t r o u v a i l l e | ✔️

entry 01

Nathanael
18:27
12 october 2016
somewhere in georgia...

Georgia is everything I expected it to be. Nice.

Just nice.

After I paid the cab, the yellow vehicle went buzzing down the street hopeful to find somewhere with business. I'd seen a couple people, at most, that crept through this empty city.

The home I was to stay in was small with a pale white exterior coat of paint and a creaking wooden porch. The surrounding area surely wouldn't prompt any trouble. There were only a few more houses littered on this particular road; A pastel yellow dwelling sat across the street and the next was at least a half a mile away.

I packed my backpack, camera and messenger bag on my shoulders before clamoring up the old steps with my suitcase.

Pulling the keys out of my pocket, I unlocked the door, took a deep breath and swung it open. Instantly, I was overcome with the stale scent of aged furniture and appliances. I walked hesitantly into the house with every intention of calling Julian if I saw any unsuspecting guests.

After inspecting the three bedrooms and bathrooms, I dropped my things on the large four post bed that sat in the middle of the most spacious room.

The sound of Julian's distinctive ring tone bounced off the four beige walls. "What's up,"

"You made it?" He yelled over some overpowering noise and ruckus in the background.

"Yeah,"

"Yeah," Julian drawled. "And how is it? Is the car there yet?"

I left my things in the room to venture back through the quiet house. "The car is here. And the place is good. Simple. So simple that the master bedroom's bed is its only furniture."

He guffawed, "Oh," An object clattered loudly in the background followed by a youthful high pitched scream. "Daaaa!" Julian's grunt was audible over the phone. "Get back to you later Nate. Buy what you need. The business account is steady, but it's not like you ever spend your own mon-"

The ear piercing sound of shattering glass sounded before little Grace screamed for dear life. I chuckled.

"Shit!"

"Daaa!" The call ended and I was left to figure out exactly what I was going to buy that would keep me from going crazy until Julian calls and orders me to get my ass on another plane.

20:29
12 october 2016
glendale, georgia...

"Um, hello," I blinked slowly and turned to see a young woman staring with critical eyes. "I asked if you knew what you were going to order."

She adjusted her weight to the other hip and took the small note pad to her hip. She seemed to not even want to be here. I couldn't blame her. Towns like these were full of dreamers. Ones who wish to be something more. I knew that being a success here meant leaving after high school. "Lisa," I read it off her name tag. "You enjoy living here?"

She reared away and sucked her teeth. "I asked for your order. And no- I hate Glendale."

The corner of my lips lifted slightly. "I'll have the pancake supreme, no sausage with scrambled eggs. And may I have a coffee, please?"

Lisa rolled her dull blue eyes and scoffed indifferently. "At eight at night," She grumbled before snatching the menu from the table and walking away.

After eating, I pushed my plate away and gathered Lisa's tip in my wallet. With six dollars on the wrinkled napkin I stood up at the same time that the bell rang on the entrance door. 

A mass of black curly hair caught my eye as a woman eased into the dainty restaurant. Her gaze never fitted my way much to my dismay, but my stare never left her. The way her wild locks fell well past her soft shoulders had me entranced. The height of her posture and the sway of her hips suggested her confidence in who she was. She walked with a kind of pride that I'd yet to come across in Glendale. 

Before she would turn and notice my stare, I rushed out of the diner and into the night's breeze. 

I drove through the small town until I came upon a small store. Diane's Market. 

"Now Randy, I don't want none of your trouble tonight," A feminine voice hollered from somewhere near the back of the store.

"Uh," My bottom lip rolled between my teeth and my hand flew nervously to my hair.

She appeared from behind a shelf of chips and her expression fell apologetically. "Oh, I'm so sorry dear. You lost?"

"Ah, no I just-" I peered around the store in hopes of finding a set of sheets and a comforter. "I just needed something for a bed."

"An air mattress?" The woman blew past me.

"Just a bed set, if you have one of those-"

She spun around, her eyes wide and her hands to her mouth. "Like sheets? Yeah baby, I got them." We walked swiftly through the hypermarket until we came upon a sparing section of bed sets. I grabbed the largest one off the shelf then followed her to the cash register. "What you doin' in Glendale, baby?"

I pulled a card from my wallet. "Vacation," I answered simply. 

"Vacation in a small town like this?" The woman guffawed. Her eyes shone in a comforting manner. She seemed to be the type of woman to go out of her way for others. "My store's probably the only thing interestin' 'bout this run down, old place-No. There's a nice, little, ol' gallery we got near the orchard at the edge of town." She took the card after ringing up my things and handed it back along with a receipt. "A nice, little girl keeps it up an runnin'. Used to be her daddy's an it's probably the only reason she still here. Gon' an visit sometime. Excitin' to see a new face here."

"Will do," I gathered the items in my arms and stepped away from the counter.

"My name's Diane, dear, if you ain't gathered that from before." She smiled. There was something comforting about the pale, aging woman. 

I returned a tight lipped grin. "Nathanael."