Redwood Heights

New Places

Adrina looked up as her family's cherry red suburban stopped in front of a big, victorian style house in the middle of Blue Spring Lane. She studied the house carefully before stepping out of the car. She decided that house was beautiful, but not beautiful enough to leave her old life for. Adrina's parents were forced to relocate after her father had lost his job at a small college in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Her father was the head of the science department, but was unable to keep up with the responsibilities when her little sister, Pheonix, was born. Therefore, any job offer was accepted immediately, even though it meant they had to move their family all the way to Cedar Falls, Indiana.

"It's beautiful." Her mother exclaimed as she strolled past Adrina, interrupting her thoughts. "Exactly as I'd hoped." She wasted no time and pulled the door open. Adrina followed her quietly, slinging her cross body book bag over her shoulder. She smiled as she stepped inside the front door. She could see in the front den there was a cushioned window seat, perfect for reading.

"Bedrooms are upstairs." Her father called as he heaved a few suitcases toward the door. "Take your pick." Adrina nodded and headed for the grand staircase that stood in the center of the entrance hall. She climbed the stairs slowly, noticing the floral engravings in the dark, oak railing. Once she reached the top of the stairs, she turned and looked up and down the hallways. Six doors lined the halls on either side of her and one stood directly across from the landing of the staircase. She looked up and down, then without another hesitation, she pushed open the door directly across from the stairs. The door opened up to another, smaller staircase. She turned and closed the door, deciding that she would come back to this later. She walked down the hallway to her left first, soon finding that four doors led to moderately sized bedrooms, one to a linen closet and the last was a bathroom. To her displeasure, she found the same thing on the other side. Still unsure which one she would choose for her bedroom, she decided to go up the small staircase. She ascended the stairs slowly, dust filling the air with every step. It looked as though no one had been up these stairs in decades. Along one of the walls at the top of the stairs were dust covered boxes and crates. The opposite wall had a large, cedar chest that looked as though it hadn't been touched in more years than the stairs. She smiled, pulling open the chest. Dust flew in her face and she coughed, unhappily. Inside was a small cigar box that she, upon opening it, found that it indeed had a few cigars still inside. Under that was a thick stack of photographs that were browned with age and torn around the edges. A few photos showed two girls standing in front of the main gates to what appeared to be an amusement park. The marquee above the park read "Redwood Heights". There were also many photos of the same two girls in front of the house and playing in the yard. Adrina decided that they must have grown up here and curious, she kept looking through the chest. There were many loose papers littering the bottom of the box that appeared to be notes and little drawings that had been saved from a childhood. She smiled as she rummaged through the chest. Many of the drawings were actually very well done.

"Adrina!" She heard her mother's distant voice carry up the stairs. She stacked everything back inside the chest carefully and closed it before heading back down the first flight of stairs. She hurried down to the front den, finding her mother standing on a small table, trying to peel back a piece of wall paper. "it looks like there is a mural behind here." Her mother smiled. "Help me?" Adrina nodded and began to help her mother peel back the wall paper. Slowly, strip by strip, a large painting started forming from under the paper. It appeared to be very old and worn out. Stepping back she could tell that it was a recreation of a european art piece that she had studied in her European History class last year. (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/0_Le_Massacre_des_Innocents_d'apr%C3%A8s_P.P._Rubens_-_Mus%C3%A9es_royaux_des_beaux-arts_de_Belgique_(2).JPG)

"Massacre of the innocents." She said, cocking her head to the side studying it carefully. "It's a beautiful recreation, but definitely not done by Ruben. "

"A bit dark." Her mother said from the table, looking across the wall at the many dead bodies and people that appeared to be begging for their lives. "It does give the room character though, I suppose." Her mother didn't seem very enthusiastic about the painting, but she was usually a good sport. Adrina was a very "artsy" person and always appreciated old paintings. She loved to study the history of art and also painted quite a bit herself in her free time.

"It's a fresco." She told her mother, stepping closer. "It was painted here back when this plaster was placed. The painting is actually set into the wall." She smiled broadly, carefully swiping her fingertips across the paint. It was chipping slightly in a few places, but was still in a very good condition. She was actually beginning to like the house. "Jade would love this." She pulled her phone out and snapped a photo of the wall.

"Have you talked to Jade since we left?" Her mother asked quickly, trying to change the subject. Her mother appreciated her love for art, but was far from being an 'art buff' herself, so at the first chance of a subject change, she took it.

"Was going to call her after dinner." Adrina told her nonchalantly, though the thought of having to call Jade instead of walking across the street practically made her sick. She had lived across the street from Jade for the last fourteen years when her parents had finally been able to buy their own house. Adrina was two years old at the time and her parents had befriended Jade's family very quickly. She understood that her parents only made the decision out of necessity, but it was a very hard transition. She shook herself mentally and smiled at her mother. "I think I'm going to go see if dad needs any help with the rest of our things." Her mother nodded, clearly noticing her moment of slight anguish.

"I think Chinese sounds good for dinner, do you?" She asked, knowing that this was Adrina's favorite food. Adrina smiled broadly and nodded as she left the room and made her way to the front door, but as she opened it she noticed her father was talking to someone. A teenage boy, about the same age as Adrina, was standing next her father and the two seemed to be deep in conversation, but within seconds the boy was turning to the back hatch of the suburban. Lifting, with notable ease, a large box from the trunk and with a smile turned toward the house. Adrina held the door for him as he climbed the front steps to the porch.

"You can just put that in the foyer." She told him as he passed and looked toward her father who was behind him carrying another large box. He followed the boy into the house, placed the box on the floor and turned back to Adrina.

"This is Olivander." He explained, "He lives two houses down. Offered his help right away."

"Like the wand shop?" Adrina asked, turning to look at the boy. He was thin, but muscular and tall. He shot her a crooked, but wide grin.

"The wand maker." He smiled. Her father looked back and forth from Adrina to Olivander and smiled.

"This is my daughter, Adrina." He said loudly, a bit of a smirk in his voice. "I believe you are both very close in age.

"Sixteen years old. Junior?" Olivander said to Adrina, not even glancing to her father.

"Sixteen and a half." Adrina smirked at him.

"If we're getting Chinese food, we'll have to- Oh, hello." Adrina's mother had entered the room, but stopped short when she saw Olivander. "I'm Matilda Marcus." She told him smiling brightly, "You are?"

"Olivander Nichols." He told her, reaching out for a handshake. "I live down the block." Mrs. Marcus smiled brightly and nodded.
"Would you like to stay with us for dinner tonight?" She asked, eying Adrina carefully. "We are ordering Chinese."

"Of course," he smiled, "as long as I'm not intruding." He glanced at Adrina.

"Don't be silly," Mr. Marcus told him, "we wouldn't ask if it was a problem." Right at that moment, Mr. Marcus' phone rang. Olivander and Mrs. Marcus began to discuss chinese take out restaurants in the area as he left to answer his phone. A few seconds later Mr. Marcus reentered the room.

"Slight change of plans," He told them. "Grandma and Pheonix's flight arrived early. I'm headed to the airport to pick them up, you guys can all stay here and I will be back in a bit." With that, Mr. Marcus grabbed the car keys and headed out the door.