The Reading Room

Prologue

“At last the time has come.” 

The voice spoke like a clap of thunder, menace choking off the breeze that had sprung up. 

“Seven hundred years I have waited for the Red Rabbit to appear once again.  There will be much sorrow here soon…and pain.  That is what makes the waiting worthwhile.” 

With that proclamation the pair of enormous emerald green eyes faded back into the darkness.

 The Chosen

Alyson was angry.  The words that the school counselor, Ms Barnham, used to describe her still burned in her ears.  “…spoiled, lazy, unmotivated, self-centered, narcissist…”and just who does she think she is, throwing labels on people like that?  The ‘Ms’ probably covers up the fact that nobody would want to marry that ugly little toad anyway, Alyson thought sourly.  Of course the old warhorse would be jealous of me.  I could hear her unspoken comment ‘spoiled rich kid’ as loud as if she had said it. 

Alyson Kirkland came from a privileged background; part of the elite society.  Her parents had both been born into wealth, although neither one had sat back and indulged in a life of luxury.  Alyson’s father was a Professor at the local college and her mother had been the curator of the museum downtown, before she died.  They had both believed that a good education and being a part of a close-knit community were the keys for Alyson, their only child, to become a happy, balanced individual.

As a result, Alyson lived here in this small community and attended the local public school instead of a boarding school abroad.  Not that she cared what school she went to, as long as she had an active social life.  This was the last year that she would have to endure classes anyway.

Barnham can think what she wants to about me.  I’m young, pretty and I have my whole life ahead of me.  Why should I waste my time learning boring stuff that I’ll never use anyway? 

The French Riviera was where Alyson planned to spend her time once she came of age.  No one there would be asking her questions about mathematical equations, or what the longitude of Iceland was.  Maybe questions like ‘would you pass the suntan lotion’ or ‘which designer made your gown?’ but nothing about the Gettysburg address.

Memorizing useless facts is a sure path to growing old and moldy, like Ms Barnham.  She’s so stiff and uptight that she probably had a broom handle surgically stuffed up her…oh, never mind. I have more important matters to think about, such as deflecting the fallout from Professor Thomas Kirkland, aka Dear Old Dad, who was looking rather shocked in that meeting.  No matter, I’ll just act contrite for a few days and it will blow over.  Surely he can see that Ms Barnham has a grudge against me.  She was just too rude to me to be believable. 

Just then, Brad walked out of the next building.  Alyson changed directions so that she could intercept him.  Now there’s a guy that I could get serious with, she thought dreamily.  Tall and very good looking; he would be the perfect eye candy while escorting me around town.  We would make a beautiful couple. 

The fact that he already had a girlfriend was of no consequence to Alyson; possession was 9/10th of the law, right?  And she meant to possess.  He just didn’t know it yet.

“Hey, Alyson, what did Barnham want with you?”  Brad had reached the edge of the grass by this point and matched his stride to hers on the sidewalk. 

Alyson took a moment to look him over thoroughly, then casually lied “Nothing much…she just wanted to talk about the direction I’m taking in school and confirm that I know where I’m going.” 

Alyson smirked privately at that remark.  She knew exactly where she was going and how she was going to get there, and it certainly wouldn’t be by any road that Barnham was suggesting.  She would take her own road, thank you very much, and it was the road paved with gold.  No blood and sweat over books and exams for her.  She didn’t need any of that.  She was high society, after all.  Doors automatically opened for her.  She was going to live the life of leisure and travel in the right circles.  The ordinary people would be bowing to her; all of her wants and desires immediately attended to. 

As Alyson was ruminating on her glorious future, Brad took a moment to study her.  She had a reputation as a man-eater.  Guys flocked to Alyson; but after a few dates with someone – where she would be showered with gifts and attention – she would dump him and then move on to the next one in line.  Alyson had a string of broken hearts following her.

Admittedly, Alyson was a beautiful girl, but she was spoiled and a bit devious, too.  There was something just a touch too calculating about her for his tastes.  At 5’6” with straight, blond hair and deep blue eyes, Alyson was a virtual dream to look at.  The problem was what lay inside, in the hidden depths of her personality.  It was hard to tell who the real Alyson was. 

He was aware of what had happened to her mother; everybody in town was aware of it.  The press had sensationalized the entire drama for months afterwards.  Still, that shouldn’t account for Alyson’s apparent lack of awareness about anything but herself.  Her father was a highly respected member of the community and it was obvious to anyone who knew him how devoted he was to his daughter. 

If Alyson had been aware of the thoughts running through Brad’s mind she would have been incensed.  She would have been terrified if she had known that destiny was about to blindside her.  But the only subject that Alyson was aware of was herself.

“I’ve got to run; I’m late for an appointment,” Alyson breathed into his ear.  “Call me sometime.”

“Right.” was all Brad could manage to come up with. 

That girl packs some serious temptation, he mused; a siren right out of Greek mythology.  But Brad didn’t intend to end up like those ancient mariners; the ones lured to their deaths by the sea nymph’s song.

Alyson strolled into the shop, La Belle Vie, about fifteen minutes past her appointment time.  The girl at the desk checked the schedule, and then pointedly looked at the clock.

“I’ll see if Sarah is still available,” the girl mumbled, then walked down the hall, toward the private rooms in the back.

“Yeah, right,” Alyson chuckled softly.  Like they have more pressing things to do, just because I’m a few minutes late. 

Sarah stepped out of a back room and beckoned Alyson to join her.  As she walked to the private room set up for her, Alyson admired the French décor.  She had patterned her own bedroom in a very similar style: toile fabrics cascading from the top of her four poster bed.  The soft blue and yellow patterns surrounded her as she slept; filling her dreams with sunshine and enchantment.

Sarah graciously welcomed Alyson into the room and inquired if she would care for any refreshments.  With that settled, Alyson sat down to have her weekly manicure.

Afterwards, she walked into the fashionable little boutique next door to browse before heading home.  Alyson was admiring a blouse when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

It was Brad’s current girlfriend, Kayla, and a friend of hers.  They were looking at a pendant on the counter display and discussing it.  Alyson moved closer to get a better view.

“It’s beautiful…gorgeous actually…but I couldn’t ever afford it,” Kayla was explaining to the sales clerk as she held the piece aloft.

It’s an interesting little bauble, Alyson thought.  Nothing that I would be interested in though; it’s just not my style.  Still…

As Kayla handed the pendant back to the clerk and turned to leave, Alyson stepped up to the counter and announced that she would buy it.

“Just put it on my account,” Alyson said negligently, “along with this blouse.”

As the clerk rang up the sale, Kayla left the store with her head held high; never acknowledging Alyson’s presence.

Maybe I’ll just wear it to school tomorrow and ‘bump into’ Kayla… Alyson smiled at the thought.

When she arrived home, the front door opened just as Alyson approached it.  The housekeeper walked out with a bundle of her father’s clothes to take to the donation center in town.  When she spotted Alyson, she stopped to ask if there was anything that Alyson might wish to donate from her own closet.

“I couldn’t possibly sort through anything today,” Alyson explained quickly, all the while continuing to walk past the housekeeper and into the house.  “I just got my nails done and it would ruin the polish.”

With that, she continued on up the staircase and into her own room.

“As if!” she muttered, tossing her things down onto the credenza, a French antique that the New York designer had found for her when he decorated her room.  Why should she give her beautiful things away when they would just end up being worn by some street urchin? 

Alyson strode into her walk-in closet and surveyed the contents.  It was larger than most bedrooms, being the size of a garage, and was completely filled with the latest fashions.  Her exquisite bedroom was twice the size of her closet and boasted its own marble fireplace, as did the bath with its sunken tub. 

The sitting room that opened off of the bedroom held her computer and audio-visual equipment; it was where she could go to study or just hang out.  All in all, Alyson had her own apartment set up inside of the manor.

Walking back into the bedroom, Alyson flopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking. 

This was such a provincial little town, with its activities revolving around the local college.  She just couldn’t get excited about the football games and college dances.  Alyson wanted excitement and adventure; the glamorous life that she deserved – the life that her mother never got to live.

Thinking about her mother, Lila, was not something that Alyson did often.  Her mother had died nine years ago; half a lifetime away for Alyson and the memories were dim – just fragments really.  She certainly didn’t remember enough about her mother’s personality to understand why Lila would have allowed her destiny to lead her to this town.  She could have lived anywhere she wanted to. 

Alyson had been told that she was with her mother on the day that she died. Maybe that was true but she had no memory of it.  The therapist said that her memories were repressed; whatever, it was ancient history now and didn’t have any relevance in her life as far as Alyson was concerned.

The dinner bell rang just then.  Sighing, Alyson went downstairs to face the music.

After dinner, during which her father attempted to talk about her schooling, Alyson went upstairs to her bedroom and spent an hour reading an assignment for English Lit; or trying to anyway.  Her thoughts kept drifting to the party being planned for the weekend.  She finally gave up and switched on her music, then climbed into bed for the night.

Alyson dreamed about her wonderful future; forging her own path through life.

Her destiny arrived two days later.  By then, the tsunami that had taken place after the meeting with Ms Barnham was starting to die down a bit, but there were still definite ripples in the aftermath of that incident. 

The old man, always hoping to spark her interest in all things academic, knocked on Alyson’s bedroom door after dinner. 

“Honey, come on out to the backyard.  There’s a convergence of stars tonight that you don’t want to miss.  It only happens once every 700 years so you might not see the next one.” 

Alyson could picture him smiling on the other side of the door.  She groaned inwardly.  Could his jokes get any lamer? 

Still, she had better humor him.  Her eighteenth birthday was coming up next month and if she didn’t smooth things over with him she might not get that new Mercedes that he had been hinting about and she’d be stuck still driving the old one. 

“Ok, Dad, be out in a few,” she shouted toward the general direction of the door. 

I’ll just go play the obedient daughter for a few minutes and then come back up here and text Mindy about the party details for Saturday night.  Maybe Brad will be at the party, which would make it even better.  Alyson was still thinking about Brad as she walked down the stairs.

Outside, Professor Kirkland stood in the backyard and took in the night.  It was quite dark; the moon hadn’t risen yet and a warm breeze was blowing the scent of jasmine through the yard. 

Jasmine had been his wife’s favorite fragrance and the flowers that she had planted were in full bloom this time of year.  She always loved an evening such as this one, he mused.  All in all, it was a perfect evening for this momentous viewing. 

The only thing that could make it better would be if Alyson actually showed some real interest in it.  He often wondered how to help her get through these difficult years and mature into the bright, intelligent person that he knew she could be but he didn’t seem to be making much progress.  The assessment of that school counselor seemed quite blatant and yet it was probably all true.  He was certainly guilty of spoiling her, no doubt to make up for his own guilt of not being able to save her mother. 

Now is not the best time to be dwelling on what happened, he thought sadly.  I need to be in the present for Alyson’s sake, not wandering down that dark path.  Still, it was several minutes before he could clear away the memories of that terrible chapter in his life.  

Just as Alyson walked into the backyard a meteor streaked across the sky and captured the Professor’s attention; therefore, he didn’t see her entrance or the look of prescience that crossed her features. 

Alyson didn’t quite understand what she was feeling, but she didn’t like it.  It was something like in one of those horror movies where you know something bad is going to happen soon, but you don’t have a clue as to what it is.  She shivered violently, but then the feeling subsided. 

As she walked over to her father, Alyson had to conceal the laughter she felt trying to escape from her mouth.  The Professor was standing in his ‘lecture’ pose ready to instruct all of the eager students who flocked to his classes. 

How boring, Alyson groused privately. 

Those kids were only a year or two older than she was but they were already on the fast track to becoming creatures like Ms Burnham.  Why weren’t they out living life to the fullest while they were young enough to appreciate it?

The Professor’s classes were very popular on campus, in part because of his penchant for sharing the ancient tales and legends with his students.  He was a personable man and easygoing.  The students naturally gravitated toward him; seeking answers to everything from school problems to personal ones. 

It was therefore somewhat ironic that he wasn’t able to establish the same rapport with his own daughter.  The Professor sighed inwardly.  I would give anything to be able to really connect with Alyson and have that bond of love that should be shared between a father and a child.  She doesn’t share anything about her life with me and I don’t know how to break down that emotional barrier that she has erected. 

Alyson looked so much like her mother and yet didn’t seem to have inherited the levelheaded temperament that Lila had.  Even as a young child Alyson had driven more than one nanny to distraction with her constant demands.  He remembered one housekeeper that had quit because she found 4 year old Alyson’s penchant for dressing up as the Queen of Hearts ‘distasteful’ in her words.  It probably didn’t help that she chased the poor woman around the house yelling ‘off with her head’; Alice in Wonderland being her favorite story at that point in time.

Well, maybe tonight they could have some kind of opening dialogue between them.  He wondered if perhaps Alyson would enjoy hearing about the legend surrounding tonight’s convergence?  It was worth a try anyway. 

“Alyson, see the constellation Orion over there?”

 “Hmm hmm.” 

“Now look up about 10 degrees and at a 45 degree angle and you’ll see a cluster of seven stars, with the middle glowing reddish.  That cluster is called the Red Rabbit and can only be seen once every 700 years!  Isn’t that thrilling to see history in the making?” 

“Sure, Dad.” 

That wasn’t the enthusiastic response that he was hoping for, but at least it was a response.

“There is an ancient legend attached to the appearance of the Red Rabbit convergence that you might enjoy hearing about.” 

No response.  He tried again.  “Would you like to hear it?”  

“Sure, Dad.” 

The Professor settled into a chair to begin his story. 

“The legend of the Red Rabbit appears in the historical accounts of several different ancient civilizations, each one having been written thousands of years apart from the others.  One odd thing about the legend is that each time a reference to the Red Rabbit has been found it’s been written in a very obscure manner, almost as if the person was in fear of being caught in the act of recording it.”

He stole a glance at Alyson and then continued.

“The legend states that when the Red Rabbit convergence occurs, people sometimes disappear.  It’s said that the people chosen for this journey are marked by the Red Rabbit and thrown into an alternate universe where nothing is as it seems.” 

“That’s a ridiculous story!” Alyson retorted.  “Who would believe that load of crap?” 

Still, a sense of unease was starting to form in the pit of her stomach. 

“Well,” her dad calmly replied, excited that she was actually still listening, “the legend says that some of these people were able to cross back over and spoke of traveling through different Realms to get back home.” 

“What happened to them?” Alyson asked in spite of herself. 

“I would imagine that they were burned at the stake as witches,” her dad said with a wink.  “After all, the last time this happened was 700 years ago.” 

What a load of bull, Alyson thought crossly.  Next he’ll be telling me to watch out for rabbit holes. 

“Thanks for the story, Dad, but I’ve got to go study now.  Goodnight.” 

Alyson rushed through the yard and back upstairs before any more conversation could take place.  There was something that just felt creepy out here tonight but she couldn’t place it.  It was probably just the legend; she didn’t really care much for the fright genre but some of her friends were really into that sort of thing.

The Professor watched Alyson go back inside the house.  He remained outside a moment longer to look up at the stars.  His thoughts came to rest, as always, on his wife.  Not for the first time, he wished that life had turned out differently for them and that he hadn’t been left to raise his daughter alone. 

A sigh on the wind was the only reply to his thoughts.

Later that night, when the manor was dark and everyone had gone to bed, including the household staff, a presence floated through the hallways.  It flowed through each room; stopping to examine an item here, an object there. 

Each person it encountered was similarly sampled: memories tapped, tasted and savored.  As the entity passed through the wall and into Alyson’s room, a sigh of satisfaction rose from it.   The quest was finished, the journey complete.

Alyson slept on.

The next day Alyson sat staring at the clock on the wall, waiting for the hands to indicate that this boring class was finally at an end.  When the bell sounded she was the first one out of the door, but Mindy had already beaten her to the parking lot.

“Hey, Alyson, hurry up so that we can get to the beach before the guys show up!” 

Mindy, her best friend and newly minted driver, was already sliding into the driver’s seat before Alyson had even reached the car. 

“Do we have to rush over there?” Alyson complained.  

The BMW wasn’t exactly Mindy’s; it belonged to her mom.  But since Mindy hadn’t even been allowed to get her driver’s license until she turned eighteen two weeks ago Alyson had been letting her do all of the driving.

“Yeah, well, my mom said I had to start picking up my grades or I would be walking next semester, so I have to be home by 6:00 to study.” 

“Harsh!” Alyson commiserated with Mindy for a moment, and then fell silent wondering what life would be like at the Kirkland manor if her own mother had still been there.

“They beat us here!” Mindy broke into Alyson’s musings with that announcement.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as they brought something to drink!” 

“There aren’t any parking spaces left, either,” Mindy said as she circled around the lot.  She needed to find a nice, safe spot to park the car.  Her mother would kill her if she got any scratches in the paint, or ground her for a month anyway.

“Just park anywhere,” Alyson waved negligently around.  “If you block somebody in, they can just come and look for us.” 

Mindy glanced over at her best friend and rolled her eyes.  She wondered, not for the first time, how Alyson could be so inconsiderate and self-serving.  Alyson regularly cut to the front of lines or walked through side doors; bypassing others patiently waiting.    She also bribed waiters to be moved to the top of the list at restaurants.

She drove with the same careless attitude.  Many times Mindy found herself clutching the dash in fear as Alyson cut other drivers off in order to beat a traffic signal.  She just hoped that Alyson’s thoughtlessness wouldn’t someday lead to tragic consequences.  

 Since Mindy insisted that they wait for a proper spot to open up before they could park, it was some time before they were able to join their friends and Alyson was miffed by the delay.  Her mood darkened further when they had to walk by a couple of homeless men sitting by the entrance to the beach.

“Why can’t they go sit someplace else, where nobody has to look at them?” 

Alyson was disgusted by the sight of them, sitting on the sidewalk looking like bundles of refuse.

“Who?”  Mindy spun around, trying to figure out what Alyson was talking about.

“The bums sitting over there cluttering up the beach, drawing flies.” Alyson looked at her friend in exasperation. 

Mindy chose to ignore the last remark, something she frequently had to do with Alyson.  That’s what best friends were for, right?  Sometimes Alyson could act so snobbish but she was also fun to hang around with.  Maybe she just couldn’t help having her uppity mannerisms.

“Look, Mike’s here.” Mindy glanced sideways to see what Alyson’s reaction would be.

“Farmer Mike?”

“Alyson, he’s not a farmer.  He works in his parents’ feed store.  What’s wrong with that?”  Mindy was getting exasperated by her friend’s attitude.

“Nothing, I suppose.  I’m just not interested in the ‘farm boy’ type.”

Mindy was relieved to hear that.  If you’re not interested, I’ll just snag him for myself, but kept quiet about that thought.  No sense in stirring up the competitive blood that Alyson seemed to have in abundance.  With Alyson’s looks, it was hard to compete with her if she decided to go after a guy.

Alyson left the group behind as she walked down the beach, kicking at the sand where the water was rushing up to meet it.  She was bored with their small town talk: the colleges they were applying for, the movies they would see next week, the upcoming prom.  No one seemed to crave the high life that she was looking for. 

Eventually Alyson reached the small seawall that had been built many years ago to protect the sand from eroding. 

It was a low wall; built of rock and festooned with crustaceans that managed to cling to it during high tide. Alyson perched on top of it.  She wanted to be alone for a little while; just to feel the breeze hit her face and listen to the gulls call out to each other.  It was a lonely sound that she could identify with.  She used to walk this same beach with her mother years ago and listen to the gulls then, too. 

Back then, the sound didn’t seem quite so forlorn though. 

That’s enough of this ‘might have been’ nonsense, Alyson angrily told herself.  Self pity doesn’t fit into my schedule.  It’s my time to have fun, party hard, no worries.  I’m young, beautiful and rich. Alyson laughed out loud.  I should have a poster made up with that saying on it and a photo of me.  She slipped on her headphones, cranked the music up and turned to go.

She never saw it coming.

No actual witnesses were ever found, only people describing what they had heard that made them turn around to look.  The roar of an engine, a sonic boom, and an unearthly shriek that seemed to split the very heavens open; those were the sounds described.  As to the aftermath, everyone saw the same thing – a crumpled seawall, blood in the sand, and no sign of Alyson.

The police cruiser turned down the long drive, heading toward the Kirkland manor.  This was one of the more uncomfortable aspects of his job, Sergeant Murphy had decided long ago.  In all of his years of training he still felt ill-equipped to be the bearer of bad news to families who would be devastated when they heard what he had to say.  How do you break the news gently to someone that their loved one is missing, injured or dead?  Especially in a small town like this, where there are so many ties binding the community together. 

The Sergeant’s daughter, Cathy, had taken one of the Professor’s classes just last semester and always talked about how much he had helped her in defining her career goals.  Additionally, this call was particularly disturbing because he had been involved in the investigation nine years ago surrounding the Professor’s wife, Lila.  

On the other hand, he thought as he pulled up to the circle that led to the front of the house, I suppose that it shouldn’t ever become easy.  At least I know that I haven’t lost my compassion for others.

 

First Realm

Central Processing and A Wooden Debate

“Welcome, missy.” 

A voice that seemed to drip venom pierced through the thunder that was exploding in Alyson’s head.  What had happened to her, and why was she in so much pain? 

“My name is Alyson, not Missy.” 

Was that really her voice, sounding so breathless and confused?  Just then, a cacophony of shrieks sent Alyson spinning into a cloud of white-hot pokers.  Alyson joined in the shrieking with one of her own and then made the mistake of opening her eyes.

What she saw defied all logic.  Before her was a pair of enormous emerald-green eyes floating in the darkness. 

“Here you will know only pain, missy,” Green Eyes growled at her.  “Learn the rules, before you have sunk too deeply.  There are many degrees of pain; what you endure will depend on how quickly you learn.  Have a care that you do not anger me overmuch or your fate will be quite unbearable.” 

I must be having a nightmare, thought Alyson.  I can’t be having a conversation with a pair of disembodied eyes! 

Alyson opened her mouth to speak, thought better of it, and then decided to just go for it.  After all, she was in charge of her own dream, right? 

“Where am I and what are you?” she managed to stutter. 

That’s when the shrieking began again, like hot spears lancing through her brain. 

“Have you not figured out yet what happens when you speak to me?  You will learn the rules or you will die.”  Green Eyes’ voice was like poison dripping from fangs.  “You will learn eventually, they all do.” 

With that comment, the eyes disappeared.  Alyson fainted.

When she came to it seemed to be morning in the wherever-this-place-was.  There wasn’t much light, but at least it wasn’t total darkness like before.  Those creepy green eyes were gone, too. 

Alyson shivered; she felt disoriented and cold.  As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she saw that she was in some kind of room with stone walls.  The walls were damp and made the chill in the air even worse.  There wasn’t much in the way of furnishings, either; a lumpy cot and a chair with only three legs. 

These were definitely not the comfortable surroundings that Alyson was used to.   Her closet was bigger than this room.

Why, she sniffed, would anyone stoop so low as to stay in a place like this?

That’s when she started to sink.

Sinking through the ground felt like being buried alive.  But just when she thought that she was about to die, Alyson popped into a forest.  She glanced up and saw a gaping hole closing above her, like a funnel had opened and spit her out. 

She was outdoors and yet the sky had a bruised cast to it; there certainly wasn’t any sun out so the light was very feeble.  The area was very dense with trees; giant trees with huge gnarled bases where dark holes could be occasionally seen. 

I wonder if anything has made a nest inside of one of those holes? Alyson shuddered. 

“Well, well, who do we have here?” a voice that sounded like crackling leaves spoke. 

“Who said that?” 

“Look up and see your fate,” spoke the leaves again, this time with real menace in its voice. 

Alyson looked up, and up some more.  High above her head was the misshapen face of the tree, looking like it had come straight out of a nightmare.  Its huge, bulbous eyes, of which there were seven, were sort of smashed right into the bark.  They had an eerie red glow to them, almost like they were multi-dimensional. 

The gaping maw below the eyes, which Alyson assumed was its mouth, had several rows of dagger-like teeth that crossed at angles to each other and made slashing sounds as it spoke. 

While Alyson was trying to absorb all of this, she became aware that the rustling sounds were getting louder.  As she looked around, she saw that all of the trees had different variations of that nightmare face. 

Nightmare, yes that’s it. She grabbed at the thought.  I’m having a nightmare and anytime now I’ll be waking up and laughing at such a stupid dream. 

The rustling continued to grow louder; the menacing undertone now the dominant sound and Alyson wasn’t having much luck with the waking up part. 

“I just want to get back home.” 

Yelling to be heard over the rising crescendo, Alyson hoped that there was a way out of here.  If there was, these ugly trees might be able to help her if she could just persuade them to listen to her story.  

“There is no going back for you.  This is your home and here you will stay.” 

The mouth that spoke suddenly rained saliva on Alyson, burning her skin with acid wherever it touched. Nightmare or not, Alyson realized that she would have to make a run for it in order to survive the next few minutes.  She would worry about waking up later.  Just as she was set to take off, a gnome popped out of thin air right next to her.

Alyson started, backing into a tree which promptly grabbed her around the waist and wouldn’t let go.  Was she imagining a hot breath, reeking of musty dead things, running down the back of her neck?  She screamed, twisting and kicking but to no avail.  The tree wouldn’t release her; in fact, its grip was beginning to tighten even more. 

Just when she felt that her ribs would be crushed the gnome reached out and effortlessly spread the branches apart that encircled her.  Alyson rushed out, coming to stand in a small clearing far away from any more branches. 

Visibly shaken, Alyson screamed at the gnome. “Don’t come any closer to me!” 

The gnome stood still and patiently waited for her to calm down.

After a while, curiosity got the better of Alyson.  She needed answers and maybe this ugly creature could supply them. 

“What are you and why have you brought me here?” 

There, that sounded like a reasonable request, she thought.  The gnome stood assessing her for a moment, then spoke in a voice that sounded like snakes hissing. 

“As to what I am, it’s unimportant.  As to bringing you here, I didn’t.  You brought yourself here.” 

Alyson opened her mouth to reply, but the words got caught in her throat, so the gnome continued. 

“There are lessons all around you; many lessons to be learned.” 

Alyson finally found her voice.  “I was in a dank, shabby room and then I started sinking and ended up here.  I certainly didn’t bring myself to this place!” 

“That room is my home.” 

Alyson blinked.  Why would anyone live that way?  Though she hadn’t spoken out loud, he heard her anyway. 

“It serves my purpose.  Why would I clutter it up with useless gadgets that have no function?” 

Alyson was beginning to feel a bit defensive now, but pressed her point.  “I prefer to surround myself with beautiful things.  What’s wrong with beauty, anyway?” 

“There is nothing wrong with beauty, only in where you choose to find it,” the gnome explained.  “There is much beauty to behold that lies below the surface; ‘things’ which have no useful purpose do not have an inner beauty.  You brought yourself here because of your distaste for another person’s lifestyle…one of many lessons.” 

“I don’t understand you,” Alyson said as the panicky feeling started to return.  “What lessons?  I’ve learned all of the lessons that I care to learn!” 

“Perhaps you have not been here long enough,” hissed the gnome. 

“It seems like I’ve been here for an eternity already,” Alyson snapped. 

“Perhaps you have been,” came the enigmatic reply “or perhaps not.  Time flows differently here.  You may encounter other people from your own time that have already been here for years, others for only days.” 

“Must you always speak in riddles?” came the screeched response, as Alyson sat down heavily on what had looked to be a solid rock, but turned out to be a warm mass of tendrils intent on clinging to her backside.  As she struggled to free herself from this latest affront to her dignity, the gnome popped back out again. 

She was once again alone in the gloom.  Good riddance, she huffed.  One more moment spent in that ugly creature’s presence and she would have felt like poking her eyes out.

 ‘Eternity’ was about to take on a whole new meaning for Alyson.

Then she looked down at her hands and got really mad. 

That stupid gnome made me break a nail.

The City of Ugly

 Well, at least there aren’t any man-eating trees around here, she thought darkly as she picked herself up off of the ground.  Not any shade here, either. 

She had been walking for a while to get out of the forest.  Putting some distance between her and the trees had seemed like a good idea at the time.  Just as she entered this field though, something had tripped her and sent her sprawling. 

Alyson couldn’t see what might have made her trip but the light was fairly dim and made walking something of an adventure in itself.  It was just as gloomy here as it had been in the forest, although it seemed much warmer – hot even. Alyson stood to remove her sweater and that’s when she spotted it: a red tattoo.

The little tattoo, in the shape of a rabbit, had been placed on her forearm!  Alyson started rubbing it in a vain attempt to remove the tattoo, but it had been permanently inked onto her arm; furthermore, it didn’t look like it was new.  There wasn’t any redness or soreness surrounding it, nothing to indicate that it had just happened. 

“This is crazy,” she shouted while her mind raced in nervous little circles.  “I most certainly would have noticed someone trying to tattoo me!” 

“It is the mark of the Red Rabbit.” 

The voice came from behind her, making her jump.  As Alyson spun around she remained very aware of the fact that just moments ago she was all alone on a wide open – and very empty – field.  The field remained empty.  Any moment now she was going to have a complete meltdown, she just knew it. 

“Who said that?”

“I did,” the very empty field replied. 

“I can’t see you,” Alyson glumly stated. 

“Sorry, I tend to forget that the new ones can’t see me.” 

With that, a man materialized in front of her.  Alyson suddenly realized that he was a young and very good looking man, with deep green-gold eyes. 

“You can call me Jake.” 

“Okay, Jake, what did you mean when you said ‘new ones’?  I’ve been here since yesterday and you’re the first real person that I’ve seen.” 

At least, I think he’s real, she thought somewhat fuzzily.  She was becoming mesmerized by his eyes. 

Jake continued to watch her as he bit back a bark of laughter. 

“Yesterday?  I haven’t heard someone mark time in that manner for centuries, maybe longer.”  

Alyson had to close her eyes; she wasn’t thinking clearly with Jake standing there. 

“I don’t understand any of this; like where I am, or why I’m here or what I’m supposed to be doing to get back home.  What did you mean when you said ‘it’s the mark of the Red Rabbit’ and that reference you made about ‘new ones’?”

 “Come walk with me and I’ll explain as we go.  It’s not safe to be out in this field at night.” 

Despite the heat, Alyson shivered.

“Everyone that is sent here has the mark of the Red Rabbit somewhere on their body.  The Red Rabbit chooses people to come here every 700 Earth years.” 

“What do you mean, Earth years?”  Alyson spoke with outrage to mask her nervousness.  “Aren’t we on Earth?” 

Jake thought about how to reply to that.  

“We don’t really know where we are.  It could still be Earth, in a different dimension, or it could be an alternate universe.  For instance, we don’t require sustenance here; that’s why you haven’t felt hungry but sleep is still a necessity.  All in all, it doesn’t really matter where we are, what matters is that we have been chosen to come here and this is where we stay – forever.” 

Alyson noticed that he drew out the final word – forever – in a way that seemed to have a lot more significance to it than what she was catching on to.  She switched to another line of questioning before she thought about it any further. 

“You mentioned other people.  Where are they now?” 

Maybe she could get some answers from them, like how to get out of here!  Although, if there was a way out, why would they still be here – another puzzle to answer. 

“Oh, they are here and there, out and about.  You’ll run into each of them eventually, given enough time.” 

They walked on in silence then, giving Alyson a chance to sort through what she had just heard.  What are these strange references to time that Jake keeps making and what do they really mean?  Think, Alyson!  Use the brain that your father seems to think is buried in there somewhere under all of that fluff! 

At the thought of her father, Alyson suddenly heard his voice calling her name as though from a great distance.  She spun around, searching, but nothing was out there to see.  Jake stopped and took her hand, urging her on.  She didn’t hear the call again so continued on to whatever destination lay ahead of them.

“Where are we going?” Alyson finally asked.

“We are going to visit one of the Kingdoms,” Jake replied casually.

“What ‘Kingdoms’?”  Alyson didn’t quite understand any of this.

Jake smiled.  “Central Processing sorts the chosen people and sends each of them to the Kingdom most suitable, according to their previous lifestyle.  A few aren’t classified right away and so they are sent on a journey; which is what you are doing.  But don’t worry, you will find the one that suits you; either by chance or by design.”

“I want to go home.” Anger replaced fear now.

“That’s not possible – this is your home now.” The smile widened on Jake’s face as he said it.

After a time they reached the edge of the field and encountered small clusters of misshapen houses.  The road was crooked and filled with potholes, while the groupings of huts stretched out as far as the eye could see into the distance.  Gloomy skies still prevailed but the air seemed a bit cooler here. 

Alyson looked around in distaste. 

“What is this place?” she finally asked.

The area was enshrouded in gray smoke.  Each hut had a chimney spewing the foul smelling substance into the air, making it hard for Alyson to breathe.  The huts themselves were the ugliest excuse for a house that she had ever seen.  She certainly wouldn’t want to step foot in one.

Just then, a door to one of the huts opened and out walked a dirty bundle of rags followed by a swarm of flies. 

“That’s just gross,” Alyson screamed.  “Why did you lead me to this place, Jake?” 

“This is a place of sanctuary to the people here, Alyson.  They have nowhere else to go.  If they spend the night without shelter they will be taken by what lies out there in the field.  This is where we must stay for the night, also.” 

Alyson couldn’t believe what Jake was suggesting.  No way would she actually walk inside one of those huts, much less spend the night.  With housekeepers always around at home she was accustomed to living in a clean environment. 

By now, several more bundles of rags had walked out of the huts in curiosity, having overheard the heated exchange.  Varying numbers of black flies were attached to each one in apparent symbiosis with each other.  While Alyson was fighting the urge to vomit, Jake continued to answer her question. 

“It’s rather poetic justice, don’t you think?” he smirked.  “The people that reside here do so because of their attitudes in their former life, before the Red Rabbit chose them.  They were beautiful on the outside, but vain and ugly on the inside.  Now they’ve been turned inside out, so to speak.” 

“There’s nothing wrong with being beautiful or having good fortune and a good life!”  Alyson declared bluntly. 

“No, Alyson, being beautiful or having good fortune is not a problem in itself.  But vanity can be an ugly, festering sore hidden deep inside where the light of truth cannot reach to heal.  For the people of this Kingdom the festering sores are now on the outside and exposed for all to see…and for the flies to feed on.” 

“However,” Jake continued, “I can see that you are not ready to accept the truth of your situation.  No matter, you will learn as you go.”

As Jake stood surveying the scene, Alyson stole a glance in his direction. 

I must be imagining things, she thought. 

For a moment it seemed as though Jake’s eyes had flashed with an emerald light, but as he turned to look at her his eyes were the same green-gold eyes that she’d been admiring all day.

 He’s the only one that I can look at without starting to feel sick, she realized.  I can’t stay here, around these miserable people.  I don’t belong here.  Some mistake has been made and I’m just going to have to find somebody that can rectify it.  These people can’t do anything to help me.

 Having made a decision, Alyson was just about to inform Jake that they would be leaving when he grabbed her hand and started walking toward one of the huts. 

“We can stay here for the night,” he said while dragging her along. 

Alyson screamed as the door opened, revealing the thick mass of flies inside of the room.  She jerked her hand out of Jake’s grip and ran back out to the edge of the city, back toward the field where she had first met him. 

As she ran, she thought she heard Jake’s rich laughter rolling on the wind.

The gnome was waiting for her out in the field. 

“Oh, it’s you again,” Alyson said in disgust.  “What are you supposed to be, some kind of guide for me out of this hellhole?” 

“Not a guide, but I can help you.  You don’t need a guide for that which you cannot escape from.  This is your home now.  You have the ability to make it a bit easier to live in, or harder.  There are choices that you will make as time passes; how you choose will determine whether lessons are learned or avoided.” 

“There you go with the ‘lessons’ again!”  Alyson paced back and forth through the field, kicking up dust.  “Let me tell you something.  I will be leaving this place. I will escape and get back home.  You won’t be able to stop me.” 

The gnome looked at Alyson with genuine sadness in his eyes. If Alyson had been able to bring herself to even look at him she might have been touched that he cared.

“Already you have been shown lessons, Alyson.  I can help you more in the upper Realms, not as much in the lower ones.  How far you sink will depend on you.”

The gnome looked at her stubborn stance for a moment and then continued.

Did you speak with the people in the city?” 

“Those bundles of rags with flies attached to them?” 

Alyson couldn’t believe that he would even suggest such a thing!  Talk about your ultimate homeless people. 

“I wouldn’t want to get near enough to have a conversation.  Besides, what could they possibly say that would relate in any way to me or my present circumstances?  They live there; I am just passing through on my way out.  The only one that didn’t make me ill to look at was Jake, and I’m not totally sure whether he is friend or foe.” 

The gnome thought that perhaps there was a glimmer of hope there, until she continued with “but I could stare into his eyes all day.”

The gnome popped back out.

Belle of the Ball

Alyson pondered what to do next, or even which direction she should take.  She couldn’t just stay in this field but all of this walking was taking a toll on her.  She was used to just hopping in her car and driving to wherever she wished to go. 

Where’s a taxi when you need one, she muttered crossly.  This Realm didn’t seem to have any sort of transportation, as far as she could tell.

As she gazed off into the distance Alyson noticed a purple smudge on the horizon.  In a matter of moments the smudge had grown larger and seemed to be moving in her direction.  Not too long after, she realized that it was some type of caravan. 

Brightly colored fabric, glinting here and there in the feeble light, was being held aloft as some sort of banner.  The astonishing display was made even more so by the fact that Alyson could now make out the mode of transportation – camels.

More precisely, twenty purple camels were ambling their way toward her.  No less impressive, the men riding the camels were dressed in some sort of ornate costume, complete with golden masks adorning their faces.  The banner, which the two lead men held aloft, stated:

Come one, come all

To the Red Rabbit Ball

Alyson snorted.  Well, I certainly won’t give them high marks for their rhyming abilities, she thought sarcastically while watching them approach, but I did ask for transportation, didn’t I?  I wonder what this ball is about.

“Where are you headed?” Alyson shouted up to the lead rider.  Not that it mattered much as long as it was away from here.

“We are headed to the masquerade,” the masked gentleman replied.  “Would you care to join us?”

Alyson always enjoyed a good party.  She was certainly tired of the dreariness that she’d been put through so far.  This ball sounded much more to her liking.  Besides, she would get nowhere just standing here.

“Yes, I would.”

The gentleman whistled and his camel knelt down into the dust of the field next to Alyson.  Steps were then placed before her so that she could easily climb up and be seated in front of him.  Once she was settled, the man whistled a second time and the camel rose up to full height.  From this vantage point Alyson could see much more of the desolate countryside and was doubly glad that she had accepted this invitation.

“Rest for awhile,” the gentleman was saying.  “We shall be there soon.”

His words were melodic; Alyson hadn’t intended to sleep but found herself suddenly closing her eyes.  The rest will do me good, came the drowsy thought.  I’ll want to be at my best for the party tonight.  So she slept. 

Sometime later Alyson awoke in a lavishly appointed room, complete with handmaidens tossing rose petals into a large tub filled to the top with fragrant, steaming bath water.  Alyson was too delighted to speak for a moment.  That changed as soon as she glanced down and realized that someone had removed all of her clothing while she’d been asleep. 

“Where are my clothes,” Alyson said imperiously “and who removed them?”

“We did, my lady,” one of the handmaidens spoke up.  “We thought that you would enjoy a long soak after your travels.  The master will supply fresh clothing for you, as well as anything else that you may require.  You have only to ask and it will be granted.”

“Oh.”  Somewhat mollified, Alyson looked around the room.  It was a magnificent room.  There were French doors opening out onto an expansive veranda filled with exquisite statuary.  The lush gardens surrounding the patio were immense and filled with fragrant blooms.  Bird song filled the air of this idyllic setting.  Inside, ornate tapestries covered every surface and soft pillows were scattered around for seating purposes.

Her attention returned to the steaming tub.  How long had it been since she’d had a bath?  She didn’t want to dwell on it.  But do let us take advantage of this one, Alyson suddenly decided.  After all, there it was beckoning to her with its rolling steam and smelling divine.

After an appropriately long soak, Alyson was finally coaxed out of the bath.  A fashion show was then announced, all for her benefit.  Outfit after outfit was paraded before her, every hue and style imaginable. 

Alyson was spellbound; she couldn’t imagine a better place to be at the moment than right here.  The maids fussed with her hair and makeup while Alyson considered each garment shown her; nodding at some and rejecting others until she had quite a tidy stack of ‘keepers’.

Then the ball gown was brought in.  It shimmered with an otherworldly iridescence, capturing the eye of anyone who looked in that direction.  As Alyson slid the dress on, it adhered to her curves as if it were a living substance.  It felt like nothing that Alyson had ever experienced before.  The dress seemed to amplify her innate sexual prowess, making Alyson feel utterly invincible.

Another handmaiden stepped into the room just then, carrying a golden mask.

“Your mask for the ball, my lady,” she spoke as she placed it on the table beside Alyson.

Alyson picked up the mask. It was as light as a feather and felt warm, alive even. 

“But how do I attach it?  There isn’t anything to hold it to my face or hair.”  Alyson turned it over, puzzled.

“Just hold it up to your face,” the maid replied.  “It will do the rest.”

As Alyson held the mask up to her face it seemed to flow across her features and become a part of her skin, much as the dress had done.  Someone handed her a mirror.  The face that looked back at her was mysterious and beautiful.  Alyson smiled.  It was going to be a great night.

As nightfall approached, Alyson was led to the ballroom to be presented.  They traversed so many corridors that she was sure she would never be able to find her way back to her room again.  Alyson was assured that she only had to ask any of the staff and they would guide her back.

With that settled, Alyson was presented to the master of the castle, Prince Ruminantia.

“I am enchanted by your beauty,” he spoke softly while brushing his lips against the back of her hand.

“I am pleased to meet you.”  Alyson smiled brightly at him, reveling in the attention from royalty.

“You will surely dance with me before the night is through, won’t you?”  His smile was full of unspoken promise.

“Of course, I would be delighted.”  Alyson leaned in close to deliver her answer, breathing the whispered words into the Prince’s ear.

The ballroom was already filled with people, all wearing golden masks.  There was noise and laughter everywhere but it seemed to Alyson as if every head turned to follow her movements as she made her way slowly across the floor.  The attention was intoxicating for Alyson; she drank it in.  This was the life that she had longed to lead; the fulfillment of all of her fantasies. 

Alyson turned to look back at the Prince and found him tracking her with his eyes.  Good, she giggled softly.  Keep him interested and you could be the Princess of the castle in no time at all.

The dancing lasted all night.  Alyson didn’t quite understand all of the twirling aspects of the dance but found that it didn’t matter. The golden shoes that she wore seemed to have a mind of their own and Alyson soon relaxed into the rhythm of the music.  The Prince was very attentive, each time he was called away by his duties as host he vowed to return quickly.  In his absence, Alyson had any number of eager suitors vying for her attention.

As the evening stretched into the darkest hours of the night, the Prince suggested a stroll in the gardens.  They came upon a stone bench and sat to admire the flowers that seemed to be glowing in the darkness.

“I am entranced by your beauty, fair lady.”  The Prince ran his hand softly up the curve of Alyson’s neck and then began a slow descent down her back.

Alyson shivered at his touch, delight coursing through her body.  This was all happening so fast but there was also a magical quality to it; a quality which broke down any resistance she might have otherwise had.  First though, she wanted to see the Prince’s face without the mask.

“May I remove your mask so that I can see who you really are?”  Alyson spoke softly, with a hint of panting in her voice.

She reached up to remove the mask but the Prince captured her fingers in his hands.

“Dear lady, I regret to say that it’s impossible to remove the masks on our own.  Not to worry, though, for they dissolve of their own accord at daybreak.”

Alyson felt her own mask and found that indeed, there weren’t any seams to be detected.  It was like a part of her skin.  Luckily, she hadn’t noticed that earlier or she might have panicked.  She liked her own face very much and wouldn’t have wanted to remain masked for the rest of her life.

Just then the Prince leaned over and kissed her.  It started out as a polite kiss but the intensity quickly built as sparks flew between them.  It was some time before contact was broken.  The Prince stood and pulled Alyson into his arms, hands roaming up and down her back.

“We’d best go back inside,” he murmured. 

“Yes, of course,” she replied and allowed him to guide her back to the ballroom.

That kiss had set Alyson on fire, but she needed to establish some ground rules first.  After all, her future happiness was at stake here.  Certain guarantees needed to be spelled out to make sure that she got exactly what she was entitled to.

I think that the time is right to disappear back to my room now, Alyson silently considered.  The morning would be soon enough to begin her planning. 

She found a member of the staff and expressed her desire to be taken back to her room.

“Of course, my lady” and he turned to lead the way.

Back in her room, Alyson changed into a pink dressing gown made from the finest cashmere and lay down amidst the jumble of silk pillows adorning the bed.  I wonder if they actually have pink goats here, was her final thought, as she drifted off to sleep.

The morning dawned and Alyson stretched with a satisfied groan.  It had been quite an evening, full of grandeur.  And the Prince can belong to me, she grinned with excitement.  There was much to do today and Alyson needed to start planning right away.

As she started to roll over, Alyson felt something bump up against her backside.  Turning quickly, she came face to face with her attacker.  Alyson shrieked; she couldn’t help it.  She shot over to the other side of the bed, searching for something to use as a weapon.

She had been sleeping in the bed with a billy goat.  

The goat looked at her calmly and then began licking her feet.

“Get away from me, you smelly beast!” Alyson shouted as she scrambled out of the bed. 

Of all the disgusting things to have happen to her!  Who let it in here?  She was going to have a few things to say to those maids. 

Alyson reached for something to put on but came up short.  All of the clothes that had been piled up on the chair yesterday were gone.  Every single item that she had picked out as her own was nowhere to be found.

After searching the room, Alyson finally found a change of clothes in one of the closets; her old clothes that she had arrived in.  Having no other choice in the matter she donned them and strode out into the corridor in a fine temper – and stopped in her tracks.

The corridor was empty, devoid of the previous night’s splendor: no furnishings, no fine draperies, nothing.  Nada, zip, zilch, nothing left.  Alyson was speechless.  What was going on here?  She walked back into her room and received a second shock.

The fine furnishings of the room had also disappeared during the few moments that she had spent looking about the corridor.  Everything was gone – bed, tub, fine tapestries – as if it had never existed. 

Only one thing remained…the goat was still there.

Alyson crossed over to the French doors and walked out onto what had been a veranda surrounded by lush gardens the night before.  In its place today stood a dirt path leading down into a group of stalls with peasants selling their wares in a marketplace of sorts. 

As she walked down the path, Alyson caught snatches of conversation about last night’s ball; exclamations of wonderment and delight along with anticipation of the next one.

As she was trying to make sense of this there was a tap on her shoulder.  Alyson spun around and found herself staring into green-gold eyes.  Jake was here.

“So, how did you like the ball last night?”  Jake seemed to be laughing at some private joke.

Not wishing to reveal her current state of confusion, Alyson replied “I had a wonderful evening, thank you.”

“What did you think of Prince Ruminantia?” Jake inquired.

“I found him to be quite charming and the perfect gentleman.  In fact, I was hoping to speak with him this morning.  Do you happen to know where he is?” Alyson had to stop her heart from fluttering at the thought.

Jake looked out at the many goats grazing in the grass.   “I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.”

“There were quite a few guests at the ball last night but I don’t see any of them out and about this morning, either.”  Alyson was perplexed that she hadn’t seen one single person of the gentry class yet this morning. They couldn’t have all left already.  It was still early.

Jake continued looking at the goats.  “Most of the guests are still here.”

“Well, where is any of the staff?”  Alyson was getting exasperated by the lack of helpful answers.  Maybe she could get more information from one of them.

Waving at the peddlers stalls, Jake informed her that they were the household help from last night.

Alyson walked up to the first peddler that she encountered and asked the young girl where she might find Prince Ruminantia.

“I don’t rightly know, my lady, but he should be coming through here soon.  He usually does this time of day.”

As the girl turned to go back to her stall, she pointed up the slope.

“Here he comes now, my lady.”

Alyson turned in that direction.  The girl had been pointing to Alyson’s own room and there, coming through the French doors, was Prince Ruminantia – the goat.

After the shock wore off Alyson sought out Jake, who was walking amongst the stalls.

“Would you mind explaining to me what is going on here?”  There was a slightly shrill quality to her voice, but Alyson was beyond caring at the moment.

“Certainly.  With each cycle of the Red Rabbit a ball is held to celebrate the event.”  Jake looked quizzically at her, as if that should be obvious.

“I mean about him!”  Alyson pointed at the goat standing beside her, nuzzling her leg.

“Prince Ruminantia?  He is always a goat, except for the night of the ball, when he becomes human for his hosting duties.  I thought you’d have surmised that from his name.”  Looking down at the Prince, Jake continued.  “He seems quite taken with you.”

Alyson refused to look down at the Prince.  “What about the other guests?”

“They are all here,” said Jake, waving his hand out across the field where many goats stood grazing.  “I would imagine that they will be staying for a while.  They don’t often have the chance to congregate this way.”  With that, he walked back to the stall.

Her dreams of becoming a Princess dashed, Alyson sat down in the road to think.  She had forgotten that she was trying to find a way home. She must hold on to that hope.  There was nothing for her here.  She needed to pick a direction and start walking again.  Somebody out there must have information that she could use.  Having found a new resolve, Alyson placed her hands on her knees to push herself back up.  That’s when she noticed it.

She had broken two more nails.

 

I hope you've enjoyed this excerpt.  The print book and Kindle version are available from Amazon.com, click here.



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Realms of the Red Rabbit - Jake Book 2