Tommy and the Monster

Chapter Fifteen

 Tommy awoke in his old room at the farmhouse. He sat up and looked around. It looked exactly the way it had before he left. Not one thing was changed, far as he could see.

 He quickly got up and got dressed. Then he quietly opened the door and slipped across the hall to Roy's room. He slowly turned the doorknob and winced at the way the door creaked a little. Roy was inside, still sound asleep in his bed. Tommy smiled, and pulled the door shut, not wanting to wake him.

 He went downstairs and looked around. Everything was still the same as it was before. It made happy to think that not much changed in his absence; it would give him less things he had to catch up on.

 While he was in the kitchen, he heard the front door open.

 "Roy?" he heard a woman's voice call. Footsteps came towards the kitchen. Tommy had already recognized the voice, and knew it was Simone.

 When Simone walked into the kitchen and saw Tommy standing there, she screamed and nearly dropped her basket.

 "No, no, it's all right," he said quickly. "It's me, Simone. I'm back."

 She put her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. I won't scream again, but...it's really you?"

 He smiled. "Yes. I'm back. If Roy told you any stories about castles and monsters, it's all true. It's quite a story, too, I assure you. But first, I wanted to thank you, Simone. I know you went out to the woods with Roy to look for me, and it was great of you to do that. You even got your friends to go along, too."

 She lowered her hand. "Oh. Well, you're welcome. Roy's my friend. I just wanted to help him. You must know that he's ill, then."

 "I know. I came back to see him. But I can only stay for a month. After that time is up, I have to go back to the castle, and I don't know if I could come back again."

 "Then don't you think you should go up to see Roy?" Simone asked. "If you have that short a time, you should the most of it."

 He nodded. "I suppose you're right. I didn't want to wake him, but this is a special occasion."

 Tommy went back up to Roy's room, and gently tugged at his blanket.

 "Roy," he whispered. "Roy, wake up. It's me, Tommy. I came back."

 Roy began to stir, and when he opened his eyes and saw Tommy standing there, his eyes widened and he sat straight up.

 "How did you get back?" he cried. "I went looking for you every day!" 

 "I know, I know you did. I found this mirror that was able to show me things, and I saw you out in the forest with Simone and Mark and everyone else. And then Lady Floor told me you've fallen ill-"

 "Lady Floor?"

 "Oh. You don't know. I have so many things to tell you, Roy. I have to tell you about Lady Floor and the castle and everything that's happened."

 Roy sighed and leaned back against the pillows. "Tommy, worrying about you is going to be the death of me."

 "It looks like it very well could be," Tommy said. "What happened, Roy?"

 "I was out in the rain. It was a horrible downpour. I already wasn't feeling well, but I went out, anyway. I was absolutely drenched and coughing much more than is ordinary. I've been bedridden for four days now. The doctor's been by and he says I'll recover, but I don't know how long it will take. But Tommy, you never answered my question: how did you get back here? Every time I went to look for you, the castle wasn't there."

 "I know. When I discovered you were out looking for me, I tried to come join you all, I couldn't get off the grounds. Lady Floor said it's the enchantments on the place. I wasn't meant to leave. But she found me a way to come visit you. So, here I am. But it seems you already have some company. I gave Simone quite a fright with my sudden appearance."

 "Is she here again?" Roy asked. "She's been coming by every day to see how I am, despite having work of her own to do."

 "Oh. So, you've found yourself a lady friend?"

 "A la-" Roy's eyes widened again. "No. NO. That-that is not it at all."

 "Oh, of course it isn't," Tommy said with a sly smile.

 "No, it's not. She already has a man. Remember Oliver?"

 "Oh, Roy. Why would she want Oliver when there's an eligible man like yourself living nearby?"

 "Tommy, I'm not trying to win her heart. I'm getting old, and I can't exactly charm her in my current state."

 "But she's been looking after you," Tommy pointed out. "That proves she cares."

 "But, really-"

 "If you're not too busy," Simone called, "I've got breakfast nearly ready!"

 "Ah. How about I go help Simone with that," Tommy said, "And we can all have breakfast up here, the three of us. It would be nice, given some of the lonely breakfasts I've had at the castle. They were delicious, but I missed our conversations."

 Roy nodded. "All right. Tommy? I'm glad you're back, however long or short this 'visit' is going to be."

 He nodded. "So am I."