Destiny Calls Read online

  Destiny Calls © 2020 by Erin Anchustegui. All Rights Reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Cover designed by Deranged Doctor Design This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  I would like to thank Kelly Jones, Judy Frederick, Laura Robb, and Glida Bothwell, and Maureen Harty for reviewing earlier versions of this work.

  CHAPTER 1

  TAP! “Elise, are you up? Your breakfast is waiting.” The brass voice pipe made Ma’s voice sound hollow and tinny. Ignoring her, I lay in bed a little longer to enjoy the warmth under the thick comforter. I didn’t want to wait on customers today. I wanted to take the day off, visit my friend Millie, and go to the local town, Mikula. But Pa always said: It’s good to work.

  Work gives you confidence. This restaurant will be yours one day.

  I got up to look out the window, still thinking of Millie. School let out for the summer two weeks ago, and I had only seen her once since then. She was busy working with her dad on some project. Of course, I talked to her on the phone, but I wanted to see her. We’d been best friends ever since second grade, and it felt weird not to be spending time with her now.

  I noticed how the soft sunlight shone through my lace curtains, creating a snowflake pattern on my windowsill. Outside, I could see Toqi, my

  DESTINY CALLS

  pet goat, meandering around his pen, occasionally stopping to dig for roots with his tooth. I gazed out at the holes in our backyard; he'd dug up all the turquoise root.

  TAP! “It’s almost time to open. Where are you, sweetie?” Ma said.

  I went over to the voice pipe. “Okay, okay! I’m coming.”

  I threw on some clothes and stepped in front of the mirror to put my hair in a ponytail, noticing once more how my jet-black hair and pale skin made me stand out.

  Pushing my way through the double-doors, I entered the kitchen, the smell of hot chocolate, fresh seed rolls, and nutty buns bidding me to breakfast. Ma stood at the stove. Pots and kettles bubbled on the three black ovens, dishes and dirty pans lay in the washtub, and silver tins without lids sat scattered on the wood counters. A red and white checkered curtain covered part of the old window facing out back.

  Ma stirred a pot with a spoon in one hand and kneaded the dough with the other. Above her, the calendar on the wall had Millie wrote on it and a circle around June 28, my birthday.

  3

  TOWNSEND

  “There you are. Look at you—so tall. I swear you must have grown a little overnight.”

  In three days, I would turn 14. I couldn’t believe it myself. I suppose I had grown some over the past year. Other people always seem to notice how much you’ve grown and feel it’s necessary to tell you all about it.

  Ma sprinkled black spice on the soup. “Your rolls and hot chocolate are waiting for you on your table, sweetie. Eat up!”

  I sat down at my table, which was at the end of the counter, and sipped some chocolate.

  “You have some pots to wash from this morning. after your breakfast, get the pots of hot chocolate and goatmeal out into the dining room.”

  While sitting at my table, I reflected on how the Mikula Inn got started. Ma and Pa built the building for the restaurant before I was hatched.

  Jack Bonneville and Wendel Gardner helped to lay the rock foundation. They helped Pa cut the logs and put mud and clay in between to hold them together. Others from around Mikula helped with the roof, and Pa finished the inside.

  The fancy carvings on the tables and chairs Pa did himself. On the walls were embroidered 4

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  pictures of animals and an old picture of Aunt Verla.

  “I have to finish eating. Pa ought to help with the dishes, too.” I put some syrup on the second roll.

  “Your pa works hard out there taking care of customers, which is what he prefers. So, you get back as soon as you can.” Ma put down the spoon. “I’m going to Mikula tomorrow. Let me know what I should get you for your birthday.”

  Mikula is a small town in central Ourania, which is a continent on the planet of Ur. Ur is not in the Milky Way galaxy; I’m unsure what universe our world is in. Ever since I hatched, I have lived with my parents at the restaurant.

  On my planet, babies like me are hatched from eggs. But more on that later.

  Ma took out a hanky to dab some sweat on her forehead. She wore a pink and red striped dress under her orange apron. She preferred to wear sandals with thick soles around the kitchen so she would not slip on the sometimes-wet floor. She pulled her frizzy black hair back into a tight bun and wrapped her head in orange cloth. Her thick fingers and strong hands knew hours upon hours of work throughout her life.

  5

  TOWNSEND

  “By the way, I have a new recipe for potlatch soup. I am hoping you’ll try it later. I need to know if I put in too much charcoal flavoring.”

  She grabbed the bottom of her apron to pull out a hot tray of poached buzzard eggs from the oven.

  “You need to eat more,” Ma said. “Grab some of these buzzard eggs. They are so fresh.”

  “I’m fine.” I finished my hot chocolate and rolls. My belly was full, and the thought of eating one more bite made me gag.

  Ma gave a pathetic look. “Girl, you need more muscle. Look at how your legs are spindly and weak. When I was your age, I had round cheeks and bulky muscular legs. I could carry a 160-pound pack on my back all the way up the mountain. Strong is what they called me. Don’t forget to drink some juice, would you? It’ll make your eyes bright.”

  That last comment made my heart sink. “My eyes aren’t bright enough?” I know she wanted me to be like a mountain person. But I was human. I wasn’t one of those mountain species that lived up high on the Phrixus mountain range. Ma and Pa were a species called aresti.

  6

  DESTINY CALLS

  Ma told me endless stories of how she used to climb up the mountain to the family cabin. The Phrixus Mountains made healthy people. The mountains made your lungs strong. So many times, she talked about sending me there to stay with her relatives. I know she had my best interests in mind, but she had the worst way of letting me know. Sometimes, I think she reveled in driving me nuts.

  “If you tried a little harder, Elise, maybe worked out and ate more—.”

  “I am not a mountain animal. I was hatched this way. A human. I’m different from you and Pa.”

  “Elise, it doesn’t change the way we love you.

  I just want you to be big and healthy.”

  “I am big and healthy. Already.”

  Pa poked his green head through the double doors. “Time to open up!” His skin was a darker green than Ma’s, which was typical of the mountain animals. He wore the same old brown archer’s hat day in and day out. You’d think he'd have a quiver on his back with ten arrows in it. His hair had grown thin over the years, so he covered it with the hat. He’d kept a thin green beard since I could remember. Ma embroidered 7

  TOWNSEND

  small hammers, tables, and chairs on his pants'

  outer seams and the lapel of his vest.

  I grabbed a tray of clean cups and saucers to take to the dining area. “Just a minute.” Pa opened the curtains and unlocked the front door of the restaurant.

  Mrs. Willowberry, the first customer, walked through the entranceway. Pa held the door open as she shuffled by with her nose up in the air.

  Her robust red dress was short enough to show a good six inches of a slip.

  As Ms. Willowberry squeezed into her favorite booth, she burst out at Pa, “I waited out there for so long. I should be let in early. I spend enough money here, after all!” She snorted.

  “Everyone in town knows that I am a good customer. Now, where did I put that thimble?”

  She rustled around in her oversized purse. After pulling out the thimble, she yelled in the voice pipe at her booth. “Yoo-hoo! Can anyone hear me? Bring me some hot chocolate. I want the very freshest seed rolls. Don’t forget that I want braisins and hark berries on my goatmeal. Oh, and a dash of cream. No butter or seasoning!

  Can anyone hear me? Yoo-hoo?”

  “I’m right here,” I said. “I have your seed rolls and hot chocolate, and your goatmeal with 8

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  braisins and hark berries with the dash of cream are coming.”

  She turned toward me and adjusted her hat.

  “Er…oh. It’s about time, young man.” She moved a frizzy strand of hair away from her face with her hand. “Thank you.”

  Pa sat behind the cash register, putting out candy bars and gum. I delivered two menus to Mr. and Ms. Randall, who sat down at a table in the middle of the room. They always sat together on the same side of the table, looking like newlyweds.

  I set down the menus. “Good morning to you.

  Hairy berry juice this morning?”

  Mr. Randall eyed the menu as if it held a deep dark secret. “What’s today’s special?”

  “Poached buzzard eggs on brown squares and sweet puree,” I replied.

  “I need more time,”
Mr. Randall said. “I can’t decide between the burnt omelet and the buzzard eggs.”

  9

  “I will check back in a minute.” After getting a jug of water from the kitchen, I filled up some cups on the side table near the double doors.

  Seeing that the Randalls looked ready, I went back to their table. “Are you ready to order?”

  “We just ordered through the voice pipe. Your ma picked up our order,” Mr. Randall said.

  “Okay, cool. Most people who come here don’t use them. I think they like a person to take their order,” I replied.

  “When I was younger, all the restaurants used voice pipes,” Mr. Randall said.

  “Old fashioned is what you are,” I replied. “Ma and Pa really like them. Even though they are kind of out-of-style.”

  Mrs. Randall smiled as she spoke. “Are you having a good summer vacation so far?”

  “It’s okay. I hope to get out and do some fun things with friends later in the summer.” I tried to squeeze out a smile. Truth be told, it wasn’t any vacation at all…not yet.

  “I’m sure your parents appreciate you helping out around the place. They can’t do it all themselves,” Mr. Randall said. “You know our sons, Tony and Mike, work all summer building 10

  houses. It keeps them outside, and they don’t mind the money either.”

  “Pa says working at the restaurant keeps me out of trouble and builds character.”

  Mr. Randall chuckled. “Your pa is right.

  Smart fellow, he is.”

  I was about to agree with Mr. Randall when a warm breeze swept over me. I noticed that the front door to the restaurant was open.

  Goosebumps raced up my spine. I recognized the words of, Naxo, the nerean language—a language I hadn’t heard in many years.

  Turning to see who spoke this rare tongue, I noticed three nerean sailors. Stern and proud, dressed in gold tunics with thick brocade, capes, and black boots, they walked over to the table in the corner and stood talking. Everyone in the room watched. Some customers sat up in their seats to get a better look, and others whispered to each other.

  Tall,

  lean,

  and

  blue-skinned,

  these

  amphibious beings were rare in these parts.

  Many people said that their slanted green eyes were hypnotic if you stared too long at them.

  Ms. Willowberry eyed the lanky sailors up and down. “Well, look at those beautiful specimens.

  11

  It isn’t often we get something that delicious in Mikula. Maybe I should move to the coast! I could move too, now that Mr. Willowberry is gone,” she roared, scanning her head around to see if anyone listened. Her eyes caught mine.

  “Did you see those fine ones who just came in?”

  She raised her eyebrows up and down as if to emphasize how much I should agree with her.

  And I did agree with her, but I didn’t want to admit it.

  “Ms. Willowberry, you are something,” I said.

  I didn’t say exactly what that something was.

  I went into the kitchen to check on the food orders.

  Ma wiped some sweat from her cheek with her sleeve. “When are you going to get started on the dishes? We’re running out of bowls, pans, and forks.” She reached into the oven and pulled out a large pan of baked squares in syrup. “First, take this tray to the Randalls.”

  “You got it, Ma. I will be in as soon as I can.

  It’s getting pretty busy out there.”

  “As soon as you get some free time, take over in here.” Ma went over to the wooden tub of hot water and started to wash some plates.

  12

  I headed out of the double doors with the Randalls’ tray.

  Overwhelmed with curiosity about why the nereans were so far inland, I tried to eavesdrop on their conversation. Aurelia, my friend in first grade, taught me the language. Like most schools in Ourania, ours had all kinds of species. I go to Mikula Junior High with around a hundred other students. Some are human, others are furry with long ears, and a couple of my good friends even have yellow grass for hair.

  Just as I was about to head over to the sailors, Marie Ascellus and her pa walked in and sat down near the windows at the front of the restaurant. Marie was the most annoying and stuck-up girl in the entire 7th grade. A terrible gossip, I hated it when she came to our restaurant. I avoided eye contact with her, hoping Pa might pick up the cue to wait on them. He didn’t. My shoulders dropped a half-inch as I walked over to the pair.

  “Good morning.” I gave them a fake smile and handed them a couple of menus, before sneaking another glance at the nereans’ table.

  “Some of your finest whatever you have today,” Marie said, clapping her hands.

  13

  “Now hold on, Marie… I might want to see if there are any thick lorky rolls.” Mr. Ascellus glanced over the menu. “Your ma’s rolls are my absolute favorite in the world.”

  “I’ll tell her you said that.” I flashed a fake smile.

  “Okay, then. Baked squares with dorlet gravy.” Mr. Ascellus wrinkled his nose. “None of that larvae syrup.”

  I wrote down the order.

  Marie patted the object in front of her as if it were her pet. “If you bring it out fast, I just might let you see what’s under this cloth. It’s fantastic.”

  “I’m sure I could do without all that excitement.” My job required that I be polite to customers even the annoying ones.

  “It has magic in it, you know,” Marie continued as her father read his newspaper.

  “Wackerly's Store had only three of them. A traveling merchant brought them in, Mr.

  Wackerly told me.” Marie smirked. “Wackerly said this plant would grow and give everyone in our house luck and happiness. Super cool, eh?”

  14

  “Maybe you can tell me if the plant worked after the summer is over. Excuse me, I have orders to fill.” I turned away from them.

  The nereans huddled together as if to talk about some urgent matter. One glanced at Marie, and another eyed me over his shoulder as I approached their table. I heard what they said. The young one, called Jud, was elected to talk to me.

  “Hello, here are your menus. Would each of you like water, hot chocolate, or some hairy berry juice to drink?” I spoke Caelum, which is the language of Ourania.

  I guessed that Jud was about sixteen by the fact that his secondary gills were already fully formed. The two top fins on his head lay flat—a sign of friendliness and courtesy. He had a wisp of a blue mustache above his lips, and his skin was radiant. The light-blue gills on his hands and neck shimmered. Flecks of gold and lavender sparkled when he moved.

  “We will have one pot of hot chocolate and two glasses of water,” Jud replied. His pale green eyes had a tinge of blue. I found myself sinking into them as if they told me a story of the deep sea and swimming with all kinds of brightly colored creatures.

  15

  “Excuse me,” Jud said. “Are you okay?” He spoke in a luxurious, thick accent.

  I snapped out of my brief dream. “Oh, yes, right away. I mean, I’ll get your drinks. Back in a minute.” Flustered, I felt like an idiot. I wandered into the kitchen in a daze and put my hand on the kitchen counter to steady myself.

  Images of fish and the blue sea swirled in my mind.

  “Dishes, young lady. I am running out, and you’re out there, taking your time.” Ma stood with her arms on her hips. With my eyes down, I walked past her to the dish tub. I could see that she had done some of them already, and the water was hot. She wasn’t going to rob me of my inner glow. I quickly scrubbed some bowls, forks, and pans, then carelessly tossed them in the rinsing tub.

  “Ma, I have to get orders for customers.”

  “You serve those and then get back in to do some more,” she said. “Try to balance serving and taking orders with the dishes.”

  I don’t know why we couldn’t have a modern sink and dish drainer, but Ma wouldn't allow it.

  Two wooden tubs for dishes, a wooden tub for vegetable scraps, a wooden tub for garbage, and 16

  a wooden tub for laundry—wooden tubs lined the kitchen. Ma said it had to do with purity and the old ways. All of that meant that she was just old school.