WONDER ( Twisted Forbidden Tales ) Book Three

Friendly Excursions Part Three

“Our carriage awaits my beauty. Before you ask, the Bed and Breakfast location is not the same as it used to be. It's now deeper in the Island but don’t worry this is a good thing. Do you two want anything else? If not let’s head out.” Anfim said, as we followed him out and got inside the carriage.

“So Hank, you’re a usual guest to have around here. Your scents are a bit off and don’t mean it in a bad way, but if my guess is correct it’s from poisoning. I’m glad you two came here though because I can help partly with that.” said Anfim nonchalantly as he looked at me.

“Partly?” Alissa and I asked frowning in confusion.

“Damn, that old man for leaving me to explain things clearly. It’s like this. You don’t carry one poison in you Hank but three. I can't tell just yet but the other I’m more than familiar with. One to which my Issa boo was subjected before and that’s the one we will be detoxing from you here with the Euphoria Orchid. The other lay in the hands of a Hat full of Mad. Knowing Issa, you two will be heading there next as it isn't too far from Orchid Island albeit on the other side.” Anfim explained in one breath, though I was still confused somewhat I got the gist of what he meant.

Elder Shitake needed more time, with one of the main ingredients being with the D’ Angel family. I was fine with whichever detox was first. I was aware of what happens with the mix of too many poisons in the body. For a human it was deadly but for me, this Jekyll hide look was the result either way if we couldn’t get a balance on it, I would be meeting the kicker and that was something I didn’t want to happen. I had yet to figure out these returning memories nor what it meant for Alissa.

My mission had started as an ambassador but I had yet received instructions on exactly what to do. So, for now, I was just following my instincts, and that led to more questions and unexpected answers. Alissa was quiet beside me as we traveled along in the carriage.

It took a half hour to arrive at the Purple Pansy Bed and Breakfast walls draped in cascading vines and windows framed by purple pansies. A winding sandy path leads up to the front door, also bordered by beds of pansies and orchids that release a fragrant perfume into the air.

“This is unexpected,” whispered Alissa her eyebrows arched up in surprise.

“I know right, this is so not Tilly’s style, but what can one do with the aftereffects still bouncing around,” Anfim said as he led the way in.

Stepping into the bed and breakfast, the air is thick with the scent of lavender and jasmine. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, but I couldn’t help feeling something was wrong yet I kept my awareness heightened and stayed close to Alissa and Anfim as we were greeted by friendly staff once we entered ready to cater to every need.

“Where’s Tilly?’ Anfim asked with a frown.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch dear cousin here I am. I thought you were coming a bit later on so your arrival now caught me in the middle of a sod off.” the woman named Tilly said without shame and a knowing glint in her eye as she walked toward us.

The seemingly enigmatic proprietress of the peculiar bed and breakfast emerges in front of us with a flourish of lavender-hued fabric trailing behind her. Her short wavy hair cascades in unruly tendrils around her face, framing eyes that shimmer like dew-kissed petals in the early morning light. One iris is a deep, velvety purple, reminiscent of the heart of a tulip, while the other gleams with a captivating emerald hue, hinting at the verdant secrets she harbors.

“My bad, Tilly but did you get the room ready for Issa and her friend.”

“Sure did and Issa, it’s so good to see you again. I set up the best room for you in the bed and Breakfast. And you must be her friend, Hi I’m Tilly Tulip, it's good to see our Issa making new friends, let’s get you settled then come on everyone follow me.”

Her slender nose, delicately upturned, seems almost to twitch with anticipation as she greets Alissa and me, while her ears, fashioned with tiny golden hoops, catch whispers from the garden outside. Tilly's lips painted a rosy hue, curve into a beguiling smile that conceals the sharpness lurking beneath as she ignores Alissa’s dark glare as she spins around to lead us to our room suite. Her hands, slender and graceful, flutter about in animated gestures, conveying both warmth and a subtle sense of warning.

Was it just me? Or something was off about this Purple Pansy Bed and Breakfast. Tilly’s mannerisms exude an air of elegance and grace, but beneath the cheery facade lies a darkness that seems to seep from her very pores, leaving an unsettling aura in its wake.

“Stay close Hank.” Anfim and Alissa both whisper to me as we walk forward. So. My instincts weren't wrong. The bed and breakfast itself exuded a sunny facade, with bright curtains billowing gently in the breeze and flowers blooming in vibrant hues around the Bed and Breakfast. But lurking beneath this cheerful exterior was a sense of foreboding, an unsettling feeling that seemed to seep into the very walls of the building.

As Tilly led Anfim, Alissa, and me up to our rooms, the atmosphere shifted subtly. The interior, though cozy and inviting, held an air of mystery, with shadows dancing in the corners and the faint scent of something sinister lingering in the air. Despite the warmth of the decor, there was an undeniable chill that ran through the building, a feeling that made one hesitate before fully embracing the comfort of their surroundings.

“Okay, here are your keys, please do enjoy your stay at the Purple Pansy Bed and Breakfast doing your time. No one has ever left unsatisfied with our hospitality for we aim to meet your every need and desire. And that’s my script for you tonight now I’m off. See you soon Issa, there is a lot we should catch up on.” Tilly said with a sinister smirk. As Tilly bids us all goodnight and retreats into the shadows, the atmosphere within the bed and breakfast takes on a palpable sense of unease, leaving me feeling completely chilled.

“Everything you two will need inside this room suite is already inside including food and clothing. My room is just across from yours if you anything call first using the phone in your room, do not venture out at night no matter what, understand Issa?” Anfim said with pure seriousness and deep concern.

Wasn’t Tilly his damn cousin? If he didn’t trust her why the hell did he house us here? Or was there more to it with the aftereffects of Christine's spell playing a part? Just what the heck else was going on Orchid Island, especially after hours in the middle of the night?

Alissa nods in understanding as she unlocks the door to our room. The room is bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. The door closed behind us with a click that seemed to resonate through my entire being a feeling I will never forget for the rest of my living years.

A slow steady hum vibrated underneath our feet, followed by the sound of shifting and I suddenly understood.

“It’s started, are you hungry or do you want to rest first?” Alissa said as she pointed at the bed. The bed is draped in sumptuous fabrics of deep purple and gold, while the windows are adorned with lace curtains that billow gently in the breeze.

“Neither Issa, my worries are what happens after the shift,” I said to no one in particular

“I don’t know either, but one thing is for sure, we won't go out no matter what,” Alissa responded despite my rhetorical question. I had seen this before, but from Anfim's words what this place shifted to wasn’t good, prompting him to warn us and would most definitely take his words to heart this time. As I thought of Tilly and the sinister smirk she thought no one noticed right as she disappeared in the shadows.