The Cobbler

~5~

He morphs into her in sync with the first drop that splashes out from my left eye. She makes a move as if she is about to approach me, but I hurriedly step back, pinning myself against the door.

I shake my head and she drops the arm she had raised. I wipe at the traitor of a tear and stutter, "J...just..." I stop and swallow a lump in my throat. "I'm all right," I finally say in a voice that does not waver. "And I'll wait for the sneakers to be repaired. Just don't change that way...again."

I quietly walk back to the chair and sit down. My sight is highly blurred by a screen of un-spilled tears and I dare not blink in case they slide down my cheeks.

Why had the sneakers even produced such a strong reaction? I had been indifferent to them for quite some months now.

My eyes are now inevitably glued to the culprits. They follow the movements of the sneakers like a hawk, as the pair is carried by the cobbler lady to the back wall. She places them midair and they stay put.

I blink in disbelief till I spot the protruding bench attached to the wall and entirely covered by the greenery, minus the flowers. She blocks my view of the sneakers and I huff in dismay, my shoulders drooping.

Minutes later, she turns around and beams with happiness. "It's all done, my dear! Now, all we have to do is wait," she says as she removes her gloves and grabs at thin air. Out of nowhere, a chair is in her grip which she brings around the table and places it facing me.

As she sits down, I have to push my lower jaw up to close my mouth. Right, she already transformed into another person; this is nothing in comparison. Right? Right?!

Run, you fool! RUN!

I think about kicking my mind in the shins, but it will hurt me instead, so I quickly scrap the idea.

The lady chuckles and I look at her, my eyebrows crinkled together.

"What's so funny?"

"Your thoughts," she replies simply.

I quickly wrap my hands around my head as if I have been exposed (which I have been) and gasp with an added dose of drama.

She waves her hand in dismissal. "Oh, lady, quit the over-acting. You already expected this." She turns her upper body slightly to place the gloves on her work table. When she straightens her posture again, she smiles warmly, like a sunny day on a porch bathed in golden light and the aroma of hot piping tea.

I instinctively squirm and try in vain to sink deeper into my chair, my hands dropping to my side. All I manage to do is lean the chair far too back and subsequently lose the balance on it.

The cobbler lady is quick to catch and steady both the chair and me, and I sigh in relief. The quick pace of my heartbeat is back. I could have potentially knocked myself unconscious in a strange place!

"You're okay, don't worry." She has returned to her chair as she speaks and I am glad for the space put between us once again.

When I nod in response, she leans forward, her elbows on her knees, and asks in a grave tone, "Now, tell me what's wrong."

"About what?" I counter ridiculously. Where is this even coming from? "I just tilted it back too much, that's all. You have to admit, it's perfectly normal for me to feel at risk here, in such an absurd place!"

She gently shakes her head, her eyes fixed on my flustered face. "There's something bothering you. I daresay, it has been around for quite a while now. What is it?"

"Excuse me! Whatever it may or may not be is entirely my personal business!" I lash out, an uncontrollable wave of anger washing over my senses. I jump to my feet in indignation, and suddenly, my head begins to throb.

She straightens her back, raising her head slightly to look me in the eyes. For a silent second, she simply observes me. Her arms reposition so that her hands rest on her thighs, and her fingers begin to drum at her apron.

The blinding ache in my head subsides without a prologue. Her drumming stops too.

I stare in disbelief at her while she smiles pleasantly at me.

"Sit down now. We have a lot to talk about."

Once more, that something is back in her voice and I comply. Am I hypnotized?

~

A/N: Well, this is embarrassing, but as it would turn out, I forgot entirely that yesterday was the date of the update! Soon as I remembered about it today, here is the chapter!! Tomorrow, the next chapter will come as has been planned. I just got clumsy with the time the day before! My apologies!!

Anyway, do let me know your thoughts through the comments, and please do vote and share!! It means a lot!! ^^

Have a great day!! <3 <3