Dive Right In

CHAPTER 2

She awoke to the pilot's annoucement that they were about to land. She looked around her, from the small boy next to her, to the grey sky outside. What time was it? She looked at her watch, then realized it would be of no use. Damn time zones. She sat back and looked out the window. The plane eventually touched ground with an abrupt jolt and a few squeals from the tires. As it coasted along the runway, Elara's mind began to catch up to her. "I'm in London. What am I doing in fucking London? I'm crazy...this is crazy."

"Uhhnnnn," she groaned under her breath as she got up out of her seat and joined the line to begin the monotonous shuffle off the plane and into the terminal. Her neck hurt from the angle in which she had been sleeping in her seat, and she rubbed it with a grimace. The passengers around her seemed to be as equally tired and jet-lagged, seeing as none of them were very talkative, even with the people they had flown with. The airport seemed rather empty that night - or at least emptier than Elara had imagined an airport in London to be. She quickened her step, then almost immediately stopped dead in her tracks - she had no idea what her aunt and cousin even looked like. She scrunched her face in annoyance and began to scan the terminal, in hopes of finding anyone who she thought could resemble her relatives. Her hopes were answered when she heard her name being called.

"Elara? Elara! Over here!"

Surprised, she spun around clutching her purse, searching for the owner of the voice. She sighed, relieved, and managed a slight grin when she saw a girl about her age with her hand high in the air, waving frantically. She was blonde, and much to Elara's relief, seemed to have adopted a similar style to that of her own, sporting torn jeans and a fitted band t-shirt.

"Aubrey?" Elara said as she approached the girl.

"Yes, it's so good to finally meet you! Well - again...but that doesn't really count since we were, what...two when we last saw each other?" She laughed, then pointed to her left. "Mum's gone to get a soda, she'll be right back. She's just ecstatic about you staying with us...Mum! She's here! Elara's here!" Elara turned in the direction Aubrey had pointed earlier and saw her aunt Katherine--a surprisingly young looking, beautiful, tall woman, with sandy blonde hair--smile and raise her hand in a small wave before she reached her niece and wrapped her up in a hug.

"Oh Ellie, it's just wonderful to see you. I can't tell you how happy we are to have you," she gushed. "How was your flight? Is your mother doing well? Let's go get your things..." Katherine placed her hand on Elara's shoulder, ushering her towards the conveyor belt, where her suitcases had come out of the luggage chute.

~~~~~

The house was magnificent. Although it was quite close to its neighbours, the interlocked stone driveway, deep red brick accented with black shutters, and trellis vines all the way to the roof, it was almost as if it had been just dropped in from another part of town. They went inside, and Elara followed Aubrey upstairs to their room. It was small, but big enough so the two of them could live comfortably. To Elara, Aubrey's room seemed just as any other teenage girl's in London would. At least, it's what she thought it should look like. Posters, clothes, a television and stereo...there was also a rather large cage in the corner near the window. Did Aubrey own a bird? She stepped further into the room, and lightly brushed her fingers upon various objects, as though it would help her remember them. A silver necklace hanging from the mirror, a small closed box, which Elara assumed was full of jewellery and other trinkets...she stopped on a photograph that was partially hidden under the box. She pulled it out, and recognized Aubrey, along with a few of her friends. But then the calm smile left her face as she studied the image in her hand. Something wasn't right about the picture. Once it registered in Elara's mind, she dropped the picture and jumped back with a start.

The girls in the picture were moving. They were smiling, and waving. Elara stared at the photograph, wide-eyed.

"Aubrey? Could...could you come here for a second?" She stuttered, not taking her eyes away from the photograph.

Aubrey sauntered in, carrying a blanket. "Hey, these are in case you get cold. What's up? ...oh, damn..."

The look on Elara's face seemed to answer that question. Her eyes remained fixed on the photograph. Aubrey clenched her teeth.

"Mum, I need you in here. NOW, please." Aubrey stepped toward her cousin carefully.

"Elara..." she said, picking up the picture. "I'm sorry...you weren't supposed to see this. Not yet, I mean."

Elara looked just as confused as when she had picked up the picture.

"What is that, a hologram?"

Her cousin shook her head. "No. No... it's just a photograph." Aubrey picked up the box, and opened it. To Elara's shock, there was no jewellery inside. The box contained only photographs. Photographs that were all, in fact, moving.

"Aubrey dear, what's - oh Merlin Aubrey, not yet." Katherine said, exasperated. "We talked about this, not until after we'd-"Her daughter cut her off.

"She found it, Mum, I'm sorry." Aubrey frowned and placed the box back on her nightstand.

As if things couldn't have gotten any more confusing, at that very moment Elara heard a loud screech, and turned toward the window to see a large grey owl fly in right past her.

"What the - !?" She ducked to avoid the owl, and took several steps backward against the wall. The owl came to rest on Aubrey's bed, and Elara noticed there was a rolled up piece of paper tied to its leg. Elara watched silently as Katherine rushed over and untied the letter from the owl's leg, and read it.

"Excuse me, would someone mind telling me what's going on here?" Elara wasn't sure if she was angry, or afraid, or both. But she did know that she wanted answers. Now. Her mother suddenly sends her to London to stay with relatives she doesn't know, who get letters from owls and had photographs that move? It was almost too much. Katherine and Aubrey exchanged worried looks, and then both looked back at Elara. Katherine motioned for Elara to sit on the bed, and she did so reluctantly. Aubrey once again picked up the box of photographs and sat next to her cousin.

Katherine stood in front of the girls, and took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Elara, there's...there's something you need to know."