Fata Morgana | E.M.

1 | Masquerade

Mystic Falls, 2010 AD

A quick check of the fridge was enough of a reminder for Anthea that she needed to do some grocery shopping. It was empty, except for some leftover pasta she cooked last night and her skincare products. She liked them cold.
Her sighs of exasperation was the only sound to be heard in the entire house. She had forgotten to go to town, again.

At the very least, she had a compilation of shopping lists she made three other times she forgot to go shopping. Her neatly organized house didn't give off the impression that she was negligent of her chores. Perhaps she was just getting older.

With only one goal in mind, the woman marched upstairs into her room and got dressed for the day. As it was in a chilly month of autumn, she put on a warm coat with fur lapel over her usual ensemble, a designer blouse with black tailored pants. She remembered to bring her shopping list with her before taking off in a hurry. The store may be crowded just three days before Halloween.

She never really cared for the holiday since she was a little girl. She just couldn't recall a memory of her participating on Halloween. Her family was somewhat religious. They didn't go to church every Sunday but they sure did believe in God. The thought of her family stayed throughout the whole journey into town.

They disappeared as soon as the engine of the car died down.

The supermarket was small, but it was fully stocked. She went straight to the snack aisles. Browsing through the many choices of chips, she settled on one brand and was just about to reach it when a hand snatched it at the last moment. She looked up at the owner of said hand and narrowed her eyes in irritation at the familiar smug face.

Damon Salvatore.

He was the nephew of Zach Salvatore, her cousin, although he wasn't in Mystic Falls anymore. She didn't know where he was, but she's guessing the arrogant man before her had a hand in it.

She never liked Damon, or his younger brother Stefan. Every time she was in their presence, her instincts were screaming at her, telling her to either run as fast as she could or stab them in the heart with the nearest sharp object.

"Visiting, Auntie?"

"Damon, dear. In fact, I am," she smiled tightly at him, "there are some of my things Zach hasn't sent over. I'm hoping I can come by the boarding house tonight after the party?"

"Of course. Family is always welcomed, Auntie," he answered stressing the last word. With that, he strutted away with her chips still in hand.

When his figure had left her sight, she sighed in relief. She wasn't scared, far from it actually. Nevertheless, he made her nervous in a way that her stomach just turn and churn after every encounter.

Shaking off the last effects he had on her, she continued on with her task at hand. No sooner than later, she was loading in her shopping bags into her car. It took her a few minutes as she bought quite a lot of supplies so she didn't have to shop for at least another month.

Satisfied with her work, she climbed into her car and headed to Mystic Grill. A decision made by a certain grumbling organ.

It always struck her as odd, how there was only one restaurant in this whole town. Were there nobody else interested in starting a business in cuisine? They would make a lot of money out of it. She was sure that at least ten people were sick of the grill's food. She knew she was and she didn't even eat there often.

Still, desperate times call for desperate measures.

So there she was, reluctantly ordering herself a salmon sandwich. Matt Donovan was waiting on her. He was a friend of Stefan's girlfriend. Just because she didn't like them didn't mean she was clueless.