DisAbled Oddities

"You got it!" Abey squealed and clapped her hands as I held up the chain. "Liara will be so happy. We should bring it back to here; here tree isn't far."

"Her tree?" I asked.

There wasn't anyone at the front desk. Without the jittery presence of Agnes there, the building seemed peaceful, maybe waiting. I glanced back at Abey, who smiled and urged me on with little shooing motions. I nodded and turned forward, making my way toward and up the stairs.

Abey's expression became a frown. "I'm so sorry, hun. Is it one of the labs that they want perfect attendance for?" She said.

I nodded, feeling doomed.

Abey tried a sympathetic smile. "It's too late today, but maybe you can visit the professor's office tomorrow and explain things?" She said.

I awoke with the feeling of plummeting and suddenly passing through water, except the water was warm on my back and solid behind me, wrapping around as I sunk deeper, lungs aching for oxygen.

Inside the little building the old wood theme continued, but it seemed tidier than the outside. The front room looked like a reception area, with the afternoon light streaming in. The walls were wainscoted in an old style and decorated with faux gas lamps every six feet or so, above wicker chairs with lace cushions.

The grass, kissing the wind in giddy waves, told me that it was going to be a bad day. The tufts looked gloriously restful, hard to look away from as they urged me to lay down. That was the giveaway. It is hard to ignore the bizarreness of a manicured lawn on hard ground suddenly looking cozy.