Sitting in a little suburb, in a neighborhood like any other, and just like all neighborhoods contains a secret sitting in plain sight. A place of houses, homes, of people’s lives, filled with precious moments of what once was and what might be. It is in such a place where a house, maybe once a home, sits; Empty.

Here two women pull in front of it, stepping out. One stares up with trepidation and hope, the other looks at a house. It’s just a bit out of date, yet immaculately kept.

Alice still couldn’t believe she actually drove here. The place she remembered a little girl who never left the house. A girl who lived all on her own, one that, according to everyone, didn’t exist. The last straw before they took her away. To the place that made her not see, where she learned the dull dreariness of the world and that her memories were just the delusions of a very imaginative girl.

Yet now that she stood there in front of this impossibly well-kept abandoned house. Her heart began to beat much too fast. Am I really doing this?

Step by step she made her way across the lawn, trimmed and clean, smelling freshly cut. The porch was clean, and well kept a rocking chair on either side of the door and a little table, looking inviting for anyone to sit. Looking up into the overhang Alice couldn’t see a single web, you’d expect in a place long left to rot. Except there was nothing here, everything looked brand new. It always looked new. That was something she remembered vividly growing up. Every time she passed the place, though she just chalked it up to a caretaker, except now her eyes were open again. The entire building seemed to radiate an energy a soft aura just above the building’s paint and wood. There one moment then gone the next.

Still, she wasn’t sure if it was real, or not.

“This place is perfect,” Alice commented stalling and hoping Lilly might have an answer.

“I wouldn’t say perfect. It’s in great shape but”

“No Lilly look it’s in perfect shape.”

“Maybe they hire someone to take care of it.”

“If they do I’ve never seen them and why just the front yard, not the back? Even if that was the case” Alice began to examine all of the porch from the door to the windows, even the banister. Rubbing her hands on them, “There would be something out of place. A cobweb, an extra drop of paint, or dirt in any of the crevices. There’s nothing.” She turned to look at Lilly.

“HOA takes care of the yard. Maybe they’re taking care of the front too.” Lilly said looking slightly freaked out. “I don’t know but someone had to, it must be some kind of trust to take care of it.”

“I never found any records for anything like that,” Alice commented continuing to look for anything that might be considered normal.

Lilly turned her head curious catching onto something, “When did you have time to research the place?”

Alice looked at Lilly incredulously, “Of course, I researched the house. It’s where it all started, why the hell wouldn’t I look it up?”

Seeing Lilly’s response she realized it never occurred to her that Alice would look into the house itself. Shaking her head Alice continued, “You know what I found?” She said changing the subject.

“What?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

“Like no one owns the place, or it doesn’t exist?”

“Both, and neither. The place was built in the sixties except there are no blueprints or receipts, or even a deed for the land it’s on. Though do to age that all could be lost.”

“Reasonable explanation. Except?”

“No exceptions. I couldn’t find anything. With that, by all accounts, this place should be in complete ruins. Do you know how fast abandoned houses tend to decay?”

Lilly looked curious between Alice and the house. “So they have someone looking after it. I mean it’s impossible otherwise.”

“Exactly.”

“And maybe he had a daughter.” Lilly finished smiling. “That would explain why they could never find anything.” She said under her breath.

That was quite what Alice had in mind, but she still didn’t quite know what she was hoping for.

“So we just gonna stand here or go in?”

Alice’s heart began to beat out of her chest as she heard the question. Suddenly I was all real. She was going to get the answers, she wanted; not needed all her life. All she had to do was open the door. She lifted her hand toward the knob only to drop it. She wasn’t ready. Not Yet. “Let’s check the backyard first.” Hoping to take a breath, and ease herself into it all.

Her friend after her hesitation, moved to open the door. Alice seeing this quickly reached up grabbing her hand. Stopping her.

“Please. I need a minute.” Her voice was begging.

Lilly smiled and took Alice's hand, “OK. Let’s see if your roses are still there.”

#

To girls sit under an awning on a back porch of a house exhausted from a long day of play. They are just taking a quick rest before going back to their garden, which was really just an overgrown backyard. Yet to two children with active imaginations, it was a lovely garden and the porch was where to ladies would normally sit for tea. Now though it was hot and they were tired.

One of the little girls suddenly popped up with a massive smile. “Let’s go inside.”

Lilly’s eyes went wide, “But Alice we’re not allowed inside the house.” She had been warned so many times by her mom to never go into the house.

“But Tig says it’s fine.” Alice pointed to the window, with no one there. Except for a moving curtain.

“My mom said it could be dangerous.” She failed to mention how her mom also warned about the backyard being dangerous. Though she didn’t understand how the yard could be dangerous there were just a bunch of overgrown plants, and plants loved her. They’d never hurt her.

“Tig says it’s safe. Come on.” Alice’s hand was already on the doorknob. “Besides no one has said anything about our secret royal magical garden.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Lilly stared for a long time at the house. Where it would be nice and cool. “I don't know.” She was wavering and knew it.

Alice rolled her eyes and went to the door. Only to frown when the handle didn’t move.

Lilly felt a wave of relief and disappointment. “See it’s locked we shouldn’t go inside.”

Alice turned to the window, “Tig can you unlock the door?”

Lilly looked to the window not seeing anyone, like always, “Alice I don’t think Tig—” Her voice trailed off as Alice opened the door.

“Thanks, Tig!” Alice said as she excitedly entered the house. “Do you want to play with us? Or watch?”

Is Tig real? Lilly wondered hearing her friend talking. Curious she looked around the door to see Tig only to see Alice talking to air.

“Come on Tig. You should join us.” Alice paused, “Fine but your part of our kingdom. Royal watcher.” Alice curtsey's to the empty room.

Is this what they call imaginary friend. Mom told me some humans have them. I guess this was hers.

#

A man pulls up to a nice house in a neighborhood he’s never been to, following a fidget spinner covered in crudely drawn symbols from a fat tip marker. Slightly smeared but still, the spinner constantly adjusted its position as a small drawn arrow pointed towards the house.

It was his destination, or at least he hoped it was. A compass of desire, or in his case a fidget spinner of desire, was a tricky thing to actually point at what you want to find. It pointed to whatever you wished for most, which would have been perfect but if his mind wandered. Nicki learned this when he turned into his favorite restaurant because he happened to be hungry at first he thought the book was there but when he ordered an entree and it just pointed at the food, was when he realized this was going to be harder than he thought. Not to mention the game store when he saw an interesting poster for a new tabletop game. He even went grocery shopping and funnily enough, he found it was amazing at helping him find whatever he needed.

Despite all this, he followed his finicky desire to hunt for a certain book all the way out to this beautiful old house. It was the first place that he had no connection to, at least none he could think of. It was the first real glimmer of hope he had since starting this wild goose chase more than two weeks ago.

Before he knew it he was opening the front door and stepping inside. It didn’t even occur to him to knock until he was already inside. I hope no one’s home.

“Who are you?”

A small girl’s voice made Nicki jump. I guess that answers that. “Scared the crap out of me.” Nick decided to try and play it cool. Maybe she won’t call the cops on me for barging in.

“Cause you’re not supposed to be here.” There was no anger or malice just curiosity in the way the girl responded.

“True.” The girl’s tone through Nicki off as he looked down at his little spinner as it pointed briefly back towards his car and then spun back to a closed door deeper inside.

“Are you here to rob the place? I was told people rob places like mine. Though this would be a first.”

There it was again that strange tone, “What an odd thing to say.” It was so odd that Nicki took another look, this time seeing past the surface. Seeing not a girl but more a clump of mana all drifting from the house itself to form the image of a girl. The girl stood motionless unblinking just staring up at Nicki. What is she? “No. I’m not here to rob you. In fact, I’m searching for something stolen from me.”

“Its good you’re not here to rob. Since there’s nothing to rob.”

He took a look again at the little house filled with furniture, except it wasn’t. The furniture was also just clumps of mana except more solid. “Huh. I guess you’re right.” I didn’t even know you could do that with mana. Nicki shook himself, “So what’s your name?”

“Shouldn’t you give your name first?” The girl smiled and giggled.

“I’m Nick”

She stared at him thinking, before answering simply, "Tig.”

He smiled down at her reaching out his hand, “It’s nice to meet you Tig. You aren’t the first inanimate object I’ve met with a human form. Though you are the first house.”

The little girl took his hand or tried to the energy slipping right through Nicki. Cold.

Tig looked down at her hand and sighed. Nicki looked away pretending not to have seen her disappointment and took a quick look at his compass. Pointing to a door to the kitchen.

Just when he was about to take a step towards it the door opened revealing a woman he did not expect.

“Lilly? What are you doing here?” The words just spilled out of his mouth, as he saw the barista he had a bit of a crush on, at least until he chalked it up to magic. Please don’t tell me I got my wires crossed. I haven’t even thought of her since I cut the cord.

Lilly for her part froze as the door shut behind her. Panic quickly crossed her face before she scrunched her eyes in confusion. There was not an ounce of recognition, and that hurt more than He realized.

“Do I know you?” Her tone was defensive as she stepped back towards the door.

“I was one of your regulars at the coffee shop.”

“Wait. You’re the dick who...” She trailed off looking for a word before shaking her head. “Actually, I don’t know what you did but it sucked.”

“You were the one siphoning from me. I only cut the cord.”

“That—” Lilly’s voice faded as she began to mumble under her breath. “That’s not possible, but if it had that big of kickback.”

She seemed to be in her own world, it was only at this point that it occurred to Nicki that this might be her house. He hadn’t seen any signs of someone living there, but the idea he had just broken into his crush’s house made him want to bolt. Except he found himself too curious, “So is this some kind of Fae place?”

That snapped her attention back to him, “Fae place?”

“Yeah. There’s a bunch of power here, and you’re Fae? I think. So is the place you all store all that stolen power?

“Hey, we only take, like the equivalent of a half cup of coffee so you get the energy back with the coffee. It’s a net-positive exchange for them. There is no extra power and why would we store it in an abandoned house?”

So it’s an abandoned house. A wave of relief washed over him over the revelation. Now more relaxed he asked, “So are you?”

“Am I?”

“Fae?”

She laughed, “Yeah.”

That made him raise an eyebrow, “You admitted that fast.”

She shrugged. “What were you saying about this place?”

Deciding against commenting on the change of subject, “It’s covered in power like...I wanna say...empowered like—” He was searching for a comparison when he remembered Drystia and realized it was a bit similar, “You know it kinda reminds me of a magic doll I know. I wonder if that girl was a natural manifestation.”

“So you’re saying there’s power here?” Disbelief, thick in her voice.

That confused Nicki, “Isn’t that why you’re here?”

“My parents live around here. What are you doing here?”

“Uh--” I really should have come up with something. Unsure what to say he looked down at his little toy seeing it point right at Lilly. Another bust. “Looking for something.”

“What?”

“A book.” Couldn’t hurt. “Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have seen a book by a man named Rixar?”

She only raised an eyebrow as she shook her head.

“Thought not.” Silence grew between the two as Nicki had no idea what to say anymore. So he blurted. “This is uncomfortable.”

“Not the worst.”

Looking back down at the spinner as it turned back to his care. “I should probably leave.”

“Yeah.”

He looked down at the compass one last time. The needle pointed back to Lilly then to his car and back. Shaking his head, “See ya Lilly, and tell Tig I said goodbye.”

Lilly’s eyes widened Nicki just caught the reaction before heading out the front door.

#

Just behind a door in an abandoned house where a woman and a man had a conversation that made her heart race. It was real. She had known the man was magic, she had been watching him for weeks, but when he asked about the book. The one in her messenger bag, the one that unlocked her sight once more. She nearly ran Alice was glad she didn’t else she wouldn’t have heard him mention Tig.

“Alice! Are you and Lilly going to use me as a castle again?” A girl seemed to materialize next to her with a big smile.

Alice stared at her imaginary friend who wasn’t so imaginary and began to laugh.

The door opened, “Well, that was really weird.” She paused seeing Alice laughing, “Not sure if this is good or not.”

“She’s real.” That was all she said, as she reached out directing the power in the air into Tig. She had spent most of the night before learning this one trick of moving mana. She had no idea whether or not it would work, but she had to try. By the way, Lilly’s eyes widened she knew she could see her.

“Holy shit!”

* * *