Episode 1: Strange
Eli
Strange.
Eli thought to herself again as she sat on the bed attempting to get her heels on. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own these days, and as her fingers struggled to get the belt through the loop of the shoe—she wondered if it might be more than strange.
Maybe she was crazy….
Eli stood up and pulled her dress down before going over to the full-length mirror.
She didn’t look crazy.
She thought she looked rather nice in the black dress. It was a little worn for wear, but she had treated it well over the years—even if it was a little old. She smoothed her hands down the front again and noticed it was a bit thin. Sighing to herself, she combed her fingers through her dark brown hair before tossing it back in a frustrated exhale.
Why was she even here?
Eli frowned at herself in the mirror. She already knew the answer. She just didn’t think the answer was sane. Seriously—what sane person moves their whole life to the middle of nowhere because of some strange feeling?
She did, of course.
Ever since her birthday over a week ago, she couldn’t shake the overwhelming sensation that something was pulling her here.
It didn’t just tug. Sometimes it felt like it watched her. Not in a threatening way—but like something was waiting. And it knew her name.
Yeah, because that sounded sane…
Rolling her dark eyes at her reflection, she spun away and walked to the large dresser engulfing the back wall under the window. She grabbed her wallet and removed her ID as well as her credit card before slipping them into her bra.
Looking out the window, she had to admit—it was at least a beautiful area to get dragged into.
The whole area was a plush green forest surrounding the town. The train ride had been different, and she had watched miles upon miles of densely wooded landscape out the window, simply enjoying the scenery.
Many emotions had passed through Eli on the ride here, with sadness taking the lead.
She had thought up many reasons why she would be feeling so strangely on that ride here, and the only logical explanation was that she had nowhere else to go.
She was alone…
Even the night before she turned eighteen, she had been lying in bed alone in the house, listening to the cars pass her room at her foster home. Her foster parents had always been kind, but Eli knew that she would not be welcome to stay once she was considered an adult.
She had decided to go into the city to make a life, but on the morning of her birthday, that was no longer an option.
Eli had felt as if there was a rope tied around her chest from the inside the moment she woke up. It began tugging. Every time she thought of going to the city, her chest would constrict—as if it would cause her physical pain to go in that direction.
And the harder she tried to fight it, the more it felt alive. It didn’t feel like instinct. It felt like something else. Something patient. Something aware.
She didn’t know what to make of the sensation. She thought if she ignored it maybe it would go away, but the harder she tried to fight it, the worse it got.
As she had left one of her many childhood homes, she found herself standing in the train station. She just got on the first train that didn’t cause her chest to tighten—and here she was.
She didn’t regret it either.
Something had felt right, and she knew that if she followed her instincts, she might find somewhere to call home finally.
Thinking about it now, she realized that might not be strange—but crazy.
She shrugged at herself and decided to not think about it anymore.
She was giving herself a headache.
Touching her hand to her forehead, she closed her eyes to focus.
Even if she was crazy, it didn’t change her situation. She had spent every last dollar on her train ticket and the room she was standing in, so she would be here at least long enough to save up some money.
Maybe this place wasn’t the end of the line. Maybe it was the beginning of something else. Something she couldn’t quite name.
Sighing at that thought, she quickly made her way to the door.
Her hand on the doorknob, she suddenly felt a small feeling of apprehension. She felt as if she was standing on a stage waiting for the curtain to come up.
The moment was quiet, but charged. Like the world on the other side of the door was holding its breath.
Eli let out a dry laugh. She wasn’t even the main character of her play—so who would come to watch that show?
She walked out into the hallway and made her way to the stairs.
When she had checked into her room a few hours earlier, the desk agent had informed her that the only spot to go out at night was the local club. The agent had seemed nice enough, but with her white eyes and hair, Eli couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable under the woman’s assessing gaze.
It had also been strange, because Eli hadn’t mentioned dancing—but it was as if the desk agent knew how much Eli loved to dance.
It was the only reason she had the black dress.
Smiling at that thought, she walked out the side door of the hotel and into the night toward town.
The breeze brushed her collarbone and carried the scent of pine and something faintly spiced—sweet but sharp, like cloves and cold air. She paused, drawing a deeper breath without knowing why.
The air felt heavier than she expected. Crisp, but not cold—like the space between each breath was charged. Almost electric. Like the kind of energy that hung in the air before a storm, or right before something important happened.
She needed to get out of her head. This might be strange—and she might be going crazy—but she had never felt more comfortable than she did the moment she stepped off that train.
That comfort wrapped around her like a second skin, warm and familiar, even as her thoughts tangled into knots. She didn’t trust it. Not entirely. But she didn’t want to walk away from it either.
Such a strange feeling…
So very, very strange.
