The Meeting

Emanuele's first surprise was to notice that the urban environment was slowly disappearing.

The enormous amount of buildings, honking cars, people here and there going about their business simply fell behind, further and further away, and in its place trees and dirt roads came into view.

The girl looked at Joshua with a raised eyebrow, asking him silently what was going on. The young man explained:.

"Their meetings are usually at Amora and Amanda's house. Or rather, at the party house of the two."

"Party house?"

"Yes."

In Emanuele's hometown, the closest thing to a party house she knew was a small ranch where the elders gathered to drink and eat barbecue. But she was pretty sure that this gathering, and with this group, would be completely different.

And she was totally right.

When they got out of the cab, a few meters away they saw a huge ranch house. The windows were all open, and you could tell that a lively little tune was playing. Emanuele did not recognize the artist, but she li