Taryn

Them Chapter 3

I walk up the steps of the apartment building to hear some people talking to each other. 

I hurry a bit and pop a bubble of my gum. A man's leaning on the door of the apartment I'm supposed to go into. Another guy and a girl are discussing something about ego's a few steps away from him. 

They turn to me as I stop in front of the. " You got a card? " The guy leaning on the door asks. 

I nod and smile. " Yup. So, what's this about? Am I getting a million bucks or something? Dang. " I sigh. " Maybe it's that gambler I owe. Shoot. I never did pay back Bobby Ray. " I quickly replace my frown with a smile as I look past the guys shoulder. " Is the door locked? " 

" Yeah. " The girl nods. 

" No way. " I turn to the voice behind me. " J. Daniel Atlas? Dude, I've seen everything that you've ever done. " The guy smiles and walks closer to us. " I mean like...I idolize you. Seriously. "

" From a true fan. It's so nice to meet you. " Daniel and the guy shake hands while I awkwardly look around. 

" I'm Jack by the way. " The man introduces. 

" Question. " The guy who was leaning against the door holds up his card and flicks it. " Did you get one of these? " 

" Yeah. Yeah. Death. " He holds up his card. 

Daniel, the girl and I also hold up our cards. 

" The Empress. " The girl says. 

" I'm the lover. " I look over at Daniels card as he talks. 

" Three minutes. " The girl says in a cough. 

" Hermit. " The door leaning guy looks at his card and then shows us. 

Everyone looks at me. " High Priestess. " I push some of my dark hair behind my ear. 

" So, what are we....are we waiting for someone? " Jack asks. " Why are we just..." 

" The door's locked. " I nod to it.  

" Oh no. Nothing's ever locked. " Jack smiles and I move out of the way so he can get to the door. 

He picks it open quickly. He opens the door and we're greeted with darkness. 

" What is this place? " I turn on a small flash light I carry with me and shine it into the hall ways as I step in before everyone. 

" Ugh. " The girl says in disgust as she looks into the bathroom. 

" Oh. Wow. " Door guy mutters. " I thought my apartment was nasty. " 

We walk into what's supposed to be the living room section of the apartment. " Man, it's freezing in here. " Jack looks around as he talks. 

A folded card and rose lie in the middle of the floor, with some weird carving in the floor behind it. " What's that? " The girl asks. 

" I don't know. " Daniel picks up the card and shines his flashlight onto it. 

" What's it say? " Door guy looks over his shoulder and peers down at the card. 

" ' Now you don't. ' " Daniel says in confusion. 

" Great. Not creepy at all. " I say sarcastically as I move away from the group surrounding Daniel. 

" A rose by any other name. " The girl gently puts the white rose into a glass pitcher that's just randomly placed on the floor. The water leaks out of the pitcher and onto the floor boards, making it's way to the carved out wood.

" Guys, what's happening? " Jack asks. It floods the carved area and smoke fills the air. " It's gas! " Jack says in slight alarm as he backs away. 

" Relax. " I smile. " It's just dry ice. " 

" Cool. " The girl looks down at the ground. 

" Wait, what do you think this is all about? " Daniel asks. 

" Hang on. Hang on. " Door guy puts his hand to his head and thinks. " I got nothing. " 

" Okay thank you. Thank you for the delay. " Daniel says with sarcasm. 

" I'm just trying to create the space for wisdom. " The door man defends. 

" Okay, so you're like Buddha. If he wasn't so enlightened. " Daniel looks around. 

" And you're like Jesus, if he was arrogant and all his miracles were fake. " The door man retorts. 

" Okay love birds. " The girl rolls her eyes. " Get a room. Danny, to be honest. Did you do this? " She asks. 

" No. Wait. Did you? " He asks Jack. 

" I wish. " He smiles but shakes his head. They turn to me. 

" Nope. But I really want to meet the guy that did. Or girl. We could have a cool conversation over stuff like this. " 

" Why didn't anyone ask me if I did it? " Door man asks. 

No one replies. 

" Oh great. " He says sarcastically. 

I walk over to the light on the ceiling. " Electricity's out. " Jack points out. 

" Well, " I look up. " Let's check. " I tap on the door man's shoulder. " Dude, can you help me? Twist that bulb. " I point up. 

He nods. " I'm Merritt by the way. " 

" Tayrn. As you already know. It's nice to meet you Merritt. " The light turns on as he twists the bulb. A blue light shoots out from the door as the light goes on. " Blueprints. Wow. " I say in awe as I look at the blueprints in the air in front of me. " So cool. " 

" They're incredible. " Jack smiles. " Who do you think did this? " 

" I don't know but I really want to meet them. " The girl says adoringly. " It's a show. " 

A sign appears in the middle of the blueprints. 

" Wow. " Merritt gasps. 

This is the start of a new beginning.