The Phantom Traveler

Chapter One

A field full of garden phlox and Russian sage spread in front of her. A quiet breeze picked up and brought the sweet smell of the blossoms to her.  She took a deep breath, then opened her eyes (“Where am I? How did I get here?”).  She slowly looked around attempting to make sense of where she was.

The massive field rolled in every direction, seamlessly untouched, but still.  

 A flak of skylarks flew overhead carried by the breeze; she slowly stepped forward.  She felt the soft grass underneath her feet.  The landscape seemed to go on, as if it had no start and no end.  Just then she noticed a light shimmering in the distance. It was almost as if it was calling to her.  As she looked down, she noticed a path clearing through the flowers in the same direction as the flak of birds. She was sure it wasn’t there before.  She felt herself starting to move forward, as if the breeze was pushing her along the path. Up ahead in the far distance she started to hear faint music playing. She stopped and attempted to listen.  As she was listening, she noticed the sun getting closer on the horizon, filling the sky with soft violet and gold. Darkness slowly settled overhead.  She began to recognize the soft melody as she grew closer. Just as she stepped through the trees she stopped.  

     As she stood there, she saw a white gazebo wrapped in twinkling lights.  She could still her the music somewhere nearby.  She took a moment and stared.  She felt a sense of calm come over her.  The place seemed to feel familiar to her, but she didn’t know from where.

     Before she realized, she found herself walking towards the gazebo.  As she got closer she saw a small radio playing softly.  Next to it was a bottle of red wine, two glasses and a picnic basket.  The bottle and glasses were sitting on a table next to the radio.  She stopped just at the bottom of the steps.  As she looked around in the gazebo, she saw a tall man with his back turned toward her.  Her heart started racing a bit, she felt herself calm at the same time.  It was as if she knew him somehow from a distant past.  She kept still, confused yet curious.  Her gaze fixed on him.  She started to climb the steps one by one, slowly.  No more then she reached the top step a piercing sound filled the air Beep. Beep. Beep.  

Aria slowly opened her eyes.  She reached over slammed her hand on the alarm clock, she then stretched, took a deep breath.  As she rolled over to her side she starred out the window.  The bright sunlight shimmered through the sparkly glass making the simmering light seemed like a heavenly dream. As she laid there she couldn’t help but replay the dream.  Aria couldn’t shack the uneasy feeling, it was as if an ache came with her through the dream.  

As she laid there she watched the birds chirped and dance on the power lines, cardinals one red, and one yellow.  As she watched them dance her mind drifted in and out.  The pair then perched on the power line staring right at her.  A shiver went through her, she blinked, rubbed her eyes. Aria sat up and again it hit her, the dream.  She couldn’t take her mind off it once again. Strong, vivid, but distant.    

 Aria took a deep breath, stretched and got out of bed.  She shook her head muttered to herself “It’s only a dream”.  She laid out her clothes on her bed and, went to her daughter's room to get her up for school, then went downstairs started her coffee and turn on the morning news.  As soon as the coffee was ready, she poured herself a cup and sat down to drink it as she watched the news.  As she started listening to the broadcast her mind took her away, as if she was listening and not listening at the same time.  She looked down and stirred her coffee, as she watched the swirls her mind drifted to the dream.  The broadcast now background noise. Aria sat there confused, yet curiosity was driving everything.

Just then, the broadcast shared a segment regarding the job market and economy.  Aria’s full attention was now on the screen.  Job cuts and economic uncertainty spreading across the country.  Aria’s watched intently, took a breath and recapped her situation.  She found herself unemployed six months ago after losing her job of 7 years for the first time.  Every job application she filled out seemed to have drifted off into nothing.  

The broadcast then switched to the weather, Aria took another sip of her coffee and thought how she was going to get through this?  How was she going to support her daughter?  Jane, thirteen years old, bright and trusting, was upstairs getting ready for school. Music played on her radio.  Aria smiled at the sound, she then turned the TV off, and went back upstairs to get herself ready for the day.  Afterward, she went downstairs to the kitchen, poured a travel mug of coffee and waited for Jane.

When Jane finally came downstairs, bookbag in hand, Aria just looked at her.  “Mom why are you looking at me looking at me like that?” Jane asked.  Aria shook her head slightly, “Sorry, honey just thinking how much you have grown.”  Jane looked at her mother closely, “Is everything OK you look a pit stressed out?”  Aria took a breath, “Yes everything is fine, now let get going.”  Jane threw her bag on her shoulders and went outside to the car.  Aria stood there for a moment and thought to herself, “Are things OK?” She shook her head again grabbed her purse and car-keys then went to the car.  While driving her daughter to school Aria mind drifted.  Every thought came to her mind, while Jane was texting her friends quietly.  Aria’s mind started to be filled with worry and doubt.  With every job application she filled out she never received a call back.  She was beginning to wander if she would ever find work and if not, then what was she going to do?    

  Jane looked up at her mom.  She asked her if she's been sleeping OK.

Aria nodded her head yes, as she slowed to a stop to let Jane off at the school.  Jane just sighed and shrugged her shoulders, then off she went with her friends.

        Aria then took a sigh and started back on the road.  It was just about 8:30 in the morning and the sun was getting higher in the sky.  She was going to try to apply to a few jobs.  Aria drove up to the coffee cafe that just opened and put her car in park.  She had her application and resume ready; however, she just sat there.  Aria looked out towards the window to the cafe, there was a help wanted sign.  As she sat there looking at the sign she wondered if this will finally be it.  Will this be the place that helps her get back on her feet, or will this be another dead end of no reply back?   She took a deep breath, gathered her papers, gave them one finale look over then opened the car door.  Aria stepped out of the car, closed the door and started slowly walking towards the cafe.  With each step she couldn’t help but feel her nerves begin to fire.

        As Aria reached the front door to the cafe, she reaches out her hand, took another breath, and went inside.  The smell of freshly brewing coffee filled the room.  Aria was certain she could smell freshly baked cones and muffins coming out of the over. Voices carried through the cafe as if everyone there didn’t seemed bothered by the world outside.  People talking, laughing, and just existing.  As Aria stood there taking in the atmosphere one of the Baristas greeted her and offered her a free coffee.  Aria accepted and went to the counter.  The Barista explained that since it was their grand opening that all walk in costumer gets a free coffee as a trail run of the place.  “Thank You” Aria said and sat down with her free coffee and papers.

        Aria sipped on her coffee and looked around.  She could sense she would like it there if hired.  Fifteen minutes later the Barista came back to check if she wanted more coffee or anything else.  Aria declined but processed to move forward with why she was there.  Nervously, she handed the Barista her application and resume.  “I heard you were hiring for front and or back-end staff.”  The Barista looked at her and smiled, “Yes we are for part-time though, can I get you name Hun.”  “Oh, its Aria” she answered with a slightly disappointing tone.  

“Hi, Aria am Lilith the owner.”  Lilith extended her hand for a hand shack.  Aria obligated to the hand shack.  As Lilith was shacking Aria’s hand, she felt a surge of energy go through.  “So,” Lilith began asking questions regarding Aria.  “Are you looking for full-time or part-time?”  Aria answered, “I am looking for full-time if possible.”  Lilith looking over her resume, made sure Aria contact information was there.  “Well, let me look all this over and we’ll get back to you say a week” she told Aria.  Aria, with an apprehensive tone said “OK, thank you” smiled and slowly got up from her stool to leave. Something in her gut already knew the answer.  She as gone through the same speech nearly every-time she went for a job, and the answer has been the same.  We’ll get back to you or nothing heard back at all.

Aria closed the cafe door behind her and started back towards her car.  In her mind she thought how easier things were years ago.  Just starting out in her journey of life before all this happened, before Jane and the financial pressures. She reaches for the drivers side door handle, open the door and climbed in the car.  She then started the car and sat there for a bit.  Overwhelmed with emotions and fear she began to cry slightly.  She didn’t know what else to do but to keep trying, keep pushing.  Aria then looked at the clock on the dashboard, she had some time yet before picking up Jane from school.  So she started back down the road slowly.

Aria didn’t know where she wanted to go, she just knew she wasn’t ready to go home just yet.  So, she drove.  Soon she found herself on a country road, the sun was just about overhead pointing out about mid-day.  The clouds were puffy and making shapes.  Aria’s mind drifted as she drove.  With the window down and the breeze coming through she could smell the rain in the air.  “It must have rain briefly as I was in the Cafe” she thought.  A flash of memory came to her mind like a crack of lightning.  Aria slowed the car to a stop, “What was that” she said to herself. She stepped out of the car and stood there leaning on the door to breathe.

As she stood there on the side of the country rood she looked out toward the field across from her.  She could see dandelion and tulips all over the field.  She watched as the bees and butterflies bounds from one flower to anther like it was business a usual.  The air seemed sweet and warm as the breeze carried the blooming smell of the flowers and the warmth of the sun.  Aria closed her eyes took a deep breath held it in for a second then let it go.  She noticed the birds, again two cardinals one red and one yellow.  They danced around the flowers as well as the sky.  Aria smiled got back in her car and felt a bit calmer as she began driving down the road again.  She thought to herself “The north country can be a beautiful place sometimes.

Northern New York, the Adirondacks, a place where nothing seems to happen.  Nothing out of the ordinary seemed to take place here.  Here is where quiet and stillness takes shape day in day out.  The seasons change like clockwork, and the people here go on with their lives, while everywhere else is plagued with drought, crime and the turmoils of tragedy.  But not here.  Here is where people can breathe.  Here is where magic begins.

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