The Hourglass

Life is… honestly pretty boring in Rosénora Pass. It’s just a small town on the seaside that travelers go through often. Nothing ever happens. Ever. It’s really just the definition of boring here. Everyone acts the same. Everyone dresses the same. Heck, everyone talks the same, and it’s really annoying.

The only people who are different are the travelers who go by here constantly. I’ve picked up most of my behaviors from some of the reckless thieves who try to blend in among the sea of people. They usually fail at that, though. Blending in. I don’t either, so I can’t really blame them.

I choose to act like the thieves because I’m the only person who looks different from the people who live in Rosénora. Everyone has dark hair, dark eyes, and tanned skin. Me, on the other hand, I have light brown hair with a white forelock, and my eyes are blue like the ocean down the cliff. My skin’s a little tan, but not nearly as much as the other people. Back to what I was saying, I act like them because anyone who looks different are sort of… outcasts, I guess.

I’m debating whether I should just join one of the groups who travel through here. Get away. It’s not like I’d be able to make a living anyway. No one would want to hire me.

I watch the waves crash against the cliff from the roof of someone’s house. I’m not sure if they’re home, but whatever. The sunset’s beautiful from here, with the water sloshing below. I smile slightly. It’s more peaceful than anywhere else I’ve been in Rosénora. That’s why I come here nearly every day. When I think the owners of the house are gone, at least. Otherwise I’m trapped in the alleyways, stealing from random people. It’s not something I usually enjoy, but I do it anyway.

I hear the creaking of the ladder that I used to get up here and turn to face whoever is coming up. Taking a few steps back, I wait to see who it is. If it’s the owner of the house, then I’ll probably need to jump or find another way down. If it’s not….

“Callie?”

I let out a breath that I didn’t know I had been holding and take a small step forward. It’s just James.

He gets up onto the roof and looks at me before looking at the sunset behind me. He stares for a moment before looking back at me, smiling. I smile back.

“Hi,” I say after a moment. “It’s been a bit.”

“It’s been a few days, not that long.” he said, still smiling.

“Same thing.”

“Sure.”

I turn back towards the sunset, hearing his footsteps come up beside me. There’s a minute or two of silence, which is fine with me. I’d met James on one of my first nights up here, a few years ago. It has the best view from all of Rosénora, in my opinion.

I hadn’t been quite so educated in the art of silence at the time, as a 13 year old. I had been humming, which then turned into singing. It was a little louder than it should’ve been, and James had wandered up onto the roof with me.

Having not heard or seen him, I had continued singing. He let me, for a little, before speaking a hello. I jumped so hard I nearly fell off of the roof. He only laughed and grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet. Shying away a few steps, I stared at the ground.

“What’s your name, kid?” he asked. He looked about one or two years older than me.

“...Caroline.” I said after a moment.

“I’m James. Nice to meet you,” he said, smiling.

I nodded as a response and continued staring at the ground. Would I get in trouble? Most people would, if they were on some random person’s roof. There was a pause of silence, before he spoke again.

“So, what are you doing up here?”

I thought of what to say before talking. “I was just watching the sunset,” I said honestly. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He chided. “It is a great view. I can’t blame you.”

I smiled a little at that. “I can leave,”

“No, no. It’s fine.”

We had ended up staying up there until the moon rose above the sea, the stars reflecting off of the glassy water. I said a quick goodbye and got down from the roof. I felt his eyes on me until I went too far for him to see.

Not sure if I had just made some sort of friend, I continued on until I made it to the now abandoned house I live in. After that, I tried to go there as often as I could. Mostly because he was the only person who would talk to me like I was a normal person instead of some weird street rat.

He says something, and I shake my head a little, back in the present.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

He smiles. “I think It’s someone’s birthday.”

“Who's?”

“Yours. At least, I think.”

I nod. “It is.” Though I was only now remembering. It had been a long time since I had celebrated, or even remembered my birthday.

Still smiling, like always, he pulls out a small wrapped box. I tilt my head to the side, still looking at him. He hands it to me, and I stare at it for a moment.

“Well? Open it,” he says.

After a small pause, I do. I pull out the small necklace within. It’s pretty simple, just a string with a small pendant on it. The pendant is a small gold ring, with an hourglass inside of it. When I touch the hourglass, it spins vertically, the few grains of sand within drip from one side to the other.

I look back up at him and smile. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he says, a grin spreading across his face.

I try to clip the necklace around my neck, but my hair gets in the way. I pull it to the side but that doesn’t help much.

He gently takes the necklace from my hands and secures it around my neck. I pull my hair out from under it and smile at him, a silent thanks.

I hear the clattering of the pebbles on the walkway, and know that his parents are now home. I look at the sunset for a moment longer before going to the lowest part of the roof, which is hidden from the front of the house.

“Until next time?”

I look back at him. “Always.” And with that I take the jump.