The Book Writer

2. What is happening?

When you replace "Why is this happening to me" with "What is this trying to teach me?" Everything shifts ~Unknown

The fire danced along the chard log, crackling merrily as it warmed the little cabin. Darkness had fallen, and with that came the rain. Hitting the roof in a soothing lullaby. Anna and Jasper finished eating their meal of beef stew with tea biscuits Jasper had made. They had finished tidying up and now sat on the comfy couch that you sunk into. Mugs of peppermint tea in hand, they quietly talked about what was happening.

"Hello, Voice?" The uncertainty in his voice was strong. He glanced nervously around the room, seeing if, by chance, a glimpse of the being, hoping that it's gone. Anna sighs, takes a sip of her tea, and then places it on the oak coffee table. She side glances at Jasper, shaking her head.

"I think they are still here, Jasp."

**' Yep! Still here, and still freaked out... Still really, really, REALLY freaked the fudge out. Like I tried to close the book, and thought maybe it would stop all this! .. But guess what? It didn't!! It did nothing! NOTHING!! I just don't know why? Why it won't stop. Or how is it happening?!?!?'**

"Ok, take a deep breath! Inhale.. Exhale... Again!...Inhale....Exhale." Instructed Anna, doing the motions as well. Jasper was following along, watching her. Whenever he inhaled and held it, he puffed out his cheeks, looking like a chipmunk with nuts in its mouth.

**'HOW ARE YOU CALM?'**

"I'm not" volunteers Jasper. "I really don't like this."

"We have dealt with a lot worse, and frankly, for me, it's an ok what now moment. But yes, it is all very Twilight zone-ish." Anna rubs her temples to relieve the headach forming. "Do you have any idea what might have triggered this?"

**'I DON'T KNOW!! I.. I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT!!'**

"You're going to need to calm down. Try to relax." She looks over at Jasper. Even though he still has wide eyes, he has calmed down a lot. "Jaspers calm, you know that is saying a lot right there."

He nods his head before confusion, and then realization is on his face."Hey!"

**'Calm, think relaxing happy thoughts.' Starts humming the tune Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows by Lesley Gore.'I think I'm better now.'**

Anna rubs her hands over her legs for warmth. Jasper gets up to add another log to the fire. Using the poker to stir it up. Before returning to the couch, he grabs the throw blanket off of the matching chair, placing it over Anna's legs. "Better, my star?" She nods her head.

Only the crackling of the fire and the beating of the rain on the roof is heard while they are all in deep thought. "So.. ?" Breaks the silence, coming from Jasper. "Can you think of anything unusual, Voice? Or you, my lily? "

**'Well, may-'**

"Hold up! We can't call you Voice all the time. Do you have a name, or what do you prefer to be called by?" Questioned Anna.

**'Oh! Right, a name. Well, I guess it would be ok to give it. My name is Grainne. Nice to meet you.'**

"Granny!!"

**'No, not Granny, Jasper, as in your grandmother. Grainne.(Gran-ya) spelled G-R-A-I-N-N-E. It's Irish.'**

"I'm going to call you Gran. Nice to meet you." Jasper says cheerfully with a smile on his face. Anna was about to say something but closed her mouth, thinking better than to explain that. He is sometimes not the brightest, but he is hers. She smiled at that. With everything that happened, and now this strange incident, she had not once thought of the past or what is to come. Refreshing, really.

"So, your female? The reason asking is that your voice when speaking comes across as both. Male and female in a far away, haunting manner, speakimg as one. It's the best way to describe it."

**'Yes. I'm a she.' she chuckles lightly. Realization hits her.'That explains why throughout me reading, you would both act like it was a ghost when I made a comment.'**

"Pretty much, yah." chuckled Anna with a hint of relief.

"You're not, right? You do have a solid body and such? not see through or whispy?" gulped Jasper.

**'I am a normal person. With a normal body. Not ... Whispy as you say.' amusement played in Grainne voice**

" Have you been able to do this... this..uh..book speaking thing before? or any such type of traits, umm, skills,? Spells? I'm not sure what to call it." Uncertainty in Anna's voice. Jasper places his hand on her back, running his fingers lightly up and down.

**'No. I have not been able to. This is a first for me.' Silence for a moment. 'How do I know it's not you guys or the book?' She snapped. 'There were some shady characters, and I did read those incantations in... uh.. chapter 23, I believe. How do I know it wasn't those. or anything about this book??" She bristled, then huffs.**

"You read our story so far. You know it couldn't have been us." offers Jasper "Besides, we heard you well before that time. When we discovered we were paired together."

**'Well, it still could be the book' she huffs again **

"You have your arms crossed right now, don't you?" amused Anna.

**'Noooo... ' lied Grainne. Blows out a breath, 'Fine, I do.' With an exasperated sigh.Then, mutters to herself outloud ' But.. It couldn't have been, could it? The shop, my cousin.. No, she would never put me in that.. No... No.'

"Ok, let's back it up there a second." interrupted Anna. "What hap-"

"Wait a minute!" interrupts Jasper, Anna looks at him." I'm having a hard time focusing due to no physical presence. I keep looking around to find where you're coming from."

**'I don't think I can physically be in there. I can try.. maybe?' Takes a deep breath. Exhales. moment of silence. 'Anything?'**

"Your voice is now singled. Female!" excitedly speaks Jasper. He smiles at Anna.

"Grainne, can you still be in your world like you're still in where you are? " Questions Anna

**'Yes, I can close the book and be in my room or outside on the porch.' **

"Don't try to come in the book." Jasper turns his head and looks questionly at Anna. "We don't know if you could return to your world."

**'Oh! Good idea.' agrees Grainne 'Sorry Jasper, you're going to have to deal with the nothingness for this time.'**

Jaspers eyebrows knit together in thought. He looks around the cabin, then face lights up to an idea he has. " One moment," he says while getting up. Anna watches him as he moves around the cabin, gathering things.

**'What is he doing?' whispers Grainne to Anna**

"I have no idea," she says, slowly shaking her head.

Jasper comes back to the living room and dumps the items on the coffee table. Almost knocking the cups off onto the floor. Anna grabs them, and Jasper offers her an apologetic smile. He gets busy doing whatever he has in mind. Moving the chair over to more in front of the couch. He starts placing items on it. Anna watches with curiosity, and Grainne stays silent. His broad shoulders and body blocking what he is doing.

"There!" He says triumphantly. He moves away to reveal his work. Pillows are stacked up, one on top of the other. A table cloth wrapped around the pillows to form a dress. The top pillow had a drawn on smile, the button used as a nose in the center. Two circles of the pattern, looking like eyes with drawn eyelashes and eyebrows. Anna stares at it, blinks, opens her mouth, and closes it unsure of what to say.

**' um..uh.. okay.' Grainne slowly says.'Is that me?' **

Jasper smiles and nods his head enthusiasticly like a child excited. Looking at Anna for approval. "Looks great" is all she can say. He sits back down, happy with himself.

**'a Wilson thing.' she whispers to no one in particular.**

"Getting back to what you said. You mention a shop and your cousin. What about the shop?" inquiries, Anna."Was it something you have been to before?"

**'Well, no, it was my first time going into it. I mean. I've pasted it several times, and such. But no, never gone in.'**

Jasper looks at the face pillow he created.

"Can you tell us what happened or how your day went?" pushed Anna. "Maybe there is something that would explain why this is happening. Even the smallest detail."

**'Well, it was a few days ago.'** Grainne started.**

"Wish we had popcorn," muttered Jasper.

Within a moment, buttery popcorn appeared in front of them on the coffee table with 2 drinks. Both of them startled at the sight, a gasp leaving their lips. Jasper reaches out and tentatively takes a piece of popcorn. Pops it in his mouth and smiles at his makeshift person. "So good. You have to try it, my star." He brings the container over to her to try.

She grabs a handful and pops some in her mouth. Moans "This is good. it's been so long since we have had this." She even notices that she is looking at the pillow face. "Thank you, but how..?"

**'The same way for the cabin. Just wrote it in.' Grainne replies.**

Anna had forgotten about that. Their going to have to explore more on it, to see the extent of what can be done. Maybe bring someone back. She silently swallows the lump formed in her throat. " Ok, let's hear what went on for you." she encourages Grainne.

**'Well. I guess I should start with what went on last week.'**