Our eternal affairs

Anna stood in front of her closet staring at the meager contents disappointedly.

 She was yet to recover from the encounter she had that morning. Was she going to risk her life, going to a place she didn't know, to meet someone she'd never seen before? 

She pulled her hair in frustration. She had just enough money to cover from Roxbury to the resort, but that was about it. 

The resort itself was a place far beyond her reach. A luxurious haven for the wealthy and privileged. 

But she had no choice, than to put everything she had for the trip, trusting that something good would come out from it. She shivered as she recalled the being's words, as it echoed in her head like a command.

She took a deep breath, and began to pack up a small bag of her most expensive dresses. Cliff knocked at the door, before sticking his head out.

 "Morning." He greeted her cheerfully. "! was…" he trailed off, when he saw piles of clothes, dumped on the bed and on the floor in the room. 

A chill ran through Anna's spine as he stepped in. She braced herself for the moment of truth.

 "Anna? What's going on?" He asked gently.

 "Uh…I uh," her head went blank immediately. Cliff stared at her, waiting for an explanation.

 It wasn't like he was her Dad, why was she scared to telling him? She heaved a deep sigh, and explained in one breath.

 "I met with Doctor Stone again, and he helped me connect with the healer. Turns out he's real, and rich, and I've set an appointment with him for tomorrow, and I'm packing to go there." She finished, grateful to her brain for making something relatable, from the whole truth.

Cliff dramatically dropped on the bed, gobsmacked. Was she so desperate to the point of believing that quack? A hint of worry appeared on Anna's forehead, and she rushed to his side, and pinched his face.

 "Ow!" He jumped slightly from the pain, rubbing the spot.

"You aren't saying anything." She said 

"What did he tell you, Anna?" His head was still in the cloud of her confession.

 "He showed me rather, a secret video that recorded the man in action. You won't believe he's the CEO of TAE." She said confidently.

He swore to kill that doctor, for taking advantage of his vulnerable sister.

He shook her vibrantly, desperately trying to get her back to her senses. 

 "Can't you see he's lying to you?! Do you even know who this man is? Nobody's ever seen, or disclosed his face to the public." 

 "I know, I know!" He let her go, before she continued. Sigh. "Cliff, if there was ever a chance I could get better, wouldn't you let me have it?"

Cliff remained silent as he thought about it. She was right there, and he didn't want to stop her, but still.

 "Are you really sure this will work?" He asked, and Anna gulped, nodding. This was a scary decision. "Okay then." He glanced around the room. "Let's pack."

The following evening, after two terrible hours of mind whacking, she stepped out of the subway, following instructions from her electric map. When she arrived at the grand entrance, she could hear the thud of her heart beating loudly in her chest. She checked her time, she was three hours early. She saw sleek cars drive in, and out of the place as she strode in. 

The grandeur, and opulence of the exterior made her want to turn back, and run away, but she remembered she had nothing on her, and she didn't want to bother Cliff. 

 "Cliff!" She suddenly remembered, and pulled out her phone to call him, informing him of her arrival. "Be good, okay? And call me if you need anything. I'll come right after." He said and she smiled, grateful to have him as her back up plan.

As she walked on, a question rang out in her mind; how would she identify him? She had no idea what Mister Truce looked like, or where to meet him.

As she entered the lobby, Anna felt like a small fish in a vast ocean. The high ceiling was adorned with intricate frescoes, which seemed to stretch up to the sky, while the gleaming marble floor beneath her silver heels reflected the soft glow of the crystal chandeliers. 

Anna was so not prepared for any of these. She nervously smoothened her emerald-green velvet dress. Cliff really helped altering its former style, to make it look more classy and elegant. But the eerie feeling of being an imposter still lingered, as she approached the reception desk.

Her palms grew sweaty. "Hi, I'm…uh, here for a meeting?" she said, awkwardly. 

The receptionist looked at her quizzically. "Do you have a reservation, or a contact name ma'am?"

Ma'am? Anna hesitated. "Just… Mister Truce Avidon. I was told to meet him here." She rubbed her palms together.

The receptionist's expression turned skeptical. "I'm not aware of any guest, or staff member by that name. Could you provide more information?"

"Oh," she breathed out, as her anxiety grew. She had no more information to give. She shook her head, and stepped away from the desk. Did she see wrong? She was sure she wasn't imagining the red thread. She opened her small bag, and dipped a finger into the small pocket to reassure herself. The thread was still there. 

She wandered about the lobby. The air was thick with the scents of plumeria, orchids and gardenia flowers, and the soft hum of conversations. There were only a handful of guests, the rest were in black and gold uniforms, running around to get a task done. 

Anna watched the place, and the people. She felt like she didn't belong there, and didn't know what to do. She couldn't even sit still, and tried to control the tears; she felt like she could cry any minute. She swallowed the lump forming in her chest.

She looked at the giant clock, that sat proudly above a massive stone fireplace that cackled with flickering flames, roaring in its depth. The time was eight thirty pm already and there was no sign of Mister Truce. She thought about giving up, and getting on the next train back home. She cursed herself silently, as her heels were starting to hurt.