Page 23 of All My Witches
THE DOOR OPENEDONthedocks.
I expected a dark hallway, maybe something resembling the planet Hoth – without the snow, of course – but instead we found ourselves in a dimly lit harbor setting that made me want to check my shoes to make sure there wasn’t a sea slug trying to climb myleg.
Landon was befuddled. “What the heck isthis?”
“Docks,” Clove answered. “See … that’s water and that’s aboat.”
The look Landon shot her was right out of the book Irritation 101. “Thank you, Clove. I never would’ve figured that outmyself.”
Clove merely shrugged. “Youasked.”
“Whatever,” he mumbled under his breath before turning his attention to me. “What do youthink?”
“I think we’re here for a reason,” I replied. “Aunt Tillie clearly wants us to see a lot of sets. At least we don’t have to arrange for our own transportation. I wondered when we didn’t see any cars on the road. You very rarely see vehicles on soaps … unless it’s for a scene in which someone is going to run someone elsedown.”
“I guess we have that going for us.” Landon tugged a restless hand through his hair. “What are we supposed to dohere?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I think the bigger question is: Where did Flynngo?”
“Yeah, that guy needs some Prozac,” Thistlesaid.
“I think that’s what happens when you’re kept in a locked room for years,” Marcus supplied. “You should think long and hard before trying to do that with Aunt Tillie. Do you want her ending up nuttier than she alreadyis?”
Thistle’s expression was appraising. “You usually stick up for Aunt Tillie no matter what. Things must be bad if you’re turning onher.”
“I’m not turning onher.”
“She can’t hear you. There’s no reason to deny what you’refeeling.”
“I’m not turning on her.” Marcus repeated the words, but the way he lifted his eyes to the sky made me think he believed Aunt Tillie was spying on us. I couldn’t help but wonder about that, too. “I’m simply … tired. We’ve been here only an hour, but it somehow feelslonger.”
“So much longer,” Sam intoned. “I think this world is better than the fairy tale one, though. At least here I don’t have to climb anyone’s hair to save my beloved … oh, and I don’t have that pesky growing noseproblem.”
“Oh, I like when you call me that,” Clove cooed, leaning closer to Sam and resting her cheek against his chest. “You’re my beloved,too.”
“Don’t make me throw you in the water,” Thistle snapped. “I can take only somuch.”
Clove scowled. “I wasn’t talking toyou.”
“As long as I can hear you, you’re talking tome.”
“Knock it off, guys,” I warned. “Now is not the time for afight.”
“When is the time for a fight?” Thistle challenged. “I would like to schedule it and set a warning on my phone so I don’tforget.”
Phone? Hmm. I dug in my pocket and came up empty. “Do you have yourphone?”
Thistle balked. “Well … no. It was a figure ofspeech.”
“I’m not attacking you. I was simplyasking.”
“What does the phone have to do with anything?” Landon asked. “It’s not as if we can call forhelp.”
“I know. I think we know the way Aunt Tillie’s mind works well enough to realize that we’re all sleeping in our beds and not really here. I was simplycurious.”
“I have a phone,” Sam announced, drawing out what looked to be an old Nokia from his pocket. “I haven’t seen something like this inyears.”
Landon peered over his shoulder. “That’s because they don’t make themanymore.”
