Guardians of the Watchtower: North

Chapter 1

Being a teenager and growing up in a big city is probably what most teenagers dream about, being close to stores and malls and music halls as their views from their living room. Having amazing record stores blocks away and having a set of parents that you loved and loved you very much. Living on Capitol Hill has its pros and cons, to say the least, the weather itself was bipolar you'd wake up to what you thought was a bright sunny day and by lunchtime you were in a hoodie and kicking yourself for not bringing you sneakers instead of flip flops. The skyline of this beloved city is visual and physical proof of the fond memories held within.
The city was vast and had so many hidden gems of little shops scattered all over the place it was mostly a hit or miss situation but it was home, street performers, smelly buses and all. It was all coming crashing down and there was nothing that was going to stop the string of events that was happening around her, and nothing could prepare her for what was about to happen to her. Being seventeen years old and moving to the middle of nowhere is not how Ivy pictured spending the last few days of her fall break. She was about to start her last quarter of her senior year and couldn't believe this was happening to her.
Staring out the window of her mother's newly bought beat up station wagon as the fields of corn zoomed by in a blur of golden yellows and greens. Pressing her forehead against the cool glass of the window, wishing to herself that her mother hadn't just up and decide they "needed a fresh start,'' She had sold their nice big two story townhouse and her black SUV for this death trap that was being held together with what looked like more rust than paint and was moving her halfway across the country. She wasn't prepared for this, wasn't prepared for the changes like this in her life much less what was gonna happen at a new school. She was so close to graduating and then her mother springs this on her. The only big move she was ready for was moving away from home and into a dorm room at a college as far away as she could get.
"Honey, you're going to love it out here; wide open spaces, fresh air, look at how beautiful it is out here," Shanon said patting Ivy's arm gently like most mothers do.
"I loved my room and I loved my friends, my life that I had made " Ivy replied, rolling her emerald eyes as she turned back out the passenger window not saying another word to her mother.
"You'll learn to love it out here too," quietly responded Shanon, brushing Ivy's almost silver blonde hair behind her left ear.
"I don't want to learn to love it, mom! I want to go back home to Denver, I want to see the snow covered mountains to the west and the huge blue quest sign above the city, I want to spend my birthday in Dan's Diner, eating turkey club on white bread with no tomatoes, not being dragged to Ohio, they don't even have snow over here do they?!", Ivy was misty eyed at this point angry and frustrated at the situation. Shanon's smile left her face as she turned her attention back to the road avoiding looking at Ivy's protesting face.
"We can't, this is gonna be our home now so you're just gonna have to get used to it, and yes they do get snow here," Shanon said simply.
They sat in silence for the remainder of the drive, just the low hum of the tires against the pavement. The daylight was slowly growing dimmer in the sky to the east as the sun began to set in the west dipping below the horizon. Looking out the window was pointless now only seeing silhouettes of trees and black fields in the distance. Some of the fields had already been harvested leaving behind only traces of where life had once been blooming and reaching for the heavens. The remainder of the stalks in the field looked like petrified wood stuck in place. The only moving thing was the constant turning of the oil rigs in the distance. The moon rose higher in the sky with each passing hour spreading more moonlight as it went.Already homesick for the mountains and the constant popping of her ears as the elevation dropped made her even sadder knowing that her life that she knew was slipping away from her and was being replaced with endless fields of corn. All her plans with her friends, graduating with her class that she was with since middle school was gone. and nothing was gonna make this okay for Ivy, she wanted to go home.
Ivy glanced over to see a huge black lake in the distance, the moonlight sparkled off the surface making it look like it could go on forever and had no bottom. it looked lonely in that distance somehow surrounded by trees. Shanon began to slow the car down and stopped in front of a large rot iron gate of black swirling filigree. Ivy leaned forward to look up at the gate just in time to see a glimpse of a crest on the front before it split in two down the center opening up into a wide lane. Shanon closed the cover on the keypad next to the driver's side and patted Ivy's hand as she rolled the window back up into place.
"Here we go sweetie", she smiled sweetly at Ivy as if that would make this all okay again and started driving slowly through the gates that made ivy feel more trapped than protected as they closed behind their car as they passed them.
The lane was well manicured, large willow trees stood like guards on either side of the road only a yard or two apart and one after another after another for what seemed like went on for eternity. Their branches swayed in a breeze she couldn't feel inside the closed car making their longing arms trail across the windows leaving behind little leaves as they did. She grabbed the black handle and quickly rolled down the window, the window moaning in protest but it gave way and went down nonetheless. A gust of wind swept through the car, the smell of autumn leaves,pungent and earthy captured Ivy and drew her in as she drew in the smell and smiled to herself since this tripped started, closing her eyes briefly, letting the cold air drift around her, through her, opening her eyes as the air drifted back out the window.That's when she saw it, putting her hands on the window seal to watch it closer. It was trailing in between the tree trunks, glistening like liquid silver. It fluttered out of the trail towards the slowly moving car, Ivy froze, not knowing what to do as it landed on her hand, it was the most beautiful, intricate silver and neon blue butterfly Ivy had ever set her emerald green eyes on. It looked like something out of a dream she had when she was very small, so soft looking it was like the lines that made up the outline of its form were blurred and none existent. It glowed as if it was iridescent opening and closing its wings as it walked across the top of her knuckles gently.
"Mom! Mom look! it's a butterfly!" Ivy said excitedly, looking at her mother to see whether or not if she was looking.
"Don't be silly Ivy, Butterflies don't come out at night.", Shanon replied not even taking her eyes from the lane she was trying to navigate down.
"Look, It's right here!", Ivy turned back to point at her hand, but it was gone.
"I swear it was right there mom, It landed right there,'' she was looking around the car and out the window just in case.
"I know we've been driving for a long time sweetie, we're almost there and then we can get some rest and you'll feel better soon, okay", Shanon said in a caring way looking at Ivy out of the corner of her eye.
"I'm not tired, I really saw it, mom!", Ivy said in a bit louder tone.
Ivy cut herself off as the guard line of trees broke, opening up into a large cul-de-sac. Circling a large stone fountain covered in fat little cherubs spitting water and play harps flying around with permanent faces of unspoiled joy standing in the view of a massive white house. The front porch looked as big as their entire house had been, black gleaming Corinthian columns held it up over huge black windows that looked like eyes watching them pull up. The only light that was on besides the ones displaying the cherubs was a large light above the crimson red door that stood in the center of the windows.
"Mom?, Where are we?", Ivy looked at her Shanon questioningly as she pulled the car around the turn, and stopped throwing it in the parking position in front of two alabaster lion statues that looked like at any moment would leap off the porch where they were guarding the house and start mauling the car to pieces.
"We're home", Shanon was digging through her old black backpack that she called a purse avoiding Ivy's demanding eyes like the plague.
"No for real mom, where are we?, Who's house is this? Ivy pushed for a more clear answer from her mother. Shanon dropped the backpack in the backseat over her shoulder and turned putting both hands on the wheel of the stopped car.
"It's your house, Ivy," she said, still not looking at Ivy
"What do you mean?" Ivy asked quickly
"I mean it's your house, as in you, Ivy Fomalhaut own that house, your father left it to you in his will when he died,'' she replied pointing her thin finger in the direction of the big crimson door
Ivy's face showed every ounce of shock and disbelief she felt, anger setting in she turned quickly to Shanon.
"What the hell is going on? Why didn't you tell me about this before?!" Ivy's voice was sharp and filled with anger.
"I wasn't allowed to Ivy, It was put in Sabian's will that you were not to know till just before your eighteenth birthday, that's the agreement we had, then I was to bring you back and with your birthday only being two months away it was time for you to know", Shanon explained the best she could.
Ivy sat there, in stunned silence just the sound of her heartbeat in her ears as she held back the tears and pain she felt every time anyone mentioned her father, it was like someone stuck a hot knife in her chest and stole her breath away. Losing him to his battle at thirteen broke her heart, seeing him get sick so suddenly and become this frail man she thought she'd never see her father look like destroyed her. She loved him regardless if they didn't always see eye to eye or get along. He was stern and set in his ways. He will always be her father, he helped create her and with every fiber of her being she was willing to give it all up in exchange for just five more minutes with him to just hear his voice, even if it was to just hear him complain about her always having her headphones in and not listening to him. Ivy was lost in the memories she still had playing like a film on loop playing over and over in her head distracting her Shanon seeing this opportunity to escape the collapsing walls of the car flipped the key turning the car off, quickly unbuckling and got out of the car, she waited for Ivy to get out of the car, but Ivy didn't move. Shanon went to the door on the passenger side and opened it standing there waiting for Ivy to do something, anything.
"come on Ivy please don't do this, I know you don't understand yet but you will I promise I will explain everything to you, please just get outta the car"
Ivy continued to sit there staring off into the black distance of the night, seeing nothing but the silhouettes of trees and something she was sure were animals moving. Giving Shannon nothing but the silent treatment, Shannon sighed and went back to the tailgate of the car and unload a few of the bags. Leaving them leaning against the bumper before coming back to the side to try and convince Ivy to get out of the car once more. After some protest and more arguing, Shannon gave up and stood there facing Ivy as she started demanding more answers.
"Is there anything else I might want to know mother?", Ivy looked at her mom then through the open door as she began taking her seat belt off. The harsh clicking of the metal clasp releasing was louder than her asking in hushed tones. Shanon hesitated, looking like a doe in the headlights of an oncoming car just long enough to be saved by the caretakers light.