She was having that dream again. Sitting across from her was one of
the greatest characters in British literature. Sherlock Holmes, the
greatest detective she had ever heard of was staring intently in her
direction. He looked as if he were trying to decipher why a fifteen-year-
old girl in a baggy T-shirt, blue jeans, and beat up sneakers was sitting
in his living room. She tried to speak, to explain her presence, but the
words wouldn't come. They never did. . . .
~ ~ ~
Anna woke up with a start and sat in her bed. The bedside clock's luminous face blinked 3:30 at her. She had awakened at the exact same time every night for three weeks. That was when her father had disappeared. She would have cried, but was insulated by the numbness that had been building up inside her for the past few days. The grief counselor at school had told her that it was just her subconscious's way of coping. She was taking her problem to someone she thought could solve it. Her mom had been there for that meeting. Her mother had grown angry, thinking it meant Anna thought her mother wouldn't be able to help her cope. This wasn't true at all, but it brought about a tremendous fight at home. Her mother had gotten over the fight quickly, but it would be a long time before Anna would forget the harsh, angry tones in her mom's voice. She started relaxing and soon drifted into an untroubled sleep. Anna was glad she would not have school tomorrow. She dreaded the feeling of all those eyes she couldn't see on her. Instead she'd go for a walk, and maybe to the mall. There was a new audio-book store she'd been wanting to check out since the announcement had been made at school.
At dawn, Anna's big mutt, Ollie, short for King Oliver, pounced onto her bed to wake her up.
"Ollie, get off!" she muttered. "It's a Saturday. I don't have to get up yet." Ollie just barked in reply, and started to wash her face enthusiastically.
"OK, ok, I'm up already." Anna grabbed hold of Ollie's harness and proceeded to be led down the stairs. She found the table and listened to her mother, who was making coffee, and. . . yes, by the smell, that was definitely scrambled eggs she was making on the stove.
"Mamma, can you take me to the mall today after I take Ollie for a walk?" Anna asked, a hint of hope in her voice.
"Well, of course, but you'll have to take your cane. Ollie has and appointment at the V-E-T," her mother replied. Ollie wagged his tail at the sound of his name, completely unaware of his impending visit to the vet. His thick tail knocked against Anna's leg with a steady 'thump, thump.'
"Oh, ok that's fine. There's a new bookstore I wanna check out."
"You're so much like your father that way. Always wanting to find a new book to enjoy."
Anna felt a sharp tug at her heart at that, reminding her all too much of how she missed her father. She listened to her mother chatter on for awhile as she went about fixing breakfast. She must have dozed off, for she was having her dream again. This time she got up and used her cane to learn the layout of the room. It seemed oddly familiar. . . .
* * *
"Anna, sweety, wake up so you can eat your breakfast. The eggs are in the center of your plate and the milk is to the right of the plate." Her mother brought her back to reality with a snap.
"Ok mom. Sorry for falling asleep. I was having that dream again. You know, the one with Sherlock Holmes."
"Oh. I really do think you've read those books too much. The Braille is so worn down that I'm amazed you can still read it!"
"It's not that bad. Besides, I plan on buying a new copy. The audio- book store also carries Braille books.
"You are bringing a seeing friend, since you can't bring Ollie, right?
"Uh, if you'll dial Jen's number, I'll ask her." Anna said, on an inspiration.
"Well, all right. . . ."
Two hours later, Anna was standing outside of the bookstore. She walked in, carefully memorizing how many steps it was from the door to any area she might need to go, and promptly found where they kept the Braille books. In less than an hour, she'd found an purchased Hamlet, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Pride and Prejudice. She still had some time to kill before she had to meet Jen, so she decided to go to the designated bench and read for a bit. Halfway to the bench, she tripped over something. She fell and hit her head on the ground, hard. In a few moments, she picked herself up and started to brush the dust off her clothes, gingerly feeling the lump on her head. Then she realized she wasn't in the Annapolis Mall anymore. Instead of the smooth tile under her knees, it was cobblestone. She could hear horse's hooves clomping down, and the rattle of carriage wheels. She got up and started tapping her way down the street. Anna hoped she wouldn't run into anyone and also wished she had Ollie with her, so she wouldn't have to worry about running into anyone, or getting run over. As she mused, she walked straight into a man.
"Oomph! Hel-lo, what have we here?" the man asked kindly, with a very distinct British accent.
"I-I'm really sorry sir! It was an accident, honest! I'm really lost, so could you please tell me where I am?" Anna asked as politely as possible.
"You are in London, of course!" the man exclaimed. Then he noticed the cane Anna was clutching tightly. "I say, are you crippled?"
"No, sir, just blind." Anna answered, grinning broadly. "I guess I'm not in the Annapolis Mall, then, am I?"
"Annapolis Mall? No I don't suppose you are." The man said, a wry chuckle sounding in his voice. "What is your name, child, and I'll help you find who you're supposed to be with." He added, again in a kind, warm bass voice.
"My name is Anna, Anna Moriarty. I'm supposed to be meeting my friend Jen near the food court at 1:00. If I'm not there, she'll get really worried." Or think I lost track of time in the bookstore Anna thought. She paused and then asked her helper, "Um, sir? What's your name? I can't really say 'hey you' all the time."
"Forgive me for not mentioning sooner, dear. My name is Dr. John Watson."
Anna felt a chill go up her spine and thin quite promptly passed out.
~ ~ ~
Anna woke up with a start and sat in her bed. The bedside clock's luminous face blinked 3:30 at her. She had awakened at the exact same time every night for three weeks. That was when her father had disappeared. She would have cried, but was insulated by the numbness that had been building up inside her for the past few days. The grief counselor at school had told her that it was just her subconscious's way of coping. She was taking her problem to someone she thought could solve it. Her mom had been there for that meeting. Her mother had grown angry, thinking it meant Anna thought her mother wouldn't be able to help her cope. This wasn't true at all, but it brought about a tremendous fight at home. Her mother had gotten over the fight quickly, but it would be a long time before Anna would forget the harsh, angry tones in her mom's voice. She started relaxing and soon drifted into an untroubled sleep. Anna was glad she would not have school tomorrow. She dreaded the feeling of all those eyes she couldn't see on her. Instead she'd go for a walk, and maybe to the mall. There was a new audio-book store she'd been wanting to check out since the announcement had been made at school.
At dawn, Anna's big mutt, Ollie, short for King Oliver, pounced onto her bed to wake her up.
"Ollie, get off!" she muttered. "It's a Saturday. I don't have to get up yet." Ollie just barked in reply, and started to wash her face enthusiastically.
"OK, ok, I'm up already." Anna grabbed hold of Ollie's harness and proceeded to be led down the stairs. She found the table and listened to her mother, who was making coffee, and. . . yes, by the smell, that was definitely scrambled eggs she was making on the stove.
"Mamma, can you take me to the mall today after I take Ollie for a walk?" Anna asked, a hint of hope in her voice.
"Well, of course, but you'll have to take your cane. Ollie has and appointment at the V-E-T," her mother replied. Ollie wagged his tail at the sound of his name, completely unaware of his impending visit to the vet. His thick tail knocked against Anna's leg with a steady 'thump, thump.'
"Oh, ok that's fine. There's a new bookstore I wanna check out."
"You're so much like your father that way. Always wanting to find a new book to enjoy."
Anna felt a sharp tug at her heart at that, reminding her all too much of how she missed her father. She listened to her mother chatter on for awhile as she went about fixing breakfast. She must have dozed off, for she was having her dream again. This time she got up and used her cane to learn the layout of the room. It seemed oddly familiar. . . .
* * *
"Anna, sweety, wake up so you can eat your breakfast. The eggs are in the center of your plate and the milk is to the right of the plate." Her mother brought her back to reality with a snap.
"Ok mom. Sorry for falling asleep. I was having that dream again. You know, the one with Sherlock Holmes."
"Oh. I really do think you've read those books too much. The Braille is so worn down that I'm amazed you can still read it!"
"It's not that bad. Besides, I plan on buying a new copy. The audio- book store also carries Braille books.
"You are bringing a seeing friend, since you can't bring Ollie, right?
"Uh, if you'll dial Jen's number, I'll ask her." Anna said, on an inspiration.
"Well, all right. . . ."
Two hours later, Anna was standing outside of the bookstore. She walked in, carefully memorizing how many steps it was from the door to any area she might need to go, and promptly found where they kept the Braille books. In less than an hour, she'd found an purchased Hamlet, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Pride and Prejudice. She still had some time to kill before she had to meet Jen, so she decided to go to the designated bench and read for a bit. Halfway to the bench, she tripped over something. She fell and hit her head on the ground, hard. In a few moments, she picked herself up and started to brush the dust off her clothes, gingerly feeling the lump on her head. Then she realized she wasn't in the Annapolis Mall anymore. Instead of the smooth tile under her knees, it was cobblestone. She could hear horse's hooves clomping down, and the rattle of carriage wheels. She got up and started tapping her way down the street. Anna hoped she wouldn't run into anyone and also wished she had Ollie with her, so she wouldn't have to worry about running into anyone, or getting run over. As she mused, she walked straight into a man.
"Oomph! Hel-lo, what have we here?" the man asked kindly, with a very distinct British accent.
"I-I'm really sorry sir! It was an accident, honest! I'm really lost, so could you please tell me where I am?" Anna asked as politely as possible.
"You are in London, of course!" the man exclaimed. Then he noticed the cane Anna was clutching tightly. "I say, are you crippled?"
"No, sir, just blind." Anna answered, grinning broadly. "I guess I'm not in the Annapolis Mall, then, am I?"
"Annapolis Mall? No I don't suppose you are." The man said, a wry chuckle sounding in his voice. "What is your name, child, and I'll help you find who you're supposed to be with." He added, again in a kind, warm bass voice.
"My name is Anna, Anna Moriarty. I'm supposed to be meeting my friend Jen near the food court at 1:00. If I'm not there, she'll get really worried." Or think I lost track of time in the bookstore Anna thought. She paused and then asked her helper, "Um, sir? What's your name? I can't really say 'hey you' all the time."
"Forgive me for not mentioning sooner, dear. My name is Dr. John Watson."
Anna felt a chill go up her spine and thin quite promptly passed out.