《Sybil's Cloak》


 The Cloak of Amnesia

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    him.  There was a photograph of her sitting on a couch with a man in a grey beanie and ash-colored eyes. She flipped over the picture and saw the date, almost exactly a year ago. ¡°Emmett,¡± she said quietly, looking down at her son. She didn¡¯t understand where the name had come from, but there it was.

 The Cloak of Ash

    Penny stepped out of her truck onto exceptionally dry dirt. Dust kicked up as she slammed the door. She shielded her eyes from the penetrating midday sun as she looked over what she once considered home, now dilapidated and vandalized.


    This was once a stable. Small, but quaint, with ten stalls and an open field. Now it was just broken boards and overgrown pastures with weeds taller than the fence. Someone had already come by and spray-painted obscenities along the outside of the walls. She could faintly see large black patches along the boards.


    If she closed her eyes and breathed in deep enough, she could still remember the thick scent of muck and fresh shavings. She could hear horses knicker and whinny as bales of hay were tossed around. But as soon as her eyes opened again, she was reminded of how quickly this place had fallen away, lost to time and grown with danger.


    Against her better judgement, she stepped inside. She dodged around fallen beams and broken glass. At least she¡¯d worn her old attire ¨C thick jeans and work boots. Her shirt was on the thinner side, but it was summer and she knew better than to show up at a barn in long sleeves. She picked up the occasional stray bucket to set aside along with any odd grooming brushes. All the stall doors were thrown open and coated in a hefty layer of dust. However, it wasn¡¯t brown dust, the kind that any farm would be used to, dust compiled of dirt, feed, and fur. This was gray. She ran her finger down one of the hatches. It was greasy. She took a step back and looked closer at the door. The wood was black and charred.


    Her heart sank.


    Twenty years had passed and this is what had happened to her home. It had burned.


    She heard another car peel into the dirt lot. She peeked through an open board and saw another truck pull up next to hers. A man, not much older than her, hopped out and slipped into an orange vest before tapping a hardhat onto his head. He didn¡¯t even acknowledge her truck. He simply strode in as if this was just another day on the job. Then he stopped, held up a finger as if he¡¯d just remembered something, ran back to his truck and grabbed a clipboard.


    He started around the perimeter, making marks on his clipboard and snapping pictures of damage. She knew who he was now. She stood back up and walked down the aisle of stalls to meet him around the side. ¡°Mr. Grubb?¡± she called. The man stopped and smiled wide.


    ¡°Yes! Penelope Harding? Pleasure to finally meet you!¡± He quickly extended his hand to shake hers firmly. His excitement caught her off guard. ¡°Sam Grubb, you can call me Sam. I know you spoke to my boss, Dan McKenna?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why he finished as a sentence, but she nodded all the same. ¡°Yes, Daniel is the insurance adjuster for the property.¡±


    Sam threw a thumbs up and nodded his head to match hers. ¡°Yes! Well, kind-of. He¡¯s now the manager of the company and I¡¯m the new insurance adjustor. I¡¯m just here to see how much the company can offer you for the damages.¡±


    Penny looked him up and down. What an oddly happy individual, she thought. He had shaggy blond hair curling from under the hard hat and rosy-pink cheeks from hours in the sun. He had the obvious build of a man in construction with just enough muscle to counter his small beer belly. His energy reminded her of an old golden lab, just happy to be included.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s been a few months since the accident, but we had to wait for all the paperwork to be done and estate settled, which I¡¯m sure you know,¡± he said, his goofy smile not really leaving despite his explanation.


    ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± Penny asked quickly. She¡¯d yet to match his smile. Rather, she folded her arms over her chest.


    Sam cleared his throat and nodded his head. He handed over the paperwork he¡¯d been filling out. As she looked it over he began to explain what all had happened. ¡°There was a massive fire. At first we figured there may have been some wet hay that had caught the sun wrong. Then when we saw the heat lamp on the floor, we suspected faulty wiring. These things happen. There was a bad storm that night, too. All in all, we¡¯re still determining the cause. As you know, your aunt didn¡¯t make it. Not because of the fire, obviously,¡± he paused to make sure she was keeping up. Penny briefly glanced up at him.


    ¡°Car accident,¡± she said rather shortly.


    ¡°Right, right. Just a bad situation all around. I understood she was leaving our office, too, trying to work out what to do with the farm.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the horses?¡± Penny asked, looking up from the clipboard. She¡¯d already made up her mind that this gentleman wasn¡¯t just happy-go-lucky, but maybe also a little dense, too.


    ¡°The farm hand, Nate, he got ¡®em. I mean, she only had three by then, so it was easy to let them out, but he did manage to save all of them,¡± Sam shrugged his shoulders as he thought about the silver lining.


    ¡°And then?¡± Penny asked, now shoving her hands in her pocket.


    ¡°Well, Miss Harding had sold them that morning before the meeting. We couldn¡¯t get her the money that she¡¯d needed before going through the paperwork. These things happen.¡±


    ¡°But she died that day,¡± Penny¡¯s eyes narrowed as she thought over the logistics. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have had time to make the sale, move them, and go to the meeting only to have the place end up in flames.¡±


    ¡°Right. I know it¡¯s a bit confusing,¡± Sam stopped to scratch the back of his head nervously. Sweat had already started pooling at his temples. Then he held up his finger like he¡¯d done before, remembering something, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d recommend talking to Nate. He¡¯s kind of been our point of contact until we were able to meet you. Here¡¯s his number,¡± Sam scribbled out the full name and his phone number on the edge of the paper. He tore it off and handed it over. ¡°I¡¯m going to get back to my survey. Like I said, call Nate, he¡¯ll probably know more since he was here and all. Nice to meet you, Penelope.¡±


    ¡°Penny,¡± she said as she took the piece of paper that read Nate Kormick followed by the number. She stepped off to the side to get out of Sam¡¯s way. She walked back to her truck and hopped in, leaving her door open and her leg hanging out. She was blasted with cool air once the engine turned. She grabbed her phone and made the call. There was no sense in waiting, after all.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    What she didn¡¯t tell Sam was that she didn¡¯t need Nate¡¯s number, or that she was completely out of the loop.


    There wasn¡¯t even a whole ring before she heard a low voice on the other end. ¡°Penelope Harding, ¡®bout time you called me.¡±


    She froze and a cold chill ran down her spine.


    ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re at the farm finally,¡± Nate chuckled.


    Hearing his voice was always jarring. Yes they¡¯d kept in touch over the last year with her aunt¡¯s declining ability to care for the farm, but she always made sure it stayed in emails and text messages. Phone calls and voicemails were strictly out of the question, and for one reason alone ¨C Bennett.


    ¡°I promise it¡¯s Nate. Bennett is back in the city. It¡¯s just me out here now,¡± Nate confirmed. She could hear him shifting his phone on the other end.


    Her tense breath finally released. ¡°Fucking twins,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°There¡¯s the old spitfire!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Just like yer¡¯ aunt.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, probably why she left this place for me.¡±


    ¡°I never understood that, either,¡± Nate confirmed.


    Penny¡¯s face fell flat and unamused, even though she knew he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve got questions,¡± she said bluntly. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to beat around the bush.


    ¡°I figured. Why don¡¯t you come over?¡±


    Penny paused to think about it for a moment. It was Nate, which was fine, but it was also Nate. She bit her lip, thinking over if she was ready to face the past, or if she even had much of a choice. ¡°Yeah. You still over in Shadow Oak?¡± It had been twenty years, but it wasn¡¯t an offensive question. People rarely moved on from what¡¯s left for them. Even she¡¯d traveled four hundred miles for a piece of property that was in complete shambles.


    ¡°You know it,¡± he said.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way,¡± she said, pulling her leg back in the truck and shutting the door.


    ¡°Oh wait, Penny, before you head this way. I¡¯m gonna need you to go up in your aunt¡¯s apartment and grab somethin¡¯ for me.¡±


    ¡°You want me to climb the stairs here, Nate? You¡¯ve seen the place, right?¡±


    Nate cleared his throat, ¡°I know, I know. Look I¡¯d do it, but, well, you¡¯ll see. Now I need you to go up there and grab a folder from her desk. It¡¯s a green folder.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it survived the fire?¡± Penny asked.


    ¡°Because I put it there after she died.¡±


    Penny rolled her eyes. She wasn¡¯t shocked he was using her aunt¡¯s property as his own personal safe. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll get it, but no more surprises, okay? I want answers, not a runaround.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know best of anyone I can¡¯t make that promise.¡±


    Penny could only imagine the mischievous smile on the other end of the line. ¡°See you soon¡­. Sis,¡± and he hung up the phone.


    That last word sent the shiver right back down her spine. She hadn¡¯t heard it in so long. She shook the uneasy feeling from her shoulders and cut the engine. Once again, she was hopping back out onto the dirt road. This time she walked back into the barn with a bit more ease. She knew where to look, what to step over, and wasn¡¯t as shocked by the surroundings.


    She stepped up to the base of a staircase directly in the middle of the barn. She jimmied the banister. It creaked with the movement, but nothing splintered or fell. She breathed in deeply, figuring it had to be somewhat sound if Nate had made it up there to stash the folder. She carefully took the first step, noticing any movement or sound as the wood shifted. So far it was fine, but it was also one of fifteen steps. She took another, and it was equally fine. She took a few more, coming up on the half landing. Things were still okay, and she was breathing easier.


    The apartment door was still unlocked. The place was small, barely a quarter of the barn in the style of a studio. A small kitchenette in the corner, a pullout bed against the wall, and an old oak desk right next to the couch that was older than the barn itself. Right there on the desk was a green folder. She snatched it and headed back.


    And of course, just as she began to trust the craftsmanship of the barn, the step after the landing completely gave way. Her leg fell straight through, catching at the knee. She yelled, then gasped. She pulled on her leg, only to feel a sharp pain shoot up her calf. ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± she screamed. Her heart was racing, her breath quickening, and now her hands were shaking. The board beneath her gave a loud pop and snapped in half. She fell even further into the hole, only to stop with a jerk of her arm.


    She looked over in shock to see Sam putting his arms beneath her shoulder and picking her up to slide her back onto the landing. He heaved one more step back until her leg was completely back through the hole. The leg of her pants was quickly soaking with blood. She blinked hard and pushed her head back against the wall. ¡°I hate blood,¡± she whispered and closed her eyes. She could feel the color draining from her face as her forehead broke out in a sweat and went numb.


    ¡°Excuse me, Miss Penny, I¡¯m going to¡­Well, here,¡± he didn¡¯t quite wait for her consent because he knew there wasn¡¯t going to be a lot of time if he had any questions. He took out his knife and cut through her pants leg, then ripped it off the rest of the way, revealing a nice gash going from ankle to midcalf.


    ¡°Is it bad?¡± she asked and cupped her forehead, doing her best to stay conscious. She was breathing hard and had broken out in a cold sweat all over her face now.


    ¡°Nah, no not really,¡± he pushed around and she winced with a hiss. Nothing seemed to split open. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s gross, but you won¡¯t need stitches. Now if you¡¯d really fallen ¨C ¡°


    ¡°What do you mean really fallen? I fucking fell!¡± She was gritting her teeth now.


    Sam stifled a chuckle. ¡°No, I mean, if you really fell through - like hit the concrete - that would be bad. This, though¡­It¡¯s gnarly, but you won¡¯t need stitches. Here, let¡¯s get you downstairs. I¡¯ve got a first aid kit in the truck.¡± He slipped his arm back under her shoulders and lifted her up onto her good leg. He grunted with every step as he carried her down.


    ¡°Not used to carrying people?¡± She asked, forcing herself to open her eyes to see where she was going and help by at least limping a little.


    This time his chuckle slipped through. ¡°Not anymore,¡± he replied. ¡°Clipboards and cameras are just a bit lighter.¡±


    She had to admire his honesty, even if it seemed ill-timed at points. He got her outside where a stone bench was still standing and set her down. He then skipped off to his truck and fetched the first aid kit. It was larger than she expected, full of everything from burns to full lacerations. Far more than the standard bandage and ointment.


    She set the folder down next her and looked over what he was doing. She didn¡¯t comment or resist as he wrapped her leg neatly. ¡°Thank you. Look, I have a meeting. Could you just, help me to my car?¡± She gave the slightest smile, though it really looked more like a passive grimace.


    Sam nodded his head, his goofy grin outshining hers completely. ¡°Absolutely, Miss Harding,¡± he pulled her arm over his shoulder once again and together they hobbled to the truck. He propped her inside like a true gentleman, wished her well, and went back to his job.


    She watched him closely, waiting for him to turn the corner around the property before leaning down and ripping the clean bandage straight off. She instantly grit her teeth as she felt the fresh skin pull back open and blood ooze out. She placed both her hands on her calf and whispered under her breath. Slowly, a pink light radiated from her palms, splintered and twisted into the open wound. Cell by cell, her calf sewed itself back together. The blood stopped and she sat back, heaving from the effort.


    To get her mind off of the whole ordeal, she grabbed the folder and flipped it open. The front page was standard insurance claims, then the property deed stapled behind. She thumbed the papers, finding where her name was listed as the beneficiary, until something stopped her completely. There was a co-beneficiary someone she¡¯d never heard of before ¨C Emmett Dane.

 The Cloak of Pages

    A bookstore wasn¡¯t what Emmett had in mind when his father said he had a surprise for him. It wasn¡¯t a trip to a bookstore, either. This was his tenth birthday present, and his father promised it would be big. Which made it all the more confusing when they pulled up to the store front covered in vacancy signs and going out of business sales.


    ¡°Books?¡± Emmett asked as his father brought the truck to a stop.


    ¡°Not quite¡­¡±


    The two stepped out of the truck and Luca walked up to the front with keys in hand, ready to unlock as if he¡¯d done it every day. There wasn¡¯t any fumbling or remembering the key.


    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Emmett asked.


    Luca opened the door to let his son inside, flipping the lights on behind him. He didn¡¯t answer at first. Instead he let his son explore.


    Emmett¡¯s curiosity took over and within seconds he was walking around dusty display cases, running his finger along the shelves and leaving lines of interest in dust. He passed the half-empty shelves and flipped through the books that were still there. Most of them were new, he noticed, and he wondered why no one had claimed them. He went up and down a few aisles before coming back to his dad who was leaning casually against the checkout desk.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Luca asked his son, glancing around at the space. It was smaller than Luca remembered, but it held just as many memories.


    ¡°It¡¯s old, and it¡¯s dirty,¡± Emmett commented, rubbing his fingers together and pilling the dust. ¡°but I still don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Luca chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s ours. This ¨C this -¡± he motioned around the quaint little store, ¡° - is ours now.¡±


    ¡°But what about the farm?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still ours, too, but I¡¯m working on that. This store used to belong to your grandfather, and he couldn¡¯t keep up with anymore. I had the farm, so I couldn¡¯t, and when he passed away, I told him I¡¯d do what was best. So, now it¡¯s ours. You and me.¡±


    Luca tried to keep his words uplifting. He tried to keep them exciting and interesting. Emmett was ten and had no concept of running a business, but he was smart, and he¡¯d proved himself time and time again in the fields. He knew this would be a learning curve for his son, but ultimately it would be their way out of the emotional hole they were in.


    ¡°Can we show mom?¡±


    The phrase made his chest tighten. His eyes stung instantly and he wiped his face to hide his expression. ¡°Um, yeah, maybe¡­Maybe when she comes back.¡±


    He knew Emmett didn¡¯t understand what happened, or what his mother was like. It was a concept Emmett wouldn¡¯t fully grasp for a long time, probably longer than it would take to teach him to run a small bookstore. At the same time, Luca did know his mother, he did know what she was like, and he knew there was always a small chance she¡¯d come back.


    ¡°What if she goes to the farm looking for us?¡± Emmett was making his way behind the counter, oblivious to his father¡¯s reaction. He began pressing buttons on the register until he figured out how to open the cash drawer, only to be disappointed that it was empty.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she knows to find us here. I promise,¡± Luca replied. While it seemed like an empty promise, it wasn¡¯t. He had his way of making sure to leave her a trail wherever they went. She was gone. They did everything they could, but she was gone. Despite how heavy his weary heart was, he still wrote her letters and left them everywhere. He could only hope she''d somehow find her way back.


    The front door¡¯s bell trilled and a woman walked in. She had curly red hair wrapped in a loose bun and her clothes were covered in dirt. Luca straightened up instantly. "Hi, I¡¯m looking for Mr. Dane?¡±


    ¡°Luca,¡± he replied, extending his hand to shake hers firmly. He gave a half smile, ¡°firm handshake,¡± he commented.


    The woman giggled and tucked a wiry strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Perks of growing up a ranch hand,¡± she replied with a shrug.


    ¡°See, Emmett? Those muscles will come in handy one day,¡± Luca said over his shoulder.


    ¡°Hi Emmett!¡± The woman exclaimed, but Emmett stayed behind the counter without so much as a nod. He just watched closely, silently.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Emmett, this is Miss Harding. Remember when I said I would make sure the farm was okay? She¡¯s how we¡¯ll do it. Now, say hi.¡±


    ¡°Hi,¡± Emmett squeaked out.


    ¡°Please, call me Ruby,¡± she insisted. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet both of you, especially you Luca.¡± Ruby couldn¡¯t help but blush seeing Luca. They¡¯d spoken on the phone several times, and he always sounded firm with his husky voice, just like the other men she¡¯d grown up around. However, seeing him in person changed a lot of what she pictured in her mind. He was tall and well built. He had a noticeably square jaw underneath a short, groomed beard, but what she noticed most of all was his calming green eyes.


    Luca nodded his head, noting the rouge on her cheeks, but keeping his thoughts to himself. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you, Ruby.¡±


    ¡°And speaking of the farm, um¡­Can we talk in private, really quick?¡± She asked, glancing at Emmett and then back to Luca, flashing him a quick smile.


    Luca was a bit taken back, but slowly nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, sure. Emmett, will you be okay? We¡¯ll be just a minute.¡±


    Emmett nodded his head silently.


    With Emmett¡¯s permission, Luca gently guided Ruby to the back of the store. There was a door in the corner which opened to a staircase. She stepped inside and her face suddenly shifted from cheerful to almost fear. ¡°I ¨C I meant to tell you this on the phone,¡± Ruby spoke quietly, ¡°but Mr. Dane, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t run the farm.¡±


    Luca¡¯s heart dropped. He looked to the ground, running his hand over his head. ¡°Um..¡± He cleared his throat, thinking through his next few words. He was only able to come up with one, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I um¡­I don¡¯t have the money to rent the property,¡± Ruby was suddenly looking down as well, as her quiet tone suddenly shifted to almost shame.


    Luca nodded his head and leaned against the doorway, folding his arms over his chest. ¡°That does pose a problem,¡± he admitted. His eyes glancing around at the stairs as if they would tell him some solution.


    ¡°But, I could, I could pay in, um, other ways¡­¡± Her voice trailed off and she looked up suggestively.


    Luca looked up at her in shock. His head tilted curiously, but she was already reaching out and stroking his arm. He wanted to pull away, and he started to, but the warmth in her palm brought back a familiarity he¡¯d long buried. ¡°I ¨C Ruby,¡± he was speechless, he truly was.


    She ran her hand up his arm, gliding over his neck, and then pausing at his cheek. ¡°We¡¯re both lonely people, Mr. Dane.¡± She leaned in close to him, her lips close to his ear, ¡°Luca¡­¡± She whispered, and a golden glow slipped from her mouth and followed the words into his ear.


    Luca¡¯s hesitation began to melt away. He closed his eyes as they glazed over and felt as if those were the sweetest words he¡¯d ever heard. They felt like honey swirling around inside of him. ¡°Yes, yes I think we can,¡± he mumbled. He didn¡¯t even question his consent, only that he needed to hand it over.


    Ruby pulled back and smiled sheepishly. ¡°Thank you for being so understanding, Luca.¡±


    Luca was looking at her again. The sudden awareness shot down his spine. The thought of Arden flashed in his mind, and the guilt twisted like a knot in his stomach. He wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d just agreed to, but he somehow knew he couldn¡¯t back out of it.


    Ruby leaned forward and kissed his cheek. ¡°I appreciate you, Luca. I promise I won¡¯t let you down.¡± She bit her lip as she pulled away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Let me get your key,¡± Luca cleared his throat again, doing his best to push the entire encounter from his mind. He lead her back to the front where he pulled the keys from his pocket and unhooked a brass key worn on the end. ¡°Here you go,¡± he said, passing her the key.


    She smiled, cupping the key in her hand and bringing it to her lips for a quick kiss. ¡°Thank you again, Mr. Dane, for this opportunity. I really don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± She repeated. She waved by to the both of them and left the store.


    Luca was doing his best to not hang his head in shame, though the weight was pulling him heavily.


    ¡°Why was she like that?¡± Emmett piped up from behind the counter. They both knew he could see right through what Luca was hiding. Emmett was perceptive, and his father''s shameful face couldn''t be fought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I thought only mom could do that.¡±


    Luca spun around quickly. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Emmett¡¯s eyes shifted nervously. He swallowed hard. His shoulders tightened up.


    Luca sighed quietly, ¡°Bud, I¡¯m sorry. We don¡¯t have to talk about it right now.¡±


    Emmett watched him for a moment, taking in his reaction and waiting to make sure it was true. Then his shoulders slowly lowered and he gave a single nod. ¡°I¡¯m excited about the store,¡± he said shyly, changing the subject.


    Luca slowly grinned. ¡°Me too, Bud. Happy Birthday.¡±


    The day his dad showed him the bookstore was a day that would stay with Emmett forever. He would think about that day over the years, remembering his dad¡¯s excitement, then his nervousness. He would think about meeting Ruby for the first time, and how he¡¯d see her in passing over the years. He¡¯d even think about what it was like watching his dad slowly fall in love with someone other than his mom. What he didn¡¯t think about, though, was why they bought the store in the first place. In the forty years that would follow, he wouldn¡¯t be able to put his finger on its purpose. He¡¯d memorize every book that came in and flew off the shelf. He¡¯d remember the sounds of soft claps during open mic night for poetry readings. He¡¯d even remember the moment he met the love of his life. Yet, the why was gone. Why did they leave the farm? Why did he never see it again?


    Until one day, as he was wiping down the display case and reorganizing the small little trinkets and knickknacks, a woman walked in. He turned around, ready to tell the person they were about to close, only to freeze in his tracks as he looked at a woman like she was a ghost.


    ¡°Mom?¡±

 The Cloak of Vexation

    Penny was sitting in her truck, her forehead pressed into the top of the steering wheel with her phone up to her ear.


    ¡°Yes, Eva, yes. I get it. My god, Eva! Yes, I said I fucking get it!¡±


    She was gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were turning white. She let out a deep grunt, sitting back in her seat and turning the phone on speaker. She couldn¡¯t handle having Eva scream in her ear anymore.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why you¡¯d go back? You could have done all of this from home. You just had to sign some paperwork and give them an address to mail the check. This is seriously unnecessary, Penelope.¡± Eva didn''t sound any better coming through the speaker. Her tone was still sharp and condescending even if it wasn''t directly blasting in her ear.


    Penny had her hands over her eyes. She thought maybe she could sink to her happy place. Well, she¡¯d have to imagine it still being happy because now it was abandoned and charred.


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?!¡± Eva was still going. Her tone was getting more and more shrill with each syllable.


    ¡°Yes, Eva, I¡¯m listening!¡± She put as much emphasis into the words as humanly possible.


    ¡°And now you¡¯re going to be dealing with your Ex-husband! I seriously, you know, I¡¯m this close to be done with your bullshit Penny. Should I even expect you to come back?!¡±


    ¡°Eva! Just fucking stop!¡± Penny finally snapped.


    There was a sudden silence.


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m coming back. I told you ¨C I needed to come down and check on everything. And I¡¯m fucking glad I did because the place was burned, Eva! The horses are gone. There¡¯s beams everywhere. You think I could just sign some paperwork without taking care of that? You think I could just do that to my Aunt?¡± Penny stopped to take in a deep breath. It was sharp and through the nose, but it was at least enough of a pause to somewhat collect herself.


    ¡°Eva, you¡¯re my fianc¨¦, and you¡¯re going to be my wife in a month. I would never jeopardize that. I love you. You¡¯re the most important thing. I didn¡¯t know what I was walking into, but I promise I¡¯m going to have it wrapped up soon. I need to do some investigating, but I¡¯ll keep you looped in the entire time, okay?¡±


    Eva was still silent on the other end, but Penny could hear her huffing. The pause went on for a solid minute before there was a quick, ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I yelled,¡± Penny added.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too. I love you, too. Just be safe.¡± Then the line clicked.


    Penny tossed her phone into the passenger before screaming into the void that was her steering wheel. She slammed her hands on the top and shook the edges. She was hating every.single.thing about this day, and the one person she needed to count on was acting like a lunatic.


    She let her frustration out until her palms turned red and ached. Then she finally stopped, laying her forehead back down on the top and breathing hard. She had to get as much out as possible before walking into Nate¡¯s.


    When she felt collected enough, she checked herself in the mirror to make sure she looked halfway decent. She didn¡¯t need him adding fuel to her fire with any comments about her looks, even though the sight of the house alone made her blood start boiling all over again.


    The house wasn¡¯t much. It never was. In fact, it was basically a doublewide sitting on a cement foundation. All of the houses in this neighborhood were just large trailers trying to look like trendy small houses. She noticed the deck was new, though. Freshly finished and unstained. There was even a ramp going up the side of the house, which seemed odd.


    She stepped out and went up to the door with the folder clutched to her chest. She took in another deep breath, silently talking herself into the exchange that was about to happen, then knocked.


    The door creaked open before she could finish knocking.


    Standing before her was a man with shaggy brown hair and a scraggly, patchy beard. He had dark circles under his eyes and a slight sheen of sweat on his face. ¡°My, my. It¡¯s the Spitfire. Right here, standing before my very eyes.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Nate,¡± Penny greeted, though her tone was anything but warm. Despite his rugged appearance, what stood out the most was his bandaged leg.


    ¡°Ahhh, my good ol¡¯ gimpy leg?¡± He said, catching her little glimpse, and cracking a smirk. ¡°Come in and I¡¯ll tell you all about it.¡± He stepped aside to let her in, looking her up and down as well. ¡°How¡¯d you rip your pants?¡± He asked, noting the distinct difference in her outfit.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Caught it on a beam at the barn,¡± she said quickly. She bent down to roll up both pant legs, making them even. ¡°How¡¯d you hurt your leg?¡± She fired back.


    Nate chuckled and hobbled over to an old leather reclining chair. He sat down and the thing creaked with age. She didn¡¯t know how it was still comfortable, seeing as it was as old as the house was.


    ¡°Snagged it on a beam, too,¡± he replied, clasping his hands over his lap. ¡°¡¯Cept mine was on fire and I was saving your aunt¡¯s horses. Guess you could call me a hero.¡± His smirk widened into a smug grin.


    Penny rolled her eyes. She didn¡¯t miss this. She didn¡¯t miss him. She sat on the couch across from him, leaning back stiffly to put as much space between them as possible.


    ¡°You bring the folder?¡± He asked. He glanced at her leg again, but he didn¡¯t hide the suspicion that crossed his face.


    ¡°Clearly.¡± She slid the folder across the table to his end.


    Nate¡¯s annoying smile returned as he opened the file. He licked his finger and then gingerly turned each page, taking an obnoxious amount of time to do so. ¡°Looks like everything is all here,¡± he mentioned.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know what those squatters can do around here. Might take some important part, sign where they¡¯re not supposed to,¡± he replied, still skimming pages.


    ¡°Everyone knows everyone. I doubt someone could sign for me and the clerk¡¯s office just hand everything over,¡± she retorted.


    Nate chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Lots changed around here, Spitfire. You might be city-girl now, but you don¡¯t know these outskirts anymore. Did you already know the surveyor? Or what about here,¡± he traced the lines with his finger until he came to the end, ¡°A Mr. Emmett Dane? Know him?¡±  Nate glanced up from the page to catch her embarrassment.


    Penny¡¯s face scrunched up. She could feel the frustration bubbling up again.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Nate replied and clapped the folder closed.


    ¡°Fine. People move in and out. That¡¯s normal. Why did you need to see the folder, anyways? Your name isn¡¯t even in it.¡±


    Now Nate¡¯s face was scrunching up. He slapped the folder on the table and leaned forward. She might have been Spitfire, but he could certainly get riled up with a pin drop. ¡°Well, you see, you weren¡¯t supposed to be in there. In fact, you¡¯re not. These are the old copies. That farm belongs to me and we both know it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a ranch hand, Nate. Not kin.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk, Spitfire. I was more than that and we both know it.¡±


    Penny shook her head, rubbing her eyes tiredly. ¡°What you and my aunt had can stay in the bedroom at the back of this trailer. She left it to me and whoever this Emmett guy is. You have to deal with that.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Why don¡¯t you head down to that clerk¡¯s office you know so well and look at the new copies - the ones your dear aunt drew up, may she rest her soul.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any. I¡¯ve been sent the new copies, and you¡¯re still not on the record.¡±


    Nate narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. She told me she was having it changed. I should know. She died the day she told me.¡±


    ¡°She was selling the place, Nate. God, you¡¯re as dense as your brother," Penny said passively with another eye roll.


    He slammed his palm down on the folder. ¡°Don¡¯t you come in my house and speak to me like that! That property is mine and everything about it belongs to me!¡±


    Penny didn''t even flinch. She stood up and snatched the folder from beneath his hand. ¡°Do not speak to me that way. I don¡¯t care what issue you have with this, but it¡¯s not your problem anymore,¡± she said as she walked towards the door.


    ¡°Might want to think twice about that.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What are you going to do? Hobble after me?¡± She asked, glancing back at him from the doorway with a taunting glare.


    ¡°What your aunt and I had in that ¡®back bedroom¡¯ went much further than you think. I know what you are, Penelope Grace Harding, and you¡¯re certainly not kin.¡± His tone had now shifted, threatening and anger was now bordering on something far more deceitful.


    Penny was fighting every urge to not freeze up. ¡°Good-bye, Nate.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± he yelled after her.


    ¡°What, Nate?¡± She swung back around, except this time he wasn¡¯t alone. A sturdier, fresher looking Nate was standing directly behind him. Penny¡¯s heart leapt into her throat. Now she couldn''t help but freeze up.


    ¡°I thought you moved, Bennett,¡± she said stiffly through grit teeth. She couldn¡¯t help but notice Nate¡¯s prideful grin had returned and his entire being was suddenly relaxing proudly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one here to deal with unfinished business,¡± Bennett said gruffly.


    If there was tension in the air before, it had thickened tenfold. Penny was clenching the door handle tightly, steadying herself to keep from completely bolting out of the house.


    ¡°I suggest you consider what my brother is saying,¡± Bennet placed his hand on Nate¡¯s shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s been through a lot, we all have. Your family has a special -¡± he paused to act like he was thinking of the word, ¡°- way about you. A bit suffocating, really. Might want to remember that these next few days.¡±


    Penny was holding her face firm. She didn¡¯t want to show any kind of reaction, but deep down they both knew what he was talking about. ¡°Is that a threat?¡± She asked, her lip twitching with the word.


    ¡°Not a threat, just a reminder from your dense husband," he taunted.  "Clerk¡¯s office closes in an hour. Might want to skedaddle if you plan on asking about Mr. Dane. I heard he¡¯s hard to find,¡± Bennett added, matching his brother¡¯s sly grin.


    Penny had no response for him. She simply turned on her heel and left. She slammed the door behind her and then slammed her truck door as soon as she was inside, muttering curses the entire way.


    ¡°Not fucking kin, my ass!¡± She yelled, throwing her car in reverse and speeding out of the gravel driveway. An emerald haze formed around her hands as she drove, swirling and fringing its way upwards. ¡°Those idiots think they can do this. They¡¯ve got nothing!¡± She slammed her fist on the console and out shot a ball of green light.


    And then an ear-splitting bang ruptured behind her.

 The Cloak of Escape

    The bar music was deafening. Not because it was loud, but because it was country. Penny didn¡¯t bother with twangs and guitars after she¡¯d left this town. Too many memories of rough denim pants and leather jackets. She didn¡¯t need to add sad lyrics about messy breakups to the mix. She had enough baggage as it was. She traded the pants for platform sneakers and the jackets for plaid button-ups. She cleaned out the baggage with brunches and hookup apps, which eventually lead her to Eva. With Eva, came a whole new Penny. Yet that Penny, the one behind concrete walls and bustling city streets, was now confronted with this Penny, the one trapped in pastures outside of trailers.


    The one thing she carried with her into her new life was the style of drink she preferred. She swirled the glass and watched the ice clink around the sides. A coke and two shots of rum. Simple, easy, and every bar between here and three states over had the supplies to make it.


    A cigarette hung limply between Penny¡¯s fingers. Most of it was already burned before she brought it to her lips for the second drag. She coughed instantly and fisted her chest while her eyes watered.


    ¡°Not used to the smoke?¡± asked Sam as he invited himself and slid into the booth across from her. He looked even more worn than when she''d seen him earlier. The sweat was clumped with dry dirt on his face and his shirt was stained yellow from perspiration.


    ¡°Ye-yes¡­no-o,¡± she coughed. She drank a few gulps of her drink to bring herself back down. ¡°I used to,¡± she started and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°I used to be very used to it. Then I quit.," she paused, just looking at the glowing cherry on the end of the bud, "then I came here and figured ¡®fuck it,¡¯¡± she said with a shrug of her shoulders. ¡°Guess I was used to vaping more than I thought.¡± She tapped out the end of her cigarette off the side of the table. She continued to hold it between her fingers, though. She wasn¡¯t ready to be completely done even if her chest was still burning. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she then asked. She hadn¡¯t invited him, and yet here he was in front of her.


    Sam chuckled in that same dumb way he did at the barn. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off work, and just like everyone else here I decided to come by for a beer before bed.¡±


    Penny looked to the glass in his hand and noted something interesting. ¡°You don¡¯t have a beer, though,¡± she observed and looked back up to his eye.


    Sam smiled and nodded his head. ¡°Guess beer is generalization,¡± he held up the glass and looked it over, ¡°you caught me, though. Whiskey is my lady of the evening.¡±


    Penny couldn¡¯t help but match his smile. He was a good person. It leaked from his pores like the sweat dried on his brow. She didn¡¯t know how she knew, but it was there, right on the surface. He wasn¡¯t hiding anything mysterious or set out with ulterior motives. He was just some goofy guy in a white t-shirt with his orange hazard vest still draped over his chest.


    ¡°That being said, why are you here? You¡¯re not drinkin¡¯ a beer and you don¡¯t work here anymore. What¡¯s a high brow girl like you doing in some ashtray like this?¡±


    Penny smirked slightly and her cheeks warmed from the rum she¡¯d just had. She wasn¡¯t a lightweight by any means, but the buzz hit her all the same. ¡°Oh, just having a drink after a shit-tastic day,¡± she replied. ¡°Had to go meet my ex brother-in-law, then saw my ex, then didn¡¯t make it to the county clerk, and then I was hungry and thirsty, and honestly¡­I just wasn¡¯t ready to go back to my room and fight with my fianc¨¦.¡± She sat back in her booth and continued to slowly spin her glass around. ¡°So I figured here would be better.¡±


    Sam was nodding his head as he listened, taking intermittent sips of his whiskey. ¡°Yeah, that can be rough. Who¡¯s your ex?¡± He was doing his best to make small talk, and Penny admired it. In most instances she''d be shooing him away, but for what ever reason she was open to his company.


    ¡°Bennett Kormick,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Nate Kormick¡¯s brother?!¡± Sam asked in bewilderment. Penny almost cracked a smile, because his face lit up like a child''s uncovering a mystery.


    She was unphased, though, or at least kept her face that way. ¡°Yup, good ol¡¯ Nate¡¯s brother.¡± She tapped the side of her glass and pulled the cigarette back up to her lips. She took another drag, still coughing slightly, but at least this time the nicotine hit faster than the burn in the back of her throat.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you have me give you his number? If you knew?¡± Sam tilted his head to the side and appeared a little more than confused. He hunched over the table, leaning in closer as if it would help him better understand.


    Penny shrugged her shoulders again. ¡°The less new people are in my business the less drama I have to worry about,¡± she flicked the end of the ash in the ashtray this time and let a heavy waft of smoke slide from her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m not new,¡± Sam corrected. He straightened up and took another sip of his drink. ¡°We¡¯ve met, Penelope. I mean, we met a very long time ago. We were just kids, but I came in and out of here every summer. Stayed with my gramps a couple months a year and then would go back home. Even helped on the farm some.¡±


    Penny watched him suspiciously. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to remember his name and place his face along some story she¡¯d buried with the rest of her past. But nothing was there. She¡¯d swear on her life she met him for the first time that morning.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, really,¡± Sam paused and ran his hand through his dirty blond hair. ¡°I did move here this last year. Permanently. So, I guess I¡¯m behind on all the ends and outs. Hell, I¡¯m shocked you were married to Bennett,¡± he shook his head in disbelief and downed the rest of his whiskey. ¡°I¡¯ve at least known the Kormick twins for the last twenty years. So many stupid memories with those guys, yet¡­You¡¯re just some how missing.¡± The silence then fell between them, and Sam gathered that Penny didn''t have much else to say.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Penny glanced off to the bar. She couldn¡¯t answer his trailing thoughts any better than she could place him in a memory. She also didn¡¯t want to entertain the idea of resurrecting the past. They knew what they knew and they didn¡¯t know what they didn¡¯t. To her it was really that simple.


    She watched the patrons that were huddled on worn barstools, tapping off the ends of their cigars and their smokes between swigs from the bottle. Just a few feet over were the ones that had straggled to the dance floor. In all honesty it wasn¡¯t a dance floor, just an open space in front of the jukebox. There were two or three couples, all older who looked like they¡¯d been rode hard and put away wet. Their arms snaked around each other as they exchanged drunken giggles.


    ¡°Wanna dance?¡± she asked without even looking over.


    Sam didn¡¯t really put up much of an objection, but he did decide to be a gentleman about his choice. He led her out by the hand and spun her around to face him. He kept her a bit farther away with his hands in the middle of her torso, keeping his appearances pure and honorable. He looked her in the eye and swayed gently with the music.


    ¡°You¡¯re a pansy,¡± she commented.


    ¡°That¡¯s derogatory. I¡¯m respectful,¡± he corrected and placed her hands upon his shoulders. ¡°You have a fianc¨¦ and I¡¯m not about to create any kind of hum buzz about my intentions.¡±


    ¡°Hum buzz? Intentions? This isn¡¯t a church middle school dance. We¡¯re in our thirties at a bar,¡± she said and slipped her hands behind his neck, pulling herself a touch closer. ¡°Not like Eva would really care,¡± she added with a sigh.


    ¡°Eva? A lesbian calling me a pansy, eh?¡± Sam gave a soft chuckle. He kept his hands as steady as his sway. He didn¡¯t mind her coming closer, but he wasn¡¯t about to meet her halfway.


    ¡°Bisexual,¡± Penny corrected. ¡°She¡¯s a lesbian, I¡¯m just bi. Hence the first marriage being with a man.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the deal with you and Eva? Am I not a threat ¡®cause I¡¯m a guy?¡±


    Penny¡¯s entire frame stiffened in one moment and her lips tightened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re like any couple. We have our issues and insecurities. We fight and we yell. It¡¯s only bad right now because we¡¯re getting married in a month and she¡¯s stressed.¡±


    ¡°Thought you didn¡¯t want to talk about it?¡± he observed.


    Penny gave him a playful glare. She pulled herself just a bit closer again, wanting to relax into the music and change the tone from her upcoming nuptials. His strong hold on her was also becoming comforting to her as well. ¡°She¡¯s just a lot. I do my best, but she wants the world.¡± She was looking up at him with softer green eyes. She could feel herself wanting to be welcoming towards him and invite some of his comforting intimacy into her bubble, but the realization of how she was acting finally struck her.


    ¡°Which is why I need to finish my business and get back to her,¡± she said as she immediately pulled away. She grabbed her things at the table and started counting cash to lay under her drink.


    ¡°Wait wait wait¡­¡± Sam called and gently caught her by the elbow. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not here to make this complicated. I¡¯m sorry if you got the wrong signals. You looked like you needed a friend and ¨C¡°


    ¡°I need fucking answers, Sam!¡± she snapped, yanking her arm away. He, along with everyone else in the small bar, was caught by the sudden yell. He instinctively held his hands up in surrender.


    ¡°Okay, what answers?¡± he asked calmly.


    Penny could feel her heartrate rise with everyone staring at her. She felt like the bomb ready to go off and here was the bomb squad, delicately snipping her wires to diffuse the situation. ¡°Forget it,¡± she replied quietly. ¡°You don¡¯t have the answers I need.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I do,¡± Sam replied. He slowly and hesitantly stepped closer so she wouldn¡¯t feel the need to yell again.


    ¡°Do you know why I was adopted?" She chuckled wryly. "Did you even know I was adopted?¡±


    ¡°I ¨C ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know why my aunt left her estate to a man that doesn¡¯t live here anymore? Someone I¡¯ve never met or heard of?¡±


    ¡°Um..I¡­¡± Sam began to nervously scratch the back of his head.


    ¡°Exactly, Sam. You don¡¯t have the answers I need.¡±


    Sam let out an uncomfortable sigh. ¡°No, Penny, it¡¯s not that. I do, but I¡­Legally I can¡¯t talk about it.¡±


    Penny straightened up and stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. ¡°Excuse me?¡± She tilted her head and her eyes narrowed in question. ¡°You can¡¯t legally tell me what¡¯s going on with my property?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s - that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Sam said, his own tone tightening up. ¡°I can¡¯t legally say why Mr. Dane is on the paperwork. I can¡¯t tell you why you¡¯re adopted ¨C that I actually don¡¯t know ¨C But I can¡¯t elaborate on all the specifics. The case isn¡¯t closed.¡±


    ¡°Closed?¡± Penny questioned. She was sliding from annoyed to suspicious.


    Sam sighed and grabbed his jacket. He added some cash beneath hers. He placed his hand on her shoulder and kept his face as serious as possible. ¡°Penny, there¡¯s a lot going on. I promise I¡¯ll keep you in the loop.¡± His words were genuine, and she could feel it, but that didn¡¯t mean she was satisfied.


    She placed her hand on top of his. She was only mildly ashamed for what came next. She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand and gave it a small squeeze. Her eyes welled up with tears and her gaze shifted between him and the crowd at the bar. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­everything is really tough,¡± she started, pausing before her voice fully cracked. ¡°Eva is hounding me for being here, I wasn¡¯t supposed to see Bennett, I don¡¯t know what the hell is evening happening!¡±


    Sam pulled her in tightly without any hesitation. He was quick to wrap his arms around her and press her head against his chest. Maybe it was the whiskey, maybe it was her rum and coke, or maybe it was because he couldn¡¯t ever stand to see a woman cry. No matter what, he wanted her close. ¡°Shhh¡­shhh, It¡¯s okay,¡± he whispered into the top of her head.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even had the chance to say goodbye to my aunt¡­¡± she blubbered into his chest. Tears burst down his chest and damped Sam¡¯s shirt. She wasn¡¯t a crier, not really, but she knew Sam was a sucker.


    A set of headlights flashed through the front window and blinded her. She pulled back from Sam just in time to see a red truck pull into the parking lot. Her heart dropped. She didn¡¯t need to look any closer. She knew exactly who it was. ¡°I have to go. I have to get out of here right now,¡± she said hastily, immediately brushing the forced pity from her face, and began to frantically check to make sure she had her things. Purse, jacket, keys, phone, she was good. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± she muttered. She was ready to blast out of there when Sam finally caught on.


    He grabbed her by the elbow once again. ¡°Go out the back and stand next to my truck,¡± he instructed and nodded his head towards the parking lot. ¡°Blue one, you know what it looks like. You can stand behind the tail and they won¡¯t see,¡± he added. ¡°Hurry, they¡¯re not looking.¡±


    With that, she gave a single nod of her head and made for back door of the bar.

 The Cloak of Fear

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    is she?¡±

 The Cloak of Revelation

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    couldn''t be there. He hung his head in defeat, chewing on the inside of his lips nervously before looking back at Atlas with pleading eyes. ¡°Can I see her?¡±

 The Cloak of Snow

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    Arden let the moment breathe. She thumbed his cheek and slowly nodded her head. "Of course." The words were so simple, yet they felt so heavy in that moment. She could feel the weight of the promise on her heart.

 The Cloak of Deception

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 The Cloak of Dreams

was the time. He knew the ring was in the family safe, and there was no way she could possibly have it. She was here to carry him on.


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