Time's Tragedies- The Books Of Beginning [2]

8. City Girl

Eternity Time was a New Yorker, born and raised, and it showed. She wore the confidence of the city she called home all over her, her strides long and her chin held up as she made her way down the street. This confidence was her weapon that saved her from everything from awkwardly talking to strangers, to breaking down. This confidence helped her hide everything she hated about herself.

She had lived in this city for all of her sixteen years (plus a couple months, since she had turned sixteen back in February) and it had stayed constant for her even when nothing else did. This city had been the backdrop for her whole life. Which made it a tragic place, because her history was not pretty, but it was home nonetheless.

Eternity had always liked how big and bold New York was. She tried to be the same way. It was why she had chosen her name; Eternity Time. It was unique and creative and entirely her own. A name for the woman she was growing up to be.

When she was a little girl, she had a different name, and a family name given to her by her parents. But her parents were gone now and she didn't want that name. That name would always be connected to tragedy. That broken person couldn't force her way in the world. Eternity Time, on the other hand, could.

She walked down the streets briskly, knowing them like the back of her hand. Her internal map of Manhattan never led her astray, especially in the magical quarter she had called home for the past six years.

Eternity looked as confident as she tried to behave. She kept her appearance bold and ignored anyone who criticized it. Her strides were purposeful, her black boots clacking against the sidewalk. Hand-painted rainbow streaks trailed up the sides of her jeans, and polka dots in every color had also been painted onto her white blouse. Slight goosebumps ran down the light brown skin of her arms, since it was spring and still a little chilly, but she hadn't grabbed her jacket earlier. Dark brown eyes stayed straight ahead and a little smirk pulled at her mouth. 

The real thing that caught people's eye on the street was her hair though. Namely the fact that it had been dyed bright pink. It was also short and very curly, sticking out to create a large halo of magenta curls around her face. The brightness of it often caused people's eyes to flick briefly as if to say 'what's that color?' Then they turned away and went on with their days because this was magical New York and it was just hair, albeit of the pink variety.

Eternity had done the dye job at home by herself, after buying a kit at a drugstore for her sixteenth birthday. It had felt spontaneous and artistic and it brought a much needed smile to her face.

At the moment she was on her way home from her job, as the mid afternoon sun shone through the tall buildings of the main city. Eternity spent her days in the markets of the magical quarter. She sold the art pieces, paintings and drawings that she did herself. Which wasn't bad, but she also did odd jobs for other vendors, like delivering messages, because art was a hard business, especially when competing with magical wares.

Still, the painting and drawing and coloring was her passion and she took pride in it. She was determined to make something of herself with it. Anything to get her away from her past and present.

At the moment, Eternity was legally a resident of the magical world and under the guardianship of New York's magical caretaker, the witch known as Abigail. Abigail was the one who found Eternity a caretaker in a home for magical children, and it was in that small apartment that the girl had spent a good chunk of the past six years. Though she tried to get out as much as possible. The so called caretaker left her alone often in favor of the other children, and made it clear she wasn't sure Eternity belonged here. That was fine, but Eternity made a point not to stay where she was not wanted. 

So she mostly stayed out of the other's orbits, occasionally checked in with Abigail, and learned to fend for herself so she could become independent and finally live the life she wanted. It wasn't the most amazing existence, but it was something.