Search for the Soul Gem

Preface (2012)

     I've lived in New York City all my life. As a child, I explored everywhere from Coney Island and East Brooklyn to Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights. The pulse of the city had always flown through me. I always assumed that would be how the city would continue forever. Forever moving in a constant state of predictable chaos. 

     And that's how it was all my life. New York chugged on passed every obstacle and pulsed through the years. That was, until, everything change. Not only in New York, but everywhere. The day the sky opened up above Stark Tower and jolted the world to a hard left.

     The day of the Battle of New York started off like any other day. I woke up like any other day and got ready for work. As I gathered up my laptop and lecture notes, my phone rang. 

     "Dr. Scaffer, how may I help you?" I asked in my professor voice. 

     "Easy Luc. It's just me," My best friend said. 

     "Hey Thalia, what's up?" I asked. 

     "Wanna take the bus into Manhattan with me?" she asked. 

     "Uh, yeah sure," I said. 

     "What time is your first lecture?" she asked. 

     "11, yours?" 

     "11:30," I glanced at my watch. 

     "Well it's 9:45 right now and the Manhattan bus takes an hour. So I'll meet you outside in a few minutes?" I suggested shoving my keys into my satchel along with my lecture notes. 

     "Sounds good! See ya!" she hung up. I pocketed my phone and left my apartment, locking my door behind me. I skipped down the stone steps and waited for Thalia. 

     "Lucy! Lucy!" I heard heels hitting the sidewalk behind me. I spun around to see Thalia hauling her way toward me with her jacket thrown over her arm and her satchel across her body. 

     "If you could not look like a model walking through Brooklyn, that'd be great," I faked annoyance and threw a smirk over at her. She stopped and did a coy turn and laughed. She stepped in line with me as we walked toward the bus stop. 

     "And who are you, calling me a model? You make jeans and Oxford shoes look like runway fashion!" she said motioning to me. I glanced down at my outfit. It was a simple outfit of blue jeans, an off white blouse, and a white blazer. 

     "Please, jeans and Oxford shoes? At least you look like a professor! I look like some weird, grad students," she laughed. 

     "It's not that bad. Maybe Mr. Right will come falling out of the sky today," Thalia laughed and elbowed me a couple of times. I laughed and looked down at the ground.

     "I don't have time for dating. Not with all our research for our project-" I trailed off, thinking of all the things I had to fill out today. 

     "Hello? Earth to Lucy! Lucy are you home?" she asked rapping her knuckle on my forehead lightly. I blinked and looked over at her. Before either of us could say anything, the bus pulled up next to us. We stepped on and showed out University I.D.'s and took our seats. 

     "Seriously Luc, our dig isn't for four years. You've got plenty of time. You have to get out and live a little or you'll live a sad life," she said suddenly serious. 

     "I have fun!" I laughed. She shifted to look at me fully. 

     "Oh yeah! When's the last time you went on a date?" she asked. I opened my mouth to argue but she held up her hand, "I don't count!" She smirked. I shot her a look before turning to look out the window as we neared the University's stop.