Zoophobia: Beyond Visions

Dining at The Rose 

Cameron started applying makeup on her face in the bathroom area of her house as she multitasked by looking at both her phone and the window at the same time. She wore a red dress and matching high heels with a flower in her hair to match as well. She wanted to be better suited to where she was planning on going tonight. On her phone had a thread of text messages from Zechariah with messages from her replying back. After a few seconds of loading another message from him popped up on her phone saying in full.

"Miss. Walden, just remember I will be waiting for you at The Rose around 9:30 pm. It's 8:30 pm right now so you will have plenty of time, no rush I promise. I assume you already know where it's at... right? But if you don't know or you're in need of a reminder, it's the one fancy restaurant in the wealthy district of Safe Haven" The text message said.

Cameron grabbed her phone and began to text him back with her saying. "Fully aware, just promise me you don't make this a big deal or anything. You know why we're going there and drawing attention is not on mine or yours list" Cameron responded back.

In a matter of seconds he texted back with another message. "Oh don't think about it, there's nothing to worry about, I'll see ya when you get there ok?" The text message said, "Yep see ya soon" Cameron texted back before putting her phone back down and finish applying makeup on her face. After finishing with her face she once again looked at the mirror to see the result, which to her was just right enough as she then smiled and took a deep breath.

"Alright, best be on my way now" She told herself before proceeding to leave the bathroom and head downstairs. She then passed her living room heading for the exit door of her home but on the way she stopped and grabbed her purse from the counter before making it to the door and stepping outside.

20 minutes later

Cameron sat inside a black Jaguar XJ with an all gray interior design and leather white seats as the driver in front made his way Into the parking lot of the restaurant and parked the vehicle. "Oh we're here so soon?" Cameron asks the driver. who in response turned around after hearing her voice. "That's right Miss. Walden we have arrived at your destination, so... how would you like to proceed in payment? We take cash, credit, debit, or bitcoin" The driver asks. Cameron looked in confusion, unsure how to respond to his question.

"I also take payment via the mobile app as well" The driver suggested. "Oh... then I will just do that then" Cameron replies as she then stepped out of the vehicle and waved the driver goodbye before he moved the vehicle backwards and drove out of the parking lot.

As for Cameron, she walked around the corner to a line of others right in front of her, realizing that she needed to step in line she proceeded to do that noticing the waiting sign in front of her that said how long the waiting time was going to at least be around five to ten minutes at least, which to her was perfectly reasonable.

After five minutes of waiting in line she finally made it to the front seeing a male waiter holding a clipboard as he noticed her standing there. "Hello there miss, welcome to The Rose: Italian garden, party of one? or do you have a reservation?" The waiter asked Cameron. "Oh my friend has a reservation in both are names. The name's Cameron Walden" She told the waiter as he then looked down at the clipboard to see if that name popped up. "Ah, I take it you're with the one named Zechariah right?" The waiter asked her.

"Yeah that's right, is he here right now?" Cameron asked back. "Well... as I know of, he's not here just yet but since you're with him, I'll bring you to your table anyways" The waiter told her. "Sure that's fine by me" Cameron responded back to what he said. "Alright then, right this way" The waiter then proceeded to walk away with Cameron following behind him.

As she headed towards her table she passed by other residents talking among themselves as they ate at the same time which made her remember a test she had to do as the scenery changed to Zechariah's office with Cameron sitting down looking at two different bowls.

The bowl on the left had ramen in it with chopsticks placed next to it, as for the bowl on the right it contained some dumplings with some vegetables next to it also. "Here Miss, I brought you something from a cafe I stopped by earlier, I thought you might want something to eat" a random disembodied voice said which made Cameron look up to see Zechariah there in his chair offering the food to her.

"Oh you didn't have to do that... I think you should have it instead since... you know" Cameron declined his offer. "You still don't trust us do you?" Zechariah asks her.

"Well I..." Cameron stuttered a bit. *Sigh* "It's alright you don't need to tell me, I can see that's still a bit of a tough question to ask you at this moment in time. my apologies" Zechariah told her. "It's not that I don't trust yours and anyone else's words, but it's just... I'm trying to comprehend living here... with other beings and only being for a whole week. There's still things I have to iron out around here, if you know what I mean" Cameron responds.

"I see... like I said I probably shouldn't have asked you such a tough question, but at least I can apologize by offering you benefits of being in Safe Haven with this being one" Zechariah said pointing at the food on the table.

Cameron thought for a minute about what he said, with one question coming to her head. Are there really benefits when it comes to being here? Is what she asked herself. After another minute of thinking in silence she came back to reality and looked down at the food.

She then grabbed the chopped sticks and put them into the ramen bowl, picking up some noodles which She proceeded to eat it, while Zechariah looked grateful. "Hey... Zechariah? Can I ask you something?" Cameron asks, before pulling the chopsticks down. "Go ahead, you're still new around here after all, you're free to ask whatever you want" Zechariah told her.

"So about what you said, that there's no chance of returning to my world. I was just wondering if what you said is really true, is there actually no chance of returning there?" Cameron asks. "Well, when I became vice principal of Zoo Phoenix Academy I was told different stories about that, apparently  there was in fact a human who managed to go back to their world after being here in Safe haven, but I'm not sure if that ended up being true or not, all I know is that it supposedly happened" Zechariah said.

"Huh, that's interesting. I wish I could get lucky like that. Maybe have a chance to return to my world and see my family again... but I can only dream" Cameron said as the room around her began to change back to the restaurant she was previously in with the waiter standing in front of her pointing at the table. "Your seat Miss. Walden" The Waiter said to her.

"Oh! I'm sorry I must have dozed off there, I kind of do that sometimes" Cameron replies snapping back to his senses. "No worries, I kind of do the same while working as well, it's all good" The Waiter responded nicely.  "Oh ok, Thanks for understanding, I should probably sit down now" Cameron said as she then proceeded to sit down.

"Yeah... anyways is there anything I can get you while you wait?" The waiter asks her. "Nah it's ok, I'm going to wait until he gets here" Cameron answered back. "I have some things to discuss with him when he gets here" Cameron added as The waiter in response proceeded to walk away from her. Cameron then pulled out her phone and began to type presumably to tell Zechariah that she has arrived.