sob as Kira held on to the other two girls. I glanced over at Willow. Her usually flowing blonde hair had been pulled up into a messy bun and her blue eyes were splotchy and red. Her shorts and tank top were wrinkled and disheveled. Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she held back her tears. I squeezed her hand.
Priscilla picked up the hurricane vase delicately, her bracelets clinking against each other.
Several more women in similar flowing white dresses joined her at the table. They stood perfectly still and held hands. They were each extremely beautiful, but that wasn’t what made them so captivating. It was as if the sun shone from within them, broadcasting beauty and allure to the world.
If it were possible to gather every new spring blossom, every savory smell of a summer garden, and every sparkle of morning dew and then combine them into one creature, the result would be standing before us. It was difficult to look directly at them without becoming completely overcome by their brilliance.
As they all closed their eyes, a beautiful sound like no other began flowing from them. The song of a Siren. It was a haunting cry that filled the night air and wrapped around every living creature. I could feel it enter my conscious, resonate throughout my senses, and settle into my soul. It trumped my thoughts and numbed my feelings. Becoming uncomfortable with the intrusion, I pushed the sensation back out, away from my ears and back in to the breeze. Although it resisted, I was finally able to think again and felt my own emotions returning to me. Everyone around me appeared to be in some kind of trance. I looked up at Priscilla and inhaled sharply. Her emotionless eyes were boring into mine with a burning fury I could almost feel. The song ended abruptly and Priscilla immediately reverted back to her role as caring Maven. Everyone around me began moving and whispering again, but her chilling gaze stayed with me.
At the water’s edge, she scooped up a sample of the ocean in a small glass and brought it back to the table. She raised her arms, looked up at the sky, and regally proclaimed, “It shall come to pass.” Then she poured the sea water over the burning candle on the table. The second it touched the flame, the water snuffed it out. Simultaneously, every other candle on the beach and in our hands did the same. We were instantly drenched in darkness and a suffocating silence. I looked around anxiously as uneasiness began wrapping around me. No one else seemed to be worried about this sudden turn of events, so I tried to remain calm. Just as quickly as they had gone out, the candles danced back to life and the night filled with a warm glow once more. Priscilla bowed her head, walked around the table and gave Kira a small box. They turned to leave and everyone else began making their way back to the boardwalk.
As the beach cleared, Priscilla walked towards us. Her cold blue eyes locked on mine and she gave me a practiced smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She stopped in front of us, dissecting us one by one before speaking.
“Willow, it is customary that you receive a personal item of your mentor’s upon graduation.”
Even at a close distance her voice held a certain amount of esteem and conviction. “Since these are extenuating circumstances, I believe you should receive that gift tonight.” She held out a purple velvet pouch with ribbon drawstrings. Willow wiped away a few tears that had escaped her eyes and anxiously untied the drawstrings; pouring the contents into her palm. A breathtaking silver ring set with a turquoise stone sat in her hand. She slipped it onto her ring finger and held it against her chest.
“This means so much to me, thank you.” Willow’s eyes were bright with tears again.
“It once belonged to Nicolet’s great grandmother. I know you will take great care of it, Willow. I know how much Nicolet meant to you.” Priscilla bowed her head towards Willow and slipped past us.
“Willow?” Kira came up behind us and I gave her the biggest hug I could manage. She held on to me tightly and I felt tears dampen my shoulder. She straightened and wiped her eyes.
“I have something for you.” She turned to Willow and handed her a piece of paper rolled up, secured with a lace ribbon. “I found this among Nicolet’s things. I think you should have it.” As Phoebe took the paper, Kira grasped both of her hands and her eyes widened with urgency.
“The contents are very old. Make sure it stays protected.”
Phoebe nodded and embraced Kira in a hug, “Thank you. I’ll keep it safe, but…what is it?”
“An old poem-“ Kira stopped as someone called to her from the boardwalk, then focused back on us, looking defeated, “I have to go.” She gave me another quick hug, and then started to walk away.
Hesitating, she placed her hands on top of her Willow’s slender shoulders. “Nicolet loved you so much. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Thank you Kira,” Willow glanced down at the paper as she walked away.
“Open it, open it!” Phoebe insisted, peeking over Willow’s shoulder.
Willow slid the lace ribbon off the paper and unrolled it carefully. The piece of paper was browning around the edges and looked like it belonged to a different century. I worried that it would crumble any moment and be carried off by the wind. The words scrawled down the paper looked like a work of art, looping and swirling into elaborate designs. Unfortunately the work of art wasn’t written in English.
“What language is that?” Carmen wondered aloud.
“I don’t know,” Willow turned the paper sideways, trying to make sense of it, “I’ve never seen it before. I’ll have to look through my books.”
“Let’s Google it!” Phoebe exclaimed, attempting excitement for Willow’s sake, “I love a good treasure hunt!”
“I’m pretty sure treasure hunts never include googling things,” she gave Phoebe an ‘are-you-
serious look, “but if you want to put some money on it, I’m down.”
“Ten bucks,” Phoebe suggested.
“Twenty,” Carmen countered. She twirled a finger around her dark hair and lifted an eyebrow daring Phoebe to up the price again.
“Thirty.”
“Forty.”
“Okay, okay,” I put my hands up, “you’ll be selling me and Willow off by the time you settle on a price. How about whoever figures out what the paper says gets a free meal at any restaurant, paid for by the other roommates?”
“Only if that includes dessert,” Phoebe upped the ante.
“Deal.” I said.
“Deal.” Willow and Carmen agreed.
“Speaking of dessert, who wants brownies?” Willow smiled for the first time that day. Baking was her form of therapy. We took the boardwalk leading back to Maren. I saw a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye beneath us in the dunes, but when I looked closer only saw darkness and the swaying of grass.
Chapter 17
“You’re telling me, you were in his bed and NOTHING happened. I don’t buy it.” Phoebe shook her head at Carmen. A plate full of brownies sat on the coffee table as we lounged around talking in the living room that night.
“It’s true! Logan was a total gentleman.” Carmen winked at me.
“I saw that! You liar! You better tell me what happened or I’ll throw your precious bag off the balcony!” She lunged for Carmen’s Louis Vuitton bag.
“Okay, okay!” Carmen laughed at her, “Seriously, we lit some candles, got naked….and played poker.” She shrieked as Phoebe started throwing pillows at her.
“I hate you. I’ve only had one boyfriend and on one of our dates, mom drove us to the movie and gave us the sex talk! In the car! I wanted to throw myself into oncoming traffic.”
“Speak of the devil…” Carmen said under her breath, reaching for her phone, as it alerted her of a text with Caribbean steel drums.
“Whatever Phoebs, Ian’s been chasing you for months and you won’t even look at him.”
Willow challenged her as she set her sights on a brownie.
“Who’s Ian?” I asked curiously.
“It’s not that I don’t like him, I just don’t know…”
