magic

Lila shuffled through a large box that she and her close friend Jenny were peering into, containing dusty old relics, toys, and bizarre dolls that gave both women pause.

"This is some seriously weird stuff," Lila said, standing back up. "What the hell was your family into?"

"I uh, don't really know myself," Jenny nervously said. "But yeah, real weird right?"

Sometimes, Luke thought to himself, a lazy day is just what you need. He sprawled across the sofa without a care in the world, idly scrolling through post after momentarily amusing post on his phone, content in the knowledge that he had no plans for the day. He thus felt no need to put any real effort into his appearance, donning a pair of beaten up blue jeans and a random graphic tee, as well as leaving his near shoulder length black hair messy and uncombed.

The stagecoach rocked up and down as it rode down the path. Three passengers were riding along with Erin, all strangers to her. None of them were wearing a brown cloak like her, one with a hood that concealed her hair.

The horses pulling the stagecoach whinnied. The stagecoach stopped. Erin heard the stagecoach driver say something to a voice she didn’t recognize. One moment later, two knights in full suits of armor opened the stagecoach. One of them pointed his finger at her. “You! Step out!”

Joshua couldn't sleep. It was hot, the windows were open, even the one with no screen and he lay on top of his sheets and comforter. His eyes stared unblinkingly at the jungle of vines that hung down from the red foliage above. At least that's what it looked like from the dim glow from the streetlamp outside the window, but he knew what it really was, a curtain of coiled ribbons streaming down from the tied knots of large 18" red balloons that pressed against the ceiling. His thoughts shimmered back to this afternoon when the new lady from next door appeared at his doorstep.