Welcome to the Kent Chronicles

The Kent Chronicles is a fantasy city based on the city of Edmonton. The people you hear from here are in no way connected with reality. If its the case, it's coincidence. Some places are linked, but they are renamed and "relocated" to preserve the identity of the building. The events and people are purely fictional unless its a world event that they might comment about. (c) June 2013 Michelle Earl All rights Reserved

About Kent Chronicles

My name is Michelle, and I have known of Kent for about a year now. Kent is a magical place which incorporates elements of fantasy into our everyday world. Some people would call it an "Urban Fantasy", and that's ok. You will see the diary of various people in Kent. I have tried in various ways to start this story, and there are so many ways to "chronicle" this city, that I thought the best way to do so was to do it through people's diaries. I have written some short stories, but this is the best. Please feel free to interact with the characters. For now, you will meet Mary Anne DeRoss, Greg Rael, and Ina Lyn. The date is April 1, 2013. I have tried to start the chronicle at "today's date" only for today's date to slip away. This is when I started it, so we continue on. Chronicle entries will come once a month or sooner if they are ready.


Michelle Earl

Monday, January 6, 2014

Decision Over Breakfast

     As I followed the driver, I realized that I didn't know his name.  I had talked to him a fair bit while we were traveling, but I never asked him of it.  He told me is name was \cf2 Mark Conners\cf1 .
     "It's nice to meet you." I smiled, "I'm sorry about the way I reacted earlier."
     "It's ok.  It's typical of immigrants like yourself." He replied.  I watched with curiosity as we passed an advertisement for "What do you know?", a restaurant in the downtown core.  I stared for a few moments at the scene before me.  People were eating and drinking in the advertisement as if they didn't know or care that people were staring at them, yet there was no sound.  It was like watching television with the sound off.  I shook my head fast, trying to clear the cobwebbs from it, but all it elicited was the start of a headache.
    "Are you all right?" The driver was ahead of me, at the entrance to a restaurant called 'Anne and Wiley's'.
    "Uh, yeah, I'm coming." I followed the man to the entrance whereupon, he spoke to the hostess in whispered tones.  I could feel my tension rise as my fist clenched my purse string.  I hated it when people conversed about me behind my back.
     "Right this way please." The hostess smiled, and she lead us to a small booth near the back of the restaurant, "I will get your server."
     "Wait here.  She will get \cf2 Cathy\cf1 , and your meal is on me." He smiled, "I hope to see you again."
     "Thank you Mark, but you don't have to do that." I smiled as I set my backpack beside my suitcases and sat at the booth with my back to the window "I want to.  It's your first day in Kent, and I want to welcome you." He smiled, "It has already been arranged, so don't worry about it.  Goodbye Mary."
     "Goodbye Mark, and thanks again." I smiled and he went on his way.  I turned to the menu that had been placed before me and studied it.  I was ravenous.  It wasn't long before a a women with dark hair dressed in black and wearing a knee length outfit with a white apron aproched the table. She had long wavy black hair and blue eyes.
     "Hi.  I'm Cathy. Mark told me that you came on the bus today." She introduced herself. I stood and offered my hand. My words tumbled out of my mouth, "Hi.  I'm Mary Ann DeRoss.  Yes, he told me about you and that I am in a place called Kent.  Where am I really?  I have to get back home, or at least find a way to let my mother know I am all right."
     "Hey, it's ok." Her voice was gentle as she shook my hand and gestured to the booth I had just vacated. "Sit, you can look at the menu while we talk.  But before we start, what would you like to drink?"
     "Diet Pepsi or Coke - whichever you have." I smiled.  I was glad I could get my favorite drink.
     "It's yours." Cathy smiled and went to get the beverage.  I seated myself at the table and busied myself with the menu.  I had just selected what I would have when she returned with the drink.  I told her what I wanted, and the order was placed.  When she came back, she slid into the booth, carring an ipad and a soft drink of her own.
     "Uh, I'm going to keep you from my job.  Maybe I should come back after your shift." I could feel my cheeks redden with embarassment as I felt I had been causing her to do something she shouldn't.  I prayed that she was on her break anyway.
     "It's ok." Cathy smiled reassuringly, "I have two jobs, and the owners think it's a great idea to have someone here for immigrants like yourself to talk to."
     "I guess you're right.  I thought I was going nuts when I found out that I wasn't in Edmonton." I drank eagerly.
     "Whoa, you really like that drink, don't you?" She asked.\par
      "Well, I haven't had it in a while, and I am thirsty." I could feel my cheeks color, for I couldn't admit to her, but I had to admit to myself at least that I liked the drink more than any other.  Another waitress came and we ordered our meals.  I hoped it would come soon.
     "I see." She nodded as she stirred her lemon water and sipped it.  Then she began telling me about the city of Kent. An image appeared in front of me, and I couldn't keep my eyes off it.
     "In the eighteen hundreds, while looking for Fort Edmonton, Elias Kaden found this place.  He found out that his crop seeds thrived here just as well as in Canada, so he and his wife decided to stay, hoping that others would find it as well.  Their only concern was that she was expecting their first child any day." She explained that within the year, three families had also found the area, and that they decided to think of a settlement name.  Since Elias had taken a prominent position as leader, it was given to him to think of a name.  He chose the name of his son, Kent." Cathy drank some more water.
     "So did they figure out why they found the place?" Mary asked, "I mean, they had to have some magical blood in them, just like me."
     "Nobody knows why, but as their children grew, the adults found out their children grew up magical.  Some were afraid, but others were excepting because they were the next generation.  So, they continued to thrive.  It wasn't until the past century that they found out that Elias Kaden had decendants who were magic as well, and that the key was that he was an explorer willing to try new things."     "That's it? I looked up from the image for the first time, "He wanted to try new things?"
     "Apparently. I agree, it's intriguing.  We are still learning about the reasons why we were given this place.  We learn more every year, but the more we learn, the more there is a mystery." The image faded as our meals arrived.
     "So, what are you going to do now that you're here?" Cathy picked up her spoon and spooned up some yogurt and fruit from a huge parfait glass.
     "I don't know." I picked up my knife and fork as I surveyed the plate of ham, eggs, homestyle potatoes and tost.  I chose to cut into the ham first. "I was supposed to meet my mother.  How can I get back?"
     Cathy raised an eyebrow, "Do you want to go back?  It seems that you're running from something, so wouldn't going back be the wrong thing to do?"\par
My mouth began to drop, but I immediately closed it; it was filled with food, and I didn't want to be gross, "How do you know?"

     "The crystal knows, and sends your file here." She pointed to her ipad, "It doesn't say what, but it's not up to us to know."
     "Crystal?  What crystal?" I asked, "I don't have a crystal, and what right do you have to gather information like that?" My fists clenched around the knife and fork.
     "Hey, yes you do have one.  You've probably had one all your life, and not known it.  I have one." She touched an almost clear spot on her forehead. I reached for my own and found a raised spot of what felt like glass.
"What do they do?"
     "Your life is recorded there; not every moment, nor your thoughts, but the major events.  With training, you could record anything you wanted.  When you die, they go to a special facility dealing with personal history."
      My head began to spin.  \lang4105\i What would happen if somehow it could be removed?\i0  I thought
     Cathy seemed to be reading my mind, "Crystals can't be removed.  They can be cracked though."\par
     "Cracked?"    
     "Yes. If you have been violated in any way, a crystal cracks.  Sometimes they heal, and other times they don't.  It all depends on the person." She looked closely at me.  I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
     "What?" I asked.
     "I think yours is cracked, but I'm no judge.  What I suggest is that you call your mother and see what she says." She said.
"I have been thinking about it, and I think I had better stay.  You're right, I would be found if I went back to Edmonton.  I had better start my life over here." I picked up my fork once more and started eating my eggs, "I'll call her right after breakfast."