NeverSeen

It was morning, obviously, but once again I felt like I hadn’t slept a wink. But there wasn’t time to think about it: I had my first apprenticeship walk-through today. I didn’t have an interview for another week, but I was still excited. Finally, I could do what I loved and get paid for it!

None of my clothes seemed nice enough for such an occasion, but I improvised with what I could. Besides, it wasn’t about the style; it was the substance that counted. I threw on some practical jeans and a simple but elegant quarter-sleeve that I could get dirty in. Combing and tying my thick strawberry-blond hair back, I wondered if I would ever get a nickname at work. Like “the Fox” or something.

Looking in the mirror one last time, I realized I’d accidentally left the ruby necklace on overnight. But, hey, I didn’t care because it still matched my clothes. Checking my overall appearance, I stretched my wings out so I could see how they worked with my outfit.

Huh. That’s odd, I thought.

“What’s odd?” asked Ashlee from the doorway, pushing Umala in a stroller. What a lazy slug-bug.

She heard that, responded Ash.

Yeah, yeah.

“Well, I just thought it was weird that the necklace you found is the same scarlet color as on my wings. And my hair seems redder too. Like it’s glowing.”

“Hm.”

I fingered the necklace as I stared at her. “What’s this all about?”

“We can’t tell you. You have to find out yourself. Otherwise everything will fall apart, and the—uh, it won’t happen.”

Exasperated, I demanded, “What won’t happen? Tell me!”

“No sprecken-zay Emma.” With that, she grabbed Umala’s stroller and went racing down the hall. A few baby fun-screams later, I heard Mom chasing after them and telling them to-hush-up-because-Dad’s-sleeping-remember?

Shocked at seeing what time it was, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door.