Fragments of the Past | Ellie Williams

One (I)

5 years ago.

Near the QZ, Boston

Laughter echoed through the desolate streets. It was slightly past 1 a.m., and two fourteen-year-old girls chased each other, their bodies electrified with adrenaline. Adrenaline from sneaking out, from the thrill of defying curfew, and from the thrill of what lay ahead. The city was a ghost town at this hour, with street lights flickered out, leaving only darkness to accompany them. They navigated the dim, deserted streets, their shadows dancing along the walls of the tall, silent buildings. Vienna and Riley knew these paths well, but tonight, each step felt charged with a heightened sense of adventure.

Boston, usually bustling with life, now stood as a silent witness to their escapades. Abandoned cars, half-buried under years of dust and grime, lined the streets. Once-crackling radio static served as a backdrop to their muffled footsteps. The occasional breeze carried the scent of rust and decay, mingling with the earthy smell of overgrown vegetation reclaiming the urban landscape. Vienna's laughter pierced the stillness, standing out from the oppressive quiet of the city.

Vienna, tall and slender with wild dirty blonde hair and a mischievous glint in her green eyes, kept pace with Riley, whose deep brown skin glistened under the faint glow of the moonlight. Riley's dark, tightly coiled curls bounced with each energetic step, framing her expressive face. Tonight, both girls were wrapped in layers of old, oversized clothing they'd scavenged, giving them an air of youthful rebellion against the oppressive world around them.

"Vi, you're slowing us down, hurry up," Riley called out, her voice a mix of mock frustration and genuine amusement.

Vienna, with a playful glint in her eye, slowed her pace dramatically, moving in exaggerated, slow-motion steps. "Oh no! Don't catch me, Riley!" she taunted, her voice carrying a teasing edge.

Riley rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a grin. She reached out, grabbing Vienna's arm and pulling her forward. "You're impossible!" she said, laughing. Vienna's gleeful shout of "Hey!" was cut off by her own laughter as she was pulled along.

The girls navigated through the labyrinthine streets with practiced ease, their familiarity with the area evident in their fluid movements. Vienna took a sharp turn, leading them through a narrow alleyway. The alley was flanked by crumbling brick walls covered in graffiti, each tag a colorful relic of a time before. The vibrant, albeit faded, murals were a testament to a past full of expression and defiance.

As they neared the edge of the alley, the towering silhouette of a building loomed ahead. It stood, boarded up and forgotten, an imposing structure that once housed life and laughter. Now, it was a monument to a world left behind, its glass facade cracked and its metal framework rusting away. The sight of it sent a shiver of excitement through the girls.

"Look at it, Vi," Riley said, her voice filled with awe as they came to a halt. "It's like something out of a dream."

Vienna's eyes widened in admiration. "It's amazing," she agreed, her breath coming out in excited bursts. "I wonder what it is."

The girls approached the entrance, where wooden boards covered the doors and windows. Vienna pulled a crowbar from her backpack, its metal glinting in the moonlight. With a few determined swings, she pried the boards loose, cringing as the creak and crack echoing in the night. The boards fell away, revealing the dark, cavernous interior beyond.

They stepped inside, their footsteps echoing through the vast, empty space. The building, once a hub of activity, now felt like a cathedral of memories, its grandeur marred by time and neglect. Moonlight filtered through broken skylights, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Dust motes floated lazily in the beams of light, creating an almost magical ambiance.