Tayla Story - 001

It's the seventh of April. The week after Easter.

And today, that day, just happens to be a Saturday.

The last three Saturdays, I have been coming over to Alexander's house to clean it for him. That is to say, ever since he left for the moon.

About a month ago, the ninth of March to be exact, a man who knew Alexander's father came to visit. His name was Kyle Matthews, and he'd come because Alexander's father wanted him to go see him on the moon.

Originally, I had pushed Alexander into going to see his father, but now I was starting to regret that decision. Regretting it, because in the last month, a lot had changed. Not for me personally, but the wider world.

Alexander's father is the most powerful man on the moon. He controls the vast supplies of Helium-3 that can be found there, and which power much of the Earth today.

Holding those resources hostage, he nearly brought the entire world into all-out war, but a crisis was averted, and he came out on top. I don't really understand it all that well, but this morning Dad said it would be no exaggeration to say that Frank Scuderi is now the most powerful man in the whole world, not just the moon.

Crazy.

Like I said, I don't really understand it that well, so I probably didn't do a good job of explaining it. Just go read Project: Artemis if you don't get it.

Anyway, that's all in the past now, and it has little to do with Alexander, and even less to do with me. It's nothing worth worrying about.

So, where was I?

That's right, I'm standing in front of Alexander's home, contemplating his absence. Though I said that, it isn't strictly all I'm doing. For some reason, there's someone standing outside of Alexander's front door. I could walk up and ask what she's doing, but I'm curious so I wait back and watch. And besides, it might be dangerous to just walk right up to her and ask. She could be a robber or something. Maybe she has a knife.

Though, I guess she can't be much of a robber to try and rob Alexander's place. Robin Hood was never one to rob a poor man.

Anyway, I continue to stand watch from the pavement, and look at the lady standing by the front door. After a time, she raps her knuckles on the door, with three hurried knocks.

Then following a period of silence, given that no one is home, she walks to each side trying to look in through the windows, but she is frustrated. All the curtains are closed. I open them each time that I go to clean, and the windows to try and freshen the place up a bit, but when I'm not there they remain closed, and the curtains drawn.

The lady returns to standing in front of the door, and puts her hands of her hips. She appears to be deep in thought or concentration. I guess she can't be a robber at all. A robber would probably break in through the back, especially if they were going to attempt a burglary in broad daylight.

The non-robber eventually dropped her stance, her shoulders sagging in a clear sign of disappointment. I have to wonder, who could she possibly be? It seems likely that she has some connection to Alexander, though I'm sure that I would know her if that was the case.

Unless, she's from before Alexander became who he is today.

Before Alexander came here to Christchurch.

Before I, Tayla Faust, met Alexander.

I think she probably knows Alexander Acland, not Alexander Giovanna.

Perhaps I'm just thinking that way because this reminds me a lot of when I met Kyle Matthews, the man who came and took Alexander away. I had been on my way to come see Alexander, and I'd ran into him standing on the footpath outside Alexander's house.

Perhaps.

But if that isn't the case, then who exactly is she?

And if that is the case, who is she to Alexander?

The lady turns around and spots me staring at her. I feel a little guilty for staring and look away for a second, but then I remember the situation that we're in. She's the one who was outside my boyfriend's house, clearly trying to find a way in.

I waved at her.

After a pause she waved back.

Now that I could see her face, there's was something about her that was oddly familiar. Familiar, and yet I know for certain that I've never met her before. But her face looks like someone that I know.

Maybe she's one of the relatives that Alexander was living with in Wellington?

No, I don't think that's it. They don't look anything alike.

The lady in front of me, I realise now, is quite young. Probably around my own age. She has cool grey eyes, pale skin marked only by some light freckles on her cheeks, and straight black hair that falls down to around her shoulders. Even though she has chubbier cheeks (or maybe they're just dimples), I can tell that her jaw and the line of her face are quite similar to mine. She has a small button nose, and her eyes aren't too widespread.

The more I look at this strange girl, the more familiar she seems.

The more I look, the more I get the sensation that I'm looking into a mirror.