's. Maybe I should've told her that we're going on vacation and never even mentioned Bellenau or that weird symbol." 

Seth gazed at Emery, his mouth twitching up into a contented smile as she hungrily gulped down a handful of french fries. "She's always worried about you, though. Regardless of the trip." He shrugged, before reaching a hand into her plate of fries and popping one in his mouth. 

"Yeah, but . . . it feels different this time. She kept trying to talk me out of going. It's like Bellenau itself worries her more than whatever's wrong with my head." Her voice faded off as she took a big bite of her burger, her cheeks resembling a chipmunk's while she chewed.