(PREVIOUSLY NAMED, THE OTHER WORLD)
Charlotte Joan Sander's wanted nothing but her father to properly acknowledge her.
Then a girl appeared outside her bedroom door.
The truth unraveled, throwing Charlotte into an unknown world of magic. A world of...
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As the carriage wheels rolled along the rocky path we sat in silence. Neither of us wanted to voice our worst fears and risk them coming true. Andy could have been sick, dead even. A false image of him lying in some bug-ridden bed unconscious and calling for his fiancé as he slowly died formed in my mind. It caused me to shiver.
The ride was short. Stoken's. Whatever it was, did not seem to be too far from the Hill Estate. The carriage slowed to a stop. I caught Steph's gaze, her expression mirrored how I felt. Fear, wary, frustration. It was clear that we both felt heat-wrenching concern for Andy's wellbeing.
Cautiously, we stepped out of our ride and walked towards the building which I could only guess was Stoken's. There was a sign, branches of mental twining around it, with 'Stoken's B&B' engraved deeply into it.
Pausing at the door, I waited for Steph to open the door.
Stephanie made no move towards the door. With a sigh, I grasped the cold handle and pulled it open. A chime rang through the air.
"Welcome to Stoken's," chirped a feminine voice, "A room for two?"
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Stephanie shaking. It was up to me to do the talking. I placed a hand on her shoulder and turned towards the voice. A stocky lady stood at a small desk.
"Actually we are visiting a guest. We were told he was staying here." I responded.
"Oh what's his name dearie? I'll send the two of you right up."
I opened my mouth to respond but another voice cut me off, "Andy Reets."
Glancing at Steph I noticed she had pulled her shoulders back. Her stance was firmer, straighter.
The lady smiled politely, tottering as she pulled a book out from the shelf filled with old and worn registry books. "Let me check. Ah! Here's your guy." She hummed as she shuffled the pages, her soft tune a sharp contrast to the racing of my heart. "Yes, yes, this is it. Now dearies, go up to the next floor. He should be in room two-c."
Stephanie met my gaze before rushing up the stairs. I tried not to feel bad for her but the look in her solemn eyes almost broke my resolve. She was afraid and wasn't hiding it. Unlike me. She was his fiancé, she had a reason to worry. She had the right. I didn't.
I smiled at the lady, "Thank you for the assistance."
Chasing after Stephanie, I trailed up the stairs behind her. We hurried past doors. Storage room, two-a, staff stairway, two-b.
Two-c.
There it was. In my head the mantra began, Andy please be there. A sound caused me to jump, "What?"
I turned to Stephanie but she didn't hear it. She showed no sign of having heard anything. I sighed, it was just my mind playing tricks on me. That was the only explanation to hearing that voice, Andy's voice, in my head. I turned back to the door. Steph froze outside the door, her arm outstretched towards the handle but she didn't move to pull the door open. Rolling my eyes, I pushed past her and shoved the door open. The old wood groaned.
