Gold

{1}

I SIGHED as I walked into the post office, going once again to check my mailbox. I usually never got any mail, but for some reason I felt I needed to check my mail today. I unlocked my box and opened it. I saw only one thing lying in the box.

I lifted it out and saw it was a postcard. From a town called Storybrooke, Maine. I'd never even heard of Storybrooke before.

I sighed and turned it over, seeing a note. The writing was cursive, and looked very much like a woman's handwriting.

It said, I know you will not understand this, but I was hoping you would come visit. There is a job waiting for you at the town school if you do. Signed, someone who cares very much about you.

I almost laughed as I read the note. Who cared about me in Maine? I decided it was a prank of some sort, and placed the postcard in my bag. I headed to work then.

My job was as a teacher at the city elementary school. I thought back to the note. It was strange that whoever wrote it knew I was a teacher, but it must be coincidental.

No one cared about me in this world. After all, I was twenty-seven years old and had no relatives. I knew I did have some, biologically of course, but I wasn't too sure where they were. It would help if I could remember something about my life.

I'd lived in Boston as long as I could remember, which was about as far as my memory spanned. I just attributed it to  getting older, but sometimes it concerned me.

I parked my car and walked into the school, hurriedly placing my brown hair into a ponytail.

I practically ran to my classroom, where I taught third grade. I rushed inside to find Principal Jones standing by my desk, looking very unhappy.

"Miss Carter!" She said angrily and I sighed. "Yes, Principal Jones?" I asked innocently.

"That is the third time you've been late to class, Miss Carter. I'm sure I made it clear the consequences of this." Principal Jones said and I felt my heart drop.

"No, please, you can't fire me." I said desperately, taking a step towards her. It was embarrassing enough that I was being fired in front of my class, but it's worse that I was begging for my job. Principal Jones' face did not soften in the slightest.

"I'm afraid I can. And I am. I'm sorry, Miss Carter." She told me and I sighed. I turned and walked dejectedly back to my car and climbed in. I laid my head in the steering wheel.

What was I supposed to do now? My paycheck was the only thing keeping my apartment paid for.

I'd have nowhere to live if I didn't find another job soon. And it would be hard to find another teaching job this late in the year.

I sighed and flung my purse into the passenger seat, only to notice the postcard fall to the floor.

I snatched it up and looked at the note again. I had a job waiting for me. All I had to do was show up in Storybrooke. It sounded crazy to just ditch Boston, but I had no other ideas. Besides, it wasn't like anything was keeping me here.

I didn't have a romantical partner and hadn't since I'd moved. I'd gone on dates, but they always ended badly. It was like there was someone else waiting for me. Someone I just hadn't found yet.

I drove back to my apartment and packed up my things. I only had a few suits of clothes and not much else.

I wasn't a sentimental person either, and couldn't remember ever being one.

I only had one item that I truly cherished. My ring.

I looked down at it. It was a simple golden band, with an amethyst gem in the middle. It was breathtaking. I couldn't remember ever buying it, so I always assumed it was given to me when I was young. I'd had it forever.