Lacuna [1] {Completed}

Chapter One

"Solivagant (adj.) Wandering alone"

May 2017

"Cat costa?" Erin asked the woman, knowing it meant How much? in Romanian. She set three plums and a book in front of her on the wooden fruit stand.

            The name of the woman Erin had addressed was Ana. She was the owner of the fruit and vegitable stand Erin frequented every morning before Erin's shift at the coffee house down the street. Ana also had a small selection of used books for sale on the side. Sometimes they were donations, other times Ana would except them as payment in exchange for small amounts of fruit. Either way, Erin always loved seeing what different kinds of books appeared each morning. Every day the inventory was different and Erin loved it. Today, Erin spotted a copy of the Romanian version of Romeo and Juliet and couldn't pass it up.

            Ana smiled at her and replied in Romanian, "For the book, 5 euro. But, today, the plums are my treat."

            "No, no, no," Erin tried to protest.

            "Yes, yes, yes," Ana replied, "You look tired, Erin. I hope this small act will help you rest easier."

            Erin gave in and smiled back, "Multumesc," She replied, Thank you.

            "See you tomorrow morning," Ana said giving her a parting smile and began to help the customer behind Erin. Erin grabbed her book and bag of plums and started towards the coffee shop.

            It had been over three years since she witnessed the collapse of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion. As she walked, Erin thought about how much her life had changed. Since then she had lived in eight different cities. She never stayed in one place too long, just enough to learn the culture, pick up some of the language, and earn enough money to move onto the next place. She was a wanderer, never quite fitting in wherever she went. It was as if she didn't seem to belong anywhere.

But she liked Romania. She normally would have moved on by now, but the city of Bucharest was inviting and friendly. She felt more at home here than she had in years. It made her want to stay for a while longer.

As she walked, something pulled Erin from her thoughts. It was a slight irritation in the back of her senses. Something felt... off. She walked this route every morning and every afternoon. She memorized each streetlight and walk sign all the way from her apartment eight blocks back to her work place, four blocks ahead. She did a 360 turn, taking in her surroundings like she had been trained to. Her eyes landed across the street from Ana's fruit stand and saw what was different.

            It wasn't something it was someone, several someones in fact. Three individuals were lurking outside of an abandoned science complex across from the market. Erin watched as one by one, they each slipped into the structure, looking around to make sure they weren't seen. How stupid of them.

In the months Erin walked this street she had never seen anyone enter that building. It was shielded by a thin layer of trees from the market's view. You wouldn't even notice it if you didn't know it was there. It hadn't been used in years and was starting to be overrun by plants and dust. Ana had told her that some people believed it was haunted and demons still lurked there stealing children. Others thought it housed ghastly monsters that experimented on trespassers. Not even bored teenagers or homeless squatters bothered going near it.

Erin looked across the street in front of her and could see the little coffee shop four blocks ahead on the corner, then looked back towards the abandoned building. The last of the three individuals had disappeared inside. Erin stuffed her bag of plums and book into the bag at her hip. I can be a few minutes late. She thought to herself. If the monsters decide not to eat me. She turned to her right, looked both ways before she crossed the street, cut through the trees, and followed the intruders inside.