Eye of Worth 7

 Eye of Worth 7

    "I see you escaped your companion." He said

    I smiled slightly, "I see you have been watching. I hope you don't expect me shower you with adulation like her."

    He bowed deeply, "Of course not. It was evident the moment you walked in the door that you did not plan to shower your attention on anybody."

    "Is that why you approached me?"

    he smiled, "You are like a breath of fresh air in this stuffy room."

    "Sounds like you're the one seeking a object for your attention," I said and walked past him.

    "How cruel," he chuckled as he followed me to the bar.

    I perched on a stool and set my purse on the counter so the symbol was face up. I looked at a displayed list of drinks next to my purse but gave up halfway through.

    "Gin and tonic," I said to the bartender.

    He nodded his head and turned slightly to face the raven man next to me.

    "Bourbon."

    The bartender nodded then turned to grab glasses behind him.

    "So what do I call you?" The raven asked.

    "You can call me Iris."

    Our drinks were set down in front of us, but the man waited to speak until the bartender moved off, "I was not expected just a pretty name."

    I laughed, making it light and airy, "That's what everyone says before they learn the rest."

    "The rest?"

    I smiled slightly and turned my drink, "I think I will call you Raven."

    He chuckled softly, "I get it. No more talk of names."

    "Smart. What are you doing in this group?"

    "In the Eye of Worth?" he took a swig of his bourbon, "I thought it would be interesting but so far I only see pretentious people who care for nothing but themselves."

    I looked around the room. Alice had moved somewhere I couldn't see but very few people moved from the group they were talking with. I turned back to Raven, "You don't seem too listless, for someone finding this group lacking in excitement."

    He gave a flat smile, "Aslam is charismatic. That's a good quality for a leader to have, especially for this bunch, but there's something about him that bugs me. I want to know what it is."

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Eye of Worth 6

 Eye of Worth 6

    "They won't ask for our names when we get there and many people use aliases anyway. But they have a specific greeting to recognize members and a symbol that must be worn somewhere on them when they attend parties."

    "I assume you have a way to get past that."

    "The symbol is on my mask and the purse in the glove box is for you."

    I opened the glove box to see a black clutch. On one side was the black fabric had been cut out showing showing the silver underneath. The cutouts formed a feminine eye with a star instead of its iris.

    "It's like your knew what dress I was going to wear," I said as I looked at Alice.

    "I may or may not have hacked into your home system to make sure the purse matched."

    I rolled my eyes, "And what about the greeting?"

    "It's pretty simple actually. The first person says: 'Who shall know true worth.' Then we respond with: 'Only those who pursue true passion.' it may deviate based on the situation but that's basically it."

    "It sounds like it came straight out of a bad movie," I said, "Who came up with it?"

    "The ringleader, who else."

    I frowned but didn't say anything because we had arrived at an unmarked building that had glass on all sides. Alice parked in the underground garage that was almost empty. We put on our masks and walk to an elevator. Alice pressed B1 and we descended to a lower floor. The elevator opened to a dim hallway with barely used carpet, Alice led the way to the only lit room. The room was filled with people, the only place they weren't clustered was the black stage in the middle of the room. It contained a piano and it made me wonder if this room was just a rented space. Food decorated a table in one corner and a bar in another. There were several places to sit but most people were standing and chatting. Everyone was dressed in fine clothing with masks. The lighting was brighter than what was outside but dim enough that the masks shaded faces really well.

    A man, resembling a peacock, walked up to us, "Welcome, welcome!"

    Alice turned on the charm and smiled, "Sorry we're late."

    "Don't worry, after all those who know true worth..."

    "Are only those who pursue true passion," Alice said without hesitation.

    The man beamed at us, "We're just getting started so please feel free to pursue passion."

    If Alice was diving headfirst into her role than I should as well. While Alice continued chatting with peacock man, I moved towards the bar. I poured elegance into my walk and kept my head high. It had been a long time since I used this persona in front of people but it settled over me like a glove. before I reached the bar a man stepped into my path. he was dressed in dark blue and his mask gave the subtle impression of a bird.

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Eye of Worth 5

 Eye of Worth 5

    I opened the door to see Alice dressed in a gold one shoulder gown with shear fabric hung off the back of the beaded shoulder. The empire waist was also beaded and she was holding a gold half mask in her hands. The gold matched well with her olive skin tone and gave her regal air.

    "You look like a Greek goddess."

    She smiled, "Thanks."

    She looked me over. The dress I settled on was a black and silver mermaid gown with a halter neckline. There wasn't any fabric to create volume so it draped around my legs. My matching half mask was sitting on the table next to the door.

    "You look like... an evil queen," She said.

    I laughed, "Thank you."

    I grabbed my mask and a shawl and we walked out the door. We hurried to Alice's car, which she's thankfully left running so it was still warm. Alice quickly back out of the driveway and took off down the street.

    "I can't believe you abandoned me to face Bree alone," She said.

    I smiled, "It's your fault for triggering her. Plus you hacked into the house system again you could have just cut the connection."

    She muttered something under her breath but I chose to ignore her until she had cooled down a little.

    "So what is it about this secret society that caused you to investigate it?" I asked.

    She changed lanes, "I found evidence of them doing money laundering but something tells me there's more sinister things going on."

    "And you want to know what it is."

    "Exactly."

    "So how is this going to work?"

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Eye of Worth 4

 Eye of Worth 4

    Bree Raised an eyebrow, "That may be true this time, but that isn't always the case."

    There was silence for a moment, "Sometimes it can't be helped; despite the world we live in, hacking skills won't get me everything."

    I smiled, "Are you going to explain the details now?"

    Alice cleared her throat, "Right, there's a fancy party I want to attend tomorrow and I want you to come with me."

    "What would I find interesting about that."

    "The party is for members of a secret society. Don't worry i have a way to get us in, all you need to do is what you normally do."

    "I was right, you do want to use her talents!" Bree said.

    I sighed, "When are we meeting and what am I supposed to wear?"

    "Something elegant and a mask to hide at least a part of your face, I'll pick you up about one o'clock."

    "That sounds like it will be fun. Why am I not invited?" Bree asked.

    I rolled my eyes, "Bree, you're sick."

    "And you're not good at pretending to be something you're not," Alice chimed in.

    Bree glared at the screen but before she could say anything the timer on the oven went off. Bree pulled out the brownies and almost slammed them on the counter. She poured the batter in the mixing bowl into another pan and tossed that into the oven.

    "She's angry isn't she," Alice whispered.

    I slowly backed out of the kitchen, "I have things to do. Bree don't chew out Alice too bad."

    "Wait!" Alice cried.

    Bree turned her attention back to Alice and I fled downstairs. 

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Eye of Worth 3

 Eye of Worth 3

    "I bet he's with a new girl. Word is he's a player and he's been getting tired of Lily."

    "No! You don't think..."

    The other girl nodded her head as I turned a corner and didn't hear her reply. I entered the classroom to see the teacher having problems with his computer connecting to the school system. This was the third time this semester. I hoped that I didn't just waste a trip. The teacher couldn't figure it out but luckily a student a majoring in something to do with computers showed up to class and got everything working again just in time for a short lecture before the class ended.

    The drive back home was uneventful. The snow had stopped and Alice didn't contact me. Bree's car was still in the driveway when I got home. i pulled off my boots as I walked in the door and saw the screen in the entryway light up welcoming me back.

    "Bree?" I called out.

    "In the kitchen!"

    I placed my boots on the shoe rack and followed her voice. Bree was standing with a mixing bowl in one hand and a wire whisk in the other. Her forever curly hair was pulled back into a ponytail but there were a couple strands near her face that had fallen out. There was a smudge of flour on her nose and dishes meant for food preparation in the sink.

    "If you're feeling well enough to bake shouldn't you be at work," I said tapping the oven to turn on the light as I looked inside.

    "Those will be brownies when they're done," she replied, "you know that baking is easier for me then working."

    I stood up, "You work at a bakery."

    She shrugged, "Anything interesting happen today?"

    "Alice wants my help with something, but she didn't give any details."

    Bree laughed, "If she continues asking for your help I'm going to think that the skills she's so proud of don't exist."

    The screen in the kitchen lit up and Alice's voice poured out, "Hey! All I want is for Tay to come with me because I thought she might be interested."

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Eye of Worth 2

 Eye of Worth 2

    There was a moment of silence then the light turned green and she started laughing, "I feel sorry for anyone who tries to hide something from you. I'm glad you aren't a law abiding citizen and please don't get a career in law enforcement."

    I raised an eyebrow, "You want me to be a politician instead of a detective."

    "Yes," she answered.

    I didn't say anything but a smile spread across my face.

    "Wait, no. Don't be a politician or work for any of them. You being in politics gives me the chills."

    I entered the freeway, "I would love to continue this but we're getting off topic."

    "You just want to mess with me," Alice took a deep breath, "but fine this is indeed a business call. I need to borrow you."

    "I figured as much. Are you giving me the details now or later?"

    "You won't really need to do anything until tomorrow. So just focus on your class."

    The car went silent as Alice cut the connection. I rolled my eyes and turned on some music. It began to snow lightly and it stayed that way the rest of the drive. The parking lot had more cars in it than I expected making it harder than usual to find a spot. After parking I look around at the other cars and decide the school must be hosting an event. I grabbed my backpack out of the passenger seat before stepping out of the car. I hit another button on the key fob; the engine stopped and the car locked. I walked towards the building, in the parking spaces before the doors there was a car that was covered in a layer of snow. There were tire tracks leading to the parking spot so it was obvious that it had been there since the last snow fall.

    I opened the door to the building and stepped inside. There were two girls at the reception desk that usually remained unmanned. They were so focused on their conversation that they didn't see me walk past them.

    "I've never been so worried; Lily wouldn't just up and vanish like this," said the girl with a tight bun on her head.

    The other nervously tapped her false nails on the counter, "At least they're treating her as missing now. I've heard they can't get a hold of that boyfriend of hers."

    "The one that took her to all those parties she loved? You don't think he could be missing too."

 

 

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Eye of Worth 1

 And I'm back! This is the only piece I wrote for a class not focused on creative writing, it was an odd class. This is the closest as I've ever tried to get to a SciFi piece.

              -Rose B.

Eye of Worth 1

    "I'm off, Bree!" I yelled as I stepped out the front door.

    "See you later," She said just before the door clicked shut.

    The screen on the porch blinked to life and warned me about icy roads before telling me to have a safe trip. I huddled deeper into my warm coat and moved off the front porch. The tree in the yard had already lost all its leaves, and the grass was buried under snow. Once I was close enough to my car I clicked a button on my key fob; my car unlocked and started up. I slid into the driver seat and was thankful that it wasn't snowing.

    I put the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway. I stopped just before I hit the street to let a car pass, and a cheerful voice greeted me through my speakers."Good morning, Tay."

    I sighed, not surprised but annoyed, "Alice, what would you have done if I caused a crash."

    "You would have been fine," she said as the car passed me, "you didn't even jump this time."

    I rolled my eyes and moved onto the road, "That's because you keep doing this. One of these days someone is going to notice."

    Alice snorted, "You insult my skills. The security people have their hands full looking at cars that send them problem signals. Your car thinks we're having a phone call so no reason to send a distress signal."

    I flipped on a turn signal, "Careful, there's a thin line between confidence and arrogance."

    She did have reason to be confident; Alice's skills as a hacker were top notch. She was known as the White Rabbit: a hacker who appeared from nowhere and vanished as if she had never been there. Alice never revealed her secrets but she once mentioned she liked the nickname because while hacking a system it acted a lot like wonderland.

    "Yes, I know. Those who are arrogant get sloppy and make mistakes."

    "So are you here today as Alice or the infamous White Rabbit."

    "Why would you think I'm here for business?"

    I stopped at a red light, "Because Alice has my number and it's far less dangerous to actually call me. Unless, of course, there is something you need to talk about that requires you to be untraceable."

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Smoke in the Air 12

Next month I will be uploading a short piece as I haven't decided (or prepped) the next longer piece.

        -Rose B.

Smoke in the Air

12

    Her fan snaps shut, "Very good. If you had gone charging off, you would have made a similar mistake as before." That calms my excitement. She waits for me to sit down before speaking, "I told you before that all mortals come to me. That never changes even with unnatural deaths. In the case of murders, you can think of it as one mortal delivering another to me."

    "Are you telling me that all of them tried to kill her?"

    Her smile seems to curl at the edges, "Precisely. When mortals toss each other to me, they have to get closer to me than those who are in the same area."

    "But none of them succeeded?"

    "Yes."

    "Then who killed her?"

    She chuckles, and I resist the urge to shudder, "You forgot one other person in the room." She looks at the door, "Ah, looks like the police have arrived. Will you reveal the truth, or will you allow Madam Losster's revenge to play out?"

    I see a shadow through the glass.

    "I can't wait," Her voice breathes in my ear. I spin around, but her seat is empty. The four in the back are talking amongst each other and the two employees at the bar are cleaning up. None of them are looking this way. I smell the scent of her smoke, and I wonder if I am in over my head. 

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Smoke in the Air 11

 Smoke in the Air

11

    I sigh, "That narrows it down to four. no one saw anything in the dark, but they were close enough to each other that the others would have noticed if one of them wasn't where they ought to be." Did the murder happen in the tunnel? I look at the cloth covered body. There was no blood. The blue lips, the unnatural pallor of her skin, all pointed toward poisoning. "Poisoning doesn't require any of them to have left their seats. If the poison was slow, she could have ingested it long before the tunnel or the poison was prepared before the tunnel, and she consumed it in the dark."

    She taps her hands together in a silent clap, "Bravo, the poison was in her glass, and it killed her when she drank it while in the tunnel."

    I begin to move towards the car door, to find the conductor. All I need to figure out is who among the four put the poison in the glass. But...

    I look at the woman and see she is hiding her mouth with her fan again. She looks like a girl, laughing at the suitors trying to approach her. This is all a game to her, why would she give up the damning evidence so freely. "What are you not telling me?"

    She doesn't speak, but her eyes crinkle, and I know she is smiling in the bone-chilling way behind the fan. I think about all the statements she made. Was there something I missed? If the poison wasn't important, then what was? Her voice floats from my memory.

    let me give you a hint...

    "What did you mean by 'sought you out'?"

 

 

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Smoke in the Air 10

 Smoke in the Air

10

    "Then what do you want?"

    She put the fan to her face again, "It's simple, allow me to remain at your side and watch you work from up close."

    "Can't you do that anyway?"

    She chuckles, "No, I have no dominion over mortals until they die." She pauses, and the temperature drops, "I could get permission from Vida, but I refuse to interact with her more than necessary."

    I clear my throat, "What would I get in return?"

    The air warms again, and she drops the fan revealing a sickly sweet smile, "A lot but to get to main points. I can tell you everything there is to know about a mortal's death, even the details humans won't be able to figure out for centuries yet. And who among the living has been in contact with me recently."

    She doesn't seem to be lying, but I also can't tell if she's hiding something, "Why would you help me?"

    "I already told you, you interest me. It's a good trade for me if all I have to give you is knowledge in order to watch you from the best seat in the house,"

    I couldn't see any downside, and, despite my gut telling me not to, I say, "Very well, you have my permission."

    She grins, "Lovely, then let me give you a hint. All of her companions have sought me out within the last month. The staff members have nothing to do with this death." 

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Smoke in the Air 9

 Smoke in the Air

9

    He sighs, "Of course, I'll never understand the need to protect reputation. I can at least keep them here with people to watch over them."

    "That will have to do until the Cheston police arrive, then they can decide how to handle them."

    The conductor nods and leaves while I move back to the table where Madam Losster lay. She sits down in the seat for the dealer. Her eyes glitter and she smiles at me, "So what do you think?"

    "Don't you already know?"

    She shakes her head, "I can't see into your thoughts."

    I rub my face, "Fine, all of the suspects are suspicious, and they all have a reason to kill her. They're too calm when I walked in but were nervous when I asked questions. They act like they are telling me everything, but I don't think they are. At the moment, I can only clear the staff member that was at the bar."

    She smiles and hides it with a lace fan that seems to have replaced the notebook, "Are you willing to make a deal with me?"

    I look at her warily, "Are you going to ask for my soul in return?"

    She snaps the fan shut, "What need would I have for your soul?"

    "Aren't you Death?"

    She rolls her eyes, "The living come to me, not the other way around. And if I killed you, how could you entertain me?" 

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Smoke in the Air 8

 Smoke in the Air

8

    "It wasn't so bad before her son died," Ms. Grace adds, "And while her temperament because worse after that, it was only when her health started to decline that she would snap at the smallest thing."

    Lord Hurston nods, "I was going to persuade the Madam to retire on this trip, we're in a delicate time and if our company's reputation takes a hit it could ruin everything."

    "Did she know you were going to do this?" I ask.

    Lord Hurston looks at Mr. Ethan before sighing, "She may have had a hunch but I don't think she knew exactly what I wanted to discuss. I was hoping I could calm down her temper while we were on the train so she didn't make a scene in public."

    Mr Ethan's knuckles were white from how hard he was clenching his fists, "Lord Hurston is trying to be polite but when the madam didn't get her way she could be very petty and vengeful."

    Ms. Grace gasped, "Mr. Ethan?!"

    He glared a her, "I'm only speaking the truth. Don't pretend it didn't happen to you, how many times did she withhold your money because of some small change you made in the household."

    Ms. Grace looks at the floor but her face is red. The others look just as emotionally disturbed but it feels shallow. Although that's nothing new for those in high society, but still it nags at me.

    "Thank you. You've been most helpful, and I promise, neither of us are likely to talk to the papers."

    They relax a little at my words and I move back to the conductor near the door of the car and say, "I would suggest confining them to their cabins but I doubt they would want to be escorted in front of the other passengers."

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Smoke in the Air 7

 Smoke in the Air

7

    In the corner of my vision I see Lord Hurston roll his eyes and Mr. Ethan looks towards the windows. "I was sitting next to her, and I felt something hit the table in the dark. I was concerned she might have hurt herself, but when we came out of the tunnel, she was just..." She dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief, but I don't see any tears nor does the cloth look wet.

    Mr. Ethan clears his throat, "I keep the books for Madam Losster and Lord Hurston. This trip is a good chance to keep them up to date, so I join whenever I can. I was seated between Hurston and Ms. Grace. I was smoking and talking finances with Lord Hurston when we entered the tunnel. My back was madam, so I didn't see the body until Ms. Grace screamed."

    Hannah pats Ms. Grace's back, "Madam's health has been getting worse, and since I'm a trained nurse, I've been accompanying her on longer trips. I was standing behind the Madam when we entered the tunnel. I heard something hit the table and reached out for the Madam, but I couldn't find her. I thought her health had acted up and was going to grab my bag once we were out of the tunnel. But when I saw her face down on the table, I took her pulse and found she was dead."

    I nod, "What kind of person was Madam Losster?" There is a weighty pause, and I raise my eyebrow, "Not the nicest lady then?"

    Hannah sighs, "The Madam could be a difficult person when her temper snapped. It's not rare to see her throw items when she gets upset, many staff have moved on because they couldn't handle it."

    Mr. Ethan nods, "She's never thrown anything at me but we've had many arguments over the finances. If she doesn't like how work is being done she'll tell you right there even if it's in public."

    Lord Hurston puts an unlit pipe in his mouth, "It's been bad for business, word gets around and people talk. I've gotten complaints from customers and employees, and I'm usually the one to break up the arguments between the Madam and Mr. Ethan."

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