XIV. Fragrance
I've always found my strongest memories come from familiar scents. I like the smell of vinegar because my mother used it to clean glass so it reminded me of home. I had a perfume I never used because it's smell reminded me of a summer that is nothing but bittersweet tragedy. The smell surrounding me was familiar and gave me a sense of belonging, but I couldn't place the memory.
I was currently entering a small building in the midst of a bunch of large, expensive buildings. This particular one was a dark faded brown brick with a single window and a solid black door. The window was covered by boards and one of the panes was shattered completely.
Viola entered the building carelessly, flinging the door open and strutting in, instantly covered in darkness. Daniel took my shaky hand and led me into the building, helping me along as I stumbled by. I was nervous from the inability to see what was in front of me. Daniel closed the door and we were in instant darkness. He made a fist with his other hand and a ball of green light swirled behind his clenched fingers. He slowly opened his fist and revealed the light floating above his palm.
I bit my lip to prevent myself from gasping and stared at it as we continued down the hall. As far as I could see, it was an extremely long corridor surrounded by blank walls and had no ending. It felt like hours before we made a turn and, when we did, there was another door.
I sent out a great sigh of relief that we had taken some time to get dressed and look decent before we came here. Behind that dark, rusted door was a grand room with a chandelier and glass floors and beautiful people walking about in beautiful clothing and old men scattered about in suits wit silver platters in their hands.
"Where are we?" I whispered to Daniel, under my breath as I spotted Viola grabbing a small glass and spinning around with a big grin on her face. She downed the glass and I raised an eyebrow. I had a sneaking suspicion it was champagne and I felt my face go red at the realization that I was still extremely underdressed.
"The Hall." He smirked at the stupid look I gave him, pulling me towards the double doors at the other end of the room. Viola met up with us and dramatically flung the doors open to reveal another room similar to the one we were currently in with a staircase to the left. We went up the stairs and turned down the right hall. They pulled me into what looked like a library and pulled me towards another door.
"What is up with all the doors in this place?" I glanced over at the dramatic girl currently throwing open the door before us.
"Protection. It helps make obstacles against someone trying to attack." Daniel answered me as we entered the final room. I faintly noted we were still holding hands and subtly pulled away. He didn't seem to notice as he turned towards a book shelf and started searching. I watched as they both did so. Eventually they came back with a few books each and dropped them in front of me.
I gazed at the various books stacked in front of me and tried (and failed) to understand the writing on the covers. I quickly gave up and waited for the pair to sit down with me. I lay my head down in my arms and closed my eyes, using my ears to locate my friends.
They returned and sat on either side of me, drawing my head up from my arms. I sighed and watched as they flipped books open in front of me.
"You're one of us." Viola sighed, pointing to a picture in the book. I squinted my eyes and stared deeply at it, a bit entranced. In this hand drawn picture, there was a young girl with long flowy hair, dressed in a simple dress that hung just past her knees, playing what looked like a violin.
"What exactly are yo- we?" I continued to gaze at the image before me, memories flashing through my mind of countless mastered instruments and the numbers of people that became entranced by my skills through the years. Is it really that hard to believe I'm different? Its not. Will it be hard to adjust to? Definitely.
"Do you know what Sirens are?"
"I've heard stories. Didn't they sing a song and kill a bunch of men in some Greek myth?" I pulled a piece of gum out of my pocket, popping it into my mouth.
Viola sent a glare towards me and huffed, slamming open a book closest to Daniel. I flinched at her extremity and cautiously watched her flip through the pages.
"We're not evil." She hissed at me, sliding the book towards me and pointing at a passage written in small handwriting. "Some are. Not all." She sat back down and glared down at the table, drumming her nails against the old wood. I began reading the passage, chewing on my bottom lip.
Since the creation of man, Sirens have been wandering this earth in silence and solemn glances. They bite their tongues from the musical urges fighting within themselves. There are singers. There are many kinds of Sirens, but the top of the food chain are the Instrumentalists.
"I don't believe this." I mumbled and shook my head. I looked up and found that Daniel and Viola were nowhere to be seen. I got up and retraced our steps and found myself in the grand room, now empty. What the hell happened?
Boom. There was a loud explosion and all I saw was white before I collapsed.
