It wasn't long before the rain stopped, though the sky remained covered in massive dark blue clouds, and I saw the first houses along the roadside – large houses with old facades. A few seemed like older mansions to me. Others reminded me of the farmhouses I had seen on the way through the States.
At some point, the forest disappeared completely, and the houses slid closer and closer together until we found ourselves in front of the center of the city.
Many small shops, whose names I couldn't read fast enough, were spread out along the streets. Streets filled with...people.
At first, I thought we were really arriving in the middle of nowhere, but it seemed like there was actually something going on here. Quite a few people were out and about on this sunny day, and not only were curious tourists making their way past the fish and ice cream stalls, but there were also young people out and about.
Three girls - about my age - were crossing the street toward a department store. They seemed to be making fun of something because one of them pointed at something with a giggle, but I couldn't see it quickly enough because we were already moving on.
A group of young university students was strolling across a small square toward a diner where even more young people were hanging out.
“There are so many young people here...” It slipped out of my mouth, half suspicious, half amazed.
“I told you Blairville is a university town. On weekends, most of them are at home or meet up here downtown or near the harbor and diner, which is why it can quickly get lively down here. And especially since there's another week of semester break, it's normal to see so many people your age here.”
“You mean Vanderwood? The University where I'll be going?”
Unfortunately.
“In 1800, the city had the university built specifically so all the young people here could eventually study. Believe me, this place was busy back then, too. As it was when I was your age.”
Slowly but surely, I could no longer remove the image of my mother making the town unsafe on colorful motorbikes with some youngsters from my mind, even though Larissa had made up this image of my mother, which did not fit at all with the image I had of my mother.
“The university has a really good reputation, which is why you don't have to worry that no one will let you work afterward.” How comforting... “Besides, you'll like it there, I promise.”
Mum smiled at me, but I still couldn't share her joy. I would not finish my studies here - come what may - which meant I would only be stuck here for half a year.
We passed the skyscraper-like towers, which looked much more elegant than Sacramento's skyscrapers, even if they were no taller than the Renaissance Tower or the Wells Fargo Centre.
It was a wonder there were any of those here...
One of them was a bit taller than the other and oval in shape. It was completely mirrored on the outside, and its size ensured that the other side of the city center was bathed in a huge shadow.
Ravens circled the skyscrapers, perching on their antennas, which, combined with the dark wall of thunderstorms overhead, created an eerie image.
“Those are the DeLoughrey prestige buildings.”
The what? Who on earth were the Loughreys?
“Prestige buildings?” I asked instead.
I knew that a lot of rich people showcased their wealth through architectural buildings, but in such a small place? This wasn't New York...
“You see that building there?” Mum pointed to the dark-glazed skyscraper over which the next storm front hovered ominously. “That's the DLSC. The DeLoughrey Science Center. But since they are now by far the richest family in town, they still bought up the bank building and many of the shops, and that was probably just the beginning...”
From her mouth, it sounded as if that didn't bode well. Even worse, as if these rich people were insatiable...and as if she...knew these people.
I raised an eyebrow.
“Do you know these Loughreys personally?”
Or whatever they were called...
For a brief moment, Mum looked a little spaced out. Then she shook her head quickly.
“No, not exactly. But it's been a very long time since I've had any contact with anyone here except my doctor. I’m sure the town has changed and the people with it. And I hope you'll like it here somehow, after all.”
Smiling, she stroked my smooth hair.
I didn't hope I would like it, but I hoped she would get better. We had been through a rough time, and it wasn't over yet. All I wanted was for it all to finally stop. And if I had to, I would get along with this town…in the short term, not for too long.
Mum drove further into the inner town.
“Just in case it ever becomes important, which I hope it won't...” Mum pointed at the neat facades of the houses around us. “That's the town hall there, the mayor's office.” I caught a glimpse of the Victorian stone mansion, the noblest building down here, adorned with a golden tower clock. “That is the police station. A college friend of mine works there.”
A more modern building was next to the town hall, with Blairville Police Station written in gold lettering. And I really hoped I would never have to go there. The chances were low now that I was so far away from Larissa.
A blue and red font immediately jumped into my field of vision, right next to the police station, like vultures over a well-guarded bird's nest. Blairville Daily. That had to be the news station. Of course, three reporters were standing in front of it, interviewing some police officers who had probably just gone to enjoy their lunch break.
I looked across the road, past the traffic island with the statue of a man, probably from the eighteenth century. A raven had perched on its head and was pecking at the brass cylinder.
“Who's that?”
Mum followed my gaze.
“That's the merchant who discovered the island around 1790. Cornelius Copeland, an Englishman.”
Again, the name Copeland. Either the name was common here by now, as it was in small towns, or an important family had that name.
