Unnatural

Prologue

"Hush she's sleeping." A voice whisper-shouts. Shuffling feet move across my bedroom floor. "I don't get why being quiet is such a big deal, she is going to find out sooner or later." Another voice says annoyingly. Dropping something heavy onto the ground. "Are you kidding me Emerson? If Harlyn wakes up and finds us in here this will be a disaster that you would have caused. And would our boss be happy with that? No." The sassy voice fades with the other following soon after.

"I think I heard two people talking in my room last night. It was weird because I'm not sure if it was  even  real or not." I tell my mom while scratching the back of my neck. Mom gives me a look as if I'm crazy or something. "You gotta be kidding me Harlyn, you told me you would stop watching those crazy movies of yours!" She sighs putting her hands on her hips. "They are not crazy. Its horror, completely different than the category you are thinking of thank you very much." I respond sticking my tongue out. Hearing loud stomps going down the stairs I roll my eyes as I see my brother who slumps onto the stool beside me. "Morning Harl, morning mom!" He greets giving me an unneeded noggie. "Morning Jake." I mumble leaning my arms forward, laying my head onto the cold white marble island. Taking in the smell of the blueberry muffins my mom's baking.

 I begin to think over what I thought I heard last night. Maybe it was just a dream due to the movie I watched before I fell asleep. But it seemed too real to be just a dream. Who is Emerson? Who is his boss? Who was the girl who was speaking with Emerson? So many questions are running through my mind over what may or may not have happened last night. "Harlyn?" Mom snaps her fingers in front of my face. "Huh?" I look at her. "I asked if you wanted some coffee." She says. "Yes please, I am more than tired." I sigh. "Obviously. " Jake mutters under his breath. Mom slaps him upside his head handing me my coffee, taking a sip of it. Mm just how I like it two sugars and a little bit of creamer. "Thanks mom. " I kiss her cheek then start heading towards the stairs. "Oh and Harlyn." Mom starts. "I love you." I smile at her in a way of saying 'I love you too' then walk  up the stairs.

As I get to my room a pick up the frame that has only very little meaning to me. The crumpled photo of a middle-aged man and baby me is tightly squeezed into place. My dad, I don't know much about him. He left us after I was born with no goodbye. Mom rarely talks about him, I can see the pain in her eyes when she does though. I don't know how to feel about him. Other than the fact that we look alike. I have his bright blue eyes and dark brown hair. Mom says it scares her how much I am like him. She told me this story once, the day they met. She thought she'd never seen anyone as handsome as him. They talked for hours staying up til five in the morning. Just talking and enjoying each others company. As reckless as mom was at that age they started dating after just a day of knowing each other. Mom said is was love at first sight. But now she's not so sure. We don't have any other pictures of me and dad, only this one.

"Harlyn, honey?" I hear my mom's voice shout from downstairs. I run downstairs to see what she wants. "Yeah?" She turns around holding a box. "These were your fathers. They're just some old books. I thought you might want them." She hands me the box. "Awesome! Thanks mom." I walk back into my room and place the box onto my dresser. Looking in the box I wonder what I should grab first. So I close my eyes and grab something random. It's one of the books titled, Fae Mythology. Why would he be interested in Fae's? Must be some Christmas present he has gotten over the years. I set it on my bed then pick up an old picture book. There is a picture of my dad and another man. 'Michael and Keaton.' They look related. Keaton is tall and broad. He's brunette and has green eyes. Dad is about a few inches taller than him. I look at another picture that has our house with my parents standing out front with Jake in their arms. 'Moving Day! Michael, Jamie, and baby Jake.' They look genuinely happy in this picture. Smiling and looking into each others eyes. Another picture has the kitchen in it, flour poured everywhere. 'Baking Madness' Jake has flour on his face with a big grin. He must be at least four in this. Jake is five years older than me. He looks like my mom. They both have brown hair and blue-grey eyes. Some people wonder if I'm adopted because I look nothing like my mom or Jake. I wonder what it would be like if my father didn't leave. Jake is lucky, he remembers dad and got to know him. Maybe one day he will return. I look at another photo and it is just of my dad in a leather jacket and jeans. In the background it's blurry and it kind of looks like he has wings. Closing the book I fall into my bed. Tired of all this thinking.

I'm dreaming, there he is. I don't know his name but his voice is something I remember.

"Aspen, come on. I have to see her again. And you know exactly why." He says. "No, Keaton says to stay put until he says we can make another return. And frankly I don't want to push his buttons. We both know what he told us when he found out we were in her room last night." The girl squints her eyes clearly annoyed. "Fine maybe I'll go by myself, but I have to see her, I need this." Emerson walks back and forth scratching his head. He sighs, "She should know by now." 

"I know it's hard but we have rules we need to follow." Aspen pats Emerson's shoulder then walks out of the room. Emerson stands in the same spot for a good few minutes. He sighs walking over to his maple wood desk and picks up a frame. It's a photo of me and I'm guessing him when we we're toddlers.