A Tale of two Towns

Prologue

           I have a story to tell. A story that changed my life forever . A story that made me believe in miracles and magic and all that the world shushes you to not believe in by simply enwrapping it in the label of being "impossible".No this is not a fairytale . As much as my childhood beliefs would love fairies and mermaids  to be a part of this story, sadly they are not .

I tell you that i have a story to tell. Perhaps i'm wrong . Perhaps its not a story. Stories are not always true . But mine was. Still is . I lived through it...this magic . Or maybe this magic lived through me....

      I'm Aurora. My Aunt Mae says my mother named me long before i was born.

     I grew up listening to  stories about how my mother dreamt of strange green lights for several nights before she found out she was about to have a child . One  morning when she told my dad over breakfast, he simply smiled at her "green light" observation and ran his hands in the air dismissing them.

"Not green lights Evelyn my love, they must be the Northern lights" He smiled caressing her fingers soothingly .

They were so much in love Aunt Mae had told me that they often forgot my aunt lived there too .

My aunt cleared her throat as she entered the kitchen to settle down with a porridge for herself ." Dont forget i still live here you two lovebirds" She grinned.

"No we didnt forget you Mae" My mother looked over her shoulder "But we would both love for you to find someone who loves you as much "

"Aaaaargh Evy"she said emphasing the last alphabet to her name "We are not having this conversation again are we?"

"Mae we just want you to be happy " my father chirped in .

"I am happy! I am ! Look at me!" Aunt Mae exclaimed.

The other two smiled apologetically .

"What? No? You guys think i'm not? Well...i'm gonna go ..and i'm gonna be off to Joe's for work fellas" She scurried over upstairs with her bowl of porridge as fast as she could . Love scared her to the very core...she would often say . "When you are alone , no one has the power over you " That was the mantra she kept chanting i believe. Since she's not changed till date .

My mother turned over to my father .
"I know you do all these stuffs with research and experiment on weirdly insane ideas..."

My dad sushed her "A scientist yes" He didnt like people bragging about how great his works were .

"But...but.. how did you know about the lights in my dreams Jon ?" The furrows on my mother's forehead deepened

"Good lord my dear. Is that whats been bothering you for so long? "My dad seemed alarmed.

"Its..its....Its not that"She twirled a lock of hair around her right index finger.

"Evy ...its ...how do i put it . I'm simply doing some research about something . Thats it . And you surely know that i'm a scientist and i knkw about these phenomenons" He smiled. But the simle didnot reach up to his eyes.

My mother was skeptical "Why do i feel that you're keeping something from me Jon?" Her bright eyes shone in the golden hue of the sun rays .

"Evy umm...its...its...Its confidential. I know i donot keep anything from you but its better if you didnt know. ..if no body other than a specified few knew." He gripped my mother's shoulder and lightly pressed it. 

"You mean these green lights?"My mother was surprised.

"Not really. Its just that . Oh Evy..i ..i wish i could tell you. .."He hushed his voice down "Ok listen...when i came here to Mysticbrooks from Orleans...i was requested here by Mayor Larson. I came to know about Mysticbrooke ...the town and the river. And ...and how dangerous the river was here..."

Hair rose at the end of my mother's forearms.

"Dangerous?What do you mean Jonathan?" There was considerable alarm in her voice.

"Shhh Evy...Keep your voice down dear. Its dangerous to talk about something like that in the open."

My mother gripped the edges of the kitchen table hard. "What are you saying Jon...Dangerous? ..."

"I vowed to never keep a secret from you . So i am telling you this Evy" He gulped "Whoever goes down by the riverside, never comes back " My father whispered low in her ears.

"What are you talking about ? Its bullshit! We know Mysticbrooke is dangerous as it runs through the woods. A river that strong must have steep edges and nooks n cranies...thats whats been happening when all those accidents happened...And we know its dangerous as the banks are slippers and the river's flow is adamant..."she began pacing in the kitchen . Sunlight creeped through her long hazel  strands of hair  .

"Evy ...you know that because thats what the Mayor and I and Sheriff Jones want you all to know . It would create unnecesssary panic if people knew more Evy.."His voice was calm.

"We have to move then Jonathan !We do. I possibly..i possibly cannot raise a child here. Oh that poor lil child" My mother was horrified.

"What?"My father was stupefied. He squealed out in joy . Tears spill out of his dark brown eyes . "Evy...you mean?"

She nodded rubbing her still flat belly lovingly .

"Evy oh good heavens. Evy ...oh my god...I'm gonna be a father...I'll. .I'll protect it with my life. I'll...i'll " his voice cracked.

The old telephone creaked. My dad was requested for at his lab by the riverside.

Before leaving he kissed her forehead . "You made me the happiest man this morning my love".He put on his large brown overcoat.Before leaving he however warned my mother"Evelyn you must promise to never tell anyone what i told you though. "He hugged her tight.

"But Jonathan i donot understand ...how are the green lights... "

"Evy...i'll tell you everything my love . Tonight i will. Just know that those lights are magic ..." His eyes lit up .

But that day as my father left for work, something different happened. He never came back .My mother kept waiting for him ...for days, weeks, months ...but he never came back .He was declared missing .

Mayor Larson decided it was time to warn the town about Mysticbrooke's recent events.  Sherrif Jones agreed . My mother wanted the town to know the truth .
"My husband's death would not go to vain Bill" she told the Mayor "Its time they all knew what the river does. Its time they know how dangerous it really is."

And so it happened, as the entire town of Mysticbrooke mourned the death of my father  Mayor Larson had an important announcement to make
"Dear people of this town, as we gather here today to mourn the death of our most beloved, dearest scientist , I'm here to warn you all about some recent events that took place in Mysticbrooke . The river that flows through the woods are dangerous."
A quiet fell over the entire crowd.
"That river is deadly. And from henceforth I as your Mayor urge that no one  wander alone  in the woods or  go down by the riverside . "

Nights passed. And as i was tossing and turning inside my mother's womb , a thought kept burning bright in my mother's mind.
Those green lights.
She couldnt understand how those green lights were ever magical or how they had anything to do with the deadly Mysticbrooke. So one night she decided to search upon these northern lights in my father's old journals .

Maybe she too found magic in them .Those green lights. Because a few months later as i crawled my way into this world, and moments before giving in to her death, she named me after them. The great northern lights - aurora borealis.  Aurora .

Author's note:

Hi there everyone. I hope you enjoyed reading the prologue. This would be an important part in buliding up of the plot as we proceed. I wanted to take a  moment here to talk about the person who gave me the idea behind this story . Its Shiksha. She's not only an amazing  roomie but we've always connected based on our choice of books or movies. And I cannot thank her enough for letting me write her idea out into a book. Love you girl! And hope you read this funpizza_10
Love,
Protiksha