day two

Diary Entry - Suzy

I guess I'm just taking you everywhere now. We're getting lunch and service is taking a little long, so I decided to catch you up on what we've been doing. This morning, Cat and I went down to the road to the bodega to get some groceries for breakfast. We decided to cook breakfast ourselves so we don't spend too much eating out. We bought a carton of eggs, bread, cereal, bacon, and jam. Apparently, the jam was made by someone who lives in this village. It's made with blueberries and blackberries and is the most decadent jam I've ever had. I want to put that jam on everything I eat for the rest of my life. We're staying at Moon Isle for a month, so we'll probably have to get more groceries in a few days. I'm actually looking forward to going shopping. I love going to the store with Cat - she gets really intense and before I know it, everything on our grocery list is in a cart and being ferried over to a checkout line. Cat's amazing that way. 

Today we're planning to go to a local greenhouse. They have all types of flowers, even some that are native to foreign countries. Their website says they have butterflies, too! But we probably won't spend too much time there, for Cat's sake. 

I see our food coming. Write more later!!

Diary Entry - Suzy

This greenhouse is so much bigger than I thought. From the outside, you wouldn't have guessed that it could hold so many plants. We've been walking around for almost an hour, so now Cat and I are sitting and resting our feet. It hasn't even been three hours since I last wrote in you, but I have so much to say.

This greenhouse explains all the flowers near the roads. They must have all come from here. They have so many different species of flower - from hyacinths to hibiscus. They have a butterfly area too, where the butterflies fly freely, rest on flowers and transfer pollen as much as they want. Cat took one glance at the room before backing out, stuttering an excuse to go somewhere else. The butterflies really were pretty, but if Cat doesn't like them, we'll have to keep our distance.

My favorite flower was the blue rose. One of the gardeners here told us that the rose took years of crossbreeding to achieve its color. It's amazing to be able to look at something and see so much hard work put into it. 

Anyway, Cat and I aren't sure of what to do after we explore more of the greenhouse. We have a month here, so we don't need to rush and see everything so soon, but I'm so excited. Maybe we'll go to the beach again. Don't tell Cat this, but when she's swimming around, she's away from her phone and work. I wish she would relax more and not worry about her job all the time. Cat's coming back with water for us. Gotta go!

New email - Cat

Sis,

Here's what we did today. Something strange happened too. We went grocery shopping, so don't worry about me eating well. I promise I've been eating three meals a day. After, we went to the local greenhouse. They grow many varieties of flowers and herbs there, but they also had a room I dreaded. I'm sure you can guess. If you were here, I'm sure you would have laughed when you saw me rushing away from the butterflies. I can't help it; they are truly terrifying creatures. The designs on their wings that resemble eyes, their many legs... it's making me cringe even typing about them.

The strange event occurred at the greenhouse. I haven't told anyone, not even Suzy. She was thankfully writing in her diary and far away when it happened. I don't think there is any way to describe what happened in a way that does not sound peculiar, so I will simply recount what happened. I was sitting with Suzy when she asked me if I had brought water. I hadn't, so I decided to get up and look for a shop that carried drinks. I recalled a corner of the greenhouse that carried water and chips, so I headed in its direction. After I bought our drinks, somebody in a dark robe approached me. I couldn't see their face due to the gauzy hood they wore. I wondered how Suzy and I hadn't spotted them before. They were particularly conspicuous among the greenery. 

I saw them and was about to ask what they wanted from me when they held out a coin. It was round and golden, a little smaller than a CD but much less heavy. I took it without thinking and as soon as the coin left the mysterious stranger's hand, they swept off towards the wall of the greenhouse. I blinked and they were gone. I know it doesn't make any sense, but these are the facts. I would have assumed that it was a hallucination were it not for the facts that I am a healthy individual of sound mind and am still carrying the coin on my person. How could that person have left so quickly? You know I don't believe in magic, or ghosts, or anything of the like. I simply cannot come up with an explanation for what happened. 

I have withheld the most perplexing part, mostly because I am not sure of its truthfulness. Perhaps you could verify my suspicions? Engraved in the coin is a motif of a deer's antlers and a forest of pines in the background. Is this not the design of the necklace that our mother used to wear? I recall that she left the necklace to you. Please let me know if I am correct in believing that her necklace and the coin I received today have the same design. 

Nothing of such curious quality occurred after that. Suzy and I didn't have any other plans, so we headed over to the beach again. We snorkeled a bit in the ocean, but the day's events couldn't escape my mind. I didn't want to pass my burden onto Suzy. I want her to relax this month. And I have a feeling that this mystery will persist for a while longer. 

I'm glad to hear that you're doing well. Did I send you a link to the tea I tried a couple of weeks ago? It's supposed to help with anxiety. If you like, I can send it to you. It could help with your worries about the new interns. 

I'll send you another email tomorrow. Please take a look at Mom's old necklace for me. Thank you.

Love you,

Catherine