We glided down the shifting walkways of Port Rait, bobbing along to gentle evening music. I indulged in a quick squeal and kicked my legs. I was doing the right thing, and I had a date!
Before that, I had a heroine to take care of, and to get permission from. Oh, my. What if she disapproved? I should practice arguments to present my case. Or would the right thing to do be to prepare myself to accept her judgment without question?
Oops. Preparation of any kind was moot. As the streets bounced around in their circle, an otherwise pale building with striped poles fringing the windows reared right in front of me. Well, time to—
I had less time even than that to prepare. Sandy leaped out of the doorway, skirts flapping, and yanked me off of the pangolin’s back. “Heartfelt! I was so worried!”
She hugged me against her shoulder so hard that it hurt, but in a thrilling, wonderful way. This pain was love. From up here, I could also spot when the pangolin’s arm waved in what I was sure was a wave and not just a scheduled dance step. I waved back, but weakly. Most of my strength was in preparing to wheeze.
Sandy loosened the hug. I wheezed, my fluff reinflating. “I’m sorry, Miss Sandy. While I obtained both supplies and an escape plan, I’m not sure I can call my quest a success if it made you unhappy. It’s just that I had an adventure. Me! I mean, an adventurelet, suitable for sidekick size, but still there was action and danger and romance and everything.”
She carried me back inside, and for several steps she merely looked at the ceiling. Her voice was equally distant as she said, “Of course. I guess that has to happen, here.”
I blinked. “Oh, my. Perhaps you’re right. I just didn’t think it was allowed to happen to me. Adventures must bleed off of humans, somewhat like an ill-thought-out bath, the kind when multiple clothlings whose colors don’t match are washed together.”
She giggled, then fell back into the plush seat I’d left her resting in. Rustling inside the box of food, she pulled out an orange. Eyebrows raised, Sandy said, “Look at all this. No wonder you took so long. You really come through for me when I need you, Heartfelt.”
Tumbles leaned up on his tiptoes, his head poking over the arm of the chair. “She was super worried. If you didn’t show up soon, she was going to go rescue you, and I bet nothing could have stopped her.”
My heart flickered erratically, and my fluff twisted up behind it. Should I feel flattered or guilty?
Seating me in her lap, Sandy peeled the orange, and brought it to her mouth. “Tell me all about it,” she mumbled through the fruit, and then bit in.
I tapped the earpiece of my glasses. “I’m not certain I’m a story teller. I was arrested incorrectly, and the local agent of justice intervened. He was almost a knight in shining armor. Certainly well painted.”
Sandy giggled, and I did, too. In her case, it was through a mouthful of fruit. She dropped the empty rind, which Tumbles snapped out of the air, resulting in a peculiar but rather pleasant smell and a lot of smoke leaking out between his stubby teeth. Even before she’d swallowed the last bite of orange, Sandy had one of those little turkey legs you dig out of walls and a bottle of root beer in her hand. She stuck the bottle in Tumbles’ mouth, and with a twist they snapped the cap free. Oh, my. Who knew our faithful dargon had such strong teeth?
Well, Sandy, obviously.
“Do you want any?” she asked me suddenly, holding out the neck of her half-drunk bottle.
To be honest, I felt so thirsty I thought my cotton might turn to dust, but I shook my head. “I have tea scheduled later, Miss Sandy. We have a… um… an appointment. With the law officer. He’s going to help us escape.”
She looked at me. I giggled again. She looked more, eyebrows rising as she chewed away at the turkey. That was too much. Unable to meet her eyes anymore, I leaned over the arm rest and watched Tumbles pry a stray punkin seed out of his nose.
With my gaze averted, I was wholly unprepared for being caught in another fierce Sandy hug, or to be told, “That is just wonderful. I’m jealous.”
My mouth strained at the stitches. “Jealous of me?!” How could any human be jealous of me? Especially one like my heroine?
She dropped the stripped turkey leg into Tumbles’ mouth. Bones don’t burn, so he was forced to roll around on the floor gnashing at it. We both pretended to pay attention to that, but I definitely saw Sandy wince. Her voice got much quieter. “I’ve never had a boyfriend. I’ve never even had a boy I like liked, but we were just friends.”
I went back to staring at her in shock. Oops. We’d just been trying to be discreet in this conversation, hadn’t we? Well, too late now. Anyway, the idea… it had my thoughts running in circles, it was so crazy. “But you’re beautiful and powerful and smart and magic. I love you, and I’m just a doll. Actual human boys must follow you around in a crowd.”
Sandy tittered a strangely bitter laugh, her grin all twisted up and lopsided. One of her hands, damp from the root beer bottle, stroked my cap. “Remember, they’re all humans, too. Besides, it’s… harder there.”
“I don’t understand.”
She pulled me close again, mashing my face into her chest while she talked quietly and somberly above me. “Humans fight a lot, Heartfelt. They say mean things if I try to make friends with a boy. There are a couple that I think are nice, especially Daniel who waters the flowers when nobody asks him to, and he always has a book. I can’t say anything to him. I can’t. Not after… Qing touched Charity’s hand while they were talking in the library, and Monica and Gage saw it and they… they still say mean things. And do other stuff.”
Well. No wonder humans were powerful. Clearly, they were forged in a pressure cooker of titanic challenges. I patted Sandy’s arm, not knowing what to say.
Sniffing, she loosened her hug so I could at least look up at her face. Her smile didn’t actually look sad, and she just sounded thoughtful. “Maybe I’ll say something to Daniel anyway when I get back. Maybe it will be worth it, even if people are mean.”
Then she gave me a very direct look, and her arms squeezed my sides just for a second. Her melancholy lost in eager fascination, she asked, “So, what is this knight in shining paint like?”
My heart practically lit up like a searchlight. Fumbling at the edges of my cap, I tried to answer. “Well. He. Ah.”
She tried again. “What do you like about him?”
“His… um.” I swallowed and shivered, not sure what to say.
“What do you know about him?” Now she was grinning, in a weird way that was teasing and loving at the same time.
My thoughts eradicated by a hot glow much like the one on my chest, I waved my arms helplessly.
She answered for me. “You know he’s cute.”
“So cute,” I agreed, slumping against her arm with a dreamy sigh. Then I blinked. “That doesn’t make me shallow, does it?”
Her grin was in full force now, and she hugged me in a way that scooped me up higher, so my face was close to hers. “I don’t know. Leo who lives on my street is cute, too. Really super cute. Maybe I should say ‘hi’. Since you already have a date, you can use it to actually get to know your knight, and find out if he’s more than just cute. Find out if you really like him. And if so, once we get things fixed with Charity, you can come back.”
Floating with happiness at the whole idea, I smiled up at that big, beautifully complicated human face. “You really are magic in every way, Sandy.”
Her smile vanished. She let go of me, letting me slide back into her lap. Her mouth tightened, and she even put a hand over her eyes, and rubbed them.
What was wrong? I couldn’t see anything that had changed. Peering over the arm rest, I gave Tumbles a questioning look, but he just shrugged.
So, I took the plunge, and patted her elbow. “Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?”
Sandy let go of her eyes, and smiled down at me again, but it contained a clear streak of pain. Those flexible pink lips and her yellow eyebrows conveyed really
complex shades of emotion. I just didn’t understand it, or the soft way she answered, “Only by loving me more than I deserve.”
The only possible response to that was to cross my arms and stare up at her skeptically.
Her mouth tightened, and her shoulders tensed. “Tumbles is wrong. I wouldn’t have gone looking for you.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know how to feel about that. Before I could, I needed to know: “Why?”
“Because Tumbles is right about the other thing. Nothing could have stopped me. If I tried to fight, I’m scared I might destroy this whole town. Back home, that would be ridiculous. I’m not strong enough to lift even one of those animatronics on the street outside. Here, everything I do… keeps happening.” Unable to leave me alone, her hands closed on my waist, squeezing me tightly. Uncomfortably so, but if it helped her, she could pinch me in half and I’d be proud.
A tad hoarse, I said “So you’re responsible as well as magic.”
She stared at me, face first blank, then unbelieving, then it lit up with a smile I barely got to see because she hauled me up to her shoulder for another crushing hug. Now her words fluttered with laughter. “You’re pretty magic yourself, Heartfelt. Let’s go see your boyfriend.”
Extremely hoarse this time, I corrected her, “Oh, not yet. We have hours yet, and it’s a good thing. You need to sleep. I assure you I don’t have magic like you do, but clothlings were made to take care of humans, and I intend to do a good job.”
I didn’t actually know if that was true, but it felt right to me. Sandy chuckled again. “Fine, fine. Wake me when it’s time to chaperon your date.”
Chapter Twelve
Midnight was easy to identify. A city of clockwork is also a city of clocks, and they all chimed when they hit twelve. Port Rait’s endless melodies tinkled to a conclusion, and twelve strokes rang their own little song, from bells tiny and large, near and far and buried underground. Not loud, but certainly attention-catching.
I patted Sandy’s shin. “Are you awake? It’s time to go.”
She jerked forward, sitting fully upright. That sudden motion made her answer an obvious lie. “I’m awake.”
An unimportant one, however, since I had no choice but to awaken her. I stared out the door at the whirling order outside. “The first thing we have to do is figure out how to get you safely through the streets.”
She gave a quick yawn, slid out of the chair, and bounced on her feet, then lifted them one by one to examine. Her smile suggested they were feeling better. “Oh, I worked that out already. You put on your book bag. Now, sit on my shoulder, and hold onto my neck to keep steady. Tumbles, you hold the box, and I’ll hold you!”
Sure enough, we all packed together into one human-supported package. Sleep really had given her new strength. She walked to the door, and said, “Now, Heartfelt, you point the way.”
That was easy enough to do. At least the streets stayed the same, even if nothing on them did. I extended an arm, and Sandy stepped onto the moving streets, staying on the far side from the rearranging buildings so that none of their shifting signs or columns could reach her. “The animatronics are out of range, so I just make sure I’m on the far side of their path.”
Speaking of which, a skinny purple dancer with a long, flat-ended nose slid past, and when it got closest swiveled, snapping its arms at us!
“Hey!” shouted Sandy, ducking out of its grasp.
“Rar!” added Tumbles, blowing a puff of orange-scented fire at it.
“Oh, my!” I said, unable to help in any other way.
Its attack evaded, the purple thing slid away along the streets, resuming its awkward gyrations.
“What was that about?” asked Tumbles.
Sandy, fortunately, was thinking more practical thoughts. Close behind the purple thing came a striped tiger, and when it grabbed at her, she was ready. As clumsily as they moved, she only had to step out of its range.
“Do you think they’re working for the shriveners?” asked Tumbles.
“If they are, they’re in trouble. We’re getting out of here, period,” answered Sandy.
We’d reached the cross street, and when I pointed Sandy stepped onto a new path. That let a skunk come up to us from ahead, but she stood out of its way. Instead of grabbing, he put one hand to his chest, and held the other out toward her, turning to face her imploringly until his pole dragged him a whole two body lengths away, back to his dance.
Back to—oh, of course. I bopped my head with a fist. “No, they’re not trying to catch us. They want to dance with Sandy!”
She blinked at me, her turned face less than an inch from mine. I got an excellent view of shining eyes and a smile so happy it looked almost like pain. “That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. I wish I had time. I bet that’s why Port Rait even exists.”
Rubbing my chin, I thought about that. “So humans have someone to dance with? That certainly—oh, my, I forgot. That way! That building over there!”
Once out of danger of the sliding buildings, Sandy navigated Port Rait’s streets with ease. Her long legs could step up and down shifting squares of pavement, and she’d already gotten used to the change of direction when she entered a new path. With a few hops and zigzags, she walked us around the edge of the big central plaza, staying out of range of the lights, until we reached the striped building.
She stepped inside primly. This building didn’t immediately open onto the street. It had a brief antechamber with a pair of plaques on the wall:
Welcome to the Hall of Mirrors.
A tiny tribute to the terrible glass maze in the terrible thorn maze of the terrible Belle Tower.
Needless to say, I immediately struggled with my satchel to try and pull out the journal. With three terribles, there was no question—the glass maze would be over There!
A smooth, masculine voice drove all those thoughts out of my head. “Heartfelt! And by my pins, you’ve brought your human!”
“Ah ha. Ha. Sheriff Long! It’s really more that I’m her doll.” My hair. My hair! Was it sticking out of my cap evenly? I patted it to make sure. Was this what Copperlocks felt like all the time?!
Sandy smiled her widest smile as she set me and Tumbles down on the floor. “I think he had it right the first time. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sheriff. My name is Sandy.”
“You’d best come in, and stay as far back as you can, Lady Sandy. There aren’t many folks on the streets at this hour, but you do stand out a mite,” suggested Long, bowing and pulling his cape around in front of his chest.
She walked past both of us, deeper into the building. “Happy to. This place is fascinating.”
It certainly was. In shape it was just a hall, one elongated room. The walls had been painted in pink and purple stripes, but had mostly been covered by mirrors. Quite peculiar mirrors, that reflected everything wrong. The nearest one made me look tall and stately, like Sandy, and the next one down smooshed Long down until we were practically the same height, with the same blobby bodies and round heads!
I blame that distraction for why Long had to say, “Well. Then maybe, if we can delay just a few minutes before I help you ladies leave, I brought the tea?” before the smell hit me.
Sharp. Thick. Like tree bark, but richer. TEA. He had a nice white teapot with steam—technically vapor—still rising from the spout. I stumbled over to it, and lifted up one of the teacups he’d also provided. Long easily raised the pot, which was as big as me, and poured heavenly dark brown tea into my cup.
Tilting my head back, I drank. Oh. Oh, so good. Hot and fresh, from water that hadn’t been allowed to boil. Normally I liked sugar, and Long had a bowl ready, but not now. Now I just reveled in the taste so strong it felt like it cut its way into my fluff.
Before I would have believed it, the cup was empty. My body heaved with a sigh. I’d needed that so badly. Holding out the cup to Long, I said, “May I have another, please? I believe I can take the time to savor this one.”
G
rinning, he lifted the pot with his long, confident arms, and poured. Exquisite brown swirled into the white china. “Sugar?”
Yanking the cup to my face, I guzzled it in desperate, ecstatic need. Oh, oh, oh, oh, my!
I couldn’t see anything but the cup, but I at least heard Long say, “And for the dargon, I found this in the flops cart.”
Tumbles gasped. “A conundrum! Where did you get this?”
“The flops cart.” Even Long’s patient voice registered just a touch of sardonic amusement.
“Well, it’s—omf. Arrr. Om om om om. Rrrrr.”
When I finished this cup, Tumbles was already rolling around the room, arms, legs, tail, and head all wrapped into a ball and obscuring the conundrum he chewed away at.
Trembling with relief, I gave Long a woozy, awkward smile. “I’m so sorry. I must seem terribly unladylike. Adventures leave so little time for proper tea drinking.”
He leaned over me, close enough to make his smile warm and personal. “On the contrary, ma’am. I couldn’t be happier seeing you enjoy any gift I gave you that much.”
The only answer to that I could give was a giggle, and holding my cup out for more. Well, until Tumbles rolled past, growling happily. That gave me something I could and needed to say to Long. “You are a very kind person, did you know that?”
“Well. Ah.” He didn’t quite seem to know what to say either.
Sandy’s voice interrupted our staring into each other’s eyes. “Watching you two flirt is— oh, I’m sorry. I’ll stand back here. Why is there only this one regular mirror?”
That got my attention, too. Any mystery deserved at least a peek. Sandy was pointing as she shuffled backward, and sure enough, because this was a hall the far wall had room for only one mirror—and from what I could see, it reflected the room completely normally.
Sheriff Long stood up straight, giving her a nod. “Thank you, human. That’s right convenient.” Lifting his hand to his mouth, he let out a painfully loud whistle.
A Rag Doll's Guide to Here and There Page 16