Howl's Twisted Castle

15: Seeing double

The sun warmed the nap of my neck, and I moved my hair over my shoulder to give it better access to my skin. From where I currently sat, the patio was the perfect place to be on this lovely morning. I loved watching the hustle and bustle of downtown; it meant our town was thriving and when the town was thriving, so was my hat shop.

I sampled my tea for strength and pulled the bag out. Pressing the bag against the cup with my spoon, I set it on the saucer and wrapped my chilled hands around the hot vessel. The relaxing atmosphere of the patio was a welcome reprieve from my daily stress and, as I leaned back in my chair, I let the sun work its magic on my skin while the tea worked its magic on my soul.

A waitress walked past me to attend to another patron at the other end of the patio. The lazy affect the sun was having on me made my eyes slowly close and I let it whisk me away. I heard the waitress conversing with the other patron, and when I listened to the sound of his voice, I almost fell backward in my chair.

He sat directly across from me, flashing his brilliant smile as the waitress took his order. He had no one else accompanying him, and he looked relaxed. He had on a simple white button-down shirt and slacks. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, exposing his sunkissed skin. 

If it weren't for the staring, I would have run away by now because the panic was starting to set in. 

He's going to see me again, and he's going to think I'm a stalker.

He handed the menu back to the waitress with a secret wink and leaned back in his chair. The bright light of midday picked up the golden hue of his hair. 

What are you doing, Sophie? Get up and get out of there. Now. I repeated this command a few times, but for some reason, my body ignored me, and all I could do was sit there, dumbstruck. 

Howl turned his head, and his eyes met mine with a look of surprise. 

In a panic, I looked for something to cover my face, but he was out of his chair, making his way towards me before I could stop him.

I shoved away from the table, scattering my dishes in my haste to get away from him. Howl reached for my hand, but I pushed him back, looking for an escape. 

Dashing from the patio, I ran as quickly as my legs would allow. My heart hammered in my ears and my lungs fought to keep up with me. I dodged people left and right, shoving those who wouldn't move out of the way. I refused to look back, willing myself to keep moving forward. I made an immediate left turn and found myself in a narrow alley, far enough away from the bustling streets for anyone to notice me. My chest felt like a little bird was loose inside it as I held my hand on it, forcing myself to breathe evenly.

My hair had come undone in my haste to get away. I pulled at the knot that had formed and finally managed to remove the ribbon from the mess of hair. I worked my fingers through the knots, cursing my luck. A few strands of hair fell in front my vision as I tried to collect it all into a bun. My hands froze and the hair I'd gathered fell in tangles around my shoulders. I reached for a section of hair that drooped past my forehead, barely able to contain my nervous energy.

It was brown!

This miraculous change had me at a loss for words. Eagerly, I rolled up my sleeves and examined my arms. The bumps, moles, and wrinkles that marred my hands were there no longer. 

Brimming with anticipation, I raced around the next corner to find a place where I could see my reflection, and I ran smack into Howl.

His hands steadied me before I could lose my balance. With shaking hands, I placed my palms on his chest, giving myself the space I needed to think.