** Dear Readers, (if you read this note in Azrael’s, Caelus’ or Saskia’s Chapter 0.3, skip to the story!)

Your first choice in Lucreytzja’s story appears at the bottom of this chapter. You will see it in bold. Choose wisely, some choices are small, but others have the butterfly effect and will change the course of the story for other characters across the Sonder books as well…

Once your choice is made, comment your selection. The choice with the most votes will dictate the next chapter - other choices will ALSO be written for minor choices, with enough votes, so you will be able to follow your path with the numbering of the chapter. The Prologue here is numbered 0.# (this section is 0.3), Part One will be 1.# etc. Your choice’s path will be 0.#.A. For example, after this section, 0.3, if you choose path B, you will proceed to 0.3.B to see your choice on the page. Once the next part is ready to begin, for example, once we leave the Prologue and move to Part One, the major choices will be locked and change the plot going forward, and minor choices will affect the relationships between Lucreytzja and everyone around her… **

~ ~ ~

“Hey, Lu, you look… Tired.”

”Thanks, Ryan,” she rolled her eyes. A yawn was coming, and she refused to let it come up. She puffed out her cheeks, and lost. She yawned.

Ryan snorted, “what’s on your mind, Lu-crazy-a? Ow! What are you, 5?”

”If I’m 5, you’re a newborn, Ryan.”

Ryan rubbed the spot where she punched him, then grinned wickedly. He looped an arm around her shoulders, then pulled her into a headlock as she shrieked. He ruffled her hair, then suddenly he was on his ass.

The blonde bombshell grinned, hands on her knees as she stuck her tongue out at him.

”Was that Judo?!”

”Duh, how else did you end up on your ass?”

”How do you know Judo?!”

”Oh please, Ryan, it’s the modern century. Women can do martial arts and dump their boyfriends on their asses when they’re ruining our hair,” Lucreytzja flipped said hair over her shoulder, sashaying her hips as she continued her way to their after-school job.

That’s where she had met Ryan - they were both baristas at the campus. She was a Poli-Sci major, and he was a History nerd. They had shared classes coming next semester as they had coordinated their options, but their required courses did not cross over.

She sighed, gloomy. What a cliché life. Every movie, every book, every comic was her mirror. The young adults who worked at a café and argued with their boyfriends. She didn’t want it. But her options had been taken from her and she no longer made her own life choices.

She shivered suddenly, the soft breeze rustling the autumn leaves. At least she could continue her charmed, cliché life by gushing over Halloween like all the other blonde bimbos. But she did love Halloween. And pumpkins.

Ryan caught up to her and they walked in silence for a time before he started, “so, about your sleepless worries…?”

”Your break fall was terrible, by the way. We’ll have to work on that.”

”My break what?!”

”You know, your ukemi?”

”Unagi?”

She laughed, “don’t worry about it, I’ll teach you later.”

”Wait… Lu, did you call me your boyfriend a moment ago?”

”Don’t think about it too hard.”

”You’re my girlfriend? Like, for real?”

”Don’t push your luck!”

”I need a pet name for you. Honey bear? Gummy bear? Turtle dove?”

”Stop it, you’re awful!” Lulu pushed him, groaning.

”Nope, none of that’s you… Pumpkin. My big, fat pumpkin!”

”Hey!”

They stepped into their workplace, placing their things on the staff hooks in the back of the café as they laughed. Lulu tied her apron, putting up her hair and clocked in.

She loved closing with Ryan. It was peaceful, and the regulars were wonderful. She knew most of everyone who walked through the doors.

But today, a new face was seated in the corner. She cleaned the tables in the front, picking up dishes as she went and adding them to a tray. She set the tray on a table beside the guest, and smiled brightly, “how is everything?”

The stranger sat back, setting down his thermos. The thermos was decorated in Halloween icons and she gushed, “oh, I love your mug!” She cooed over the black cats, ghosts, spiders, and of course, pumpkins.

The stranger chuckled holding it up to her, “my mug, huh? Well, I did shave this morning.” He stroked his chin, then leaned back as she turned the thermos over in her hands.

She swatted his shoulder playfully, “you know what I mean. Hey, I’m Lulu. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

The stranger took back his mug, sipped his coffee, then turned his body to sit sideways, arm draped over the back of the booth. He had an imposing presence, and she couldn’t help but eye him. His masculinity was electrifying, but she was taken, so she stuffed the feeling down as quickly as it came up. “I’ve been here, waiting.”

”Waiting? Oh, do you need a refill?” Her eyes widened and she glanced again at his very full thermos. “Did you want to order something?”

He pinned her with his gaze and she felt something off in the pit of her stomach. His eyes were amber, like hers, his hair slicked back chocolate. He looked amused and he tilted his head, eyeing her up and down. “No, I’m alright for now. I can wait longer.”

”I’m sorry, I don’t follow. What are you waiting for? Can I help?”

He chuckled, “I’m waiting for an angel.” Her brow furrowed and she opened her mouth to retort but he beat her to it. “Lame line, I know.”

”Yeah. Very.”

”I think you can help, if you remember.”

”Excuse me?”

”Yes, Lulu, remember.”

She took a step back, wringing her hands. She spun on her heel and rushed back to the kicthen, elbowing Ryan.

”Hey, that hurt!”

”Ryan-“ her tone had him drop his task and turn to her. “Ryan, that guy, I can’t serve him.”

”What? Lulu, did he do something to you?”

”No, he’s just— I think he’s flirting with me?”

”Oh, Lu, I’m not worried if that’s what you’re getting at. You know I trust you,” Ryan chuckled.

”But Ryan, he—“

“Relax, he’ll give you a great tip!”

”Maybe, but—“

“It’ll be fine, I’m here. As long as he doesn’t touch you. Did he?”

”No, it’s just—“

”Just what?”

”Just that… He’s… Weird! I don’t know!”

“Lu, come here.” Ryan pulled her into a hug, leaning his chin on her shoulder and she sighed into his arms. He said softly, “I’m right here, okay? Everything will be fine.”

”You’re not listening though,” she muttered into his shoulder.

”I got the gist, Lu. He’s weird. It’s okay. Do you really want me to deal with him?” She hesitated and he kissed her cheek, “your boyfriend is right here, pumpkin.”

She pushed him. He chuckled. She stormed off to get her tray of dishes, glancing over her shoulder at him. Ryan nodded at her, stepping from the kitchen to the bar and cleaning the counter there. He was watching.

She paused, then snatched up her tray, determined to dart off quickly until the stranger spoke, “hey, I’m sorry. I made you uncomfortable, didn’t I?”

”Yes.” She turned to face him, and his amber eyes unsettled her, but she held her ground, speaking firmly, “in case things were misconstrued, I’m here only to serve you coffee and food.”

He stared at her.

Flustered, she rushed on, “I’m taken, okay? I did like your mug, I mean, not your face, your thermos, not that your face isn’t good looking or anything but-“ she bit her lip as he smirked at her, swirling his cup.

He brought the cup to his lips, “not yet, but, go on,” then sipped, his eery eyes remaining on her.

She sputtered, almost dropping the tray, “not yet?”

”Yes, not yet.”

”Not yet what?”

”Taken.”

”Excuse me?”

”Yes, I don’t think that milksop over there has the balls to ask you properly, do you?”

She blinked, taken aback, “that’s not-“

”Oh,” he put his thermos down, leaning forward, “you asked him didn’t you?” The stranger grinned. She turned on her heel, determined to make Ryan deal with this man. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

She slammed the dish tray on the table, whirling around, her finger pointed at his face, “you are a guest here, and I will boot you!”

”You’re right, I’m sorry,” his sudden apology threw her. “I’ll stop teasing, I promise.” He raised his hands in surrender.

She shuddered, not liking how her stomache was coiling into knots.

”I’ll go for now, but if you remember, angel, I’ll be waiting.”

”Remember what?! Do I know you?”

”Not me. My kind.”

She was done with his games. She stomped back to the safety of Ryan, taking the dishes to the kitchen. He rose a brow at her as she passed him, then stepped out from the bar towards the guest.

Suddenly she grasped her chest, dropping the bin of dishes and they clattered. Her breath heaved and her vision spun as those orange eyes snapped open again in her mind.

My kind…

The eyes taunted her in the darkness. She remembered her father’s warning. She stood rooted, not knowing what to do. Maybe she was just being paranoid and he was a very strange man.

** Lucreytzja’s choices:

A : She would let Ryan deal with him. They couldn’t be related incidents. She shouldn’t be so shaken up over some very strange comments. Lulu knelt down, picking up the dishes that had bounced off the tray and gingerly cleaning up the glass. She would hide back here until the man was done, paid up, and gone.

B : She whirled on her heel, determined now to confront him. She didn’t care how crazy she sounded, she would demand answers from him! How dare he think he could waltz in here, saying such strange things and screwing with her head!

C : She pulled out her cellphone. Ryan could handle the café for a few minutes. Right now, she needed to speak to her father. She was scared, and it was time that she asked him more about things. She was probably making connections with what the man was saying to what her father had that were not actually there. She needed to find out the truth. She pulled off her apron, texting Ryan that she was getting some air, and stepped out the back door, dialing her Papa.

Choose wisely, dear readers… **