Slowly, the door swung open. The moment the occupant of the strange home opened the door, Kayde gasped. The woman standing there was not much taller than I and physically, she did not look much older than I was, either. Not a single wrinkle on her skin, or a sagging bit of skin anywhere to be found. She did however have a strange, older look in her eyes. It was as though she had been alive three times as long as I had, but frozen in time for the entire duration.

Her apparent youth was not what caused Kayde to gasp, nor was it what caused me to look at her with shock in my eyes. It was the bright yellow flowing hair that reached past her waist and I was almost positive that I detected a slight green tint to her skin, which was definitely not the lighting.

“Oh dear”, she said softly. “Now this is really going to be a problem.

“Syle!” She yelled out, looking into her home. “Syle dear, get dressed, we have company.” She looked back to Kayde and me, “Please, why don’t you come in? I just started a pot of tea.” She told us, opening the door wider and standing to the side.

As we stepped into her house, there was a faint earthy smell, similar to the way the soil smelled after a heavy rain, but it was much lighter. Kayde and I walked in and the strange looking woman showed us to her living room.

Kayde and I sat down on the soft moss green colored couch.

“Hi”, I said, feeling shy and slightly nervous. “My name is Phoenix and this is my… Boyfriend, Kayde.” I told her, hesitating and watching Kayde’s reaction for my use of the word. “I really hate to bother you so late at night, but I’m in town looking for my”-

“I know dear. Quiet now, we shall talk about that in a bit.” She said, interrupting me as she began to head for her kitchen. “For now, why don’t we just enjoy each other’s company as we wait for Syle to get in here?” She finished off as she left the room.

Kayde and I looked at each other, both equally confused by the woman, as she walked to her kitchen for the pot of tea she had mentioned earlier.

“I’m sorry, how rude of me, I meant to introduce myself. My name is Flora” She said, as she came back into the living room carrying a beautiful tray holding a tea pot, four tea cups, upside down on saucers and what I assumed were cream and sugar, along with what seemed to be a small jar of honey, all the same beautiful cream color. “Oh! And this is my husband, Syle.” She said as she gazed up behind us.

“Well, it’s lovely to meet the two of you,” Said the man who was possibly even stranger than Flora. At first glance, anyone would have thought Syle to be albino, with his pale skin and white hair, but in the light, his pale skin was nearly translucent with a slight shimmer, and his white hair was not actually white, but silver, and they were highlighted with nearly clear ice blue eyes.

Syle looked at me and a look of surprise began to cross his eyes “Well aren’t you just a”-

“Syle. Come now, have a cup of tea. She doesn’t seem to know.” Flora said, interrupting her husband.

“Doesn’t know what?” I asked, desperate to find out what, if any connection the two strange looking people had to do with my family.