“Why, thank you, dear. Now eat up, Coen has made something delicious for you all, and you all need your strength for tomorrow. I expect you all to be down here and at the table having breakfast before you head to your job tomorrow,” Ethel tells us in her no-nonsense way.
“Understood, Ethel,” I reply. “I would never miss one of your breakfasts anyway.”
“Good, now eat up. You need to get some rest,” she orders again.
“Yes, Ma’am,” several of the guys reply, making me smile as we all tuck in to the delicious food the Coen has made.
He really can cook, and I can tell by the look of pride on his face that he really enjoys it too. I’m glad that Ethel didn’t mind him taking over the kitchen, and that we even have the stuff to cook with. I’ve never really looked for anything since Ethel and/or House always have the food prepared for us.
House has already proved to be amazing and knows us surprisingly well, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it made sure that everything was here, knowing that Coen is going to want to cook.
Dinner is relatively silent, and by the end of it, I make my excuses to head upstairs and go over the file that I should have gone over earlier in the day. I do not want to be misinformed and end up making a mistake because of it.
As soon as I’ve said goodnight to the guys, I head up to my room, get some comfy clothes on, and sprawl out on my bed, the sound of the TV in the background as I read over the files because, unlike most people, I cannot concentrate in silence.
I know that I need to get some sleep too, but it shouldn’t take me too long to go over the file and take notes on anything that I think is important.
I’m a quick reader.
∞∞∞
I don’t know where I am, but I do know that I shouldn’t be here.
I’m pretty sure that I’m dreaming, but I’m not entirely sure so that’s not confusing at all.
All I know is that I’m in the forest. Surrounded by trees and plants, some of them I recognize and some I don’t. I’m reasonably good at identifying plants and trees, so I’m pretty certain that wherever I am, I’m not in the Earth Realm anymore.
I could be wrong, but my instincts are also backing me up.
Following those instincts, I slowly move forward, keeping my footsteps light, my boots barely making a sound on the undergrowth scattered across the forest floor.
Any doubt that I might not be dreaming vanishes. It must be a dream because I sure as hell didn’t go to sleep in my boots and battle gear.
At least I’m reasonably certain that I didn’t. I shake my head.
Of course I didn’t, why would I?
The Voices interrupt my argument with myself as they remind me to focus.
They’re right, of course, they usually are. Something about this dream feels different, and that means that I need to pay attention.
A sound up ahead has me pausing, as I take a moment to listen and discern what exactly it is that I’m hearing.
I quickly realize that it’s the sound of people talking.
They sound frantic and stressed, and I’m not sure having a stranger approach them in the middle of the forest is going to help with that, so instead I decide to avoid them and carry on further into the trees.
That is, until I hear the first clang of metal on metal, and the troubled voices become panicked shouts.
Asael appears in my hand as I swiftly but silently make my way toward the sounds of the fight.
This is a stupid idea.
This is a really stupid fucking idea.
I don’t know what I’m up against, I don’t know what realm I’m in, and I don’t know what the supernaturals or creatures of this realm are capable of.
But I don’t stop. I can’t consciously let innocent people be hurt and probably killed when I can do something to help.
