Taking the long way home (back to the main building), I can see and smell, that lunch is being served. I enter the main building and hesitantly come before the lunch hall. Jenn is near the far wall helping what looks like the children from the archery class. Jenn’s mom, Lilly, is standing at her normal post, greeting parents as they come and go. The man I saw in the woods is talking to Lilly about something. I can see now; he is also elven. I have not seen a male elf before, but he looks to be a young man, thin and tall, with features like Lilly.

I see Jenn has spotted me and I opt for the lesser of the two evils. “Hello, Lilly” I break into the conversation.

“Hello, Doug” Greets Lilly. “This is my great-nephew Daylor.” Turning to Daylor, she introduces me. “Daylor, this is Doug. He is the young man who rescued Jenn”

He shakes my hand in that strange way of it being normal, but with his opposite hand over mine at the same time. Daylor is saying something to me, but I am distracted. Jenn is giving me a sideways glance, and when she notices me looking at her, she lets out a little giggle and quick steps on her toes like a ballerina to the next table.

“What is she, a fairy now?” I crack a joke to myself under my breath.

“Yessss,” I hear in a drawn-out stressed voice from Lilly. “Five generations back on my mother’s…” She tapers off, fixating on her daughter.

I turn my attention back to Jenn. She knows I am watching her. No longer the bubbly bouncy girl, but the confidence and grace of someone who knows she’s an attractive beautiful woman.

I zone out into my ‘I don’t see anything’ mode and try to take a read on Lilly. ‘Crap’ is all I can think because mom is not taking this well. What is worse, Daylor is staring, mouth half-open, like a horny teen first time, seeing a hot bitch on a stripper pole. ‘Crap, Crap, Crap’.

As if in some slow-motion horror movie, I see Lilly’s head turn like some creepy doll, to take notice of this dog in heat standing next to her. “Hssss” She lets out a breath like some gargoyle-medusa creature, full-on killing intent coming through at Daylor.

Daylor takes a misstep to the side, as he recovers from an almost trip and fall.

“Out!” Lilly quietly hisses at him.

Stumbling, giving Lilly a wide berth, Daylor rounds the two of us and heads out the front as Lilly’s creepy head-turning gaze follows him out.

Unfortunately for me, that left Lilly staring right into my face. “You!” She accuses.

“I didn’t do that!” I confess.

“You did this!” She accuses.

“…” I got nothing.

“Catalyst!” She accuses.

Now Jenn has turned and is walking towards us. Not the walk of a child. Oh no. There is a feminine intent and confidence as she confronts her mother.

“Mother!” she says, as they lock eyes for a moment.

Jenn turns and starts walking out of the lunchroom. Somewhere in that, Jenn has latched onto my hand with that ‘old man grip strength’, spinning and pulling me out with her. I feel her mother, Lilly, behind me and I hope to God she doesn’t have any knives to backstab me with.

Lunch is over, I didn’t get anything. I think I’m scared to go back, ever.

Jenn leads me out and down the hall a little way, to stop in front of the activity room I was in before. She has a gentle vise-like grip on my hand. We are not holding hands; she has her hand gripped over the top of mine. Stopping and letting me go she says, “I have some work to finish and some errands to run. I will see you later.” Without waiting for a reply, she turns and heads back to the lunchroom. I watch her leave for a second. I don’t see Lilly anywhere. I am not safe; I have to go.

Heading back to my room, I enter and close the door. There is no lock. I think about bracing it somehow, but that is just me overthinking things. I head to the bathroom, it has a lock, and I was going to wash up anyway. I do feel a little safer in here.

The bathroom is an adequate size. Just big enough to not feel cramped with a small safety shower set into the side wall. It is set up and laid out with the needs of the disabled or elderly in mind, with enough room for a helper on the side. I get cleaned up. Change into some of the clothing that has been provided, and out of my room, giving a quick surveillance glance down the halls.

I find myself back in the children’s activity room. Not sure why, but there was information about looking at the maps before. Once I thought about it again, I am lost on where to go. I could just start walking, but I am not at that point yet. There are other children and families around. Playing with toys, reading stories, coloring, or drawing on what I would consider the equivalent of hand-held blackboards.

I pick up some of the toys and start playing with them, trying to see how they work. Most are some type of interactive toy having to do with muscle control and moving parts. I reason that if these toys are made to help and teach those in need, maybe I can learn something more about how things work here. The exercise equipment was certainly a mystery to me.

Eventually, I find myself at a table, having gathered some toys to investigate. Some of the toys are color interactive, and I find others with writing or letters on them. These I am interested in because I do not know what the symbols are or mean. I find some more that make sounds with the symbols, but I still have no clue.

I start laughing to myself at what someone seeing me might think. Here I am, an adult. Surrounded by children, playing with the same toys they are. Too funny, I laugh to myself.

In my pile of toys, I come across some that function differently. Material like the rock phone and the tablet, but with soft edges. There are places where you can press or place your fingers to make different colored lines light up between the two places you touch, or little lights lighting up on the sides or across the top. Now, this is interesting, I am a little fascinated at this, trying to figure out how it works.

‘Crap’ I suddenly become aware that Lilly is standing next to me. Looking down at the toys I hadn’t noticed her. I can see the bottom part of her legs and feet, out of the corner of my eye. She is just standing there. Wicked thoughts start to churn in my head. Wicked, Wicked, Thoughts. I take a calming deep breath and try to open my eyes as wide as I can without raising my eyebrows. I lean back on my chair and roll my head back until I meet her glare, up and over to the side I look at her, with my head halfway upside down. I blurt out “Hi Lilly!”

In an instant, she has gone from hateful glare to wide-eyed shocked surprise. She is stunned, like a deer in the headlights, unable to move.

I continue my unblinking, unwavering stare. Holding her locked in place without a move or a twitch. I am screaming laughter inside, but decades of marriage has perfected my craft. I stare her down, head upside down, as I lean my head back over the chair.

Moments pass in silence. Slowly she steps back and turns to leave. I contemplate whether to let out another remark or not. I decide that the physiological devastation I have just caused is being maximized by the silence, and saying something now would only break the tension between us. I remain motionless, only my eyes following her out as she backs away.

As she fades from my view around the corner, the sounds and activities in the room seem to come back to life. I dare not let out a sound or a smirk. She would hear and know what I had done. I lean back forward, having lost interest in the toys, still screaming with laughter inside. I know that I will have to let her in on the joke somehow. I’ll have to test the waters and see how she is reacting to it later. For now, I am making two lines glow at once, with this toy tablet.

I spend more than a few hours investigating the toys. I still do not understand the meanings of the letters, symbols? But I can see some patterns and relationships between the toys. The toys with light are easy enough when touching the right places and a little focus on the matching pattern. I can hear the dining hall being transformed and smell some of the cooking. I decide to head back to my room for a bit, before trying to brave the dining hall and Lilly. I haven’t eaten yet today, and with the smell of the cooking, my stomach is letting me know.

Back in my room, and within a few minutes, Dr. Lightbringer is visiting me. “Hello Doug, how are you feeling today?” he says as he steps into my room. Following him looks to be an Intern. She is young with darker feathered hair, a white lab coat like the doctor. “This is Jackie” Dr. Lightbringer introduces us as I sit on my bed. “Jackie is going to be helping us with whatever your needs are until you are more comfortable getting around and knowing our facilities here at Community Farms.” I look over at Jackie.

As if on cue, Jenn has walked in on her father’s words. She continues walking and sits down on the bed, the same edge I am on, but more towards the foot of the bed. “Hi, Daddy.” she says. Her father hasn’t noticed, but I sure have. Somebody has been playing dress-up. Gone is the bubbly little girl. Sitting before me is this stunning young woman looking in her mid-twenties. She is sitting there as if in some mild secretary fantasy. Posture straight with a slight curve to her back, accenting her front and hind features. Legs crossed at the knees with both hands on one thigh. Her foot lightly tapping in the air, making her upper leg bounce slightly at the knee. Blueish pants with a slight purply sheen like leather, but not. A white lace blouse, short sleeves, and slight cleavage.

Looking at his daughter, but not seeing her, he continues “Jackie is going to be helping us out with Doug,” Jenn turns to focus on Jackie. I can’t see Jenn’s face, but I can see Jackie is visibly starting to pull back. “Your mother has some projects that she needs your help with. Jackie knows the local area and can help Doug get a bearing on where he is at.”

“No, I got it” smiling back at her dad.

“Your mother wanted…” he starts, being cut off by his daughter.

“Already took care of it” She states, getting up off the bed. She steps up to her dad and gives him a quick peck on the check. “Thank you dad.” as she walks through where Jackie was standing, Jackie backpedaling back around the doctor to avoid being run over. Jenn heads out the door.

“Ok then,” The doctor collecting his thoughts. “Jackie, you can help me then with some of the other visits.” Looking back at me. “You seem to be doing alright. I am glad you are taking everything so well. We are still conducting the inquiries and waiting for the replies to come back. You are welcome here, and if it turns out to be a longer stay, we have other long-term housing you can use until we reunite you with your family.” With a nod, he smiles and leaves with Jackie following close behind. The only sound, a rumble from my stomach.