FACE Mertalia

Ivan's House

Matthew was dragged through dark hallways lined with old paintings, so dusty you couldn't see them; Ivan making so many turns Matthew was quickly turned around. After climbing a third set of stairs, Ivan halted in front of a doorway in a hallway off the stairwell, "This is were you vill be staying. I am right down the hall, so don't try to be doing the escaping, da?"

Matthew only nodded as Ivan released his arm and opened the door. It was a modest bedroom with no windows, a bed was pushed in the corner and a small dresser. A lamp and vase of sunflowers sat on the dresser, the only color in the room, the walls being tan and having a hardwood floor.

"You being staying here till I come get you, we be having dinner together." At that, Ivan swept out of the room, locking the door behind him, leaving Matthew alone.

Matthew slowly looked around the room, There has to be some way to get out of here. His eyes kept getting drawn back to the sunflowers. That's such a weird thing to put in the bedroom of a kid you kidnapped, Matthew thought looking at the flowers. He swam over to them. Too easy, but I have nothing else to try. He tore the flowers out of the vase, laughing as he did so. Seriously! This guys needs to work on his hidden passages-not so hidden!

He yanked the vase towards him and the wall opposite the dresser fell back to reveal a tunnel. Matthew peered into it, shivering at the cold draft of air coming out. Well, I can't stay here, he thought, looking around the bare room. Might as well.... Matthew went into the tunnel.

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Ivan knew Matthew would find the passage, but didn't think he would find it that quickly. The secret passage swung open just as Ivan had finished setting down the large platter of cod he had baked. Matthew swam out quickly but froze when he saw Ivan, giving him a deer in the headlights look.

"Um... Hi? This might be rude, but what are you wearing?" Matthew, clearly scared but confused, quietly asked Ivan.

Ivan glanced down at his apron, pastel yellow with a white, cartoon bunny head on it. "My cooking apron, cute, da?" Ivan twirled like he was modeling it. "I been doing the cooking and I was just a going to get you." Ivan gave a huge smile as he pulled out a chair from the long table where the food was set. Cod, salmon, perch, and all others kinds of fish were laid out along the table on large serving platters. For some reason, Ivan also had human food, including pancakes, sausages, and chips set out. Ivan saw Matthew looking at the assortment and shrugged, "I didn't know what you liked, so I cook a little of everything."

Matthew was torn. He didn't want to be here, but Ivan had kidnapped him! Yet, the way Ivan had been acting so far was like they were best friends. He didn't know what to do. Matthew hesitated before he slowly swam over to the chair Ivan offered and sat down, on the edge, clearly uncomfortable. Ivan's smile widen even more as he handed the merling a plate. "Take whatever you what." Matthew glanced at the Russian, confused, but took the plate.

Ivan sat across from Matthew as Matthew slowly reached out to grab some pancakes off of the platter next to him. He was really hungry, he hadn't eaten in... he thought about,... since yesterday's breakfast. No wonder my stomach hurts. Ivan watched as Matthew took maple syrup and drowned his pancakes in the stuff. Matthew dug right in, his eyes widening at the marvelous taste, as the Russian chuckled, "If you are hungry, just say something, da?" Matthew nodded and continued eating, too hungry to really care at the moment.

Ivan piled his plate with fish and ate slowly, watching Matthew eat almost the entire platter of pancakes in a matter of minutes. Matthew saw the questioning look Ivan gave, quickly turned red, and swallowed his last bite. "Sorry, I was really hungry and, well, pancakes are my favorite, especially with syrup."

"No trouble, I was just wondering how you fit all those into your little body." Ivan said as he waved a forkful of fish around.

Matthew giggled, "I eat a lot, but Alfred eats even more than I do!"

Ivan nodded and stared off into space, still waving his fork. "I never had a brother, I have two sisters, but they left me long ago. I think it would be nice to have a brother. I don't even have any friends, every one is afraid of me."

Matthew slowly nodded, "Yeah, Alfred's a pain, but I love him." He smiled at the Russian, "You know, if you want, I could be your friend."

Ivan startled, dropping his fork, and looked at the merling in shock, "What?"

"Um, well, you said you don't have any friends so I figured that you might, I don't know, want to be friends? It's kind of lonely in this big place." Matthew said nervously, looking down the table at the fourty extra chairs lined up, empty.

Ivan's smile returned in full force, "Da, I would like it lots!"

Matthew smiled back, thinking, maybe he isn't a such bad guy. Maybe he just really needed a friend.