CHAPTER 2 – A CAR MADE OF ELECTRICITY

An unfamiliar street greeted her face, this time with the more severe ‘thud’ of worn cobblestones.

Elvie struggled to her knees, tears of pain glittered on her cheeks from her nose and forehead’s impact with the ground. A bruise would form to compliment her motley collection of injuries.

‘Hey now, lass! That was quite impressive if I do say so myself. A clever piece of illusion, was it?’ A man spoke in a resonant voice – a fatherly voice. ‘Why are you crying when it’s such a beautiful day?’

Elvie paused as she pushed herself to her feet, in order to wipe the tears from her face. A man stood in front of her on a road she didn’t recognise, surrounded by grimy houses she’d never seen before.

The man repeated the question. ‘Did you hear me lass, what’s put you in tears on a day like this?’

Confused, Elvie eyed the dark hues of ominous clouds. ‘But it isn’t a beautiful day,’ she mumbled out through tear-numb lips.

‘All depends on your perspective now, doesn’t it?’ he replied with a wink and a chuckle. ‘I’m Mr Eldridge Calderbrook. Earl Eldridge Calderbrook, if you’re being particular. Now, my dear, I’d be asking your name, but that would not be the most pressing question I could ask you. My first question would naturally be something along the lines of: how did you suddenly and mysteriously appear, lying in the middle of the road?’

Elvie blinked owlishly.

‘Oh come now, don’t be coy, or is it fear which holds you? That would make sense,’ he mused to himself. ‘Mmmm. Indeed. If I had a child your age, I would be telling them not to consort with strangers whom they meet, no matter the quality of his dress. But, how do you go from stranger to trusted, when I have no way to win your trust? A true conundrum!’

Elvie studied him. The corners of his bright blue eyes crinkled into little lines where time had furrowed trenches, but they looked like they would retreat if a smile broke across his clean shaven face. Eldridge’s prominent feature was his obsidian black hair, pulled up under a sizeable hat so only wispy strands peeked out from beneath. He leant against an old open-top car, one hand tapping a marching beat with his cane. He didn’t look like the type of man her parents told her to run from. He looked – kindly – the word sprang to mind.

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‘Ah, why not a sign of trust? A secret perhaps? To show you I am willing to trust you, so I might be worthwhile to trust in return. Yes indeed – that would be the best way.’ He looked expectantly at Elvie, so she nodded. ‘Very well. You look to be a girl who has seen her share of magic, practised it for some time as well? Hmmm, no? Well, anyway, this is my magic.’ Eldridge checked the street for prying eyes, then lifted the pop cover on the engine of his shiny black car. ‘Take a quick peek – isn’t she beautiful?’

Magic? Elvie stepped forward warily. How could that make sense? Although, magic would cover every single thing which had happened to her. Cautiously, she peered inside the car’s engine – and gasped. Where she expected shiny metal components and a throaty rumble, instead she found luminescent pink outlines pulsing and quivering like a beating heart.

‘Wondrous, isn’t it? I’m impressed with myself, truth be told. She runs so smoothly – not much of a top speed at best, but you can’t have everything.’

‘It’s vibrating.’

‘Of course it is my dear, the engine’s running.’

Elvie turned to blink at Eldridge in confusion. ‘There’s no noise. Every car makes noise, even the electric ones still have some sound.’

‘A car made of electricity!’ He was stunned by the idea. ‘Now that’d be a feat I’d like to see – and I guess it’s the Lord’s way of telling me not to get to full of myself. But ah – that’d be a magic I’ll dream of seeing one day. Where are you from to have magicians of such skill and talent?’

‘Australia.’ Elvie replied, and for the first time paused to consider what that actually meant. Where on earth was she now? It was colder and darker here, with looming buildings made of stone and wood. The cobblestone street she stood on, gave way to sidewalks of matching brick. Buildings rose along the sidewalk with titles of Barber, Grocer and even a theatre. But for every decorated business, another boasted heavy wooden boards and the occasional sign of ‘closed’, or the long grass and derelict appearance of an abandoned building.

‘The colonies! Well, it’s not an answer I was expecting to hear; not when it comes to quality magicians anyway.’

‘Where am I?’ Elvie hesitated, still uncertain if this man was trustworthy despite his kind manner and joyful attitude.

‘England… London to be precise, though we’re more on the outskirts than in the middle of the city. I was just making my way home before the storm breaks.’

‘Oh,’ Elvie replied and burst into tears again.