The Phantom Traveler

Chapter 3

     A couple hours later Aria put dinner on the dining table and called out to Jane.  The rain remained steady but more intense.  Jane came down the stairs, phone in hand and sat down at the table.  As they both sat down for dinner Aria reminded Jane of her homework.  “How much homework do you have tonight?”  “Besides my science project, some reading,” Jane replied.  “Oh, what are you reading?”  Aria asked.  Jane replied, “The Outsiders.”  

Aria recalled reading the same book when she was in school.  “That’s a good book and movie.  I’m sure your teacher will show it when you are finished reading it.”  “That would be cool, I’m really liking the book,” Jane replied.  She noticed the wind picking up with the heavy rain.  “I bet it’s going to thunder,” Jane said, “Would be a good night to start the project.”  Aria smile with a nod.  When dinner was finished Aria reminded Jane to do her homework.  Jane nodded her head while staring at her phone and ran back upstairs.

  Outside the sky grow darker.  For some reason Aria started feeling a sense of eeriness she couldn’t shake.  She cleaned up from dinner as evening was settling in.  Thunder came rolled in.  Aria thought to herself with a giggle, “looks like Jane was right about the thunder.”  Mid-spring in the North Country was always up and down.  Some days would be sunny and warm, while others would be wet with rain.  She made herself a cup of tea then sat down to watch the evening news.  

 The evening news began with similar stories as in the morning.  Aria loosely listened as she sipped her tea.  She normally turned on the news in the evening as background noise for a sense of reality.  As the broadcast dragged on her mind began to drift.  First it went blank.  Then the events that occurred throughout the day started seeping in.  

She replayed the afternoon at the new coffee cafe she applied to, hopping to hear something.  Aria took another sip of her tea.  The rain now a steady sound of conform despite the thunder.  She closed her eyes and just sat there listening.  The sound of the rain took her mind somewhere else.  As her mind drifted, she felt herself someplace else.  The fragrance in the breeze was different than before. It was of fuchsia and bluebells.

Aria opened her eyes, thinking she was still in her living room. To her surprise she found herself in the same field only now it was night.  She looked around.  She realized she wasn’t in the same spot as before.  Behind her were the trees she walked through from the last time.  The moonlight was so bright it lit her way.  Not too far in the near distance she could see light shimmering through the darkness.  She notices this time the lights were dancing.  Aria began to walk slowly towards the dancing lights.  As she got closer, she saw it.  The gazebo.

Aria couldn’t take her eyes off it as she walks closer.  It seemed different somehow.  The color had changed.  Instead of white like before, it seemed to be a shade of blue, like sapphire.  The color glowed softly in the moonlight.  She then notices the dancing lights weren’t actually lights, they were fireflies.  Aria couldn’t help but feel nervous this time.  Instead of music there was silence.  She looked around again hopping to see him.  She felt compelled to find him even though she didn’t know who he was, but there was nothing.  No music, no wine bottle nor glasses from before.  

Aria wasn’t sure why she was there this time.  “What is going on, if there is nothing here then why am I here?”  She then decided to go into the gazebo.  As she went up the steps she saw something on the railing, a letter.  She went to pick up the letter and opened it.  As she began read the letter, she felt herself shake.  Her daughter Jane was trying to wake her up.  “Mom, wake up, I need some help on some of my project.”

Aria jolted awake.  With confusion she shook her head as if another piece of her stayed behind at the gazebo.  The eerie feeling intensified.  Aria then looked at her daughter, “Sorry Jane, I must have fallen asleep. What do you need help with?”  “I’m confused on how Miss Hazel wants this set up,” Jane replied.  “While, what did she say you had to track?” “Miss Hazel didn’t really say exactly, she just said to track the weather.”  

“OK,” I’m sure you learned about weather patterns before this project, so let's start from the beginning step by step.  Aria walked her daughter through the steps she did learn in her science class.  She reminded Jane about weather patterns, temperature readings, and air pressure.  Before long Jane figured out what to do.  “Thanks Mom, I got this,” as she ran back upstairs.  Aria gave a small grin, “you're welcome,” she said to herself as she watched Jane go to work on her project.  

Aria stood up from the chair and went into the kitchen.  She put her teacup in the sink.  She looked at the clock.  8:00, she couldn’t be-leave how late it has gotten.  She then went on the front deck.  “The storm must have stopped,” She thought, as she stood there.  She noticed the sun was setting.  Earlier it was a down pour, now the clouds were starting to break.  The birds were chirping after the fresh rain.  Aria took a breath trying to shake off the eerie feeling she’s had since her and Jane got home.  The dream was still on her mind, but this time she couldn’t shake it off.

Something was different this time.  Something, but what and why did it feel like she was physically there?  The dream felt so real.  She thought she could still smell the bluebells and fuchsia as if there right there in her front yard.  A shiver went down her spine.

Just then the wind started to pick up again.  It moved through the chimes she had hanging.  Aria stood there watching the chimes move.  Mesmerized her thoughts drifted back to childhood.  She began remembering the friends she once had.  One in particular.  She remembered how he was held back a grade, then befriended her brother. The wind picked up again this time stronger.  With it a very intense and strong scent was brought to her.  She gasps.  

“No-way,” Aria thought.  “Where is that scent coming from?”  She looked around but there was nothing.  The scent was the same has in the dream.  The same scent from flowers that she was unsure of.  Aria ran back inside.  “How can this be,” she thought.  She tried to shrug it off as she locked up for the evening.  

Aria went upstairs and checked on Jane.  Jane was sitting on her bed reading her book when Aria knocked.  “How’s the book, have you gotten to the part were Johnny and Ponyboy run into the burning church yet?”  “Yeah, I feel bad for Johnny getting hurt.”  “Just wait until you see the movie.”  Jane didn’t say a word.  Her focus was on her reading.  “Well OK, don’t stay up all night, school in the morning,” Aria told Jane.  “OK, Mom,” Aria closed the door to a crack.  

Aria walked into her bedroom, still puzzled on what happened outside.  The was no way a scent like that could be from around here- no neighbor that she knew of had those flowers in their yard.  As confused as she was, she kept wondering what the flowers were called.  Still shaken, Aria got ready for bed.  She thought a good night sleep would help put her mind at ease.

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