Veritas: Beyond the Map

Chapter 3--The Guide from Nowhere

The strong smell of cigarette smoke broke through the fog first, quickly followed by the realization that Alyce didn't recognize her surroundings. Nor did she recognize the very tall man in a loose-fitting patchwork onesie with what appeared to be cat ears sewn on the hood. He scratched at his five o'clock shadow and grunted. He spoke with a very slight and unfamiliar accent.

"Yeah, well now that's going on your bill," he grumbled turning around to reveal that the suit had a long and equally raggedy cat tail sewn onto the back. Before Alyce could even open her mouth to inquire about where she was, Dee and Dum swarmed her with hugs and relief. She gasped for air through the barrage of arms and bosoms. When they finally let her go, two little pairs of hands broke through and rested on Alyce's knee.

Cece and DeVu looked up her curiously. Little sniffles escaped DeVu and Cece had watery eyes. When Alyce reached out to comfort them, she noticed Wolf watching them intently from near the door, his eyes gleaming like a cat's in the dim lighting here-wherever HERE was. When she hesitated, Cece and DeVu crawled up into Alyce's lap. Wolf visually tensed up, seemingly about to say something, but the cat suit man approached him.

"You gonna stop ghoulin' around my doorway or what?" Wolf momentarily took his attention of Alyce and the little ones and moved a little ways from the door, but still away from everyone.

To dispell the uncomfortable silence that was spreading between them, Alcye asked where they were, looking curiously at the cat man.

"Nulleparte," he replied tersely. "And how will you be paying your bill?"

The question very obviously seemed to perplex everyone except Wolf who finally pulled himself from the shadows and declared that he could find his own shelter.

"But look at them!" Dum motioned toward DeVu who had fallen asleep in Alyce's arms and Cece who was nearly there. Wolf pursed his lips, growling a little in irritation.

"I said, how will you be paying me?" The man cut in.

Alyce, gently laid the little ones down beside her and, with Dee and Dum took to rummaging around in their bags. Each one pulled out a few pieces of Révillian gold.

"Will this work, Ches?" Dee asked hopefully.

Ches threw his head back and laughed. "Révillian gold ain't even gold!"

Alyce got to her feet and quickly discovered that her legs weren't quite ready to support her. She leaned against a nearby bookshelf and steadied herself. She quickly regained her balance and approached Ches.

"I can do repairs," she said. "Or make anything you want-you'd just need to get me the raw materials. I can pay our stay here with my skills."

Ches was interested. After a moment's pause, he nodded disappeared into another room. A minute or two later, he returned with a stack of papers wrapped in a delicate silk scarf dotted with little white flowers. "It's a deal if you can bind these into a book for me."

Alyce carefully took the stack and examined the papers. Each one had a child's drawing on it, but they were quite well done, considering. Some had writing in another language.

Alyce smiled confidently. "I'll get right on it, but first...what happened to me? And how'd I get here? And why the cat suit?"

Ches grumbled something under his breath shuffled off to a threadbare chair. He plopped down into it, sending up a plume of dust. "Watch it, miss. As for why you're here, ask your friends."

Alyce looked imploringly at Dee, Dum, and Wolf. No one spoke at first. Wolf shuffled in his corner.

"You don't remember?" Dee asked, looking Alyce over.