Sirens Mansion

You know those moments when you hear an unknown voice calling your name as you walk down the street? The chill of a presence following after you during the stroll as well, as if they were trying to gain your attention with a simple name? Well, I am Alice Silvers, a nineteen year old detective and journalist for my small town of Angel Acres. People approach me about strange happenings in their homes and the forest’s that surround our quaint little town, hiding it from the prying eyes of the world outside of our branchy tree-like walls.

Many of the ‘Occurrences’ happen during the times of dusk, midnight or slightly before daybreak. Every time I try to go and investigate these happenings for myself they always seem to disappear from the spot without a trace of being there to begin with. Of course I’ve had a few run-ins myself with those strange happenings as well in my daily life, Such as things disappearing while I leave the room for a few minutes to grab something else, voices speaking to me out of nowhere and misty looking figures beckoning for me to follow them somewhere.

There is also a worrisome problem that has risen. People of my age have gone missing lately without a trace, some say that their friends started hearing a voice beckoning for them before vanishing. This brings a personal issue to my table as well, as one of my friends Grayson had disappeared one week ago with little trace of anything that I know of. He was a journalist as well, my partner in crime as one would say, a kind hearted soul he was always putting others before himself.

I am determined to solve the mystery and put the worried townsfolk to rest, even if this may lead to my own disappearance one day. This is the story of Mystical beginnings for me.

It was a monday in March, and I was drinking an Iced Coffee at my father's café just along the edge of the woods. As it was only seven in the morning, the café didn’t have many customers for my father to serve, So it was extremely quiet enough for my thoughts to overwhelm my entire being. ‘Why can’t I get a grasp on the missing people cases! What happened to them, where could they have gone if we live in the middle of a forest? Why couldn’t it have been me and not Grayson?’ My thoughts were interrupted as my father had placed down a plate of maple pancakes, the café’s specialty offer at any time of the day. “What’s with the frown sugar pea, Not enough news for your paper? I’m sure that you will find some interesting news to report about soon”.

Sugar pea, the nickname my father had called me ever since I was ten years of age. I was in the garden with mom picking our fresh vegetables when my dad came out with a bowl of sugar and a pink apron over top of his black jacket and shirt. “Alright, who’s ready to start baking some muffins for the café?” At those words I jumped up with my basket of blueberries and some snap peas and rushed towards my father. “Me!” I had shouted out as I nearly barreled straight into his legs. In the middle of all the shock I was giving him he dropped the plastic bowl of sugar on top of my head. I didn’t really react to this happening at first, Just started laughing like the child I was. “Sweetheart why are you laughing? Are you hurt?” My dad stated as he crouched down to my level to make sure I wasn’t bleeding or injured in any sort of way.” No daddy, I’m laughing because you made Sugar Peas!” I showed him the basket and he and mom bursted into laughter as well. “Yes, yes you made Sugar Peas my Sugar pea.”

I was snapped out of the memory by my dad snapping his large fingers in front of my dazed face. “Sweetie, Are you sure you’ve been getting enough sleep lately, I can’t have you zone out on me while you are serving some customers today, you promised to work a shift for Julian today”. Shaking my head slightly to remember my promise I promptly replied to my father figure. “ Yes, I’ll finish eating and then get into my uniform. Dad'' Smiling up as him, I drank my coffee and ate my pancakes cheerfully. After about five minutes of eating someone sat down in the seat in front of my own. Confused as to whom may have interrupted my breakfast I glanced up. Sitting there across from me was a hooded figure, I could only see the smile that they had on their blackened face, the hidden malice evident but I could sense it wasn’t directed at my being for an unknown reason. The only reply I could think of to this sudden intrusion was, “Oh” I gulped down the mouth full of pancakes to continue speaking without being disrespectful. “Hello? You must be new, welcome to the town, I’m Alice”

The way I spoke came out all stuttery and fearful, as the person in front of me could easily be a murderer or something worse to my health and well being. The person didn’t reply to my words but they did remove their hood from their head, revealing themself to be a male.The first thing that drew my ruby eyes to him was his one charcoal eye. The other eye was a soft amber in contrast to the darkness. It was as if he was the balance of dark and light itself. I got brought out my thoughts by a silver tongued chuckle coming from him. “I asked you a question, ‘Alice’. Would you enjoy it if I were to pay for your breakfast for you? Names Jax, Moved in just yesterday”. My face flared up as a bright pink at the sly tone of voice he chose to speak to me in.

Taking my own breath in I replied to him, stuttering once again. “Um, Actually my breakfast is free...My parent’s kind of own the café, But thanks for the offer Jax?” Jax let out a sigh as he heard my reply. “Well, That’s too bad, maybe another time say ...tonight?” He smirked as my face remained the shade of peppermint it was when we had started our conversation. I took three short breaths before regaining my self confidence. “Is that what you say when you are trying to pick up random girls? I’d be more careful with who you spill your guts out to sir” I stood up out of the chair I was situated in and grabbed my dirty dishes to wash them before I went to change.

“Oh, Then please tell me what kind of girl I am talking to then? I’m so interested” As he spoke he dragged the so, to make his speech sound sarcastic towards me. “You are talking to a reporter, who had camera’s situated all around the cafe to capture any weird behavior from anyone in our little town.” Smirking, I waved at a camera which was situated in a flower in the middle of the table I was just eating at. “Smart, but I doubt it would be interesting at all. I mean you were blushing princess~” He smirked back in retaliation, His chocolate brown hair covering her amber eye, giving me a bone chilling sense about him as he stared straight into my eyes.Before I could tear my eyes away from him he said one last thing. “Oh and Princess,I’m here for the same reason you’ve been trying to figure out for the past months. So, I’ll pop by the office around five okay?”

After hearing that information it took all of my nerves not to have my jaw drop. I had heard there was going to be a huge reporter coming down to interrogate the witnesses and such, but I never suspected they would come to my work right in the morning. Shaking it off easily I continued to make my way towards the back room of the café to change into my waitress outfit. The outfit consisted of a beige knee length dress, and a dark blue apron wrapped just above my waist, black flats and some white socks to finish it off. I took five deep breaths as I stared at myself in the mirror, before taking my curly hair and tossing it into a messy top bun, so it would not get in the way of serving and making the food for customers if any were to come for the day.

“Alright, time to work” I muttered as I exited the change room with a tray in hand and a smile plastered onto my pale face to please her parent’s and customers. She walked over to a table of regulars to take their order. “Morning Janus, Greg, I take you guys want the usual?” The elderly couple smiled back at me in return. “Yes, please Alice dear”Janus asked in her frail voice , as I jotted down the order, which was two eggs scrambled with breakfast sausage, whole wheat toast and two cups of coffee with milk. “Coming right up!” Was the response I gave them as I twirled around to give my father the order,he nodded back to me and I went to focus on their coffee.

My mother was taking other orders for the tables at the back of the Café while I was working with the front.She soon signaled me for five more coffee orders and I got those started for her, teamwork is key for any well oiled business, at least that is what my father would repeatedly tell me when I was younger. “Order up alice!” broke me out of the imagination once again, as my dad rang the bell to signal that I had to give Janus and Greg their order now. “Coming!” I grabbed the plates in the swift motion with my left hand which held the tray, and two cups in the other for their coffee. It was extremely difficult to control the balance within the noise environment of the café.

Within two seconds I had gained the balance of the tray filled with my father’s master chef level cooking on it. “Close call” I muttered, walking over to the couples table and setting their food down. “Hope everything will be to your liking!”

I started happily,pouring them their coffee which they proceeded to put sugar and sweetener into themselves. “Would there be anything else that you two need?” The couple shook their heads, smiling at me sweetly. I took my leave to let them eat as I went over to my mother with the fresh pot of coffee that I made. Taking the empty trays from her arms and handing her the pot carefully. “I’ll take these back to Jackson to wash, thanks mom”

Jackson had been working at the café for nearly six years at this point. He wasn’t the skinniest of guys, but he wasn’t chubby either. His chestnut hair adjourned his stubbled face perfectly, his eyebrows were raised in deep concentration as he scrubbed the multiple dishes that sat at his workstation. His light gray highschool jacket was soaked in water from the power washer, but he didn't seem to give any worry to the issue. “I brought you some more dishes back here to wash Jack” I shouted to be heard over the many machines that were being used in the kitchen. The six foot two man turned to greet me as well as I placed the plates and cups down beside him,

“Hey A, didn’t tell me you’d be working today” Jackson laughed after his sentence in a teasing manner, his raspy deep voice needing no help to be heard over the clangs of machinery. His sea green eyes focused onto mine, it wasn’t hard to tell that Jackson liked me, everyone in town knew. But I didn’t care much for relationships, I saw Jackson as a younger brother to me. He often distracted me from work with his flirty remarks, but I couldn’t find myself to hate the man.

“Oh, it was a last minute shift I had to run Jack, Julian is still sick that flu really got to her” I frowned the fact that they mentioned Julian’s issues, they were extremely likely to get sick more than anyone I know in town. Jackson soon placed a hand on my shoulder in comfort, taking a look at his hand I noticed one of his many tattoos, laying on the back of it. The head of a dragon laid there looking forward, the rest of the dragon would go spiraling down the rest of his arm in a beautiful way. As I took a better look at the tattoo, it was almost like the scales on the tattoo were really on Jackson's body.

In a rush of fear I pushed his hand off my shoulder, and blinked a few times. As I opened my eyes again the scales were gone and Jackson stared at me with a hurt expression. “Ah, that hurt, what the heck is wrong with you today.” His normally sea blue eyes looked amber to me at this point, but I said nothing about it. “I’m just distracted, Is all jackson. I should get back to work” Rushing out of the awkward situation, I gave a quick hug to my dad before opening the doors to the bustling café.