Careful with the tea

Part 18

We stopped with a great bump, the got out of the lift cloaked for a bus. An older woman rushed to us, greeting the love couple with joy, and welcoming Marcus politely. Alice led me to her, as I didn't run to stand in front of her.

„I am Owl." She gave me hands with a friendly smile. Her warm voice and handshaking gave me immediate comfort, only her eyes were a bit strange. As if she looked directly into my heart, seeing such things that were unknown even for me.

She escorted me on, to another room.

„Do sit down. I'm already aware of what happened to you in the woods." She silenced me with a wave of hands, as if she knew what I wanted to ask. „Don't worry, Charley sent a pigeon. Now have some rest, I'll get you some heart-warming drink right away."

And she stepped out to the corridor, closing the door behind herself.

It seemed she didn't want me to hear talking her to the others. What was that for?

I stood up and sneaked to the door.

I was right, I heard her voice, trying to speak silently.

„It's so obvious she's scared to death. What the hell did you do in the forest?"

„We didn't know they would be there." David tried to defend.

„True." Alice added. „it was just a misunderstanding."

„All right, never mind." Owl left it to her. „Marcus, go and fetch me a hot chocolate, would you? David will show you the way to the kitchen. I'll wait in my room. David, we shall need some piece and trust. Go now."

Oh my, that puts the lid on! I sat down quickly in an armchair next to the window, and tried to pretend I've been sitting there all the time.

„How are you feeling?" she asked in a voice like my poor mother would've done. I was run over by the urging to pour out my heart to her here and now so heavily, that I tightened my lips instead, and said no words.

„You are not the first lost soul, who gets here to u sin such condition. But I can help you. Only if you want me to, of course..." she added, when she saw me closing in.

In this decisive moment somebody knocked, and I sighed with relief. I was saved.

Marcus entered with a steaming mug in his hands. Owl thanked and took it, then shooed him playfully out of the room. I watched him turning back from the door and looking at me. I thought I saw concern in his eyes. But I must've been wrong.

Owl ordered me back to the armchair and handed me the mug.

„Come on, drink." She urged me.

The choc warmed up my throat, and the heat flooded through my body. I felt better immediately, much better, which made me quite suspicious, thinking they gave me some drug. But the untrusting feeling passed soon.

I felt comfortable, that was the best word to describe my situation. When Owl asked me again, what"s wrong, I didn't resist at all.

I began to tell the story. I told here everything about how we met, Alice and I, at the reunion, what happened at the lakeshore, and how we survived the adventure with the lizard int he forest.

Owl nodded some with understanding.

„The Jabberwock can be quite dangerous, when it's hungry. I fully understand, that you worried so much for your friends."

I was thinking. She may be right... It's natural to worry...

It was so good to talk my heart out. As if I got rid of a huge weight. I drank the rest of the choc with one sip.

„Could I see the others? I'd like to speak with Alice"

„Why not?" Owl smiled and showed the way.

We walked along in a beautiful building, that was much even more wonderful before. Now only shaggy corridors bordered the center main hall, where thousands of books lay in piles on each other.

„What is this place?" I looked at Owl.

„It used to be a library. We still have some backlog in tiding up..." She smiled and opened a door in front of me. Inside next to a table lit by candlelight my friends were sitting and chatting. I joined them with a happy face, what made them apparently relaxed.

Thanks to Owl's words I finally managed to forgive myself, I was together my friend again, and we had dinner at dancing candlelight at an old but noble place. Could I wish more?

The men retold the story of our escape from the lizard again and again, painting the memories more colourful each time. We girls had nice laughs at them, then we talked about nothings. We completely forgot to demand answers to our questions previously so important.

Time passed pleasantly, and nothing could shake thepeace of my soul. Finally it was time to have some rest. Owl sorted out the rooms,and we all went to bed.