How a Simple Charm Made Me Feel at Home Underground

I wasn’t the first human to visit Denhaven. The more the idea rolled around in my head, the more questions I had. But this wasn’t the time. If they weren’t sending me back to the Overworld, then what happened next? Was I being detained? Was I free to go?

“Come on,” Brandon said, standing up and nodding to Annie. “Let’s get you home.”

He handed me my pack and an oversized hoodie. I honestly could have cried. I’ve been away from home for so long that the things I have from there seem so much more important.

“But my suit,” I gestured to the lump of ratty fur in the corner. “I can’t go out like this.”

“Of course, you can’t,” Annie said, taking a small metal box out of her pocket.

She carefully opened the latch, removed a small gold pendant, and held it up. I tried to look at it, but it was hard to focus on. Whenever I tried, my eyes looked away. I looked at Annie and found I couldn’t focus on her either. It was like she was sifting away from me. There, but not there.

“It’s a misdirection charm,” she said with a laugh as she followed my attempts to look at her. “It’s fully charged and should get you where you need to go.”

She slipped it over my head, and it tingled against my chest. I could see her clearly again once the charm was out of her hand.

“Thank you again, Annie,” Brandon said, slipping his hand into hers and squeezing it. “I am in your debt.”

“Yeah, you are,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “I expect a dinner invitation and a long chat about your friend here.”

She gestured to me but didn’t look at me. Now, I was the one not entirely present. I marveled at the tiny piece of magic now seated against my chest. It was warm and vibrated slightly, almost like it was alive.

“Thank you,” I managed. “I’m sorry I-”

“No, you’re fine,” she waved my apologies away. “Now go before you get me in more trouble.”

Brandon nodded to her and led me out of the office and down the hall. I pulled my hood all the way up, trying to shrink back into the darkness of its shade. Even with the charm, my nerves were jumping like live wires. I’d never been out in Denhaven without the fur suit. Shoddy as it was, at least it made me feel anonymous. And it kept most of the stares away.

Annie bustled us down the hall to a service elevator.

“No more parading around without an escort, you understand?” She admonished me, her face stern. “There are worse things than being arrested in Denhaven.”

She glanced at Brandon, who inclined his head toward her. I suddenly realized I had so many questions I wanted to ask and no time left to do it.

“Will I see you again?” I asked as the elevator opened. “I have so many questions.”

“You’ll see me again,” she said with a smile as the door closed. “Try to stay out of trouble.”

The silence inside the elevator was awkward. I didn’t know what to say, and every opening line I thought of was terrible, so I said nothing. This continued as we walked through the city. The morning was foggy. My unease began to wear off just as the sun started breaking through, and it became apparent that the charm was working. No one looked at me. It was almost as if I belonged here—just another face on the busy sidewalk.

“You must be hungry,” Brandon said, stopping outside a bakery. “I bet we have enough time to grab something to eat.”

He didn’t look at me, and I had to remind myself he couldn’t.

“Are you sure,” I said, glancing around furtively. “I don’t want to cause any more problems than I already have.”

I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes. I had made a mess of things, and here he was, offering me breakfast.

“Everyone makes mistakes,” he said, smiling. “Come on.”

I followed him into the bakery, and I can’t describe how liberating it was to walk up to the counter and order. The Aardvark at the register didn’t look at me, but smiled and took my order as if there was nothing strange about me at all. Brandon paid, and we found a table.

“Are you sure this is okay?” I asked as I sat down across from him. “This won’t suddenly wear off or something?”

“You worry too much,” he said, sipping his coffee. “Enjoy your pastry.”

The pastry was fantastic—maybe the best pastry I’d ever tasted—but I was having trouble enjoying it. My mouth was screaming at me. Pain jolted through my head like electricity when I tried to chew on my left side. I was starting to think I might have bigger problems than a sore jaw.

“Brandon, I’m really sorry,” I said, putting down my tea. “I honestly don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Listen,” Brandon said, leaning over the table. “You need to trust me. That means talking about things, even when you think you’ve made a mistake.”

I looked at the tea leaves in the bottom of my cup.

“But all of your work-”

“Stop,” he raised a hand. “Do you honestly think I wouldn’t back up important things like that?”

I was speechless. I hadn’t even considered it. I was too busy blaming myself for screwing things up. He smiled past me, and I had to remind myself I was still wearing the charm. It was nice to be out in public but strange to be passively avoided. We ate in companionable silence, watching the animals come and go with their breads and pastries. Hungry as I was, it was hard to manage the pastry without pain, and I ended up leaving some on my plate.

“We should go,” Bradon said once our meal was reduced to crumbs. “Kelly’s been worried.”

“I don’t know why you keep helping me,” I said, more to myself than to Brandon. “I’ve caused you no end of trouble.”

Brandon laughed and drank the last dregs of his coffee.

“Sometimes I wonder that myself,” Brandon said, tapping the table in front of me. “But then I remember that we all need help sometimes, and you’re no different. It’s easier for me here because I belong. You? You’re a stranger in a strange land. But that doesn’t make you any worse than anyone else. Just different.”

Brandon looked past me at the bakery case behind my head and smiled.

“Besides,” he said, popping the last bit of pastry into his mouth. “You’re the most interesting thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”

I laughed, and we both stood and cleared away our dishes. I stepped out into the sunlight and stretched, surveying the animals coming and going on the street. I’m not sure when, exactly, it happened, but Denhaven had seeped into my bones. I feel at home here.

We turned a corner, and I almost tripped over a small cat in a sweater. Profusely apologizing, I was taken aback when she looked right at me. I glanced around to see if anyone else was staring at me but was met with blank looks that slid off my face just as quickly as they landed. I looked down at the cat; she smiled and held up a red flower. Not sure what to do, I took it.

“Thank you,” I stammered. “I’m sorry.”

She just smiled again and looked at me. Where was Brandon? He had kept walking and was almost to the next corner.

“I’m sorry,” I said again. “I have to go.”

She slow blinked and said nothing. I reluctantly dragged myself back on course and caught up with Brandon, glancing over my shoulder so often that I almost ran into several more animals.

“How long does this charm last?” I asked Brandon as we turned the corner.

The cat was still where I left her, watching me go with the same smile. I tucked the flower into the strap of my backpack. It smelled like summer and safety.

“A while,” he said with a sideways glance and a smile.

-JPS