“In part,” Edna continued. “They either don’t know or they are too afraid to talk about it.”
I thought about that. Whenever I brought up Gladstone, people looked uncomfortable and often changed the subject.
Edna had more to tell. “There is a colossal lure that draws people there,” she began. “There are stories of enchanted lakes that have magical properties, though it’s not clear what the magic is or how you gain access to it. I’ve never heard whether you have to swim in the water or drink it or just stand at the shore.”
This story intrigued me since I’d had my own magical waterfall experience at Twin Falls Lake. Most people only see one waterfall. I saw two, and the second was magical. I wouldn’t have believed her story otherwise. My experience was amazing and inspiring. But if Gladstone was a place of opposites . . . I shuddered.
I was waiting to see if she had information about the lake with the so-called fountain of youth that I’d read about in the window-seat book.
“The most intriguing myth is that one particular lake holds a fountain of youth. That’s just the common title for such a thing. I’ve never heard it to be an actual fountain. I’ve never heard how it provides this so-called magic.”
Ah! A second source for this myth. I puffed out a breath. “That would be a powerful magnet.”
“It’s said to be almost impossible to find. The rumored location is at the summit of one of the snowy mountains. Many people who make it to the island and hike up a mountain are never seen again. It’s assumed to be a challenging hike through treacherous terrain and untold dangers.”
I thought about her words for a minute. “But the promise to be forever young would cause people to take that risk, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s true. Some people who hear of this magic desperately try to get there. Often, it is people who fear death or aging that find the appeal of being ageless worth the risk of finding it.”
The pieces were coming together. Did the ferry travel to Gladstone? Were the large dollar amounts on the ledger related to this so-called fountain of youth? Was the box I received from the captain a key to figuring out the mystery of Gladstone? Was this the heart of the danger the captain warned me of? The reason for her death?
I recalled the dancer’s anger and her comments about her mother. She’d said something about her mother’s search for youth and beauty. And she said she had disappeared. Leaving her daughter alone and penniless.
The idea that my own mother was, or could still be, in Gladstone worried me. Was my mother one of those self-absorbed people on a quest for youthfulness at all costs?
30
Have you ever arrived somewhere with no idea how you got there? Like if you’re driving to work and suddenly you realize that you’ve arrived there? Well, one minute I was in the library with Edna, and the next I was back at Caldwell Crest and in my room. I wasn’t sure if this was magic or if I had just been in a complete daze. I was trying to process everything that Edna had told me about Gladstone and tie it to the various strange things that had been happening.
My brain was in such a muddle that I tried to unwind in my yoga room. I was halfway through a sun salutation when I caught a flicker of movement in the oval mirror. I rushed over and was beyond happy to see Luna folding her laundry. How could such a mundane task bring tears to my eyes and an ache in my heart?
Typical of Luna, she was swaying and bopping along as she folded. I didn’t need to hear it to know that she had her music on loud. Her carefree approach to her housework gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
I stood at the mirror for the longest time, just watching her and willing her to turn around. Finally, she did. This time there was no screaming and running, thankfully. Instead, she popped out her earbuds and began joyfully talking, gesturing wildly as she spoke.
I shook my head and made talking gestures with my hand, mouthing the words, ‘I can’t hear you.’ Then I pulled my phone out of my pocket and pointed to it.
I dialed Luna’s number and hoped. So many times I had tried to reach her, only to have the call drop before she even had a chance to pick up. I saw her run over to her purse and pull out her phone. I held my breath.
“Hello?” Luna’s voice was quiet and tentative—not like her at all.
“Oh my God! Luna! It’s you! I can’t believe it! Hi, Luna!” I was stumbling over my words in my surprise.
“Hayden! It’s you!” She was laughing. “I was hoping every day that you’d be back!”
Then we were both laughing and talking over each other. She walked over to the mirror and it was almost as if we were together again. She moved closer to the mirror and blew me a kiss. That got me laughing again, which felt so darn good.
“Before I explain things, there’s something important. If the room starts to look wavy or faded, or if you see a flash of bright light, you need to hit the deck. Lie down on the floor and crawl out of there. Don’t get close to the mirror again. That seems to be a sign that you’re going to be pulled into the other side, and once you’re here, you can’t get out. So, you got that?”
“Got it.” She pulled a stool over to the dresser and sat down. “So, talk, my friend. Tell me everything!”
Well, once I started talking, I couldn’t stop. I explained how I had landed in Destiny Falls and what I found here. I told her about my newfound family. I told her about the unbelievable stores and
