A Twist of Fate

Chapter Six

Michael dreamt of when he was a child of the days he played with Gavin and Cathy, running through the towering grass as little children. Their parents would often go out together, leaving the children to play around them from time to time. The trips to the fields were always fun, hide-n-seek and tag for hours, then naps in the shade while a light breeze to help cool down. The wind smelt much sweeter then he remembered, like there were sweet smelling flowers in bloom nearby. Michael rolled towards the scent and found his face pressed into warm soft fabric, as a chime of giggles came to his ear.

"Although I do appreciate the complement," came Delores's chiming voice. "I do not believe you would be a match for many of my suitors', Young Michael."

Michael's eyes snapped open only to find he was laying mostly on the couch, his face pressed into Delores's stomach. With a start he shoved his hands out and had them press into the back of the couch, he managed to see a faint smile on her face before his shove took himself off the couch and her lap. Michael let out a soft grunt when he landed on the floor, where a pair of legs and a paw sat next to where his head fell.

"Are you alright Michael?" Charlotte's voice came from just above him.

"I'm good." Michael replied. "I wasn't expecting to find myself there. What happened?"

"We don't know," she whimpered. "You just took a breath, then you fell down just as you were about to say something."

"Oh," was all he could say. After a moment, Michael managed to pull himself up. Avoiding looking at Delores's long lovely legs as he went, he sat up and he looked at the woman. "My sincerest apologies, ma'am. I hope I didn't offend you any." He said as he lowered his head and blushed at where he was.

"No apologies needed, Michael. I was far from offended, quite the opposite in fact." She replied as a faint smile pulled at the edge of her lips. "I do hope you are feeling better, you gave us quite the start."

At the mentioning of us, Michael turned his head to look at Charlotte. She sat on the floor besides where his head had landed, shoulders slumped down and ears flat on her head. Michael reached out and lightly scratched an ear, "I'll be fine, I appreciate your concerns for my well being."

Charlotte shivered lightly at his touch, but when he finished speaking, she lunged at him. Her face was pressed into his chess; he would have been more startled if she wasn't purring like any cat would. So he absently rubbed at an ear, seeing her tail swish back and forth from the table and couch.

"I must say," came Delores's chiming voice. "Out of all the ways your kind has first met us, you Young Michael, are the most relax I have ever met. Ever more do you surprise me; it must be a trait of your kin." A soft smile still playing on the corner of her lips.

Michael slowly nodded at her words. "So aside from the creature you mentioned, what else did you want to tell me?"

She was quiet for a long moment, when she spoke her tone became very monotone. "Time as many here believe, doesn't follow the same for all things of the universes. The galaxy we are presently in is relatively unknown. From what some of my house have inquired, we are at an unknown of corner that may have been forgotten by time itself." She lifted her hand and a small visual of the galaxy floated above her palm. "Is this not what you have come to understand the full of the galaxy to be, young Michael?"

He slowly nodded as he looked at the swirl of galaxy he had learned of in school.

"This world is a fascinating place. Even after the millennium we have spent here, we still are reminded of the mysteries it has hidden." she said dreamily. "The universe is a mystery that few have come to understand, and ones here are blinded by that truth and try to explain it away." The swirl above her palm changed, just sowing the solar system. "This world of yours is far older than the scholars are willing to believe, and it has secrets that it would be unwilling to give-up." Just an image of Earth remained in her palm now. "Not even those of this house are interested in pulling out any of its secrets, yet knowing they are there is very troubling for them. Yet here we've not noticed the presence of the creatures that have destroyed so many worlds."