When the doorbell rang Melanie groaned from the couch. She had just barely sat down. Work had been ridiculously exhausting. It rang again. By the third time, she forced herself out of the pillows surrounding her and trudged toward the door.
“I’m coming. I’m coming.”
If it was Percy coming to attempt to drag out for another party she was going to smack him. She had specifically told him that she was not going to be leaving her couch for the rest of the night.
Opening the door she groaned. No one was there. As she was closing the door she caught sight of a large cream colored envelope with an ornate red wax seal on it, sitting on her welcome mat. Looking around, she couldn’t see anyone nearby who would’ve left it. “Hello?”
No answer.
Snatching the envelope she slammed the door shut. It took several minutes to convince herself to open it.
You have been chosen.
Staring at it, she couldn’t make sense of it. Turning it over, there was nothing on the back. She nearly dropped it when she turned it back to the front. The words had changed.
Melanie Carsters.
On this night
You will find
Untold adventure
The rarest kind.
Unite with one
And both shall shine.
The letters shimmered as she read. One more line appeared a minute later.
Find him.
“Find who?” She muttered. “Where?”
A map shimmered into being.
“I’m going crazy. A magic notecard is telling me to go find some guy at…” She peered closer. “At the local Home Depot?”
Yawning, Melanie eyed her couch. “I just wanted to sleep and not move.”
She lifted the card. “Can I please do this tomorrow?”
Nothing happened and she groaned. Grabbing her purse she headed to her car. “This better be some amazing adventure, Percy.”
Driving over to the Home Depot only took a few minutes but as she wandered the aisles it occurred to her that she had no idea what she was looking for, or more precisely who she was looking for.
She was about to give up and go home when she noticed a man walking around holding a card that looked eerily like hers. Hesitating, she looked down at her own card. It still hadn’t changed.
“Stupid magic card.” She muttered.
Heading over to the man, she held up her card. “I hope you don’t find it weird or nosy of me but I noticed that you were holding a card similar to mine. Any idea what’s going on?”
As soon as he turned to fully face her she smiled in recognition and a little relief, “Vincent. I didn’t realize it was you. Did you send this card to my house?”
Her old neighbor from high school smiled back, his gaze sweeping over her in appreciation. “Mel? You have a card too? I didn’t send you one. I got one myself. Told me to come here and ‘find her’.” He used air quotes. “Are you the her it was talking about?”
“I don’t know. My card said to ‘find him’. And here you are.”
“Huh.”
Melanie looked down at her card again and gasped. “It changed.”
He held up his. Now they matched.
True, unvarnished love is found
When tested and forged in fate
Can everlasting become
Two pure souls forever bound.
Their eyes met and Melanie shivered.
“Are the magical cards telling us to go on a quest to find our soulmates?” He chuckled.
“Or they are telling us that we are soulmates and too oblivious to have figured it out by now.” She laughed to make sure he wouldn’t take her too seriously.
Apparently she didn’t laugh enough because he gave her this odd funny look. “I wouldn’t mind being soulmates with you.”
“Vincent, if you were interested in me at all, ever, you would have asked me out already. We were neighbors for years.”
His smile widened. “Maybe I was too chicken.”
“You?” She scoffed. “You asked everyone else out. In our grade and the one younger than us. Asking didn’t seem to be an issue at all.”
With his smile still brightening his eyes to a sparkle he nodded. “Well yeah. It’s easy to ask out someone you don’t really have feelings for.”
Rolling her eyes she raised her card. “Ready to go questing for your soulmate.”
He shook his head but agreed.
“The only problem is, these cards don’t tell us where to go next.” She shook hers and laughed. At least, she was laughing until the words dissolved and more appeared.
Hold the hands
Speak the words
Follow the guide
The quest begins.
INTRA NUNC HOC
Hesitantly Melanie took Vincent’s outstretched hands and spoke with him in unison. The world and Home Depot instantly disappeared, replaced by a lush verdant forest, filled with birdsong and rushing water. A golden velvet rope hung from a tall black pole and led away into the trees.
Vincent held tight to one of her hands, unwilling to let go. She was perfectly ok with that scenario because she wasn’t all too eager to let go of his hand either. Taking a deep breath she whispered, “Do you think that is the guide we are supposed to follow or are we supposed to wait for a person or animal to guide us?”
“That’s what you’re wondering?” He laughed, hugging her. “You’re amazing.”
“Why? What were you thinking?”
Looking around, he seemed to be taking stock of what he could see and cataloging it all away in his head. “Me? I was thinking how crazy it is that there was a portal to some other world or dimension in the middle of our local Home Depot.”
Both of them burst out laughing.
