Project: Chosen Grannie

Chapter 5

Cradled in granite-like arms, Agatha was remembering a positively entertaining evening back in her warm home and not the damp staleness of the passageway around her. It was another uneventful evening when Miss Mary Milicent Mulligatawny slid her foot into her fuzzy slippers then reacted abruptly with a scream. Claude had immediately vacated the room, no doubt the cause of the still warm vomit hidden inside the small pastel bunny shoe. Agatha remembered thinking that Claude's face had a smile on it as he ran away. At the time she thought she was just projecting her own joy but now she knew that what she laughed off before was probably reality.

Jostled back to the present as they abruptly stopped at the end of the stairs in a cold cavern-like space, Agatha held back her emotions from the loss of Claude. She realized that she would do almost anything to get back to her dull life with Miss Mary... Miss Mulligatawny. Her tiny body was still cradled in Falcoro's arms. He must either think she was incapable of standing or on the verge of a heart attack. His assessment might be true, although she doubted she would acknowledge that out loud.

His hands flexed as she studied his features. He was like a scratchier version of King Titan. Thanks to Miss Mulligatawny, her knowledge of Disney movies was impressive, which was just one more thing she would gladly trade any unlikely death plots from her housemate to have back. As if reading her thoughts, Falcoro's eyes landed on her own. Her pulse increased. She might be old as dirt but she sure as hell wasn't dead.

He sat her down lightly on her feet but hovered as if expecting a fall. All of the present company reviewed Agatha cautiously. She ignored her protesting knee and stood straight and proud. Before anyone could speak, a piercing scream rushed down the stone steps from where they had come. They were forced to cover their ears. The noise was followed by a burst of light that nearly blinded them. With her eyes closed Agatha could feel the light take away some of the sound. It was a strange sensation. She didn't know how she knew the light was good but she did. When her eyes finally opened, the chamber was pitch black. It felt like a void had fallen. It was eery but comforting. She needed to get out of this nightmare.

Agatha again missed the comfort of home. The place with her easy chair and warm fireplace. The place that had no prehistoric beasts. The place where she could knit in peace with cats that didn't talk and a tiny daily pill box that brought limited relief for the knee that was now causing considerable agony. The place that was free of whatever this "Octopi" creature was. She was positive that she did not want to get to know any of the things that had been left behind at Falcoro's house no matter how charming the place had been.

No one had yet spoken but she could feel them in the dark of the room. She began to wonder how long this journey had taken and where they were headed next. A recognizable voice came from the steps at the same time that a small amount of light filtered in from an unknown source. "We should get going. The door is sealed, but they will begin to look for other entrances." Allie's voice was wise beyond her years. Agatha wondered if those should be cat years or people years. How does one know the age of a talking cat from a magickal realm? Does it follow the simplistic seven years for every one human year? Does that make Allie forty-something? In between discombobulated thoughts, Agatha kept wondering to herself how she got here. Nothing made sense anymore.

Allie began to lead the group down a path that Agatha hadn't previously seen. Jaff walked next to her. She found herself patting his coat as she hobbled along. She heard Falcoro make an amused noise behind her but didn't dare turn around. The grizzled father of the Little Mermaid could just be humored by her actions all by his lonesome.

Agatha woke sometime later. She found herself on the back of Jaff. They were walking up what felt like stairs. She reached for her bag and rubbed her knitting needles out of habit or comfort. Ahead of her, she could see Allie disappear into what looked like a black wall. Tess stopped, said a few words in an unfamiliar language while looking at Jaff and Falcoro, and then disappeared into the same wall. Falcoro helped Agatha climb down from Jaff and motioned for her to follow Tess. Sirius, Meg, and Hector were standing in a tiny cat guard. A bystander would probably find them adorable. She withheld the urge to call them one of Miss Mulligatawny's hideous nicknames.