Join Erica on her adventures into the unknown world of art! Be with her every step as she goes through painting to painting. Marvel at different illusions she encounters.

Discover the secrets that need to be explored! Take a missing child, a hostess thought to be dead, and a mother hiding something from her daughter. China comes across these adventures as she tries to find Erica, unearthing these mysteries and many more in her search.

Past secrets………..Mysteries galore………New friendships awaiting on this mystical journey!

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Suddenly Missing

“So what do you guys want to eat?” Sammy Daniels asked his wife and daughter, keeping his eyes on the road while he drove.

“Pizza, Daddy!” Bright-eyed Erica yelled happily, from the backseat. She brushed her strawberry blonde hair out of her face as it blew wildly in the wind, deriving from the driver’s side. Even though, Erica looked just like her dad, Sammy always felt her spirit matched his wife’s, a quality he admired most. He had the same, wavy reddish-gold hair and jade-green eyes but he still felt she was Mindy all over to a tee.

“Not pizza! If I have even one more slice of pizza, I’ll scream.” His wife moaned, laughing, tossing her auburn curls back against her shoulder. She smiled a brilliant white smile that always made Sammy’s stomach lurch with delight. Mindy’s smile was always such a comfort to him. “In fact, I think I will turn into a pizza, if I do. Or maybe even a pepperoni.”

“I guess we have been having pizza a lot lately,” Sammy chuckled. It was his and Erica’s favorite but Mindy’s favorite had always been Chinese.

Being on the road all summer, they were forced to live on take-out. Pizza was usually the easiest choice. They could have it delivered to their hotel room. Every year, the Daniels traveled. Since Erica was on summer vacation and Mindy, being a first-grade teacher, had the summer free as well, they went along with Sammy. He worked as a photo journalist for a magazine and traveled all over the country. But during the summer, he was able to spend more time with his family.

“How about we have Chinese, Erica?” He suggested. “I think we passed a Chinese restaurant on the way to the hotel. You can have a fortune cookie when we are there.”

He knew Erica would be okay with Chinese at the thought of fortune cookies since she loved them so. Because he wanted to let Mindy choose since she rarely got to do so. He also figured it would be a nice treat to eat out since they had been cooped up in hotel rooms. Sure enough, Erica agreed and Mindy flashed him a grateful smile. Sammy felt it was worth not having his favorite meal just seeing that smile.

He pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. The restaurant was called Mystical Dragon, which suited it perfectly for it looked like a charming, quaint place.

The roof slanted sideways, making it appear much smaller than it actually was. Above the door was a huge replica of a gold dragon, almost looking like a gargoyle. It had piercing, emerald eyes that gave off a greenish glow.

When they actually entered the restaurant, the Daniels’ were surprised at just how big a place it was. Screens with beautifully, painted scenery divided the restaurant into sections, making it look more like an art museum than a place to eat. A fountain sat near the entrance giving the place a serene feel.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice. It was sweet and melodic, almost gliding in the air. “Dinner for three?” She questioned.

Sammy nodded at the short, Chinese woman with long, dark hair. Or she could have been Chinese-American. Sammy wasn’t quite sure. In her black, silky hair, she wore a white lily. Looking about twenty-five, she was dressed in a dazzling blue cheongsam. Sammy thought the silk, Chinese dress was a bit too formal to be a hostess in a restaurant. She looked as if she was going to a party. She was elegant enough as if she was going to a dance. But not as if she was going to be working. Although, she smiled, you could tell there was a deep sadness in her dark, brown eyes. The sorrowfulness seemed to call to him like a songbird in the night.

As she led them to a table, Mindy hugged her arms close to her. “Brr, it’s cold,” she commented. Even though, she wore a brown suede jacket, she was freezing. Although, it seemed like Mindy was always cold, Sammy had noticed the drop in temperature, too. Mindy knew Sammy always thought she was silly for wearing a jacket in the summertime. She tried to explain it got cold on car trips with the windows rolled down while they traveled but he still liked to tease her. But right now, she was glad she had her brown suede jacket on, no matter how much her husband taunted her since it felt so cold.

The hostess smiled at Erica. “You have a lovely daughter,” she told Mindy. “I’m guessing she’s nine?”

“That’s right. How did you know? I’m terrible at guessing ages.”

“I have a daughter myself,” she explained.

After they were seated in a back booth, Sammy took out his camera. He was pretty sure his magazine editor would definitely be interested in the beauty of the place. The hostess, who had already started to leave them, turned back hastily. She lunged at the table, covering her hands with his one that held the camera on the table. Her hands were ice-cold. She startled both Mindy and Sammy as they listened to what she had to say. She shook her head ever so slightly.

“People believe cameras steal a part of your soul. No taking photos in here, please.”

Sammy sat there puzzled, thinking about what she said. When he had studied photography back in college, he remembered a Native American legend that said that but he didn’t think the Chinese believed the same thing as the Indians. Nevertheless, he put his camera back in place in his camera bag. The hostess watched as he did so then continued on her way.

As soon as she was out of sight, Mindy teased. “Should I be jealous?” She gave him one of her heart-melting smiles.

Sammy laughed. “You know you’re the only girl for me besides you’ll let me take pictures.”

Mindy, playfully punching his arms, scoffed. “Thanks, a lot. I see why I’m your dream girl.” Sammy’s eyes twinkled as Mindy pretended to pout.

“Mom, I want orange chicken,” Erica interrupted. Mindy looked at the huge dinner entrée on the menu. Knowing her daughter would never be able to eat all of it, she suggested, “Tell you what, Erica, we’ll split it.”

“Okay,” Erica agreed.

As Erica and Mindy discussed what to order, Sammy decided to take pictures with his camera phone. He figured it wouldn’t be offensive if the hostess wasn’t aware of him taking pictures. He made sure his cell phone camera was on silent as he started to snap a photo. He took several pictures before seeing the hostess again. He had taken her picture accidentally when she had stepped in front of a beautiful painting of a waterfall. She looked right at him and he felt like he was back in school caught cheating on a test.

“Mom,” Erica said. “I have to go to the bathroom. Where is it?” Erica’s voice was a welcome distraction from the hostess’ glare. Mindy looked around the restaurant and saw the hostess disappear through a door.

“I think it’s through those doors, Erica. You need me to come, too?” Mindy asked.

“No, I’ll be fine,” Erica said, as she headed towards the bathroom. She sighed. Sometimes, her mom didn’t realize how grown-up she was. After all, she was nearly ten and her mom still treated her like a child. She pushed the door to enter the ladies’ bathroom.

“That’s weird,” she thought. Like her mom, she noticed the hostess come in here and now, nobody was in here. She was alone. It was like the hostess had vanished into thin air.

As soon as Erica had headed towards the bathroom, a waitress went over to take their order. The Chinese-American girl looked about sixteen with her dark hair swept up in a ponytail. Dressed in a suit similar to a kimono with pants, she looked ready to work unlike her co-worker, Sammy noticed.

“I’m sorry,” the girl replied, apologetically. “I almost didn’t see you, guys. Most everyone sits upfront. It’s unusual to sit in the back.”

Sammy wanted to retort back the reason they sat there in the first place because the hostess sat them there but he didn’t want to appear rude so ignored the comment. While the waitress took Erica’s parent’s order, Erica was trying to find out the mystery of being alone.

Erica noticed the bathroom was fully decorated like the restaurant. A gold, sculpted dragon hung above the mirror with smaller etched dragons carved all along the side. She traced one of the dragons with her finger and noticed an inscription in italics. Written in small letters, she could make out the words:

To Go On

a Mystical Journey

Don’t Get In a Hurry

Ride a Dragon

into a Picture

But Beware

Its Haunting Capture

She read the words aloud, tracing each letter and suddenly heard a popping noise. “That’s weird.” Erica thought, once more, looking over to where she heard the sound. After investigating further, she saw the wallpaper was slightly torn on the wall, giving it a little tug, she heard a click and a panel opened up to reveal a dark hallway.

Though, her instinct told her not to go through it, being a Nancy Drew fan, it was hard to resist the excitement and adventure awaiting her. Stepping into the dark hallway, the door shut behind her. She felt for the hinge to try to open the door but nothing. She tried again and all she felt was a cool mist. The door or what had been the doorway leading into the bathroom seemed to have evaporated! Now it seemed she was stuck in this unknown place. She wasn’t quite sure what to do.

Sammy and Mindy had given their order to the waitress and they watched her run off towards the kitchen. “Sammy, thanks for you know, choosing this place. I know you did it just for me.”

“Not true. I’m crazy about fortune cookies like our daughter,” Sammy joked.

Mindy laughed and snuck a quick kiss in just before the waitress arrived with their drinks. “Here is coke for the gentleman, water for the lady, and sweet tea for your daughter. Is she joining you later?” The waitress smiled sweetly.

“No, she just stepped to the restroom,” Mindy told her. “I better go check on her.” She stood up, removing her jacket. For some reason, it now felt extremely warm.

The sixteen-year old noticed. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Our air has been broken all week. We tried to call for help to get it fixed but the maintenance worker was delayed.”

“It’s okay,” replied a confused Mindy. She was for certain the air conditioning had been on when they first got there.

She hurried to the bathroom, wondering why her daughter was taking so long. “Erica, honey, are you okay?” She called out, opening the door. One of the stalls suddenly swung open and a girl who reeked of smoke stepped out and glared at Mindy. Even though, she leered at Mindy, the graceful thirty-year old held her composure.

“Excuse me, Miss.” Mindy replied. “Have you seen a young girl around nine?”

The blonde, obviously bleached, glared at her. She looked to be in her mid-twenties but was dressed in a baby-doll dress making her look way younger than her age. Her thick blue-eye shadow was caked on, giving her the appearance of violet eyes. She also looked as if she was a little kid who got into her mommy’s makeup and was just playing dress-up.

The purple-eyed creature (for Mindy thought it was rather creepy) said in a gruff manner. “I didn’t see nothin’.”

Mindy had to fight her urge to correct the girl since she used a double negative in a sentence. She resisted her teacher’s instinct and thanked her instead. She was glad when Miss Bleached Blonde left. The strong odor of smoke took her breath away, making her nauseous from the pungent smell.

She looked under the stalls for her daughter’s light-up flip-flops. Erica had begged her mom for the Cinderella plastic flip-flops. She loved how they lit up with each step. When Mindy saw no one in the bathroom, she ran back to their table.

In a panic, Mindy squealed. “I can’t find Erica.” She said it all in one breath, not believing what she was saying. The words sounded surreal, almost dream-like. Only it wasn’t a pleasant dream at all, it was more like a nightmare.

Sammy replied calmly. “She couldn’t have gone too far. I’ll go out and check the car.” He stood up and felt wobbly on his legs.

This couldn’t be happening to them. He reasoned surely, his dear, sweet child was safe and maybe went to the car to get her Nancy Drew book she’d been reading. The kid was a regular bookworm. But Sammy knew it was a hopeless cause to look at the old Chevy. He was positive he had locked the doors. Sure enough, the doors were LOCKED. He glanced at both the front and backseat anyways and didn’t see anyone. Just in case, he even checked the trunk of the car. He didn’t want to take any chances. But not finding her, he took the dreaded trip back into the restaurant and told his wife. He then flagged down their waitress.

“Miss, our daughter is missing. She went to the restroom and disappeared.” Mindy spoke up and gave a description of the child. “She’s nine years old, shoulder-length reddish blonde hair, and green eyes. She has on jeans, a t-shirt that says Erica on it—her name, and plastic clear flip-flops. They light up with each step.” She suddenly burst into tears.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “It’s just………she……………can’t……….be…….missing.” With each pause, came more tears. Sammy held her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“We’ll find her, Min,” Sammy promised, sounding more sure than he actually was.

The waitress was very helpful to them, searching places children could get themselves into but didn’t see anyone. “She couldn’t have gone too far. Let me ask if anyone has seen her.”

Mindy, who seemed like a helpless mess, ever since she found out Erica had been missing, had put her head downward in her hands as she cried. But now she suddenly looked up and exclaimed. “That’s it! The hostess who seated us must know where she went. She headed into the bathroom right before her.” Mindy was beginning to see a light at the end of the dark tunnel she had entered into ever since she found out Erica was missing. Surely, this meant they would find her as soon as someone talked to the hostess.

“Um, ma’am, I hate to say this but we don’t have a hostess, it’s seat yourself.” Mindy sat still, numb. Paralyzed with fear, she tried to recall moments ago. Did the hostess appear too interested in Erica? Mindy felt like she had been left in the dark again. She tried to ignore the sinking feeling; she had to stay hopeful.

Sammy backed Mindy up. “There was a hostess. She sat us back here and gave us menus.” He, then, remembered the picture he took accidentally of the hostess. Right now, he didn’t care who got offended. His daughter was on the line.

He pulled his camera phone and scrolled through the pictures he had taken. His hands were shaking so bad, he almost dropped the phone. Although, he tried to appear cool and collected as to not upset his wife more than she already was, he wasn’t succeeding very well. He continued searching the photos and was surprised to find the hostess wasn’t in any of them! And he was certain he had taken her picture accidentally. He then focused on the waterfall picture. She wasn’t there!

Instead, he noticed a sculpted, gold enhanced picture of a woman. It wasn’t very detailed, almost like a blur. He hadn’t noticed it before and could have almost sworn that it wasn’t there before but he had been so nervous when he took the hostess’ picture, he could have missed it. After studying it on his cell phone, he went over to the bronze enhanced painting. It was her! The hostess! He pointed to the painting. “This is the hostess. She’s the lady who seated us.”

“But it can’t be,” the waitress protested.

“But it is. Apparently, you know who she is. I need to talk to her. My daughter is missing,” Sammy choked on the words. He had to find his sweet little Erica. She was Daddy’s little princess after all.

“But sir, you don’t understand, you see, the lady in the picture is dead!” The waitress exclaimed.

 A Mystical Journey

 Book 1

Release Date: May 30, 2019 PBK

Release Date: March 14, 2015 Ebook

Number of Pages: 190

Self-Publish through Amazon KDP

Language: English

ISBN-13: 978-1508751670