Fanfic Friday

“The Huntress at Sunset”

Part One of an experiment. If the characters seem familiar despite the different names, well, there's a reason for that...

Chapter One

Her name was Alondra Verano and she was standing on the porch of her childhood home. She had for a long time lived in another house in another city but that house had been destroyed. But there was still her childhood house -- the house that she had lived in until her parents got divorced.

And it was still intact too. Though the curtains were closed, there were no bars on the windows, no signs of broken glass, no sign whatsoever that the house had even been touched since she moved away. Considering how much the neighborhood had changed since she had left, that was really saying something.

And yet Alondra felt like a stranger. Her family no longer owned this house and though Alondra had no idea who owned the house now, she somehow knew that she would not be welcomed were she try to force her way into the house right then.

So Alondra just sat down on the porch and looked out at the sunset.

Sunset, she thought. She had been out later than she thought. She really ought to be on patro -- No, wait, she was retired now and there were many women far younger than her who were taking her place on patrol.

She thought about what she had learned at the doctor's office that afternoon and how she had suddenly felt the need to come here -- of all places -- before she went home and talked to her sister and her husband.

They'll probably ask me to babysit again, she thought, and then I'll get to be the cool aunt who tells her young niece all about her various adventures as a young girl. And yet -- as much as she loved her niece and wished to see her -- Alondra could not get herself to move off the porch.

Then the sun went completely down and the darkness grew. The outside lights came on as if on an automatic timer. Alondra started to think quite seriously about standing up and leaving.

Then the front door that was behind her opened and a familiar voice said, "Why, Huntress. What a pleasant surprise!"

Alondra turned, reached in her pocket for a stake and saw... a tall dark-haired woman dressed in black.

"Persephone," said Alondra, "what are you doing here?"

"I live here now," said Persephone. "In fact, I own the place. I was tired of constantly moving so I finally decided to settle down."

"But this is my father's house," said Alondra. "At least it used to be."

"Yes, I know," said Persephone. "Would you like to come inside?"

"Wait," said Alondra. "You're treating me... as a guest... in my family's own house?"

"It is no longer your family's house and we are no longer enemies," said Persephone, "unless, of course, you want to be."

"No, I don't," said Alondra, feeling funny as she said the words for some strange reason.

"Very well then," said Persephone with a sly smile. "Please enter freely and of your own free will."

To be continued...