as the late night set in, cool wind rushing in from beneath the wooden door and rustling through the window curtains.
Adam had eventually fallen asleep, snoring like a beast in the chair. Ethan didn’t wake him; he knew he needed the rest. For a long while, Ethan admired the living room and how retro it looked.
The house must have been built back in the late 1700s and updated over time. Its log beamed ceiling gave off a forest cabin feel and the furniture must have been kept preserved since it looked ripped right out of the 70s, with pea green hints in each piece and salmon tinted throw pillows. There wasn’t a television or electronic device in sight.
Sage hadn’t spoken since Adam detoured into slumber, and now she sat, fidgeting with a vintage looking crossword puzzle book, softly cursing when she messed up.
Ethan gathered himself and walked over to the living room window, his arms wrapped around him like a large scarf. Even his sweater wasn’t keeping the cold at bay. He peeled the red curtains aside and peered through the frosty glass. Along with the fog, snow fell in flurries, twirling within the air like drunken fairies.
Through some of the fog and snow, he could see houses, more like stone shacks, lining the gray bricked street. Elsmere looked to be more of an old town than a city.
Dark windows gazed back into Ethan’s eyes seemingly staring into his soul. The houses looked dilapidated and grim, and streetlamps garnished the street, lit by gas. What was wrong with electricity in Elsmere? Ethan wondered.
The town reminded him of an animated movie he saw when he was younger, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow . And for a moment, Ethan seemed to be waiting for the headless horseman to come plowing through the street, with a fire doused pumpkin in hand.
Just then, the curtains snapped shut, snipping at Ethan’s cold fingers.
“Don’t do that, someone will see you.” Ethan turned and found Sage staring at him. She had a nervous look on her face.
“Why does this town look like it’s stuck in a time warp?” Ethan asked. Sage snickered and patted the couch Ethan had just occupied.
“Sit down. It’s an odd story,” Sage said as Ethan obeyed her and took his seat once again, bringing his legs up and folding them beneath him.
He liked her for some reason, and often it took him a while to become comfortable around strangers, but she was different. It felt as if Emma were here with him somehow.
“Back in the 1600s, the council made it a law to keep all homes the way they were when built. Additions could be added along the years, but if you made any outside renovations or any extreme inside changes, you’d be fined and evicted.
“Eviction in Elsmere results in homelessness and being homeless here is terrible. You’re better off dead. I don’t know why the council has a giant row boat oar up their asses but it’s just the way it has always been. I suppose it’s a tradition this world likes to keep.
“Now, as for the electricity, you can have it, it’s just pined for a lot in Elsmere because it’s expensive to have and it just doesn’t work well in our world.” Sage nodded to the fireplace.
“That is the living room’s source of entertainment. Adam and his father live in South Elsmere, which is more kind to the underprivileged. People get crazy around here. It’s safe during the day… but at night you’d be smart to stay away from your windows because of vamps, and put salt and cinnamon at the bottom of your front doors to keep the Moroi away.” Ethan tensed as the mention of the Moroi.
He had read plenty about them and got the chills just thinking about them. Moroi were ghostly figures that rise from the grave and feast on the living for their energy. Once fully energized, they become demons and could cause mayhem wherever they pleased.
“So if you are thinking of moving here, don’t.” Sage laughed, tossed a small
Adam had eventually fallen asleep, snoring like a beast in the chair. Ethan didn’t wake him; he knew he needed the rest. For a long while, Ethan admired the living room and how retro it looked.
The house must have been built back in the late 1700s and updated over time. Its log beamed ceiling gave off a forest cabin feel and the furniture must have been kept preserved since it looked ripped right out of the 70s, with pea green hints in each piece and salmon tinted throw pillows. There wasn’t a television or electronic device in sight.
Sage hadn’t spoken since Adam detoured into slumber, and now she sat, fidgeting with a vintage looking crossword puzzle book, softly cursing when she messed up.
Ethan gathered himself and walked over to the living room window, his arms wrapped around him like a large scarf. Even his sweater wasn’t keeping the cold at bay. He peeled the red curtains aside and peered through the frosty glass. Along with the fog, snow fell in flurries, twirling within the air like drunken fairies.
Through some of the fog and snow, he could see houses, more like stone shacks, lining the gray bricked street. Elsmere looked to be more of an old town than a city.
Dark windows gazed back into Ethan’s eyes seemingly staring into his soul. The houses looked dilapidated and grim, and streetlamps garnished the street, lit by gas. What was wrong with electricity in Elsmere? Ethan wondered.
The town reminded him of an animated movie he saw when he was younger, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow . And for a moment, Ethan seemed to be waiting for the headless horseman to come plowing through the street, with a fire doused pumpkin in hand.
Just then, the curtains snapped shut, snipping at Ethan’s cold fingers.
“Don’t do that, someone will see you.” Ethan turned and found Sage staring at him. She had a nervous look on her face.
“Why does this town look like it’s stuck in a time warp?” Ethan asked. Sage snickered and patted the couch Ethan had just occupied.
“Sit down. It’s an odd story,” Sage said as Ethan obeyed her and took his seat once again, bringing his legs up and folding them beneath him.
He liked her for some reason, and often it took him a while to become comfortable around strangers, but she was different. It felt as if Emma were here with him somehow.
“Back in the 1600s, the council made it a law to keep all homes the way they were when built. Additions could be added along the years, but if you made any outside renovations or any extreme inside changes, you’d be fined and evicted.
“Eviction in Elsmere results in homelessness and being homeless here is terrible. You’re better off dead. I don’t know why the council has a giant row boat oar up their asses but it’s just the way it has always been. I suppose it’s a tradition this world likes to keep.
“Now, as for the electricity, you can have it, it’s just pined for a lot in Elsmere because it’s expensive to have and it just doesn’t work well in our world.” Sage nodded to the fireplace.
“That is the living room’s source of entertainment. Adam and his father live in South Elsmere, which is more kind to the underprivileged. People get crazy around here. It’s safe during the day… but at night you’d be smart to stay away from your windows because of vamps, and put salt and cinnamon at the bottom of your front doors to keep the Moroi away.” Ethan tensed as the mention of the Moroi.
He had read plenty about them and got the chills just thinking about them. Moroi were ghostly figures that rise from the grave and feast on the living for their energy. Once fully energized, they become demons and could cause mayhem wherever they pleased.
“So if you are thinking of moving here, don’t.” Sage laughed, tossed a small
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