No one came to Burgess under normal circumstances. It was a small town, hardly known, revealing a mix of centuries. Old Victorian homes stood next to recently constructed apartments. An elementary school built in the seventies was not far from a diner established in the fifties. The cars were as diverse as the people who rode them down recently paved streets and old dirt trails. In its own way, it could be described as timeless.
Katherine climbed out of the Taxi in front Burgess Elementary. The fur collar of her yellow jacket tickled her chin as she pulled it up.
The school had to be twenty years old at least. Thick-trunked trees stood in front, bare branches like arms stretched over the lawn. It had thick concrete walls with vines climbing the sides. There was a strong smell of snow and the taste of frost in the air.
"Katherine Güse?" Someone called from the building.
She struggled to see through her hair as it blew in her face.
A man waved at the door violently, "Come in, quick, before you catch your death!"
Katherine ducked out of the bitter cold into the warmth of the school building. She fixed her coat, brushing off some stray brown leaves, before looking to her host. A kind smile stretched across his bloated face as he held out a chubby hand. "You must be the new substitute."
She shook his hand firmly, "And you must be Principle Hawthorne."
"I am," He nodded chuckling warmly. He was close in height to Katherine, but rounder about the middle. "It's cold out, would you care for some coffee?"
"No, I'm fine, thank you." She looked around, "The school looks nice."
"Ah, yes, it has quite a rich history. Would you like to hear while I show you your classroom?" He gestured toward the hall.
Katherine nodded, and Principle Hawthorne began to lead her around. "The school was originally built in nineteen-thirty-five and named after the founder of the town. It was small at first, nothing but a schoolhouse. But when new industries moved here, the city exploded with people looking for jobs." He smiled proudly, putting a hand on the wall. "Part of it burned down in nineteen-ninety-one—"
"That's terrible!" Katherine stopped walking.
He nodded solemnly. "It took over a year to rebuild. The school has considerably shrunk since then." He stepped in front of a large classroom and opened the door. "And here is where you will work." She walked in, viewing the empty room. Posters were pinned to a cork board and a desk recently emptied was set in front of a clean white board.
She placed a hand on the desk. "It's official then?"
He laughed, "Are you kidding? With a resume like yours, of course!"
Katherine pulled out the brown messenger bag at her side and began to set up the desk. The principle crossed his arms in the doorway as he watched, "I just have one question for you."
"What is that?" Katherine asked absently as she placed a few pens in the top drawer.
"Why would you, with all your talent and skill choose to substitute at a place like this?"
She looked up at Mr. Hawthorne smiling, "It shouldn't matter where I teach, every child needs to learn."
"Well said, Miss. Güse," He held out his hand, "I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Yes, sir!" She shook his hand again.
***
While it had been sunset in France, the sun had just set in Burgess. It was growing quiet as he landed on a misplaced electrical pole. "Squeak!"
Jack turned to the loud noise to see Baby Tooth flying up to him from a house. A tooth rested between two tiny hands. She was no more than five inches tall if you counted the little feather crown that framed her head. Her rainbow like wings beats as fast as a hummingbird as it flew around him.
"Whoa, they're tiny!" He laughed as it affectionately pecked his cheek. "I missed you too."
She made another little, "Squeak!" Then landed on his shoulder in his hood.
"Is, Jamie up or did he go to sleep early again."
"Meep..."
"Of course he did." Jack couldn't actually understand her, but like the playful boy he was, he liked to pretend. He flew down, walking upon the smooth pavement with his pale feet. "It seems like all Jamie does these days is school, eat and sleep. Although I haven't gotten to see him much Lately."
"Squick?"
A long awkward silence fell between them. Eventually, he looked up, "You know, winter has hardly started, but it's nearing the end of November, do you think I could—what's that?"
His companion tried to turn in the direction his attention caught, but he was already moving toward it. It was a light in the elementary school. Jack narrowed his eyes as he landed in one of the old trees that grew just outside the window. "Weird, no one is usually at the school on Sundays, especially not at this time of night."
A shadow moved across the window as whoever was in there kept working. Just then, the lights went out. "Hmm...Someone must have forgotten something. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Jack sounded more confident then he felt.He flew away and landed on the roof of an old house.
"Why don't we try sleeping tonight and tracking down Jamie tomorrow. I'm sure he'll enjoy a surprise visit."
Baby Tooth squeaked in agreement and flew to Jacks hoodie pocket. He chuckled warmly as he sat leaning against the chimney of the house. "Are you sure Tooth won't mind."
Baby Tooth nodded.
"Okay, good night," Jack said with one last little laugh. He leaned back, his head hitting the chimney. The moon showed a crescent in the star-filled sky. Clouds rolled in from a distance.
"You need sleep, Jack." A voice said in his head.
Jack closed his eyes, "I'm trying." The air pricked with the sounds of sirens of and cars in the distance. His restlessness begged him to investigate but Mani was firm. He slipped in and out of consciousness at each sound until he finally fell into a blissful sleep.
***
Katherine yawned when she arrived at the apartment.
"Oh, there you are sweetheart!" An older woman with a broad, warm smile ran to greet her. Her hair was a mess, white and draped over the robe she had thrown over her shoulder.
"Hello, Mrs. Peck." Katherine stepped out of the Taxi.
"I was worried something was wrong." The woman grabbed her arm, "Your Kailash is the most well-behaved bird I have ever seen!"
Katherine gave her a crooked smile, "You haven't met that many then."
Mrs. Peck scrunched up her nose, "Nonsense! I have seen many birds. My late husband—God rest his soul—had a parrot. He could say over a hundred English words and fifty Spanish."
"Really," Katherine turned to the amusing older woman. "And where did it learn Spanish?"
The woman opened her mouth then closed it, her brow furrowed. "You know what? I don't know!" Katherine laughed making the woman's smile broader. "In any case, it doesn't matter."
"Thank you for the apartment; I won't stay too long, I promise," Katherine assured her as Mrs. Peck guided her into her house.
"Stay as long as long as you like dear!" The woman waved her hand, "It's a pleasure to help poor wandering souls like yourself."
Katherine fought back a grimace, "Yes, well...Thank you anyway."
"Anytime!"
Inside the old house at the doors entrance, she was instantly berated by the smell of mothballs and tea. To her right was the access to a kitchen. The floor had blue striped wallpaper and wooden cabinets that could have been here as long as the building had. She could almost taste the warm meal this woman had prepared. But Katherine dare not intrude.
To her left was a living room, with the curtains drawn and a couch and armchair set in the middle. The television was old and heavy and covered in dust.
In front of her was a set of steps that lead to her upstairs "Apartment."
"I set up your room with some food and clothes. I know you don't travel with much."
Katherine stared at her, "Oh! That wasn't necessary."
The woman waved a careless hand, "Nonsense. After all, you have done for me I am more than willing to help you."
Before she could talk further about what she meant the woman walked away.
"Sleep well, Miss. Guse!"
Katherine stared at her for a moment before turning back to the steps. Sucking in a deep breath, she walked up. When she was inside, she turned on the lights. A parakeet tweeted in her cage on her desk while jumping around the bars. The tired woman raised a hand, "I'm coming Kailash!"
She walked past a couch, placing her messenger bag on it as she made her way to the full open windows. She closed the heavy curtains, Kailash eagerly pecking at her cage. After making sure that no one could see inside, she walked to the empty desk. The bird poked her head out of the cage bars or at least tried while Katherine attempted to open the door. "Okay!" She said a little grumpily, and the door swung open.
The parakeet flew out, growing and changing as she landed in the middle of the living room. Her neck became long, her eyes large and black, her wings stretched out as if someone had just unfolded a large comforter. When the bird was done stretching she was a goose as large as a minivan and as white as a cloud.
"I'm sorry Kailash," Katherine said as the bird gave her an approaching look. "I wanted to bring you, but they won't allow pets on the premises." She ruffled her feathers and pressed her beaked nose against her mother's chest, pushing her back. Katherine smiled fondly and stroked back the goose's neck feathers flat. "How is that sweetie?"
Kailash closed her eyes contently, and Katherine smiled, she turned to the window, the heavy curtains drawn to block out the outside world. Her mind drifted to class the next day. "We better sleep." She said pulling away from Kailash. "I have a big day tomorrow."
The goose cocked her head but didn't say anything. Katherine reached into her bag pulling out a massive quilt that she threw over the goose. It was old and worn, apparently not complete. The sloppy hand stitching looked like that of a child's. But the bird still laid her head on the quilt and tucked her wings around Katherine comfortably.
The woman sighed, leaning her head on the chest of Kailash. She could hear her steady breathing as she drifted to sleep. So much had changed over the years, but not her, and not Kailash. They had been the same for centuries. Yet, for some reason beyond her knowledge, she couldn't find the same comfort in her goose that she used to. She leaned back staring at the ceiling. It had been enchanted so that it was invisible to her. She could see the stars and the sky, and the clouds rolling in threatening snow.
But beyond them, curved like a smile was the crescent shape of the moon, gleaming white in the night. "Goodnight Kailash, good night Tsar." She said, leaning into the soft feathers and closing her eyes.