Dear Diary,

The final section was the largest. It was filled with tall wardrobes, each with padlocks and chains around their handles. They were lined in neat rows. Each sat silently.

I followed Caroline as she softly dusted each cabinet. Hung on the wall was a neon sign, "Let It Snow!" It called out in cursive lettering. All I could hear was the buzz of the neon and the soft brushes of Caroline's duster.

We stop silently together until Caroline put her hands on her hips, satisfied.

"Beautiful," She said smiling at her work. She then pulled a small key out of her pocket and waved me closer.

"Now you can't tell the owner I showed you this, but..." She pushed the key into on of padlocks and turned it. The click seemed louder than it was.
The wardrobe was full of petticoats and a-line dresses, but Caroline pushed right past them and pulled open a drawer obscured by the clothing. Out of it she pulled out a furled roll of paper. The paper was yellowed and torn. It was held in a roll by a dirty red ribbon. She pulled the ribbon off and unrolled the paper.

I gasped. Her eye's widened, "You can read it?"

"No, no, the drawings," I studied them, "They're...magnificent,"

Caroline smiled and laughed, "Aren't they?"

"Completely," I said breathlessly, as I observed them.

They were simple black and white drawings, but they were beautiful. They looked like a mural that surrounded a chunk of text, but the language was incomprehensible. The drawings were split into five sections two on each side and one middle panel. The side sections seemed to be depicting scenes, while the middle was stunning. It was of bald figure with closed eyes and a benevolent smile. They were draped in flowing cloth and held their arms out. It looked so welcoming that I could almost feel like I was being hugged.

"I can't read it either. It's an ancient language, nothing like a human language,"Caroline said, finally ending our breathless silence, "but the owner knows it's somewhat and I memorized her translation,"

My eyes traced the swirly and complex lettering. My years and years of language classes at Psychic High did me no good. I couldn't recognize a single symbol.

"What is it?" I said.

She smiled, "This is why I believe the god will come back to the town," Her eyes shined, "It is a prophecy,"

My eyes widened, "You're not messing with me?"

"No," She looked back at the paper, "I don't lie. I definitely wouldn't lie to you,"

I looked back at the paper and Caroline began to recite:

"Mercurial. Not to be found, not to be owned, because of Our Indigo God. We are the land of lonely and lost found. We are the land of cast off now belonging. We are the land of tenderness, amity, and peculiarity.

Our Indigo God lies in a power unknowable to many.

That of grotesque ambition and wealth cannot feel and understand the Indigo God's nurturing power and love of indescribable magnitude, yet their lack of understanding does not compel them to shy away, but to possess the power. Thus, our Indigo God will be sought after by others."

She paused for moment, then continued,

"By the moon, the capture of the Indigo God shall be the seeming downfall of Mercurial, but you are not abandoned. The Indigo God cannot enrich in captivity, but their power is still intact. At our moment of most need, of most turmoil, The Indigo God will find Mercurial again and restore the land into it's golden age.
Our unrest will come from inside us. The apple rots from the core. Like a fungus spreading from the pit, corruption will choke the hold of the people upon their land. The people shall forget their Indigo God, but the Indigo God will return."

We stood silently together.

"She says she may have mistranslated some things, but I think it's beautiful," Caroline finally said.

I nodded.

"The god will come back, Ava," She smiled her beautiful smile, "I believe. I really do,"

I smiled. Caroline was seemed nearly angelic.

"Let's go to meet then owner then, shall we?" She laughed.

And so, I followed.
Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

The next section was made by piles of boxes filled with random items. This area was quite roomy, but chaotically filled to the brim. On a pile of boxes, the next neon sign was propped. It was beaming orange pumpkin that dosed the boxes in an eerily light.

Caroline immediately began to dust. She looked like a roman sculpture, the way the light hit her face.

"Caroline?"

"Yes," She continued dusting a box filled with rubber chickens.

"I don't have a blind date,"

"I thought as much. No need to worry about it,"

"How could you tell?"

"We've been here for an hour and you didn't mention it once after I brought it up,"

"Oh,"

She laughed, "Who are you meeting?"

"I am not really meeting them, as much as they are meeting me,"

"How so?"

I hesitated, "I've been... following her,"

Caroline whipped around, "You've been stalking some poor girl and you have the audacity to come to me and..."

"No, no, it's Officer Tavin,"

Caroline frowned, "What?"

"She wants to start a revolt,"

Caroline pursed her lips.

"I...I found out something concerning about this place and so, I started following the police," Caroline's eyes drew big, "and trying to figure out what was going on,"

Caroline swatted my arm with the duster, "You're gonna get yourself killed,"

"I need to get out of here and everything I try leads me back into the town,"

Caroline shook her head, "So what was your plan?"

"Find out how to leave from Officer Tavin, under the guise of supporting her revolution," Each word was painful as it left my mouth.

"Good god," She sighed.

I cringed and felt my cheeks hot with embarrassment, "I know it's dumb, but,"

"C'mon, this way into the last section. I need to show you something,"

Once again, I followed.

Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

The next section was bordered by tall bookcases stuffed with books. An animated neon sign with a smiling sunglasses clad sun periodically gave a thumbs up. Below the sun, the sign flashed, "SUMMER IS NOW!!".

Caroline began to dust the books. I felt calmer in this room. The tall shelves made it feel like a comforting cave of knowledge.

"Some people say this land won't be theirs for long,"

"What do you mean?"

She laughed, "Well, it's just a story, but some say that this land belongs to an arcane god. That the god made it to be a haven for lost and lonely people,"

"That's rather specific," I gazed over the bindings of the books. I didn't recognize any of the titles. I pulled one of the shelf titled "Meaning of Heat". It had no author.

"Maybe," She stood on her tip toes and dusted the top of a high shelf, "Some say that the founders will be overturned when the god returns,"

"Who says that?" I picked up the next book "Love as Friendship" said the title. No author.

She laughed, "Well, truthfully, I do,"

I looked up, "Really?"

"Really," She smiled and continued to dust.

I nodded. The next book was called, "Secrets Lie Under Hills". No Author.

"I know it sounds like a fairy tale, but..." She looked to me, as I squinted at the authorless books.

"Oh," She laughed, "None of them have authors,"

"Why?"

She shrugged and looked away, "Maybe the god wrote them,"

I smiled and looked around the little area. It was such an odd way to set up a store, but it was beautiful.

"Who owns this place?" I said.

"Do you want to meet her? She usually is out in the woods, but she's in this week,"

"Out in the woods?"

Caroline smiled, "She stays out there weeks at a time. Her cat stays up in her apartment and I feed him and play with him. He is really the cutest little thing you could ever see,"

"What does she do out in the woods?"

"Oh," Caroline laughed, "She is an old woman. She has a whole spiel about what she is doin' out there," She laughed again, "She says she is casting spells,"

"Do you believe her?"

"Well... She is rather old. I don't even know how long she's been in this town,"

I squinted my eyes at Caroline, "You believe a god will come to rid this town of the mayor, but not a witch in the woods?"

She laughed slowly to herself, "I do guess I sound rather foolish,"

She shrugged and put her hands on her hips.

"Onto the next section?"

I followed.

Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

I walked to the Capricious Canoe. I felt relief.
"Hello, Ava," Caroline smiled. She slid the bookmark into her book.

I nodded nervously with my hands in my pockets. I nervously looked around the dim, neon lit room.

"I hope that arrest the other day didn't scare you," She laughed, "I haven't seen you around the diner in quite a time,"

"How long?" I impulsively asked.

She narrowed her eyes a second, but put her smile back on. "Just a week or two. I don't typically stalk my customers,"

"I've gotta clean. Why don't you come with me?" She said, as she pulled out a ornate feather duster from under the counter. We proceeded into the first section of the store. It was made into a section by three folding paper screens.

"I'm sorry," I said forcing a smile, "I'm just nervous. I am trying to... meet someone, but I don't know if I can do it,"

The section was packed with tables full of vases, mugs, and other pottery. Some of it looked professional. Some of it looked ancient. Some of it looked homemade.

"Blind date?"

"Yes," I lied. The neon on the wall of the section was bright green. "Spring!" It yelled.

"Oh, well those are always challenging, but the people of Mercurial are good. I would trust any of them! Well, except..." She shook her head, "but they don't date anybody, so you don't have to worry about it,"

"What? Who wouldn't you trust?"

Caroline shook her head as she dusted a tiny table packed with bad homemade ashtrays, "You don't need to worry, dear. To become a police officer, you have to swear of dating and anything that will distract you from the goals of the mayor,"

"You don't trust the police officers?"

She laughed and avoided eye contact.

"Well, I'm not scared of them. I just don't trust them,"

She moved to another little table precariously packed bowls.

"They just... I love this town. It has given my soul a rest... but the Mayor and the police, they... they have their own agenda. But as long as you follow the laws, there is no real reason to be scared. They might be snakelike, but they aren't unjust,"

I nodded and bit my lip.

"Oh dear, I hope I didn't scare you," She frowned looking at me, "Here let's go to the next section there are lots of books there.

So I followed.


Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

It was really, really late or really early depending on when you had woken up. The air was dewy and the streets were quiet.

Officer Tavin sat at the counter of the diner gulping down a beer. It wasn't her first and it wouldn't be her last. No one else was in the diner, but Julio who wiped down the tables and vinyl benches of the booths. In front of Officer Tavin was a notebook filled with scribbles of angry handwriting. I peered in from the outside. My feet nervously kicked around the gravel of the unpaved parking lot. I had followed her here.

I contemplated whether or not to walk in. I knew I needed to talk to her, but the knot anxiety in my stomach beckoned me to look anywhere but the diner. My eyes glanced over to The Capricious Canoe. Caroline was reading behind the desk. The neon creating a bright halo around her head. She looked beautiful.

It was an inviting image.

So I looked away from the diner. I looked away from Officer Tavin
and I walked into The Capricious Canoe.

Distracted,
Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

The campfire crackled softly and cast shadows across the sullen faces of the Mercurial Police Department. Sheriff Agité leaned towards the fire and poked it with stick. He was a sturdy man with a square jaw and heavy brow. His skin was uncharacteristically pale for the Arizona heat, but understandably so in the Mecrurial fog. He wore a big cowboy hat and old, but dependable clothes.

The air about them was unsteady and stagnant. The all of the officers were skittish and nervous after the day's events. That is everyone, but Sheriff Agrité and Officer Tavin.

"It isn't right," Officer Tavin said. The group groaned and mumbled against her.

"C'mon! I had to say it," She looked around the officers who all held their heads low. None of them met her gaze. She shook her head.

"Officer Tavin, We've talked about this," Sheriff Agrité's speech was clear and calm, "We can't be chase after every fool who leaves Mercurial,"

"This is our promised land!" She stood. Her stance was as strong as her conviction, "These sheep keep leaving! Keep coming to take away our people! And I am supposed to sit by and watch the town I love be destroyed?"

"Office Tavin," He said in a scolding tone, " As I've said before, if any of y'all have a problem with the ways I'm enforcing the law, you can take it up with the Mayor,"

Officer Tavin shook her head and silently plopped back onto the log she sat. She snorted, "You don't think of anything, but the Mayor's will,"

Sheriff Agrité's jaw clenched and his eye's narrowed. His tone became severe, "And you only think of idealistic poppycock. Is that my fault, too?"

"I..."

He didn't give her time to speak, "The girl ain't gonna leave, Tavin," The officers tensely looked at the exchange, "I've been Sheriff for longer than you've been alive and I know a believer when I see one. She is the exact type of soul who wants to get lost,"

Officer Tavin looked to her feet.

"I'm not gonna start being a tyrant just to keep a couple fools in. If they can't recognize this place as it is, they don't belong here,"

Officer Tavin bit her lip, then shook her head.

"You got something to say?" Sheriff Agrité barked.

She scowled, "Well I do! The reality of Mercurial could be the reality everywhere, but your too busy thinking small. You are content with Mercurial slowly dying out, but I'm not and somehow that makes me a bad guy,"

"Leave, Tavin. You're gettin' hot headed,"

"Oh, Am I too much for you, old man?"

"Leave, Tavin,"

"And this isn't tyranny?" She gestured at the circle of tense officers, "You're off your rocker, if you think they are silent because they respect you,"

"Leave,"

"They're only scared 'cuz they know what you do with people you don't like, but I'm not," She sneered and leaned towards the Sheriff, "I know your secrets Agrité and I could tell them all right now,"

He stood and yelled, "LEAVE,"

Two officers grabbed each of her arms and scoffed.

"I don't need this," She shook them off and stepped over the log.

"We don't need you,"

She shook her head and walked out the deep wood and back into the town.

Sheriff Agrité thought Tavin would come in the next day with hat in hand and a quick apology. He didn't regret anything.

Officer Tavin? She knew he would.

Disoriented,
Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

I am coming to the end of my second week in Mercurial. My time here has been amazing, but today, I am shaken.

I was walking out of the inn. Today it was called "Mary Sue's Bed and Breakfast and Amateur Good Ass Barbecue and Foot Massage" and in fact, did have good ass barbecue and foot massage, but I was planning on visiting the Capricious Canoe and it's next door diner for breakfast.

Caroline smiled and sat me at a booth in the empty diner. She handed me a menu, "I see you like it here. You've been here for about... a month, haven't you?"

"Oh no, I've only been here two weeks,"

"Oh, silly old me," She laughed, "Time just flies in Mercurial, Arizona,"

I smiled and ordered a coffee. I've never really had a taste for coffee, but in Mercurial it's delightful. I looked over the menu for a bit until the bell on the door rang.
I looked up to see the new customer and involuntrarily dropped my cup onto the table.
It spilled the coffee across the table.
Caroline rushed over, "Oh dear!" She pulled napkins out of her apron. I stared at the woman at the door, "Oh darling, don't you worry! Accidents happen,"

Julio left the grill to seat the women. "Thanks, Julio!" Caroline yelled over her shoulder.
"How many?" Julio said.

"Actually, I am meeting someone here," She interrupted in her welsh accent. She glanced around the diner and met my eyes. She pointed to me.
He nodded and walked her over to my table. She slid into the vinyl covered seat across from me.
"While I am hear, could I get you anything to drink, hon?" Caroline said.

"No, thank you,"

"Alright, I'll get you another coffee,"

We sat silent in the booth for a moment.

"Professor Branigan, What are you doing here?"

She smiled, "I've come to bring you back to Psychic High,"

"I've only been gone a little while,"

Her smile dropped, "No, you haven't been,"

"I'll be back in time for fall classes. You didn't have to drag yourself out..."

She interrupted me, "It's not summer, Ava,"

"It's July,"

"No, Ava, Listen to me, you have been her much longer than two weeks,"

"What are you talking about?"

"Tell me, Have you seen anything that tells you it is summer right now?"

"No, but it is just foggy here, so the weather doesn't change mu..."

"You are in Arizona,"

"I know, Why are you so freaked out about this?"

"Ava, If you were in Arizona in the summer, you would be able to tell. Arizona has a daily temperature of nearly 40 degrees Celsius and it is cold here,"

"No, It's just foggy here year round,"

"Okay, then tell me, is there anything physical that has told you it is the summer? A flyer, a calendar, a clock, anything?

"Well, of course..." I paused trying to think of something. The room seemed to get smaller.

"Ava, Why do you think it has been two weeks,"

"I..." I tried to think, but my mind only drew a blank, "No, no, no, it can't be. I know I've been here two weeks,"

"Ask her the date,"

"What?"

"Ask the waitress the date,"

"I know what the date is. I got here on the tenth. It's the twenty- fourth..."

"Ask the waitress the date,"

I anxiously breathed, staring at Achava for a moment. Her face seemed to just slightly shift every moment. Almost like she was getting younger or older every moment.

"Caroline," She walked over.

"Yes, dear?"

"What's the date?" I tried to smile, but my quickening pulse prevented it.

"May the Ninth,"

"Really?"

"Yes siree, May the Ninth, 1953," She sing-songed
All the air that had been in my lungs left.

"How do you figure?" Achava said.

She laughed, "It's my 8th anniversary working here! I left Virginia April Second, 1945 and got her May Ninth that year,"

"Congratulations!" Achava said. I felt dizzy.

"Well, thanks darlin'! I'll be right back to get your orders,"

"No, no, no," I muttered.

"Ava, don't panic. It will be easier to leave, if you don't panic,"

"What is the date?"

"Please, breathe,"

"WHAT IS THE DATE?"

"I can't know exactly. I am here too. I don't know how long I have been here,"

"Oh my god, Oh my god,"

"I enter Mercurial the first of February. You've been gone about 6 months,"

"No, no, no" I put my head in my hands.

"Ava, it's okay. I've been here before too, but you can still leave,"

"It's been six months!"

"Ava, calm down, all you need to do is leave," Achava looked out the window, "Oh no," I glanced out the window. A cop car was parking .

"What's going on?"

"Mercurial will change itself and do anything it can to keep you here," She said standing up, ", but it can't stop you from leaving. All you need to do is leave, Ava,"

The door jingled and two cops stepped in.

"What can I do for you officers?" Julio said wiping his hands on a rag.

"We're just looking for Achava Branigan. She's ran away from home, the little rascal,"

"We've only got two customers, but feel free to look!" The cops looked at Achava and gave a wicked smile, "There she is! Come on, Achava. It's time to go home,"

Achava leaned down to me, "Good luck,". She walked over to the cops and they took her out of the diner.

Then It was just me in the diner.

"So, what would you like to eat, sweet pea?" Caroline said.


Misconceived,
Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

My week in Mercurial has been amazing and I apologize for not writing. Ever since I arrived last Thursday, this town has been full of mysteries. The friendly diner and the spooky Capricious Canoe guard the town, but the town only has more and more to find.
At Mary Sue's Bed and Breakfast, they always have an additional attraction that appears each morning and disappears the same night.
The first day I came the large sign in front read "Mary Sue's Bed and Breakfast and Small ,but Respectable Wax Museum" and it did in fact, have a Small, but Respectable Wax Museum.
The next day it proclaimed "Mary Sue's Bed and Breakfast and Big Rico's Pizza" and behind the same door, it did in fact hold Big Rico's Pizza.
Then there was "Mary Sue's Bed and Breakfast and Daylight Donuts, Pleasant Grove, Utah," and the donuts were delicious.
On the fourth day, it was "Mary Sue's Bed and Breakfast and 24 Hour Lecture by a Reaction/Gaming Channel You Tuber on the Merits of Being Better Than Everyone Else"
On the fifth, "Mary Sue's Bed and Breakfast and Infinity War Was Overrated, But Whatever I'll Just Shut Up"
And finally today, "Mary Sue's Bed Breakfast, but when anyone says the word "breakfast" it speeds up"
It is both a lovely and puzzling place and is ran by a sweet married couple, Harriet and Mildred who were married in Mercurial's very own chapel, Notional First Church of Mercurial.
When I first came to the oddly shaped building somehow both resembling modern architecture and Victorian style, Harriet with her soft wavy grey hair and patchwork dress covered in bells and ornaments checked me in and then proceeded to walk me up a winding flight of stairs and down a narrow hallway. It took a while, because she walks with a cane, but she insisted on giving me the full "Mary Sue" experience.
"Here it is," she tapped her cane on the placard outside the room. It read "2b" .
When I left the building the following day to explore the town, upon return I couldn't find my room.
I approached Harriet while Mildred was nearby fixing a light bulb in her soft yellow canvas overalls.
"Ava!" She smiled coming out from behind the front desk. Her dress jingling with her, "How can I help you?"
She greeted me with a comforting hug. Harriet is the best at giving hugs
"Well, I can't find my room anywhere. It seems like the whole floor plan has changed,"
"Oh, well let me take a look," She slowly returned to her desk and pulled out her enormous leather book that somehow always hit the desk with a plume of dust. She turned to a page towards the middle of the book and traced her finger over the page "Ah! Yes. Right here,".
She motioned me to look, "See right here, The Sunset Suite,"
"No, I think this is a mistake," I began confused, "I'm in 2b,".
She stared at me blankly, "Oh dear, Mildred,"
Mildred continued working, "What, darling?"
"It's happening again," She turned back to me, "Ava, we always have this issue. Visitors always get lost and confused,"
She walked over to Mildred, "Mildred, can you show Ava to her room? It's the Sunset Suite. My leg is worse than usual,"
Mildred removed herself from her work and rubbed her hands on her overalls, "Alright, Ava follow me,"
Mildred was the near opposite of Harriet. She had a quick spring in her step that I could barely keep up with. Unlike Harriet's round and short stature, Mildred was lanky, but confident and nearly silent as she moved through the eccentric building. She shared Harriet's wavy grey hair, but she kept it up in a low messy bun.
She led me through various hallways, making sure to tell me the directions.
At first, I insisted that Harriet had made a mistake, but Mildred quickly shushed me.
When she reached the Sunset Room, I finally realized it. It was just like the sign outside and the attraction. The floor plan changed everyday.
"Try your key," Mildred said moving out of the way.
And sure enough, it was my room.

Okay, I have to go, but! I will write more and I promise I won't stay in Mercurial too long! I have been keeping really good track and making sure I don't stay too long. I promise I won't be here more than like three weeks!

With Love,
Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

Julio and Caroline take turns trading shifts between the diner and The Capricious Canoe. A fact I was incredibly frightened by when I stepped into moody neon glow of the antiques shop to see Caroline sitting under one of the signs. Her swath of kinky curls atop her head casting a witchy shine onto her dark skin.
I jumped in fear and she looked up from the book she was reading with a little laugh, "Oh! I hope I didn't startle ya, hon"
I pressed a laugh out of my lungs. She placed a soft silky ribbon into her book and placed it down on the counter. She smiled than glanced behind me to a beautifully caved grandfather clock.
She sashayed from behind the counter, her a-line dress swinging softly.
"Julio and me take turns,"She grabbed her apron of a hook and pulled a key out of her pockets, "The owner of this place is a shut in, but pays well. I don't know how though. You're the first customer in months,"
"It's rather interesting. All this neon?" I said, not exactly asking a question.
"I suppose so," She laughed glancing at the sign behind her, "it creates quite the image doesn't it?" She said, not exactly asking a question.
She looked me up and down.
Okay, Diary, you're imagining it wrong. It wasn't a judgement look. Imagine it again.
Oh my god no, you're disgusting! It was like a warm hug. Try again.
Are you kidding me? Okay whatever never mind you won't get it. I'll just rephrase it.
She glanced at me with a smile, "I'll be right back hon, I've gotta feed the owner's cat. You can look around and such,"
And she walked off, key in hand.
I stood alone there for a moment. But it was too scary.
No,no,no, not like SCARY scary. Try again.
Really, that's the best you can do? It was like... like hearing a loud noise when you're all alone, but refusing to check it's source. Now do you get it?
Gawwwddd, you're terrible at this.
It doesn't matter ugh, I just left the store and hopped on my motorcycle in search of "Mary Sue's".
Mercurial was turning out to be a rather interesting place.

Misconceived ,
Ava Elisabeth

Dear Diary,

Mercurial, Arizona is not a place you usually find on purpose.
Before Caroline could leave, a family shuffled in, a mother and two set of twins, one a girl and boy and the other two girls. Their clothing was messy and their hair was greasy. They all carried bags of some sort filled to the brim with belonging. They squeezed into a booth together and the mother announced the children could get anything they wanted.
"Julio will be over in a sec to help y'all, okay?" She smiled after pouring the children hot chocolates and the mother a coffee. Then Caroline disappeared into the fog, cigarettes in hand.
The children were excited and talked among themselves. The mother wore a smile, but her true disposition was shown by her shaky hand gripping on the coffee cup and the way she scanned the room and the foggy outside. She was scared.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to ask her, " Are you okay?"
She did look my way, but then noticed me, "Oh! I'm sorry, we're you talking to me?" she drew the words out all jittery.
"Yeah," I smiled, "Are you okay?"
"Um," she looked around and pushed her smile forward, "I think so,"
The bell on the door sounded and a tall, wide figure emerged from the fog.
The woman jumped up and yelped and in the process knocked over her cup of coffee.
The figure was Julio, the other waiter. A tall, chubby Hispanic man with a kind smile and a bag of oranges and a small hairless cat in his arms.
She immediately began to apologize profusely furiously grabbing paper napkins.
It wasn't really clear who she was apologizing to. Maybe her children. Maybe me. Maybe Julio. Maybe herself.
Julio put the cat down and oranges on the floor.
"No sorrys, you're all good," He said with a smile wiping the coffee up with a rag, "See! Just coffee!"
The woman was so stretched thin that at that moment she had nothing left to keep herself packed together. She began to sob with her head in her hands. Ashamed.
She was trying to be strong for her children.
Julio got down to his knees, "Hey," he said softly, "it is going to be okay. You are going to be okay. You're safe,"
And she reached out and hugged Julio. And Julio hugged her.
After that moment of absolute silence in the diner, Julio stood.
"Now what can I get started for you?"
Soon the table was piled up with all the children's favorites and the mother smiled.
This time it was real.

Mercurial, Arizona is not a place you usually find on purpose, but usually it is exactly what you need.

Breathing,
Ava Elisabeth