The Path

I slowly walked out of the gazebo

I slowly walked out of the gazebo. It was a beautiful sunny day. I could hear the waves crashing on the rocks at the base of the cliff and the sound of seagulls calling to each other over the ocean.

The Royal Guard had quickly dispersed through the garden, checking out the various sheds.

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"This doesn't make any sense," Zeke said as he looked around.

"None at all."

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I had to agree. It didn't.

Nothing had changed. Our house was in front of us. It looked a little weathered, but nothing that a good paint job wouldn't cover.

I looked to my left and over the earthen wall, I could see Robbie's house. As with ours, it could use a paint job, but that was it.

I turned to look at the front of the gazebo. The angelic figure was still there, a little duller, but still in great shape.

Everything seemed as it should, but obviously aged, with time.

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Jenny appeared in front of me.

"I just checked through the house. Needs a dusting, but everything looks fine," she reported.

"Everything is where it should be."

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Captain Ferminno joined us and reported, "We have checked all the buildings, my Lady. They all are empty, other than a few small creatures and birds, but that is that."

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I thanked the Captain and he walked back to join his guards, awaiting my orders.

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"Let's take a walk into the village," Robbie suggested.

"See what is there."

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I nodded and said, "Yea, let's do that."

I was still looking around, in a slight daze. I couldn't feel anything but my mind was screaming.

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"What's wrong, Whisper? Everything looks fine to me," Robbie said.

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Jenny patted Robbie on the back.

"That is the problem, big boy," she said.

"It all looks too fine."

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"Why?"

He looked at me.

"Maybe you are just being a little paranoid."

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I took a deep breath, shaking my head.

"Zeke and I both felt something before," I explained. "And even after we opened the Path, we both got a tinge. It wasn't much, but it was something."

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Robbie looked around.

"Everything seems fine to me," he commented.

"Maybe it was a false alarm."

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I simply looked at Robbie.

"False alarm? Robbie, I don't get false alarms."

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"I know." He let out a long sigh.