Cave Dwellers

Andrew was pretty sick of the general life in New York. He wore a gray jacket, which had seemed to have been sewn back together many times, blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and his new plain white sneakers he had gotten. He continued to walk down the sidewalks, repetitively listening to sirens and constant shouts and honking of cars. He loved New York, but he hated the amount of noise and disruptions there were from everyday life. He needed to get away, like he did when he went to Ireland or something. So he did. He walked into the nearest dark alleyway, ignoring a couple of homeless people, who were sleeping softly, and stood in the corner. He remembered his apparation training and thought hard about where he wanted to go. After thinking hard about it, and being determined that he wanted to head there, he was off in a second.

After a moment, Andrew landed in a small area of the fields in Utah. Where he was raised as a child until he turned 9. He missed the air that smelled some what clean and heard no noise. Now that was something he enjoyed. City life was a good thing, but quiet lives were almost better. He walked down the large field, listening to the small orchestra of the wind blowing on the trees and small plants. Finally, something that didn't sound annoying beyond belief. But what made him curious, was a large tree, standing out by the other trees. The only difference that was that the trees were red, when the others were sage green. So like always, Andrew went to investigate. After a moment of running, he stood next to the tree, curious about it's type of wood which seemed to be black wood, instead of oak which surrounded the area.

Andrew then climbed up the tree, one small branch at a time, slipping near the top, but managed to grab a smaller one next to him. After he reached the top, he sat on a sturdy branch and examined the large field. He smiled at the sight, and was about to jump down. Yet a small circular hole was implanted into the tree next to where he was sitting. Curious once again, he moved his head at an angle to see what was inside. It seemed like nothing was in there. Disappointed, Andrew moved his head away, when he got an idea. He pulled out his wand and moved the tip inside. There was a small click and suddenly the wood began to move and meld into a pattern of squares, which suspiciously looked like some tic-tac-toe game. Weird.

After about 10 minutes of messing around with the squares, he tapped his wand on the squares in a random motion, his curiosity beginning to burn off. That's when it happened. The squares then began to light in a weird patten and a small hole then emerged into the branch, almost instantaneously. "Lumos!" he casted, and a small red jewelry box stood there, looking very old and a mysterious lock on it. He pulled it out carefully, not wanting to drop it and let it smash to its doom and examined it. Something was different about the design and almost looked archaic. "Nox" he said again and the light diminished. Maybe I should call someone, he asked, rummaging through his pockets and pulled out his phone. As soon as he did though, someone had been calling him.

[Okay, so the first person who posts would be calling him.]

Sunglasses flashing in the light, scarf billowing out behind her, Chase was flying down the freeway in her pink convertible. America was so different then England, and she loved it. The rush of wind in her hair as it streamed out behind her, the noise of other cars on the freeway, it was just to good to be true. Somehow, after all that had happened to her lately, Chase felt happy, left alone to her own devices, her Shih Tzu curled up on the seat next to her, the wind just barely missing his very long hair as it rushed over the seat. She laughed, and looked out across the corn fields and cow pastures. Glancing at her speed and gas, she realized she was getting low. "Crap.." She muttered, and after driving a few more miles, turned off into a gas station.

Chase was taking a road trip, an amazing adventure, all the way to the foreign, California, though of course, Chase wasn't there yet, she was only in Utah actually. Turning off her car, she got out silently and went around the side of the car to fill up. Leaning against the car, she got bored, so very bored, and whipped out her cell phone. Hmm.. Glancing through her contacts, a name caught her eye. Andrew Thompson. Her mind flashed back to that day on the beach, kissing him. She could feel her cheeks heating up just thinking about it. She glanced around her, and pressed talk, listening to the ringing, waiting for him to answer.

Rubbing Dragon's head contentedly, she looked around at the gas station full of such odd people. Overalls? How out of fashion they were! She almost started to laugh, but she held it back and pulled the gas pump out of her car, sliding her card into the pump, she got back into her car, pulling forward and parking neatly in another spot. Not wanting to drive for a little bit, and just listen to the birds sing, as she also waited for Andrew to pick up his phone.

Andrew noticed that Chase had been calling him. His mind flashed back to what had happened, just a few days ago, and forgot about it almost immediatly. He didn't want to revist those memories at the moment. Some of them were too panful to even think about. He pressed the green button that lurked at the btoom left corner of the phone and pressed it to his left ear. "Hello?" he asked, examining the strange box in his other free hand.

What made him curious as to why Chase was calling him. He thought that she didn't want to talk to him, and it made him a little nervous. She could be calling him to just chew his ear off and then hang up. He wouldn't be surprised, but then again, he should probably just tell her about the box and see where it would go from there. Maybe a little adventure could take their mind of things.

Carefully, Andrew began to use the branches as stepping stones, trying to balanced himself with each jump that he made. After a minute, he was back on the soft grass, and continued to press the phone up to his ear, waiting for an answer.

Chase heard his voice, and laughed happily. "Oh hey Andrew, What's up? How are you doing? I was just seriously bored, and looking for something to do." She said laughing happily. "Can you believe it? I"m on a cross country American trip! It's so funny, seeing people stare at you whenever you talk! They have the weirdest accents, anyway! I was just wondering, I know how you can apparate and all, well I'm in this really weird state.. it's called.. Erm.. here let me check my map."

Sounds of moving around and rustling was heard, and then a dog barked. "Shh Dragon, Just a sec.." She muttered and then bit her lip. "Erm.. It's called Utah.." She said staring at the map. "I'm at some dinky little gas station! Hahaha it's just so funny! Some little town called West Side or something, I don't even know!" She giggled. "I might get a bite to eat here if you wanna come apparate over or something. "She said, more rustling was heard, showing that she was putting her map away again. A growl from a dog, and then the sound of a car starting up. "Come on you just gotta! Unless your busy of course! I can completely understand!" She giggled happily and pulled out of the gas station, her phone tucked against her shoulder and by her ear.

By the sounds of her voice and everything, it sounded like she had completely forgotten about that day on the beach, even though she hadn't, she just didn't want to talk to him about it again. She didn't want to feel awkward and weird, she just wanted to hang out with someone she considered her friend. Who she assumed at the moment was in New York still, probably hanging with his family or friends or something, and she felt her cheeks heat up again. "But don't worry about it if you don't want to! I have Dragon here, and we're gonna stop at McDonalds!" She laughed happily and pulled into the parking lot there.

Andrew was really surprised that she didn't try to be mad with him. He sighed silently in relief and said "Utah?". What a coincidence, how they were both at the same state at the same time. Small world. "I'm actually in Utah too. And I have to show you something. Maybe you could help." He looked around the small rural field and then jogged out to the main road. He saw a large bilboard painted in green that said WEST SIDE- 20 MILES NORTH. Looked like he would have to apparate after all.

"Alright," he said, trying to think about West Side now "I'll be there in a second." He then hung up and thought about West Side. It was a lot harder for Andrew to apparate when he had never been to the place he was thinking about, but could still do it. West Side, West Side... he thought over again, determined that he could make it. A second later, he felt himself traveling through the small tube that was apparation, and appeared behind a small building. He jogged to the front of the building, and it said West Side Post Office. He was glad that he had made his jump succesfully.

Gripping the small box in his hand, he began to jog around the small town, which seemed to be pretty friendly, although very small. After a moment, he saw a large sign with what appeared to be prices on types of gas. He found the station. Now in a short run, he went over to the large sign, examining the area for Chase. After a moment, he heard a small yip from a dog and turned. There was Chase and her dog which she had mentioned before. "Chase!" he said walking past a couple more cars that were parked near him. "Do you have any idea what this may be?" he asked, holding out the small box in his right hand.

Chase got out of her car, and stared at her phone for a moment. Odd.. he had just.. hung up, and he was in Utah? Maybe he was still angry at her? She wasn't sure, but she didn't mind. Leaning over she grabbed her dog out of the front seat, and turned around, leaning against the side of her car, while petting her dog contentedly. Today she had chosen to wear a short black skirt, like the kind she wore at Hogwarts, only a bit shorter. Her yellow tank top was rather low cut, but it was HOT, and she didn't mind showing a bit of skin. She wore simple black high heels, that snaked around her ankles and stopped about mid calf.

Suddenly she heard a voice and she spun around, still holding Dragon, who had just started to bark at him. "Oh hey Andrew!" She said laughing, pushing her sunglasses up over her head so she could see him better. Her hair hung down completely free of any restraint, and shone red in the light as she grinned at him. Her face growing serious when he showed her the box. "Errm.. looks like a jewelry box.." She said staring at it. "Can I see it?" She put Dragon down and reached out her hand for the box.

Examining it closely she glanced around, there was no one around, so she pulled out her wand and whispered. "Alohomora." And tried to open it again. No luck. "I dunno Andrew.. It just looks like a jewelry box, like the one I have at home, it's a bit bigger mine is, and it's pink, not red.. but it's almost the same..." She said turning it over in her hands and then handing it back to Andrew. "Why? Where did you get it?" She asked frowning at him, the sun making his face to bright to see.

Andrew was surprised that there was no tension between them as they talked anymore. It was nice to be friends again, and talk like it. Now he was focused on the buisness at hand. He watched Chase attempt to open the small box with magic, which ended up failing. He toke a small mental note of the box's lock and then receieved the box from Chase. He wonderedwho had made it and why. "Well it looks as if it was made a long time ago," he said, examining the contents, the wood, and even the type of paint that was used "some of the wood seems to be pristine, but the paint is chipping. I find it curious...oh and I found it about 20 miles South of here, in an old tree. I'm surprised no one had found thing yet."

He then thought about using Merlin's Gloves, which was tucked away inside his right pocket in the form of leather gloves. But there were too many Muggles around the area for him to use magic, so he banished the thought. "Maybe I could use my gauntlets or something," he said, knowing that the gauntlets applified his magical abilites "it could be worth a shot." He held the box, and suddenly felt like someone from afar was listening to their conversation. Get real Andrew! he though to himself nearly laughing Your just getting paranoid. "Well I think the first thing we should do," he said calmly, almost in a trance by the mystery that surrounded the box "is get this to someone who could open this."

He then tried to think of someone they could ask to see if they had anything to help open the box. He thought of many different people, but didn't know if they were availiable or not. "Could you hold this for a second?" he asked, and handed her the box, and pulled out his phone. He touched the screen a couple of times, and sent a message to Mariana, who he knew could keep a secret. SMS really was a life saver at time.

Mariana was examining her family locket on her bed for the moment not being aware of what it can do. She got it from her aunt a few months ago, but just now remembered she had it. It was forged with the finest gold basiclly from the medieval times. On the center it had a big D with an animal she couldn't destinguish trying to eat it. It pretty much looked like a bear. Her attention was totally focused on it.

Her phone suddenly started vibrating like crazy. Missed call from Andrew first she thought cursing herself before she looked under it and saw a message. Her pink/black mobile phone was tightly in her hands when she read the message. "Did my birthday come a month earlier?" she said on loud before she started typing the answer after putting her locket around her neck over the other locket that had only decorative purposes.

So focused on the message she didn't notice it starting to glow in yellow bright sparks. Before she was able to notice she felt as her feet left the ground and suddenly she fell in front of a tree that had a rather strange look. Suddenly, she started editting the SMS she was sending. "Hey what the hell is Utah?" she typed not being anymore clearer while she looked at the sign nearby. She stood up arranging her hair. Fortunatly her black boots were still on. She was wearing a long white shirt with black belt around it and black jeans that felt comftable.

She started at the tree waiting for the reply from Andrew.

Andrew stood next to Chase still, his phone in his head, waiting eagerly for the reply. Why was she taking so long to reply? She only had to send 3 words saying 'on my way' or something. He continued to move the small red jewlery box in his hand, in every direction and motion, wanting to figure out how to open the small lock, which only a very small key could open. He then wondered if he should head back to the tree, where he found the box, and looked around some more, and maybe find the key lurking within that hole. It was worth a shot.

Before, he could do anything, he felt his phone vibrate in his hands, and he quickly switched back to New Messages. One from Mari. He nearly grimaced at her message, and quickly typed in 'Utah is a place in America, just hurry and get over here. Me and a friend of mine found something. Just apparate to us, if you can.' Once he finished the message, he clicked 'Send' at the bottom right corner of the screen. "Alright," he said, pocketing his phone to await any messages "I guess we wait for another message now."

Mariana was looking around to see where the hell she ended up. Only bigger road that might have lead somewhere was on her right side while on the left there was something that unmistakenly reminded her of a garden with a big strange red tree planted there. She waited for Andrew to answer her while she walked around wondering whether to apparate or not.

Her phone suddenly started vibrating so she took it and read a message. Well that was enlightning. she thought for herself before she typed a quick message back. "Place in America huh? Well you know i was intending to apparate to you, but somehow i ended up at some weird looking red tree which reminds me of the twilight zone." she typed quickly hoping Andrew would know to tell her where she was because this place was everything, but familiar to her.