PRINCE OF FABLES

A DAY FOR DOOM AND GLOOM

It was a day for gloom and doom. 

Rain fell steadily over Theresa's hat, flowing over the brim and sliding down the most inconvenient places of skin. She'd been standing here for nearly fifteen minutes and, though she was quite cold, it hadn't grown old. There was something magical about the mist hovering over the pavement, the rain pelting down at the earth.

She might never have noticed him if he didn't offer her the umbrella. But he did. So she did.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're forever welcome," he said nodding to her. "Waiting for the bus?"

"Yes," she said carefully. Talking to strangers wasn't advised—even charming ones. She considered folding up the umbrella and handing it back to him, in which case, they might never have become friends. But she didn't. So they did.

"I'm headed to St. What's-His-Name's," the boy admitted.

"St.—"

"St. Hell-On-Earth's."

She laughed, glancing over at him. "Hell on Earth?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Have you ever been? I've attended my entire life, and I've never seen you." She inspected his features. He was tall and slim with sharp brown hairand a defined, but soft jaw. His eyes hung behind a pair of glasses whichrested on a long nose. It was a nice nose, she had to admit, but a long nose.And she would have remembered him, she decided.

"Oh, seems I've made a friend," he shrugged, "mother will be proud." But he didn't answer her question.

"Have you been there?"

He glanced at her, smirk gone. "Only on the darkest nights."

She swallowed, and almost laughed, but couldn't tell if he was serious or not. She smiled just in case.

He drew a book from tucked under his arm. It was titled something about vampires and darkness and all that hullabaloo. "This is my Bible," he said.

She laughed, shaking her head at his now-obvious playfulness.

"I'm Anderson Holdon," he said, tucking the book back under his arm, "Call me Andy."

"I'm Theresa Gregory. So," she said, "you have or have not been to St. Helen's?"

"Have, took a tour over the summer. Other than smoking in the bathroom, I don't see a lot of potential."

She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the thought. 

"I don't smoke," he said, "but if I did," he nodded, "that's where I'd do it."

She shook her head. 

"Well," he said, eyes following the bus pulling up to them, "here's our ride."