The Unhappy Heart (Book 1 of The Wolfheart Trilogy)

4. The Healer's Home

The sun was shining brightly through the window when Andrea awoke. Slipping out of bed, she headed over to the door and peeped out. There was no one in sight but she could hear someone singing nearby. Following the sound, she found herself standing in the doorway of a small kitchen. 

An old woman was there, busily hacking into a large loaf of bread. She looked up at Andrea's approach and smiled. The only way Andrea could describe her was as a grandmotherly woman. Her hair was grey, but she had a merry smile that took off many years. Her blue-green eyes reminded Andrea of the sea. Deep and mysterious, full of forgotten secrets, and ancient wisdom. Andrea couldn't help but like her at first sight, and felt as if they had been friends forever.

"Good morning, dear," the old woman greeted. "I hope you slept well. Hugo told me you had woken up and remembered what had happened. I was happy to hear it, though not so much when I heard he had told you where you were. I was hoping to do that as Hugo can be a little blunt at times. I hope it wasn't too much of a shock for you."

Andrea shrugged and looked down at her fidgeting hands. "It was a little bit at first, but where I come from, I've read books where this sort of thing happens and I've kind of always hoped it would happen to me. I thought about it a lot last night and I decided it serves me right for wishing for it."

"Well, you take it quite calmly," observed the woman in surprise. "Last Earthian we had was devastated. But I suppose everyone is different."

"Someone has come before?" asked Andrea in surprise, raising her eyes to meet the woman's.

The woman nodded. "It happens more often than people think. Some Anruens even end up in your world. How it happens and why, no one has ever really figured out." She gazed at Andrea with a strange expression.

Feeling as if she was a freak, Andrea shifted uncomfortably and looking for an excuse to leave, she grabbed a handful of wooden cutlery and began setting the table. She glanced around the room as she did so, taking it all in.

 It was a homely little place, the sort where you would imagine an old healer woman to live. There was a strong smell of herbs and something was brewing over a small fire.

 It was a home, she thought dimly. 

Not wanting to think about it, she turned her thoughts back to her task. But even that brought back painful memories she would rather forget. The last time she had set a table was just before the phone call. With a pang of guilt, she found she wasn't missing her parents or even her aunt. She had accepted that she was in some foreign world, still half believing it was all just a dream. She would wake up eventually, but for now she would just live it while it lasted.

There was a click from behind her as someone opened the door latch on the front door. The man from last night, who Andrea now knew was called Hugo, entered followed by a gigantic brown dog. At first glance, one would easily assume it was a savage dog bred for fighting. It was heavily-built with strong jaws that could most likely crush a bone with a single bite. Its face was scarred, and one ear was all but torn from it's head.

 But as it headed over to greet Andrea, she found it had the nature of an oversized puppy. It rubbed against her hand, begging to be patted before bounding over to the old woman for a scrap to eat, then after being ignored, bounded back to Hugo.

Hugo laughed and ruffled its ears. The dog's heavy tail banged from side to side in delight and knocked a couple of books off the unsteady shelf that stood to one side of the dining room.

"Oh, Hugo," complained the old woman with a sigh. "Take the big brute out, please."

Hugo scowled slightly and opening the door, gave a soft whistle. The dog ambled out, but not before giving the old woman a puppy-eyed look that she refused to let soften her. Hugo shook his head as he turned to Andrea.