Interlaced

Chapter 1

Crisp leaves crunched beneath Joel's footsteps, as he made his way to Millard's book shop and coffee place. It was nearing the peak of fall when the leaves scattered the dark pavements, but many others were still drifting and fluttering down. The streets in the quiet town of Corlamacki were lined with towering trees, their branches thick, and twisting every which way.

The town of Corlamacki lies nestled in the abundance of foliage and forests, but despite being rather hidden from the rest of the world, it is a destination for visitors from everywhere. Tourists hunt the area down, hoping to get a taste of Millard's Salted Caramel and Hot Cocoa Mix, a favourite by townsfolk; others who are more adventurous arrive to take the four kilometre hike to see the town's gem: the falls itself.

The bell to the shop jingled jubilantly as Joel calmly made his way in. Millard's is crowded to the max, and Joel carefully weaved himself through the throng of customers, straining to see if his usual table is empty.

Crap.

A visiting family is comfortably seated at the table by the window, awaiting their food and taking photos of their time here. Joel smiled to himself, understanding their fascination with this place. Hands in his pockets, scarf entwined lightly around his freckled neck, he opens the next door, leading to the back outdoor terrace, and plops himself down at the first table he finds.

The great thing about the terrace was that it gave an overwhelming view of the street and the shops that lined each side. Despite it being the twenty first century, the architecture of most of the shops still greatly hinted at the town's age and history.

Joel brushed aside his dark brown hair, and pulled out a leather bound book from his satchel. Pen in hand, his green eyes scoured the area, searching for a new muse to illustrate, a scene to give life to on the pages of his book.

Joel took an intake of air, eyes closed, then exhaled. His pen at the ready, he began tracing an outline of Mrs. Asher's Patissiere, the whimsical carvings on the wooden signs and building. Suddenly, a low voice broke him out of his trance.

"Hope I'm not intruding on anything."

Chris slid himself into the empty seat across from Joel, a mischievous look playing on his features. The two boys had been close friends since kindergarten, Chris being the shyer and quieter of the two. Joel had always been more personable, more outgoing. It was not a matter of being rude or acting cold to others simply because he did not like them, but rather Chris just often had trouble with how and what to say.

Being close friends with Joel, however, Chris slowly became accustomed and comfortable with speaking just about anything with him.

"What're you working on there?" Chris leaned across, an eyebrow arched in question. Joel laughed at the look, and explained, "Just a random sketch of the town. To clear things."

Chris nodded his head nonchalantly, in approval. "Random sketches. Nice, nice, I like it." Joel laughed again.
Chris smiled despite himself. His blue eyes glance out at the people below, until he caught on to something that caught his breathe.

"Hey, man, have you ever wondered about how this place looked years ago? Or as time passed and all of these changes happened?" Christ twiddled his thumbs; a habit he had and does when he's nervous.

Joel noticed the gesture and looked up again from his book. "Yeah, I get what you mean. I wonder that all the time." He followed Chris' gaze, which was a beacon of light solely focusing on one thing in the town.

Prism Hall.

The dilapidated house sat at the edge of town, situated much closer to the river than all the others. Historically, it was one of the older buildings in the area, and the oldest home. It was a wonder it was still standing. The pastel paint was peeling, the metal pipes caked with rust and grime. The shingles on its roof were crooked and broken, while some of it's fogged glass windows were cracked and damaged. Vines warped and wrapped themselves tightly around the home, as if anguished to let it go.