THE GLITTERATI ☆ iii

iii ☆ WELCOME TO GLITTERA FALLS

SID FURROWED her eyebrows in confusion at the stranger’s words. “Who are you and who is we?” He tilted his head at her question, seeming to slip into another personality entirely. He cleared his throat, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“My name is Winston, assistant to the Founder of Glittera Falls. I apologize for my mood upon arrival, I tend to get a little nervous around new faces. I suppose that is something I need to work on.” He rocked on his heels as he talked, each word pronounced with precision and clarity regardless of how fast he spoke.

Sid pressed on, not buying his act. “Why did you say you were expecting us? We’ve never even heard of Glittera Falls.”

“Well of course you haven’t. We are a fairly new and ever-growing civilization. The rare blue diamonds in the Falls have proved to be the bedrock of our elite community, and we’re always happy to bring in new residents. Possibly someone looking for a fresh start?” He raised a suggestive eyebrow.

This struck Sid as strange, the fact that he seemed to know exactly what they’d talked about before setting out for the sunflower field ― a fresh start. Elaine, on the other hand, was interested in what Winston had to offer. The opportunity they were prepared to discuss when they got home seemed to present itself at the perfect time, even if it was in the midst of an emergency.

Maybe he was looking after them. Maybe this was his way of telling them he approved of Elaine selling the house. Of them finding a new start.

Elaine stepped forward, a little too eager for Sid’s taste. She was always more reserved and skeptical in situations like this, gathering she must’ve gotten that trait from her father. Perhaps it was something that helped him in politics, never entirely trusting people after the first encounter. She was a closed book when it came to strangers. And this man was certainly strange.

“You know, it’s funny you say that because that’s exactly what we’re doing. Looking for a fresh start.”

“Mom,” Sid whispered in protest, her eyes widening in an attempt to get her to rethink what she seemed to have already decided.

Winston chuckled. “Well, it seems like your sister here isn’t too sold on the idea, but I’ll tell you what? Why don’t you come and check it out and if you don’t think it’s the right fit, I’ll take you ladies wherever you need to be, free of charge.” Elaine blushed at his comment, Sid seeing straight through him.

She subconsciously reached for her tattoo, internally calling on her father for guidance. Sid couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something more to this guy than her mother picked up on.

“Well thank you, but actually, I’m her mother.” He winked at her and she blushed even harder. It took Sid nudging her for her to regain her composure. “And I think that would be great, honestly. I’d definitely love to get out of this heat.”

“Perks of living in the desert, right?” He laughed at his own words before straightening up and clearing his throat. “Right this way, ladies. I hope you will find the accommodations and refreshments to your liking, as we pride ourselves in making the transition as comfortable and easy as possible.” Sid slid into the backseat first, stunned by how much legroom there was. Hanging on the seat in front of her were mesh compartments, each filled with different snacks and beverages.

Her mother closed the door behind her, climbing in on the opposite side. Winston watched intently from the driver’s seat through the rearview mirror, not starting the engine until they both had their seat belts buckled. “Very nice car,” Elaine commented, nearly melting into the premium leather seats.

“Aren’t they great? I find riding in style is always much more fun. Now, about Glittera Falls, the town is split into four provinces. The fourth is across the bridge, much smaller than the rest. The first province is what you’ll see when we enter the gate. It is primarily the shopping plaza, where the money goes in and out. There is also a downtown center, where you’ll find the most decadent fine dining and winery, besides the bars that make up the nightlife of Glittera. The second province is mainly residential. There are houses as well as loft communities and condominiums. This is where you guys will live, should you choose to stay.

“Now, in the third province is where you’ll find the business hub, where jobs and residents are maintained, as well as our agreements with other towns established. We hope to continue growing with the help of friends in high places, and I think with everyone moving toward a collective goal, we can achieve that.” He nodded matter-of-factly, almost proud of himself for delivering such a top-notch rundown of what Glittera Falls was about.

“What about crime? Do you have control of that already or is it too early to tell?” Winston seemed to stiffen at this, his response more delayed than he’d intended.

“Yes, we’ve worked very hard on our authoritative system, ensuring that everything is monitored for everyone’s safety. Just as anywhere else, actions do have consequences. We at Glittera Falls take pride in handling those situations before they can perhaps develop into something more dangerous.”

“Sounds like a great place.” Elaine squeezed Sid’s hand in excitement, truly believing they were right where they needed to be. Sid squeezed back, leaning on the fact that she could trust her mother. She could only hope she wasn’t thinking too recklessly, not paying attention to detail when that’s where the answers hid.

“Oh, trust me. You guys are going to love it. I honestly never want to leave, except for when I’m bringing in new folks like yourselves, of course.”

Sid looked out of the window, kicking herself for not paying attention to the direction he turned when they first left. She’d hardly realized that the fork in the road had already passed. She didn’t count on being there for too long, reminding herself to pay attention on the way back when the weirdo took them home.

“Sid, look!” Elaine pulled on Sid’s arm, urging her to look straight ahead. Looming just beyond them was a gate made of black steel, the letters GF engraved into the archway above them. An expansive wall composed of what looked to be marble and granite stretched for miles on either side. This entrance alone seemed to flip the little switch in her head that told her not to be excited.

“Welcome to Glittera Falls,” Winston beamed, reaching his hand out of his window to press his palm into a security screen. A gentle beep emitted from the screen and the gates opened inward, offering them a better view of what was inside. Sid was at a loss for words, her eyes taking in a new sight every few seconds. A strip mall to the far left was bustling with wealthy shoppers, each woman carrying at least three bags on her diamond-studded wrist.

Just beyond that was a street that looked almost exactly like Hollywood Boulevard, fancy cars strolling down the street. Sid counted at least three Lamborghinis before Winston made a turn. She tried to absorb as much as she could as they passed through the first province. The pristine lines in the buildings, the way the sky seemed to look so perfect on this side of the gate.

Soon enough, the buildings began to dwindle and slowly turn into a sea of lavish homes, each one prettier than the last. And beyond them were skyscrapers, strategically placed in ovals surrounding standalone eateries, benches, and fields of lush green grass, which Sid gathered just had to be artificial.

The styles of each were cohesive, yet unique, Winston pulling into the parking garage of a particularly industrial-looking building.

It wasn't like the buildings Sid had seen on television referenced to New York, where the metal was copper toned and the outside alone looked lived-in, to be simply put.

This was a different kind of architecture altogether, a style apparent through every building she'd seen in Glittera Falls so far. It had a sense of sophistication and prestige, the material mimicking that of the outer walls, a neapolitan mix of gray, white, and salmon pink hues that seemed to stretch beyond the walls themselves. The metal panels were a brilliant silver, reflecting the sun's rays and illuminating the entire town.

Even the parking garage was unusual, the walls made of sleek black tiles, bleeding into the floor. Each parking space was secluded, acrylic plaques notating the owners' names as well as their unit numbers.

It reminded Sid of a car dealership showroom. She’d never actually seen one in person, but this was close enough, most of the brand emblems embossed into hubcaps and bumpers unrecognizable.

Winston pulled into an empty parking space next to a car nearly identical to the one they’d just abandoned in the woods. Sid didn't think twice about it, stepping out of the car and rounding the back to regroup with her mother.

Winston stopped and tilted his head again, as if confused by their lack of reaction. "Would you mind looking at that plaque for me?" Elaine stepped forward first, waving Sid over as soon as she gathered what he was getting at.

In white letters in the middle of the plaque read, SID CARVER. This wasn't the most surprising thing, she learned, when she got a good look at the car parked in the spot labeled with her name.

Not only was it identical to her mother’s car, it was exact. The same year, the same color. It was as if it hadn't broken down around an hour ago.

"How did you do this?" She was intrigued now, both by the beauty of the town as well as the magic it seemed to possess. The way everything in the past twenty-four hours had unfolded, she couldn't help but think her father was looking out for them. That he was still taking care of them.

"Well," Winston beamed, "let's just say I pulled some strings. But I will say I can't give away all my secrets. Then no one would be surprised. Now, if you ladies will follow me, I will show you to your new place."

This time, Sid found her mother’s hand and gave it a squeeze, her reservations slowly disappearing, replaced with a feeling of euphoria. Winston led them to an elevator in the far corner of the room, the overall shape as cylindrical as the building itself. The metal doors were transparent, the panel of buttons embedded in the metal itself. Winston pressed a button without as much as a glance at what he had pressed, a chime sounding above them before the walls around them ascended with ease.

Sid was convinced that without the ability to see the floors they were passing as the elevator went up, it would be impossible to tell that they were in an elevator. Another chime sounded as the elevator came to a stop at the seventeenth floor, the doors opening into a lengthy hallway, the floor below them the same marble element as the outside of the building. They passed a few doors, each well above nine feet in height and painted a warm and inviting grey.

It felt more like a mansion than an apartment building. One with a handful of rooms on every floor, each with their own amenities. Winston paused in front of a door labeled 1719, reaching into the singular pocket of his vest for the keycard. Just as he raised it to the digital lock, his phone buzzed and he retracted the card, holding his finger up to them as if to excuse himself. He took no more than two steps away, tapping on the earpiece nestled in his left ear. Sid tried gauging the situation by observing his facial expressions, that of which he had impeccable control over.

Within a minute, he sighed ― much heavier than he had intended ― and returned to the door, locking it back. He composed himself before turning to face Sid and Elaine who stood waiting. “My apologies, ladies. It looks like your unit will be on another floor. It seems I’m the only one around here who doesn’t make mistakes,” he murmured. They followed him back into the elevator, he pressed another button, and they got out on another floor.

This time it was the fifteenth, the hallway not much different than the previous. Winston paused at number 1517 for what seemed to be an extended amount of time, almost like he expected another phone call with yet another change of plans. When he realized there was no second call, he unlocked the door, Sid missing the part where he’d gotten another key. He pushed the door open, stepping aside to make way for the newest residents of Glittera Falls.

Elaine stepped in first, gasping at the beauty of the apartment. It was an open floor plan, high ceilings adding to the spacey feel the entire place gave off. On the far wall were floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating everything touched by the sun rays seeping in. The kitchen had sleek black countertops, a stark contrast to the white cabinets. The floor was the same material as the parking garage, only a slated cement gray. The loft was made up of two bedrooms, one upstairs and one on the main floor.

Sid took everything in, a grin spreading across her face when she noticed a vase placed in the center of the dining table, three perfect sunflowers peering out at her. A card sat propped against the vase addressed to her and her mother both.

She opened it, hardly noticing that Winston had gone. Inside was a single white card made of thick material, the outer edge embossed in metallic gold. In the very center was a message written in perfect cursive.

I hope you find 1517 and Glittera Falls to your liking. We'd love for you to stay.

At the bottom, it was signed

The Founder.

Sid remembered Winston mentioning him in his little intro speech and wondered if they'd get to meet him. Elaine met her in the kitchen after exploring the upstairs space.

"It looks like the upstairs room is all yours. They've already got it set up. What do you think about this place?" It was a question she was eager to know the answer to, longing for her daughter's stamp of approval.

She’d never make Sid agree to something she wasn't one hundred percent sure about herself, and that most certainly didn't change with the grandeur Glittera Falls presented them with. If Sid had any reservations at all, she'd find a way to contact Winston and be sure they were back home by nightfall.

Sid held her gaze for a moment, the only thought coming to mind being that her father would want them to be happy and go on living their lives.

She smiled to herself. "I think I like this place," she breathed. "I know dad would love it."

Elaine’s heart was full, easily picturing the image of her husband smiling down at them. He’d approve of their happiness. “Yes he would. What do you say you go check out your room, huh? Winston told me he’d be back in the morning to see if we’d like to stay, that way we can get acquainted with the place before we make the decision.”

Sid nodded in agreement, embracing her mother before heading upstairs to her bedroom. She paused at the door, attempting to live in the moment. To live in the reality of the fact that this could very well be their new home. Their fresh start.

Sid took a deep breath, forcing herself to push the door open. What she saw before her was perfect. There was a canopy bed placed in the middle of the opposite wall, a muted yellow duvet cover adding color to the otherwise neutral room. In one corner sat a bean bag, a gold floor length mirror adding dimension to the room. Strings of fairy lights snaked around each of the bed posts, another string wrapped along the base of the dresser positioned opposite of the bed.

Sitting on the dresser was a yellow polaroid camera. The closet doors were mirrors themselves, sliding open to reveal a spacious walk-in that, to her surprise, had a couple clothing items concealed in black garment bags. In the far wall sat a shoe shelf, three black boxes taking up the middle shelves. She didn’t want to assume they were there for her so she refrained from peeking at them, closing the closet doors to interrupt her temptation.

Sid lay across the bed, hardly realizing how exhausted she was from the past twenty-four hours. She’d been through a decent amount of emotional stress, from dealing with the anniversary of her father’s death, to now possibly leaving behind everything she’d ever known since she was little for a new town and a new life.

Before she knew it, she was falling into a deep sleep, subconsciously hoping that Glittera Falls was just what they needed.