Shatter

The sound of the leaves beneath my shoes shatters the silence. My feet kept on moving through the darkness of the park, soon I'll arrive to the edge of the lake. The night covers me with it's dark veil. It's late and dark but it's not cold nor warm. Just like life itself. It's tasteless to me now.

Finally I arrive to the lake. My face reflects itself on the surface of the water. I smile. There's something there. A faint green glow withing the dark water. My hand dives in, captures the object and pulls it out of the lake. It's a ring. A huge green stone on it. An emerald. Yeah, right. Emeralds. It's probably plastic or crystal, nevertheless I pocket the ring and head back home. People at the ball might be worried about me. Again? Emeralds and people worrying? I've read too many books. The people at the party won't even know I walked out. But I should get back anyhow.

The strong room is well lit, white walls and golden frames make the room etheral. Beautiful. Sublime. Disgusting. A few people walk by me. Yes. Nobody noticed my absence. Perhaps I rather have it like that. Slowly my hand brings out the ring and look at an inscription behind it. A few relatives walk by my seat with plastic smiles and joyless eyes. The girls are wearing peach and pastel gowns while the men are wearing the usual boring suits. I go back to the inscription on the ring. -Shatter the Masks- That's it. Weird. Then again I am weird too.

My eyes look at the people dancing around. Such a vision of white, gold and pastel. It looks heavenly. Screw it. I place the ring in my finger. Had I know what would happen, I'd probably wouldn't have done it. Maybe I would've. A crashing sound echoes the room and the lights blackout. This is too much fantasy. The lights come back on and iluminate the ethereal room once again. Everyone seem to react normaly. Except me. I can't move. My legs and arms are frozen. Am I the only one seeing all this?

Before me people keep on walking and talking and drinking carelessly. Enjoying the party. These creatures are having a good time. Yes. Creatures. Their faces seem to have been ripped out from within. Shred skin still hanging from where their faces once were. But there are still faces there. Not their normal faces, but at the same time it is their same face.

Lust sparkling within the eyes of the fine ladies. Greed glowing from the depths of their eyes. It can't be good. Their eyes twisted in smiles or smirks of disgust. I've seen those reactions from them but they were brief moments, it would seem that they wear them proudly now.

Horrified I start moving through those creatures consumed by their vices and passions. It was fun while it lasted but it is time to head out of the party. I stumble against a pair of creatures dancing with their shredded faces hanging from their skull. My exit can not be completed. Once again my legs are stiff and won't move, my eyes are fixed in the object before me and I choke a desperate and terrified scream before it can escape my throat. My legs wont move so my body remains there staring in horror at the object before me. A mirror.

The ring. I need to pull it out. It wont come out. Anxiety begans to take over as horror increases itself but it is all futile. Soon I stop forcing myself. The ring won't come out. This is my doom. The masks have been shred. I look at the mirror and a creature look back at me. The flesh of its mask is shattered and a horrible face stares back. A monster looking back from the mirror. No. A monster reflecting itself on the mirror. My own reflection. It is me. That creature is me. Tearing eyes and a smile twisted in a cruel grin. A creature enjoying the death of others and at the same time dying to be loved by others. It stares back. It's a reflection. The masks have been shattered.

The Wolf and The Rose

In Ancient times, long before civilization arrived to where it is nowadays and even before the era of the twelve lands of the Crown, the twelve gods created the world as we know it. The Father created the wide, unending blue skies and The Mother created the solid ground.

Unable to control his anger, The Destroyer called upon the great waves of the sea and drowned the land created by The Mother separating it completely from The Father’s skies. But it was The Wife who forced the waters to go back and thus creating the land and the seas, however there was too much water, so she placed some of it up in the skies creating the clouds and watched continuously while it poured over the lands in rain.

It was The Mystic who saw the cycles that were created into the world and he created the spirits of the wind who danced above the lands and waters sprinkling joy and creativity as they moved. The Witch grinned and, in the dark, she created the spirits of the water who dived into the depths and poured themselves through the solid lands, the spirits of water showered emotion as they moved ahead and magic was running over the worlds.

The Planner organized the waters and the spirits so that they could ran through the lands in an organized manner, making the land fertile and allowing the flowers to start blooming. It was The Messenger’s task to spread the seeds all over the lands so that plants would gain territory over the new world.

The Hunter realized that the new world created by the gods was beautiful and decided to bring on the animals into it. The Warrior was the one who joined them in clans to protect themselves in the new found world because animals would tend to prey on one another so The Warrior brought the fighting instinct and the protection within the groups of new lives.

Then the man began to organize itself and it was thanks to the aid of The Lover’s passion that man began conquering and assembling himself. Finally, The Artist brought sensitivity and grace into the man’s eyes and that was how society and refinement was finally created.

The twelve gods decided to descend to the lands and they agreed on leaving a small seed of their own love and joy into the new world. So they all began sharing their own luminous sparkle until the twelve combined created a sparkling pearl.

The Father provided the love to create. The Mother provided the love to nurture. The Destroyer provided the love of impulse. The Wife provided the love to control. The Mystic provided the love to think. The Witch provided the love to feel. The Planner provided the love to organize. The Messenger provided the love to communicate. The Hunter provided the love for freedom. The Warrior provided to love to protect. The Lover provided the love of passion. And the Artist provided the love of romance.

The gods created this wonderful pear of love but the problem was that it was too fragile and it could be easily shattered. No one felt enough security to handle it so fear began taking over their minds when they realized that their precious pearl could be crashed in any time.

It was then that a voice sounded down below. “I would be glad to take care of it” It was the rose who spoke from a garden near the gods. “My petals are tender and the pearl of love would be safe in my core protected from by my own petals.” The gods agreed and The Mother carefully placed the pearl of love in the rose’s core.

“Now there is a problem” It was The Planner who smartly had foreseen the futures to come and was planning ahead. “When fall comes, the petals will fall, and easily the pearl of love could be easily smashed in the ground and when winter comes this brave and caring rose might die so the pearl of love will be once more exposed and in danger”

“I will take care of the rose.” The white wolf from the mountain had spoken. “Winter or fall do nothing to me and I could easily keep the fragile rose’s stem in my mouth without any problem.”

“You will have to take care of the rose for as long as it lives” Said The Witch. “This shall be your sacred duty.”

“It will be my honor” Answered the white wolf.

Before the wolf departed with the rose in his mouth, The Warrior blessed him with strength and endurance to overcome the harsh times and terrains. While The Wife blessed the rose with the gift of undying love as a promise to be protected by The Wife and The Destroyer from all harm, so as long as the rose remained alive the wolf will continue to live.

From that moment on the white wolf moved through the lands and the seasons always carrying the rose, who didn’t give up her undying labor of taking care of the love that would shower the lands to bring love, joy and hope to the hearts of all existence in the new world. 

Sometimes the wolf could be seen enduring the harsh ice of the mountains all to take care of the fragile rose who wouldn't give up on her duty and would bring up the fiery spirits of the white wolf, who had to admit, that he had fallen in love with the fragile and unyielding rose, and would do anything to keep her safe. The rose refused to die because a part of her was bound to duty but a stronger bond tied her down, she didn't want to leave the side of her beloved wolf.

Paris Day 01 / 08 Money

Once they made a couple turns they found their selves in front of a bank, and a hotel.

“Let’s just spare the shame shall we?” Mireya said pointing at the bank’s ATM.

“Good idea” Mark said pulling out his wallet and taking out his credit card “Seriously one more denial and I’ll start singing “I dreamed a dream” from Les Miserábles”

“From where?” Mireya said as Mark slide his card on the ATM.

“A musial” Mark answered as he pressed his pin number.

“Ugh! And if u start singing I’ll start crying, and then I’ll kill u!” Mireya replied half disgusted with the mere thought of that.

“Oh! Shut … oh-oh” Mark face was stroke down by sadness

“What does that mean?” Mireya asked

“No founds” He softly replied.

“Ughh!!! Whyyy am I not surprised?!” she shouted pulling out her credit card “Move!” she said taking his place before the ATM “You should really start saving up instead of spending it all in silly stuff! You know! Some time you might actually be useful to someone” Mireya was saying as pressing the buttons on the ATM “And that day please give me a call! Because … SHIT!”

“What now!?” asked Mark

“Kid saving account! I can’t withdraw any money!” Mireya said while retrieving her card. “God damn!”

“Well one day you’ll be a reliable useful adult and that day …” Mark was saying

“Oh shut up!” Mireya cut through his words “You’re the elder one, why don’t u prove out you’re actually reliable and go get some euros huh?”

“That I shall, madame” Mark answered

“Mademoiselle!” she replied at him.

They both went into the hotel across the street and Mark moved on to the front desk, Mireya was following  him when she heard “Bon Nuit Monsieurs” then she she turned on her heels around thinking “Oh hell no!, not again, I’m not ready to go hear this again” She went and looked at him blabber something to the receptionist.

“Tourist?” the guy behind the desk asked to Mark.

“Oui, pour quoi?” Mark asked “Damn my French sucks” Mark thought.

“Votre Français c’est parfait” The front desk guy replied “Very good French, monsieur, very good”

Mark blushed slightly “Merçi Beacoup” he said “We need to get some euros, we’re desperate, sir, we’ve been looking everywhere, we need at least so we can use the subway to get to our hotel, please sir.”

The man stared into Mark’s eyes; he smiled and said “How many do you want to change?”

Mark smiled widely “Merçi Beacoup, Monsieur” he turned around and didn’t saw his sister next to him, he snorted “of course, why not? Avoiding the shame” he thought, “Mireya! Bring your dollars” he shouted.

“For real!?” Mireya asked from the entrance door.

“Yeah!” Mark replied “Come on!”

“Oh thank god!” she said moving towards him and pulling out her wallet.

They exchanged a few dollars for euros and after Mark gave a smile and a “merçi” to the front desk guy they both left with a wide smile in their faces and headed back to the subway station in front of the Academie du Musique, they paid their fares and went into the platform.

Twenty minutes later they were leaving the subway in the Gallieni station and heading back to the hotel.

“Thank god” were Mark’s first words after he let himself loose into the mattress “Having money in your pocket is such a blessing” he added as he walked out to the window and bumping with his bag. “Woops”

“Jerk” Mireya said, too exhausted to think of something more aggressive “I’m hungry” she added.

“Yeah me too, we should try to go and find …” Mark began to propose.

“Seriously?! It’s like almost midnight! You really are out of your mind if you think we’ll find something” Mireya responded annoyed.

“Well I was just trying to … Oh! Mom sent us granola bars remember?” Mark replied.

“Oh yeah!” she said as they both unpacked their granola bar boxes and took one pair out “And to think you didn’t wanted to bring them with us huh?” Mireya remembered while biting her bar as Mark responded with a silence and some chewing noise “Well I’m taking a bath” she stated, her brother replied with silence and chewing again, she took another bite and grabbed her towel as she headed to the bathroom chewing on her granola bar.

“Oh Happy Birthday” Mark said with a giggle afterwards.

“Nice one, jerk” she said annoyed after she slammed the bathroom door and opened the shower thinking “Thank god! Now time to finally relax after all that circus” she let out a sigh as she took off her clothing, he hand went into the shower and felt the warm water then she slide in completely as her mind was calming down “Paris, so beautiful, tomorrow will be a wonderful day, I’m so sure of it” were her thoughts as the lavender scent of the soap wrapped her into a scented mist which she inhale and exhale slowly, she opened her eyes and thought “Yeah, tomorrow it will be wonderful”

Paris Day 01 / 07 First Night In Paris

Paris was beautiful, but cashless it was a bit of an annoying situation, they went into another hotel and Mark went to the front desk and asked if they exchanged money, the reply: Of course, monsieur. Luck seemed to have changed. “Your room number? monsieur.” Continued the receptionist.

So far, so good, and then he asked that, “We’re not in this hotel” replied Mark “but if you could help us, we would be really grateful”.

“I’m sorry, monsieur, but we only have the currency exchange service for our guests” The desk guy added.

“Thanks” Mark replied, as he turned to Mireya and repeated “Room Number” he sighed “They only exchange money to their guests.”

Once they left the building the sun was gone and Paris revealed her night sight to them, the dark navy sky and the lighted buildings made them feel like they were on a post card, it was just beautiful, they were tired and apparently unlucky, so they started looking on to the Parisian sights that appeared before their eyes, and of course they kept knocking on hotel doors just to get one of two answers: “No Exchanges” or “Your Room Number?” which led to the first answer, he would gave out a “merçi” and they’d kept walking.

Looking for a currency exchange they went into a hotel where they were told they could get some euros at an exchange place that was on Champs Élysées, they thanked the man and went out.

“Champs Élysées it is” Mark said.

“What!?” Mireya shouted quite upset “Are you out of your mind? You’ve no idea

‘bout what’s where in Paris! How do you expect to find that place?!”

“Oh… Watch Me!” Mark replied.

“If it was thing of ONLY watching I wouldn’t mind but I have to crawl next to you! Going god knows where!” Mireya was tired, upset and penniless so obviously Mark was in huge trouble.

Mark decided that the best was to just stay quiet and keep walking towards Champs Élysées, not that he really knew where that avenue was, not really knowing where he was exactly but he walked with a decided and strong step through the Parisian streets. Mireya followed him upset almost stomping her feet against the floor in protest, but she kept a slight distance until they arrived to La Place du la Concorde, when she finally spoke “Ok genius, what now?”

“Well, we’re at …” Mark had no idea so he pulled out the map, opened it and started looking for references.

“You’ve no idea where we are” Mireya was half happy to snort at him and half pissed, but right now she was enjoying as he was completely lost. “Ugh, this sucks.”

“We, mademoiselle, are at La Place du La Concorde” said Mark proudly.

“Huh” Mireya turned and saw him, and when she was about to ask him how he knew but she saw the map on his hands so it crossed her mind that it was best not to push his ego, then managed to ask “And how are we supposed to get to Champs Élysées, Einstein?”

“Well, they’re actually pretty close” he replied noticing how hard was to impress her “they kinda come all the way to this place so  there should be a sign here somewhere, we’ll find them soon, you’ll see”

She knew he had no idea where how to find them but he seemed overly confident, like he knew exactly where he was and where he had to go now, that attitude irritated her “Fine, lead the way, mister Paris expert” she finally added.

He saved the map back into his bag and kept walking under the golden evening sky for a couple of minutes when an old lady bumped with them.

“Pardon” she said with a very rough and raspy French.

“No problem” Mark replied with a smile. His sister moved to his back keeping her distance and staying out of the conversation.

The lady was elder probably on her fifties and she seemed to be a tourist just like them, however Mark thought she would probably be from somewhere in central Europe because of the raspy of her accent, he was about to keep back on her track when the lady stopped him gently with a motion of her hand. He turned to his sister and then approached the lady “Yes?” he asked but she started asking something in a language he couldn’t quite understand “Français?” he asked, to that the lady shook her head in denial, same luck happened when he asked for English and Español.

He sighed and then the lady put her hand on her chest and said “Russia”.

Mark only knew how to say hello in russian, he sighed “Privyet” he replied with a smile, his sister stared at him.

“Ah, privyet” the lady said back to him.

Mireya stared in disbelief “What the hell?! He knows Russian?” she knew Mark was crazy and dazzled on a lot of different things, but to have actually learned Russian? That just seemed too much even for him.

The lady replied some words in Russian, to which Mark only shook his head and answered “No Russian, sorry”.

“Thought as much!” Crossed Mireya’s mind and she let out a grin.

“Louvre?” asked the Russian woman.

Mark smiled widely, and turned to look for his sister, she was still around, “Thank god, she’s not lost” he thought “Yes!” he answered to the woman “That way” he said pointing to the East.

The Russian woman nodded, smiled at him and said something which he thought meant “Thank you” in Russian so he smiled back and waved at her as she walked down the street.

“What was that?” Mireya asked.

“She was looking for the Louvre and got lost” answered Mark.

“And how the hell u know where the Louvre is?! You’ve never been in Paris before” she replied.

He couldn’t hold a smile “Google Maps” he answered.

“What?!” was all she could manage to say.

“Yeah, there’s a way u can zoom on Google Maps that allows u to see some of the big cities, it’s kinda like a virtual tour” Yeah, he was proud of having searched that before “I may not have been in Paris before but I’ve toured it, and the Louvre was right by the river” and the pointed to the bridge near them “Same river that goes right there”.

“Well then, were’s Champs Élysées?” she snorted out a little annoyed.

“Um, close” he replied, not really sure when will they find it.

They kept walking and they got close to the river and the bridge. Then Mark said “Well Champs Élysées are close to La Tour Eiffel, we might not be able to see the avenue but we can see the tower, if we get to the tower it will be easier for us to find Champs Élysées, and we might get a glimpse of La Tour Eiffel from that bridge”

Mireya simply snorted back in response, she wasn’t convinced with his arguments neither comfortable with the whole situation, but since she didn’t had an option she walked up the bridge behind his brother, she could feel the cold wind of the night giving her goose bumps, her hair flowing when the wind blew and hitting the back of her neck.

They stopped at the middle of the bridge, she was tired, penniless and hungry, her legs were hurting, and she had no idea how they were gonna get back to the hotel, yeah, she could say that the situation … sucked, entirely. She leaned on one of the sides of the bridge and looked at her brother gazing out at the horizon; she moved her toes inside her shoes and let out an exhausted sigh. Mark looked nervous, Mireya rolled her eyes and said “There it is!” and let out a quiet sigh “Damn it” she mumbled quietly.

Mark turned to where she was pointing and looked at the light up above rolling around Paris, holding it, above all the buldings on his way and crowing the dark night sky, rose up on the distance La Tour Eiffel “Whoa” was all he could manage to say.

“Mhmm and you’re crazy if you think I’m gonna walk all the way there!” She was exhausted and pissed, and right now, beyond cooperating with anything. “Let’s just go back and then, well, you can beg at some hotel and we might get enough to go back home”

“Yeah, it’s late, and it seems quite far” He saw the distance and looked how tired she was, he was pretty tired himself, but quite excited to be in Paris too.

“Finally some common sense” Mireya thought and she turned to her brother who started to motion on the way back, but suddenly he crossed the street “What the ..?” was sliding in her mind as she shouted out “Hey! Where the hell are you going?!”

“If we’re going to head back we can go through the other side of the streets, we might have a better luck” Mark shouted as he crossed the street.

“I guess he had too much common sense for today” Thought Mireya and groaned as she went behind him, her mind kept rambling “I’ll kill him when I catch him, then he’ll have the PLEASURE to have died in Paris, jerk… ”

They went through the other side of La Place du La Concorde by the side of a building to their right the circuit was glowing under the golden lights of the statues wrapped by the dark night sky.

“Isn’t it beautiful” Mark said as they went across a large street while looking at the monuments before them, his sister walking up close to him as he admired the wonderful contrast, the sole pure elegance of La Place du La Concorde rising from the dark surroundings of the Parisian night, he felt into a contemplation state from which he was abruptly pushed off when Mireya shouted out. He turned around and saw a police patrol turning around the circuit, his sister holding on to his arm tightly after almost got ran over by the French police.

“Assholes” she said when she got back some breath, he helped her stand steady still a bit lost on what had happened.

“You ok?” Mark asked

“I almost got killed!” she shouted, she glared at him with flames of rage in her eyes “… but as you would say, AT LEAST it was in Paris! Huh?!”

He stared at her confused “I guess you’re not ok”

“I should’ve been honored huh?! To depart but at least do so with grace and glamour in your beloved city of lights!” Mireya was shouting at him while making poses pretending she was high royalty, a model or a celebrity all to mocking him.

They stared at each other, he giving his best not to laugh at her, the view of her sister pissed off, shouting in the middle of Paris at night and giving up a lousy act of a star was just too much to handle, yet he tightened his fists and pushed that laugh and smile back staring at her eyes while she looked back at him, then she noticed what she had done and tried not to laugh her shame out and to keep up her ground.

Seconds went by slowly as they both made an effort to keep their feelings locked down and the whole environment was wrapped in a thick silence that was just disturbed by the sound of the wind through the leaves of the trees, Mark was cracking up and a smile started to show on his lips he was scared of provoking Mireya further, but his laugh was poking up and tickling his lips.

A loud laugh cut through the night wind and Mark stared at Mireya while she let it out and looked back at him “Will you move?! We’re gonna get nowhere at this rate!" she said while smiling more calmly.

“My god you’re crazy!” Said Mark as he walked by her side “Who would get you?! Shouting out and acting up like a diva” said Mark while imitating her then he looked back at his sister, her eyes wide opened and her mouth pressed hardly clearly holding a smile or laugh down, Mark turned his head quickly back and caught a glimpse of a line of police men standing guard behind him, he looked back at his sister. He had just did the same lame act, but why not? In front of a bunch of sexy French police men “Did they …?” Mireya simply nodded to that “Holy shit! How embarrassing!” He started through the eyes of the police guys

“… And in Paris!” Mireya’s voice sounded behind him.

After crossing another street they bumped at the door of another hotel, their eyes met and after nodding they walked up the stairs, Mark went in and after a few minutes came back to his sister’s side “Room number” he simply said and she sighed, then they both walked down the street back to where they had come from.

Paris Day 01 / 06 Chasing Euros

As soon as the hotel building didn’t covered their eyes a sight of the urban Paris appeared before them. There were street names on the corners, traffic lights, cars, a park nearby, people crossing the streets, it was Paris, however it felt incredibly familiar, just like if they were somewhere in San Diego which is why it was strange a feeling looking at everything in French, of course they were in France so it should be in that language however Mark felt so at home that the fact that the writing on everything wasn’t in English or Spanish surprised him a little, they moved across a store it looked like a Walmart back at home and just next to it a McDonald’s “of course, they’re everywhere” Mark thought and just next to it was the subway entrance, they followed the stairs and went in to check le metro fares.

There was a window an display and some machines, probably for self service, Mark thought about checking them but he ditched the idea, they didn’t had money to waste so they went to the window.

“Pardon? Combien le billet pour le metro, mademoiselle?” Mark asked trying to keep up in French, his mom had told him that in France, in most Europe actually, they didn’t liked American very much, and his English was quite Californian; the lady behind the glass pointed at the printed fares between the machine and the window. “Merçi, mademoiselle”

Mark and Mireya approached the ticket fares and started checking them up. One way ticket was 1.7 euros, so for the two of them it was 3.4 euros. “Perfect” Mark thought, they both moved to the window and got the tickets, Mark let out a “merçi” to the lady behind the glass, they went through the bars and then down the stairs till they arrived to the platform where they waited under the “Gallieni” sign.

Mireya seemed calm and at ease while Mark had the inner excitement of a kid in Christmas after all it was Le Metro au Paris. When it finally arrived Mark got in expecting to see the French-style-passengers whatever that could possibly mean. So when the doors opened the excitement on Mark’s eyes searched for the couture and the model looking people but what expected his sight inside was pretty much the urban scene that was available well almost in any city and then the train was on their way and they were off to meet face to face with urban Paris.

About 35 minutes passed by and they got off when the Opera sign appeared in front of their window, they walked out of the subway, up some stairs and out the station into the streets of downtown Paris to find right before their eyes the proud building of the Académie Nationale du Musique rose high magnificent freshly renewed, with gold coated details all over the façade, two golden angels at each side welcomed everyone into the building that ruled the  view, the dome rose on a jade-emerald green bringing two colors to the place, green and gold, colors of wealth from the Parisian luxury.

Both walked into the Parisian downtown still bewitched by the building before them, it was there and it was real, the place where the famous story of the Phantom of the Opera was inspired, it was rich and magnificent, they could feel the glory of all those years ago coming from the ground; Mark stared for a little longer at the building “So this is it, The Ópera Populaire … how wonderful …” he thought but right now they had something to do, they needed euros, and as gracious and glorious as the building could be they had better things to look for, and a place to exchange currencies was on top of the list beating the five minutes of delight in front of the former Ópera Populaire.

“He said just coming out of the station here didn’t he?” said Mireya looking around “Well, where is it?!”

“There” Mark said a little bit loud pointing at the place and walking towards it, Mireya hadn’t spotted it yet so she walked by him trying to find where he pointed at “Right there, just where it says … Fermé” he let out a sigh, of course it couldn’t be that easy.

“And “fermé” means?” Mireya asked to Mark, and he told her that it meant closed, “Ah! Perfect! So we’re in nowhere, let’s just go back to the hotel, please?” Going into pointless adventures wasn’t much her type.

Mark considered the option quickly then he shook his head “We got a lil problem there.”

“Oh? which one!?” she said a little bit upset, going all the way into downtown for nothing wasn’t exactly what fun meant in her dictionary.

“We kinda have only 1.6 euros left” they only had 5 euros and they both used a 1.7 euro ticket to get there. “It’s not enough not even for one of us.”

“Well I can try it’s just 1 cent what’s missing” Mireya was upset when she answered “It was your idea to come here after all.”

“Oh come on, I mean this is downtown” Mark said while walking into a crowded street that seemed full of life “there HAS to be hotels around here and usually in hotels they exchange currencies, mostly because well, it’s downtown of a very touristic city.” They were walking through the street and Mireya was about to reply when Mark spotted a hotel sign “Fair enough there’s one right there!” And he walked faster towards it.

“Fine” Mireya thought “hope this is quick, I’m tired.” And she kept up the speed to her brother’s walk. They walked into a hotel on the boulevard Des Italiens, Mireya was waiting for Mark to come up with the answer, few moments later he was coming back. No exchange.

“But he did told me that there a place close by, however, it was probably closed, because it’s Friday and it’s 8 o’clock” They walked out of the hotel and stared at the golden sun on the horizon “8 o’clock? Doesn’t seem to me at all” Mark thought, they kept walking on the same boulevard until it became the boulevard De La Madeleine, they passed through the great and beautiful Madeleine and turned on Rue Royale just to watch the Place du la Concorde sparkled with the evening orange sun the whole golden scenario was a perfect romantic view, however they were two brothers with no cash, romance wasn’t on top of their lists right now, they needed one thing: money.

Paris Day 01 / 05 The Hotel

The hotel that displayed in front of them was just nice; it seemed a perfect expression of minimalist-euro pop-chic, white seemed to be the natural color of everything there, except for some crystal walls that were in neon colors as well as some decorative objects and personal rugs on the lobby, the hotel seemed fresh, new, modern chic, well it was just a splendid place to stay.

Mark and Mireya reached the reception and a beautifully groomed girl with Asian features welcomed them, her hair was pulled back on a bun, her make up flawlessly applied, on her right chest a little card showed her name, Marie, in white letters and above the name were the flags of China, Japan, the United Kingdom and France, so they supposed that she spoke Chinese (probably mandarin), Japanese, French and English.

“I could talk to her in French” Mark said almost whispering to Mireya.

“Yeah and I could talk to her in Chinese” she replied “but that’s not gonna happen either, so we’ll talk like normal tourists … in English”.

“You had to bring that up?” Mark was a bit upset, but just too little, he was in Paris after all, however he had studied some French and if there was a time it could be useful, the time was now. “Bon soir, Marie!”

“Mark!” Mireya groaned lowly as she nudged him, then addressed to the lady on the reception “Hi, sorry ‘bout that, we would like to check our reservations, please”.

“Yes, of course miss” Replied Marie “I just need the reservation number, please” She looked up at them and Mireya turned to Mark, he was already handing over the reservation paper with a smile, “Merçi” she said as she grabbed them and started typing the numbers into the computer, then the grabbed two cards and handed them over to Mark “Your keys and your room …” she was writing down the number on a post-it “… 412, the elevator is on your right down the aisle”

“Thanks” said Mark as he grabbed the keys he turned towards the elevator just to see Mireya half way through, he walked up to her and catch her up in front of the elevator’s doors “God I’m tired” he said to her.

The space opened before them and Mireya entered “Which was our room?”

Moments later they were entering room 412; Mark let himself fell on his bed and watched his sister do the same. After a few moments she turned to him and said “So, we’re in Paris”

“Yeah” he answered as he sat on the bed and looked at her “Wanna go get your cake?”

“Aww, yeah; but where?” Mireya replied “Plus we didn’t changed our dollars for euros”

“Well in that case we should go out because we’ll need euros at some point.” Mark said while he started packing up his stuff into his bag. “We can get euros in the main desk; I mean in every hotel they change currencies, right?”

“Yeah, ok, let’s go” Mireya added while getting her stuff following her brother out of the room.

Back at the main desk Mark asked the guy that was in if they could get euros there.

“Oh I’m sorry” answered the attendant “We don’t have currency exchanges here”

Mark turned to Mireya “What the heck are we gonna do now?” Mireya’s eyes looked back at him; “Great” he thought, then turned back to the receptionist “Excuse me, you know where we could get dollars now?”

“Oh, yes, just in front of the Opera” he said and pulled out a map for them “It’s right here” he said pointing at a spot in the map “You can use the subway two blocks away and get off in the Opera station” he finished handling Mark the map.

“Thank you” said Mark grabbing the map and went to the hotel lobby where his sister was waiting for him “Now, how are we supposed to get there?” he said to Mireya.

She sighed and opened her purse “We should’ve got euros before we came here” she thought and pulled 5 euros from her purse “I have this but I’m not sure if it will be enough for us both”

Mark stared at her and then replied “Well, we won’t lose anything by checking that up, will we?”

“No, I guess you are right” she said as they got on their way out of the hotel “Where do we go now?”

“It should be a subway station two blocks away from here, or so it shows on the map” Mark said folding the map back and moving around the hotel.