Careful with the tea

Part 8

I spent the day with the refugees, checking Dodo now and then, who felt even better, and fell into a curing dream. I needed company to distract my thoughts, saving me from worries.

But my ears stayed wide open, listening to the sound of the elevator bus all day long. As soon as I heard it stop at the end of the corridor, I ran to it leaving everything behind.

I cried with panic, when I saw Hatter, with Owl in his arms. Her eyes were shut, and she didn't even move.

I was scared to death. Hatter took her into her room, and lay her down gently in bed.

"She's not bleeding. Only knocked down." he whispered in a low voice.

Silent tears flood my eyes. I didn't dare cry out loud, I was afraid it'd wake Owl up.

She lay with grey face. Hatter checked her again carefully, whether she had any more injuries, then asked for water.

I brought him a bowl and a piece of cloth, and he wiped off her face gently.

She hasn't recovered yet.

I stood by the bed helplessly, then could bear it no longer.

I rushed out of the room, and after a few meters I collapsed next to the copper railing of the gallery.

I burst into bitter tears, holding my knees tight as I sat. The world vanished around me, as fear ran over me coldly. It hurt, what happened to Owl, and I worried, that I'd loose her.

I got to like her in these days, as she offered me shelter, and treated me with love.

I didn't hear Hatter coming out of the room. He crouched down next to me, and held me in his arms without a word.

I twined my arms around his waist, and cuddled up to him closely. My sorrow was still shaking me, and my tears made his shirt wet.

But he didn't mind. He lifted up my legs and pulled me into his lap. So I got even more close to him. The soft leather jacket covered me almost completely, its bitter-sweet scent made me dizzy.

The warmth coming from him crawled all over me, like the beams of the rising sun upon the roof. It made me hot inch after inch, until it got to the top of my head.

He let me cry myself out. He searched my hair with his fingers, smoothing me with slow motions, waiting for me to calm down.

It took quite a long time. All the stress burst out of me at once, and then nothing could stop the bitterness. You had to wait until it passed willingly.

Hatter was very patient.

When I became silent, and stopped shaking, his fingers wondered to my chin. He lifted my face towards him, and looked into my eyes.

Asking for permission?

My lips opened, like the petals of a flower waiting for the rain, and then he kissed me.

Was it a coincidence, or the hands of fate, we couldn't do anything about it.

The kiss took us both away, and True Love conquered us.

I restarted crying. But this time tears fell from my eyes silently.

He felt it and our lips went apart with a painful sigh.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

"This isn't right..." I sniffed. "Makes no sense..."

"Why should it make any sense?" he hid his face into my hair, inhaling its scent deeply.