Beyond the Fairy Gate

Chapter 2

Nyline 

Nyline grabbed her backpack as she walked down the faded wooden steps of her childhood home; they creaked slightly as she placed her weight on them. The sound was familiar and made her smile. She bounced somewhat as her feet hit the bottom step and turned to the large kitchen.  The black cabinets were offset by the white marble countertops and stainless-steel appliances.  On the other side of the island was a small table with two chairs next to a large window looking out onto the street.

Nyline plopped her backpack on the ground and walked to the fridge. Her reflection caught in the polished stainless-steel fridge for just a moment before she ran her tongue across her teeth, getting a glimpse of the dark skin, hair, and eyes that felt so wrong before she forced the door open, causing her reflection to vanish.

After digging, she found the box of frozen waffles stowed in the back and pulled them out, popping two into the toaster between the oven and fridge. She led against the counter and looked out the front window. It was just like every morning; kids were leaving their houses and heading to school, parents driving to work. The sun was shining, and the sky was blue with only a wisp of clouds—just another ordinary day in her life.

"Morning," Nyline jumped a little as her eyes refocused, and she turned to see her uncle John walk into the kitchen. John was a tall man with dark brown hair that he always wore in a mop on the top of his head with sharp hazel eyes. He wore jeans and a tight-fitting t-shirt showing off his slender but muscular frame.

"Morning," Nyline spoke as the toaster popped, and she put them on a plate. She paused before handed the plate to him. She turned, loading the toaster up with more.

"Well," John spoke as he took a bite of the waffle, holding it in his hand. "I've got an early shift, so I'm leaving." he picked up the other waffle, so he had one in each hand. "Did you want a ride to school?" The toaster popped; she pulled them out and stacked them on each other.

"Na, I'll be fine walking." Nyline turned and placed her waffles on the island as she pulled out a pair of striped black, grey, and pink arm socks. "We need more waffles; these are the last four." She spoke as she pushed up her baggie hoodie's sleeves and pulled them on before returning her sleeves to their normal position. 

"Alright," Uncle John smiled at her, "I'll pick more up from the store on my way home." He paused for a few seconds as he looked her up and down. She wore like she did every day, an oversized baggie hoodie with her arm socks covering her arms underneath. She had on her regular jeans and once white sneakers.  "Hurry up and go before you're late." He spoke with a smile on his lips as he turned and started towards the door.

Nyline smiled as she grabbed her backpack and threw it over one shoulder. It thumped loudly on her lower back as she turned back to the now empty doorway. The front door opened, "Have a good day at school." He shouted.

"You too!" Nyline half shouted as he closed the door behind him, and she picked up her waffles so she could follow him out. She paused at the kitchen door and looked around the entryway to the large house that she and Uncle John lived in for her entire life. The staircase was to her right; it went up several steps before it bent at a landing, followed by more steps to the second floor. There were four rooms up there: hers, uncle John's, and then two open rooms that had shut doors that they never opened. The downstairs consisted of the large kitchen, a sitting room, a study, a laundry room, and finally, the door that went to the backyard. There was a finished basement below with the laundry room entrance that was also empty.

After taking a deep breath to smell the mix of Uncle John, soap, and dust, she smiled. The only real reminisce that Uncle John lived there was the faint smell of his soap. He was an extremely quiet person inside his mind and out.  With or without John, the house always seemed empty, which she savored every minute. She took another deep breath before turning and walking out the front door, enjoying the last minutes of silence before school.