Clara Vale: Willowbend

The bus came to a stop at the edge of Willowbend, and as Clara pressed her hand against the railing heading off, she felt a faint tremor in the air before her eyes could even scan around the town. The rivers were pretty but there was mist surrounding it, causing it to look eeri. The boardwalk looked pretty ancient like a lot of people have been here before. The streets were quiet, a little too quiet.

Maeve was the first to step down, right onto the planks below.

“Here we are,” she said, trying to sound casual though her voice carried a slight edge.

Audrey glanced around, squinting. “It’s... different than I expected. It’s very beautiful but, I can’t help but feel like something will jump out at us.”

“I don’t like it,” Nora muttered, putting her jacket on tighter. “It feels... off, but also too cold.”

Lysandra stayed across from Clara, just gazing around each building and back at her. “You’re sensing it too?” she asked, her tone calm.

Clara didn’t answer, she let her attention gaze over each part of Willowbend as the bus drove off. She felt tension, unnecessary tension as soon as she stepped off of the bus. She could see people talking like they usually do and the central area was pretty busy but... quiet.

The fog was hanging low over the river, with a bridge just across from it. Somewhere along that path Clara could sense a figure leaning against the boardwalk rail. A person with short hair, neutral clothing that blended into the fog. They saw them and just stared for a while until they spoke.

“I can tell someone is far from home,” the figure said. Calm, observant and slightly teasing.

Clara gasped. “You live here?”

They shrugged. “I get around, enough to know the town isn’t so easy with welcoming new people. Stay close and try not to wander off. Things get pretty wild sometimes around these parts.”

Lysandra was chatting with Tessa but glanced over as Clara walked beside this person.

“Your name?” Clara asked curiously, leaning against the rail looking at the foggy river below.

They took a slight gasp, eyes a little widened. “Nobody is ever that curious enough to ask me for a name let alone see if I exist or not! My name’s Ash.”

Clara chuckled lightly under her breath. “Fitting. My name is Clara.”

They stood in place, almost confused. “You’re introducing yourself to me? I already know who you are. Name gets around.”

And as soon as they said that Clara audibly gasped, not because it was shocking but it was surprising how much her name truly goes around to all of these far away towns.

Tessa ran over, her hair tied in two ponytails. She slowed as she reached them, a small, polite smile on her face. “Hi,” she said softly. “I’m Tessa.”

Ash tilted their head, studying her for a moment with a vague smile. “Good to meet you, Tessa! Don’t worry if I react wrong by any means. I’m not used to new people, especially a group of people visiting this side of town.”

Tessa nodded, “It’s much okay!” She glanced at Clara, then at Ash, her eyes sharp, like shes noticing every detail. “You... watch over the town?”

Ash shook their head lightly. “Not exactly. I just keep an eye on... people who don’t like visitors very much. Willowbend can be fun if you follow the right paths.”

Maeve slowly stepped in, crossing her arms. “So you’re some kind of guide? Sorry for asking but, how do we trust you exactly?”

Ash’s smile grew brighter, playful. “Trust isn’t given to anyone. It’s only earned. For now you can follow my lead and stay close.”

Lysandra reached out, resting a hand on Tessa’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine. Ash seems alright. Just don’t go out using your power without my say.”

Tessa nodded again, striking up some confidence in her step. “Okay. I’ll follow.”

Audrey leaned against the railing, arms crossed. “This sign, it says ‘town protects itself’, are we talking ghosts or just very weird cult like people?”

Ash chuckled softly, their gaze flushed over the foggy river. “Neither. Something in between. Willowbend doesn’t show its true colors clearly. You’ll see soon.”

Clara’s mom stayed behind her, keeping a close, vigilant eye on Ash, and looking at each of them.

“Clara, is your power sensing anything out of the ordinary?” she asked softly.

Clara looked at her a little concerned look on her face. “I... felt something earlier when we stepped off but it’s getting stable.”

Clara’s mom just nodded slowly in approval. “I did too, but I can’t make it out why the area around the river wasn’t as it seemed.”

Clara agreed. “Yeah when I looked at it I felt something, like it hit me but it didn’t.”

Ash turned slightly to face them as they walked. “It’s fun to be curious! But the river is a staple part of Willowbend and is a favorite attraction. But it has been rather, odd lately.”

Clara and her mom just exchanged concerned glances at each other, Maeve also joined in.

Ash stopped walking briefly, their gaze meeting Clara’s. “You’ve got a gift I heard, that much is true right?”

Clara smirked faintly. “Something like that. Helps me notice things others can’t.”

Ash tilted their head. “Not everyone here... sees what you see. Be careful with it alright?”

Tessa stepped a little closer, her voice quiet but full of confidence. “Clara. This town feels strange, don’t you agree?”

Clara gave her a reassuring nod. “Yeah... it’s strange. But the soon we get this tour over with we can figure it out together.”

Ash’s smile softened slightly. “Good. Stick together. Willowbend likes to test people one by one. Sometimes even a group...” their eyes darkened. Clara felt the tension immediately hit her.

“But enough chit-chat! We made it to the Ashfront District! This is the place for all of your clothing needs, a little restaurant to eat in, and even a record store...”

Clara sensed it again, lingering tension. It was almost too easy to see it that it urked her.

Audrey practically skipped ahead. “Lead the way, Ash! I want first dibs at the records!”

Audrey went to the record store first. Clara never seen her so excited, but it has been a while since they were at Memory Lane Records.

“Come on, everyone! Hurry, hurry!”

Maeve groaned, dragging her feet. “Of course, you’d be the first one in. Let me guess, you want a beanbag to sit in too?”

Lysandra laughed softly. “She really is a dork.”

“My dork.” Clara said quickly, rushing over to Audrey as Lysandra shrugged.

As they all went inside, Ash was a little hesitant to open the door. Clara could sense this place held some sort of sentimental value over them. She noted it in memory for future use.

Clara’s mom stood right beside her the entire time, almost gazing over the dusted vinyl and ruined decorations scattered across the walls.

“I don’t think I’ve ever smelled something so ancient in my life.” Clara’s mom whispered softly.

Clara laughed under her breath. “I don’t think I have either.”

Ash stepped in, “be careful not to touch anything, this place was not properly dusted in years. Not after the previous owner leaving it to rot.”

Nora, who had been quiet up to this point, tilted her head as she went behind the front desk, picking up a vinyl.

“This seems to be our old record, Clara.” She glanced intensely as they walked up to it.

Clara held the vinyl sleeve in her hand, wiping the dust off of it slowly.

“This does seem like our record. But why would it be placed here?” she looked at Ash who seemed hesitant to answer.

“It was probably just a collection from the vinyls they had in storage here. It wasn’t that dusty before.” Ash said, fingers slightly tapping their thigh.

Clara’s mom raised a brow, walking up toward the vinyl, picking it up and examining it.

“Hmm. It seems like the fingerprints of whoever touched it last is still on there. But I can’t get a good reading out of this.”

Ash laughed, “because it just hasn’t been in use in quite sometime.” Their eyes flickered to the middle of the store. “Follow me everyone! This is where they kept their frames of service!”

They all followed behind as Clara’s mom lingered next to her for a moment.

“The detective in me has been waiting for this moment, Clara. Please let your mom investigate.”

Clara smiled, “of course, mom. When we revisit this later you can call first dibs on it, promise.”

Clara’s mom smiled, like it made her month. Meanwhile the others were already in the other room as Ash was speaking to them.

They joined in shortly after.

“Oh there you are, thought we lost you back there!” Ash joked, trying to ease the tension.

“I’m surprised I could see my way here with the amount of dust in that room!” Clara’s mom joked, making Ash laugh.

“Well it is dusty. Speaking of dusty, what’s not dusty is this plaque of me on it! It’s literally me! My first year here and I had an honor to grace this frame!” Ash said excitedly.

Audrey glanced at it, noticing a rather important figure. “Who’s that chick with the long red ombre hair?”

Ash’s eyes widened slightly, their grin lowered. “That person was the owner of this record store.”

Maeve tilted her head, arms crossed. “That’s... all you have to say?” She ran over and looked at the woman in the photo. “Whoa. Buff woman alert.”

Audrey shoulder tapped Maeve who’s face went red slightly for a moment. “If you want a number of how many girlfriends I had, ask Clara she can remind you... again.”

Audrey glanced at Clara.

“She had like, somewhere around a thousand.” Clara nodded playfully, “yep, totally legit.”

Audrey looked back at Maeve. “So your thousand and one girlfriend!”

Maeve shoulder tapped her back. “Quit it, I don’t crush on anyone!”

Ash just kept looking between the bunch of them, like they were trying not to go insane. “This tour has quickly derailed into a lesbian fantasy with an old owner of a record store very quickly!”

Lysandra stepped in, “So what of it? Love can happen literally anywhere at anytime. Not that I’d know that.”

Tessa smirked, pointing at Lysandra. “Love is a beautiful thing!”

Lysandra rolled her eyes, but Clara could sense she felt more than the sarcastic eye roll led on.

Ash’s eye twitched for a moment, dropping the frame on the ground below.

They all flinched.

“Oh my bad everyone! I might have broken my first ever plaque in this town... that somehow means less to me than... what I’m about to show you! Head outside!”

They all exchanged glances before following their lead.

“So like, when can we visit the river? The same one you were staring at when we arrived here?” Lysandra asked with a serious expression on her face.

Ash tilted their head toward her. “That wasn’t a part of the tour...”

Tessa sighed in disappointment. “How come? I really wanted to see a river, can we see a river? I haven’t seen one in forever it must’ve been ages ago since-”

“Enough. We won’t visit a river on the tour! Instead we can just relax and visit the numerous other stores around the district towncenter!” Ash tried quickly to change the subject, but Clara’s mom wasn’t buying it.

She cleared her throat, “Why would the river not be a famous part of the towns tour? It makes up a big part of Willowbend.”

Ash laughed, “because! Who wants to see a river when we have the finest selection of antiques in our antique shop just across from here!”

Nora grunted. “How much longer do we have to hear you talk about things that aren’t interesting!”

Audrey tapped her, like a gentle reminder to remain calm. Nora just crossed her arms and looked away.

“Fine! If you want to see the river, then... let’s just get this over with.” Ash sounded defeated, almost stomping their feet against the ground as they didn’t hesitate to walk out of the store and to the path forward.

It all seemed too unusual, but all of them together seemed to crack the foundation of Ash’s true intentions.