What would you do if everything you thought you'd ever known changed? What if ghost and sprites were real? Would you brave that new world or hide away in what you've always known? Cassandra must make that choice. Her entire existence is not what it...
Monday started just like any other Monday did for Cassandra Thames. Light blue eyes snapped open a second before the alarm went off. She stretched, got dressed, ate breakfast, and prepared for another boring day of work. Black hair in a tight braid that reached to the inside of her knees, was swished out of the way as she slipped on her woolen, red coat. The snow must've started sometime late last night because in most places it was at least two feet deep. Cassandra looked up at the gray sky; its gloomy clouds reflected her mood. White snowflakes floated gently down and around her. They gathered in her hair; the black shine of her braid a beautiful contrast with the white flakes. She sighed and pulled her black gloves.
She got to work six minutes late; as always. The office was already buzzing and she knew that most people wouldn't even notice her. Of course the only person that really mattered was-
"Hey Cassie."
Cassandra sighed. "I told you not to call me that, Parker."
"I thought you were kidding." Parker looked like a puppy that has just been told that it had been naughty. He glanced down dejectedly with his cute blue eyes, blond hair failing into his face.
If Parker was a puppy then Cassandra was a cat. She coldly walked away from Parker and towards her desk. "Well, I wasn't." Parker jogged to catch up to her, she rolled her eyes and ignored him. "I've got to admit he is consistent. Annoying? Yes. Trying too hard? Yes. Not my type? Yes. Totally clueless? Double yes. About to trip over the mail cart? Yes." Cassandra frowned at herself. "Wait what?"
At that exact moment a mail cart flew out of no where and Parker, who was distracted trying to get Cassandra's attention, tripped over it. He landed flat on his back with a loud thump. Cassandra jumped despite herself. The mail carrier ran out form behind a corner, her bobbed brown hair bouncing wildly a she ran. She seemed more confused than anything else.
The mail carrier bent down next to Parker. "Are you ok? I don't know what happen; one minute I was delivering the mail and then the next I knew the cart was rolling away from me like someone had pushed it."
"I'm fine." Parker sat up rubbing his head. "I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you new?"
The carrier blushed. "Yeah, I just got the job." She held out her hand awkwardly. "My names Rachel."
Parker took her hand and shook it. "I'm Parker."
Cassandra rolled her eyes. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about Parker's early morning flirting sessions. It looked like he and Rachel would be perfect together. She shouldered her way past the two, who were still on the floor, and made her way to her own tiny cubicle. It was undecorated, with plain gray walls and a boring desk. Besides one sickly looking plant there was nothing on the desk but her computer. She opened it to be greeted by a familiar calico kitten, curled up in a ornate teacup. Cassandra ran a hand through her hair tiredly. Life was so boring; everything was predictable. She wanted something more. As she contemplated these thing her one nd only friend in the office popped her head up over the cubicle's edge.
"CT! Listen I know you just got here but you have got to come see this." Michele's big brown eyes were full of excitement and her light brown hair was already falling out of its messy bun.
Cassandra smiled. "Sure. Anything to get out of work."
Michele led Cassandra to the service stairway that made its way down into the back alley. The old iron stairs creaked as the two women inched down them into the shabby, darkness below. The snow was still falling and it covered the trash bags that hadn't fit into the overstuffed, green dumpsters that lined the desolate back way. Brick walls rose on either side of them, making a sort of funnel for the wind, which whipped at them harshly. Cassandra shivered and pulled her coat around her tightly. In hind sight this may have been a bad idea.
Michele motioned for Cassandra to keep following her. "Come on, it's jet behind here. I saw it this morning on my way to work."
"What is it?"
Michele shook her head. "It's hard to describe. I saw it dart back here when I got out of the cab so I followed it. Then I came to get you."
Cassandra looked at Michele curiously. "Why me?"
Instead of answering Michele held a finger to her lips, apparently they were close. Michel crouched down so Cassandra followed suit. They crept around the corner of the trash bin they were next to. As they rounded the corner, Cassandra let out a small gasp. There floating about a foot of the ground was the strangest creature she had ever seen. It looked like a mixture of a comet and an animal. It had large, purple eyes flecked with gold and a misty, silver-blue glow to it. It had two front legs that looked like little nubs but where its hind legs should've been its body thinned into a sort of tail like what you would see on a shooting star or comet. It had fox like ears that were pressed flat against its head. When it saw Michele it whimpered and tried to back farther away.
"It acted like that until I left." Michele put her hands on her hips and studied the thing for a moment. "I'm surprised it didn't move." She looked at Cassandra expectantly. "So, what do you think?"
Cassandra shook her head. "I don't know what to think." She leaned in to get a better look at the thing.
The two of them met eyes; blue locked with purple and something resembling recognition seemed to flash in the animals eyes. It leapt at her and, before Cassandra could react, it had shrunk down and dived into her pocket. The two women looked at each other and then down at Cassandra's pocket, mirroring each other's surprised expression. Before either one could say anything, Susan, a fellow coworker, came running down the alley towards them.
"Unless your looking to be fired, boss says you better get your butts back inside now."
The two friends exchanged glances and silently decided that they would des us the previous events later. With a small nod Cassandra led the way back inside.
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