Chapter 5: Hearing

Manhattan, NY

The doorman used a keycard then pressed the floor button for me.  Once the doors shut, it was just the hum of the elevator, me and my thoughts.

Immediately, I leaned against the walls and took a breath.  It didn’t come in right, all shuddering gasps and no real air.  I had to repeat the action a couple of times to try and get my breathing under control.  I tried to get a handle on the part of my head that had started screaming the second that homeless guy started stripping.

–beaks, a four-pointed maw with serrated teeth–

I closed my eyes.  I saw someone get stabbed once.  Not like, murdered stab.  But just regular stabbed.  With a pencil.  The guy still bled though and screamed too.  That was new.  And scary, I’ll admit.  Really scary.

But this… what just happened…

I was still wheezing, gulping so much air that it started to hurt my chest.  But that didn’t matter, my mind was still screaming.

What in the hell of all that was unholy was that?

It wasn’t just the homeless-bird-creature either.  It was the homeless-bird-creature and this whole situation.  My whole fucking day had been centered around trying to believe the impossible.  People playing tricks on me.  My parent’s letter which talked about ‘anagogic sciences’ which basically comes out to Magic.

Magic.

The memory of Emyrith’s finger lighting up like a lightsaber and making drawings in the air wasn’t as fresh in my mind.  I could have easily imagined the light.

Except he had said something then the air in the room went all funny.

I could have imagined that too.

But the homeless guy…

Did I imagine that too?

Maybe it really was a guy in a costume.  It was dark too.  I mean, I got a look at the guy and ran.  And then the next time I saw him was in the dark, when it was snowing.  I was cold, freaked out and terrified.  It could just as well have been a really well made costume.

Then what about the girl?

She basically tackled a guy twice her size and sent him flying.  After which, she easily pulled me along to safety and wasn’t even winded after.

My dad’s letter, calling things ‘Outside Forces’.

It was that. Everything, my senses, instincts, just pure common sense, screamed at me that this was one of those things that my dad warned me about.

I shivered, feeling as if someone just ran their fingers along my spine.  Playing chopsticks with my back as the keys.

As a last ditch effort, I closed my eyes and tried to shut the door on a small detached part of myself that was still screaming.

Just in time, the elevator went dinged.  I was here.

“Mr. Hallow, you made it.”

Emyrith stood waiting for me outside the elevator, dressed exactly the way I remembered him; minus the jacket.  He smiled at me, leading the way with his arms.  

“This way.  Everyone else is already waiting for you.”

I shouldered my pink bookbag and followed him down the hall.

The office hall had these huge windows that overlooked the New York City skyline, as well as glass walls for the offices and conference rooms.  It was kind of jarring, mostly because I was still trapped in my own headspace.  But being up here helped with that feeling, somewhat.

Snow still blanketed the rest of the world, but here, it was cozy and warm; I hadn’t expected that.  I had this automatic assumption that all corporate offices and high-rise buildings like this were made of blasting air conditioners, stainless steel furniture and fancy laptops.  All harsh lines and perfect symmetrical shapes.  Contrary to that; I saw lots of potted plants, some tall and green, others small and flowery; rounded well-used bean chairs occupied the corners.

It wasn’t just the temperature or furniture.  The place radiated emotional peace, the couch wasn’t lush velvet or fancy leather; just one of those couches you could find anywhere, albeit it was spotless.  Soft rugs cushioned my feet and paintings of lush green hills and snowy forests lined the walls.  If I leaned over enough, I could see down into the white street.  Close enough so that I could see, but not so close to the ground that I’d hear the incessant chatter of Manhattan streets, cars honking or the blaring sirens.

A sense of calm and peace settled over me; like the events leading up to me getting here wasn’t my problem anymore.  That I was safe.

Whatever happened out there couldn’t touch me here.

Like the people who worked here were still part of the city, but they couldn’t be bothered by all the annoying nasty stuff.

“Feng Shui.”

“What?”

“Feng Shui, Mr. Hallow.”  Emyrith repeated.

“...Gesundheit?”  I said.

Emyrith and I met for a total of maybe an hour.  Probably less.  But I’m pretty sure he must’ve gotten tired of me being a smartass because he didn’t say anything for about thirty seconds.  I thought about apologizing when he started talking.

“The ancient Chinese practice of creating balance through placement.  Balance which brings peace.”  Emyrith explained, “The practice originated with Chinese Practitioners and became widespread with mortals around the 20th century.”

I looked around at all the fancy furniture and the crystalline glass-walled offices.  “Peace sounds expensive.”

“We’re here.”  He stopped before the last conference room, the only one with actual solid walls.  Twin mahogany doors loomed over us, guarding the room’s inhabitants.  This room was probably the largest one in the entire office.

“Mr. Hallow, are you ready?”  Emyrith looked at me over his shoulder, “Once I open these doors, there is no turning back.”

“I know.”  Taking another deep breath, I answered,  “And I’m sure.”

I still hadn’t had time to fully process everything that had happened to me yet.  I couldn’t give myself time to think.  While I was still jittery and junked up on adrenaline, I had to push through with this. 

“Then let us proceed.”

Finally, my parent’s appointed Lawyer opened the doors and I got to meet my extended family who wanted nothing more than to take whatever my parents left me.

They were seated around one of those long tables, where there’s a head and elongated sides.  I immediately realized how blessed I was.  I didn’t just have one extended family that wanted to steal my inheritance wasn’t enough.  I had a whopping total of two extended families that wanted to steal my inheritance.

Three people sat on each side, with one of each wearing an outfit that screamed lawyer.

“Mr. Hallow,”  Emyrith said calmly, pulling out a chair for me at the head of the table.  Once I took a seat, he began,  “Meet–.”

One of the lawyers, a young blonde woman, raised her hand, interrupting Emyrith.  

“Emyrith.”  She said, “We have decided that it is best to proceed without formal introductions.  As a safety measure.”

The other lawyer, a man who was much older than Emyrith and Charlotte nodded.  “Agreed.”

“Family names only then?”  Emyrith asked.

“Yes.”  The woman lawyer turned to me, “My name is Charlotte Outano.  I will be representing the Valentines.”

The Valentines were an old woman and a kid who looked to be about my age, probably her grandson.  They were pretending not to look at me, but years of experience of being an outsider told me that they were doing anything but.

The grandmother wore a pink suit and a veiled fascinator, the kind you see famous european people wear on TV.  Her lips were pursed in a thin line and I could tell she didn’t like me.  Well, I doubted anyone in this room really liked me.  Every brooch, earring and bracelet were set in a pristine angle; all rigid lines and no softness.

Her grandson was dressed in the same vein, just less pink and more of a classic uniform.  If I had to guess?  Probably some fancy prep-school student.  He had this bored look about him.  You know the one, where teenage boys try to seem like they don’t care about anything and anyone.  His slightly curly blonde hair fell to his shoulders, meticulously curated to disheveled perfection.

He saw me looking, flicked me with a look, then dismissed me entirely.  Unworthy of his attention.

Yeah, well, fuck you too.

On the opposite side of them were their counterparts, Asian to their European.  The lawyer introduced himself first, “Hwan Choi.  I’ll be representing the Ryu’s.”

An old asian man with graying hair and a matching beard, dressed in traditional korean garbs, a Hanbok, gave me a slight tilt of his head and returned to staring at nothing.  A greeting which contained a sliver of warmth more than the one the Valentines had given me.  His granddaughter, once again, seemed to be more or so my age.  A shock of black hair that hung to her waist and a uniform that looked almost identical to the other boys with huge eyes that made her more striking than conventionally girl-next-door pretty.

Wary of their stares, I slipped my backpack off my shoulder and put it on the floor, leaning it against my chair.

“Pfft.”  Someone muffled a laugh.

The Valentines grandmother shot her grandson a glare and he sat up straighter, reassuming his previous look.

I blushed up from my neck to my forehead, and almost reached down to flip my bag around, so that the ‘Girl Power!’ was hidden.  But people pick up on things like that.  If I did that, it was like showing weakness.  Giving them a hold over me somehow.  Showing them that I cared about what they thought and that they could hurt me.

“Any questions, before we begin?”  Emyrith asked.

“I have one.”