The Francisco Paranormal Encounters #1: M For Maria

Chapter 02: Celebrity

Emma Francisco finally arrived at her destination.

She had to change three buses to arrive at the bus stop at Aurora Heights, according to Google Maps. She looked around her as the bus rode away, and realised that the area was deserted. There was just one other man passing by, on the opposite side of the road.

Emma set her bag down at the bench behind her and sat down next to it. She rummaged in the front pocket of her bag and drew out the letter she had received two weeks ago. When she had made up her mind to visit last week, she had written back in the affirmative, enquiring also for any spot where they could meet to discuss the matter. Wilma Casterley had written back almost immediately with a location and address.

The young girl now entered this address into her phone and it took a while for her to select an address. Maps showed that the venue was three kilometres away.

"Huh, I can't walk all that way with my backpack," she said aloud to herself. "I need to request for a ride."

And so, she waited and watched to see if any vehicle would pass by. There was no activity on the road for what seemed like hours, before Emma had thoughts of giving up.

"Or, maybe I should walk."

She checked her watch. She still had a half-hour to meet the lawyer.

Just as she stood up, she spotted a minivan coming in the direction that the bus had been going. Emma sighed in relief and rushed to flag it down.

The driver behind the wheel saw her waving frantically and slowed to a stop. He drew down the window and stuck his head out.

"Yes, ma'am? You need something?"

The driver had a pleasant face and Emma at once took a liking to him. He had blonde hair and electric-blue eyes, a combination she had never seen in her life before.

"Yes, please," she responded with a small smile. "I was wondering if I could get a ride to a hotel around here? My phone GPS tells me it's about three kilometres away."

"Sure, ma'am, it'll be on my way. Where do you want to go?"

Emma showed him the letter with the address scribbled in a rough fashion. "This place, please."

The man took a look at it and nodded. "Right on my way. Get in the front, lassie!"

Emma was slightly taken aback by the word he used in reference to her, but she hastily walked around and got into the front passenger seat of the minivan. She shoved her bag under the seat and closed the door. The man gave her a pleasant smile before she took off.

"So, you new around here, lassie?" he asked her. "Never come to this town before?"

Emma shook her head. "No. I've spent my whole life in Gloria. I got a letter a few days ago from a lawyer around here – something about some property that my grandmother had left me."

"Oh, you never met your granny?" He sounded amazed.

"No, not really. I mean, I never knew I had any family all this time. I grew up in an orphanage."

"Oh, that's sad. Was it alone in there?"

"Kind of, yea. I mean, I did have friends there. I also went to school, but it pained me to see the children there with their parents, or at least, adults who cared about them. I never had any, so I was very surprised when I got this letter about a relative I could've met all this time! I wonder why she never got in touch with me all these years."