The Chosen

Chapter Three (Eldermoor's Strange Part 2)

 MAYA STERLING

As the morning wore on, I was busy clearing tables and dodging the fast-moving waitstaff when a familiar voice cut through the din of the diner.

"Maya! Is that really you?"

I looked up to see Bowie McCall striding towards me, her long blonde hair bouncing as she moved. Bowie and I had been inseparable once, back in the days of scraped knees and summer bike rides through Eldermoor's winding streets. Seeing her now, it felt like a lifeline to a simpler time, before a dream of blue lights and shadowy figures turned my world upside down.

"Bowie!" I exclaimed, a genuine smile breaking through my worry. "I didn't know you were back in town!" Bowie beamed.

"Just got in yesterday," I responded, pulling her into a quick hug. Her perfume, fresh and floral, mingled with the scent of coffee and pancakes. "College tours with my parents—total snooze fest. But enough about that, what's going on with you? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I hesitated, debating how much to share. Bowie was the kind of friend who always knew when something was up, but explaining the tangled mess of my dreams and Uncle Felix's cryptic notes felt like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.

"Just... weird dreams and old town drama," I said vaguely, hoping she'd let it slide. But Bowie wasn't the type to back off easily.

"Eldermoor's the perfect place for weird dreams," she quipped, but her hazel eyes studied me closely. "Anything you need to talk about? I'm here, just like old times."

For a moment, I considered telling her everything—the light, the note, the clearing. But something held me back. Maybe it was my uncle's warning to trust no one, or maybe it was the gnawing sense that dragging Bowie into this mess would only put her at risk. Still, having her here, unwavering confidence and familiarity, made the day a little less daunting.

"Thanks, Bowie," I said, giving her arm a squeeze. "I'm glad to be back."

She grinned. "Same. Hey, when you're done here, let's catch up. And if you need backup with whatever's going on, you know I've got your back."

"Definitely," I promised, feeling a little lighter. Even in the midst of all this uncertainty, some things—like a best friend's loyalty—remained steadfast.

"Well, I gotta get going. Just came to grab some takeout, but I'll see you around, yeah? Probably at school," Bowie said, giving me a playful wink.

I nodded enthusiastically, but as she turned to leave, something caught my eye. A faint, shimmering aura outlined her silhouette—similar to what I'd seen with Zayne, but this one was a light baby blue, soft and calm, like the early morning sky. My heart skipped a beat. God, what is actually happening to me?

As Bowie walked away, I couldn't tear my eyes off her. She moved with a grace that almost felt otherworldly, the glow flickering like a gentle breeze against her skin. My head spun with questions. Was I hallucinating? Was this a side effect of my dreams, or something more?

Just then, Ollie popped up beside me, startling me out of my thoughts. "Wow, didn't know you had a thing for blondes now," he teased, nudging me with his elbow.

"Shut up, Ollie," I muttered, still watching Bowie as she exited the diner. "You didn't see that?"

"See what? Bowie? Yeah, she's back, which means things are bound to get interesting. You two always had a knack for attracting trouble," Ollie said, stuffing a piece of bacon into his mouth from one of the plates I was clearing.

"No, not that," I whispered, leaning closer to him. "She... she was glowing. A light blue glow."

Ollie paused, chewing slowly as he looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Glowing? Like, Jesus glowing?" His voice dropped, suddenly serious.