Ch. 4

What's Beyond the Door

As the tear of Hannah continued down her face, the door opened, only to reveal blackness inside. Hannah looked down to cover her fears and found an ant, crawling on the cement toward the door.

'Well if he isn't scared, neither should I.'

She took one step, being careful not to step on it, and bumped into the master.

Hannah looked up and found herself staring into the calm blue eyes of Master Howl.

"My, don't you look exhausted. Come inside, Sophie will take care of you."

Hannah looked at him, mouth slightly open and eyes watering from dryness.

"What's the matter?" He looked at her with the same look she gave him (except the open mouth part). They stayed that way until Howl chuckled at the little Hannah. Hannah gave him a stern look and began to sob. Recovering from his rising laughter, Howl looked at her again.

"I'm sorry. Here, go inside. You won't see mean old Howl for awhile, okay," Howl said in a baby voice. Hannah rubbed her eyes as she walked into the doorway. The door slammed behind her, causing her to loose her balance. Hannah slowly got up and brushed off her knees only to find it stinging. She looked down and saw dry blood all over her knees. Ignoring them, she climbed up the stairs slowly, so if any one was home, she wouldn't disturb them. She looked over the handrail on the right, and found a burning fire in a brick fireplace, along with a pile of books stacked on a stand next to a dark green armchair. "How lovely" Hannah said in a whisper.

On the left side and only found a light blue couch and love seat sitting on top of a dark blue stained carpet and a frail coffee table separating them. "It's okay I guess." Hannah faced forward, getting ready to climb the rest of the stairs.

BANG!

A door slammed upstairs and frightened Hannah, causing her to run over to the green armchair and cling to the loose fabric behind it.

She could hear small footsteps trotting down the stairs. They stopped once they reached the slippery bottom. "Owww!" The person who had been walking, slipped on the newly polished floor. "Sophie! You need to tell me when you wax the floors!" Looking over the armchair at the boy, Hannah giggled slightly.

"Whose there!" the young Markl said. Calcifer, the blazing fire, pointed over toward the armchair. Markl received Calcifer's message, not realizing he was grabbing Heim's bone that lay on the floor. He pointed the bone at the armchair heroically as he said,"Come out or else.." Hannah, unable to resist, giggled and stepped out saying,"What, you'll force me to roll over and beg!"

Markl looked at Hannah in question and looked at his "ferocious" weapon. He flushed a bright pink.

"What... what are you talking about young maden? This... this, bone... is the best weapon any warrior could have!"

"Then tell me sir, what shall I have to protect myself from evil?" Hannah said, going along with Markl's imagination. Markl looked around and found a dusty, old candlestick.

"This m'lady, is the next best thing."

Hannah giggled and threw the candle at Markl, knocking him in the head. He fell to the ground stiff. "Oh no!" Hannah exclaimed. She ran over to the young boy and kneeled by his side, holding his hand to her face..

"As in all the fairytales, one must awaken the dead with a ..." Hannah looked at Markl breathing heavily," You know the rest... a kiss?" Markl woke up from the dead miraculously. "Look at this! I'm alive!" Markl and Hannah laughed and laughed. Calcifer sat watching them the whole time, wondering why Howl let her in.

Once they were passed out on the floor from exhaustion, Markl had the idea of showing Hannah the castle. They got up and walked and talked," My name's Markl by the way."

"What kind of name is Markl!"

"Well, what kind of name is.. what is your name?"

"Hannah"

"Well, what kind of name is Hannah!"

"Hannah was my Great grandmother's name. My mother told me she was the most beautiful woman when she was younger.

"Well, Markl is one of the greatist magicians in this castle!"

"Would you be so kind as to show me a magic trick, magician Markl?"

By then, they circled the whole house and ended up back at the stairs. Hannah sat down where Markl tripped previously, and Markl stood on the second step.

"My young Hannah! Be amazed as I, Markl, show you the best magic tricks for all ages!" Hannah sat on the bottom of the staircase giggling while Markl pulled out a stuffed bunny from his hat, received a penny from his ear, and yanked two pigeons and a deck of cards from his sleeve.

"Now for this trick, I need a volunteer." He looked at Hannah's smile and said, "Thank you, my lovely assistant! Could you step inside this box beside me and.."

"There is no box."

"No box? Ohh.. close your eyes and it will magically appear." Hannah closed her eyes and Markl ran to the kitchen to receive the tall box. "Now open your eyes."

Hannah opened them and walked inside. "Now don't worry, I won't hurt you."

"What do you mean you won't hurt me!" Markl closed the door to the box before Hannah could finish her sentence.

Sophie opened the door, her hands full of groceries. "Markl, could you... give me.. a hand!" Markl clapped his hands while hurriedly reached for the saw on top of the box. "Very funny." Sophie put the groceries on the coffee table and looked at Markl suspiciously. "Who's the victim now? A toad, a turtle?" "A girl!" Markl said excitedly.

"A GIRL!" Sophie ran to the box, opening the door so fast, it was about to tip over. She looked in, finding Hannah smiling up at Sophie. Sophie grabbed Hannah's hand, and yanked her out of the death trap.

"Markl! You do NOT take girls off the streets and cut them in two!"

"But she came in!"

Markl dropped the saw. Hannah turned a shade of green and almost tipped over.

"I won't have any of that nonsense!" Sophie said, a little calmer, "Now... little girl, where did you come from?"

Hannah dazed off, looking at the lampshade behind her.

"Little girl?"

"Her name's Hannah!" Markl screamed. Sophie glared at Markl, then looked back at Hannah.

"Hannah?"

Hannah still stood, now gazing at the bug on the lampshade.

"Hannah! Yoo Hoo!" Markl said, waving his hands in front of her face. She didn't blink, but instead replied," I... don't... know..."

The bug flew onto the lighted lightbulb, slowly roasting itself until it collapsed on the table dead. As soon as it landed, Hannah awoke from her trance, shaking the dizziness off of her.

Sophie and Markl gaped at her, then at eachother. Hannah gave them an innocent grin.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Sophie said, stooping to Hannah's level. Hannah looked down at her knees and remembered the pain flooding through them.

Sophie put her on the dinning room table while she scurried around the house looking for rubbing alcohol and bandages.

"Where's Heim and the Witch of the Waste, Sophie?"

"I left them at the town square to do some shopping for themselves. Do you know how hard it is to shop with them?"

"How nice. You leave them all alone out there with no hopes of coming back."

"Don't worry Markl! I've sent Howl to pick them up."

"So that explains why he was in a hurry"

"Do you mean there's more of you!" Hannah asked, surprised.

"Umm hmm." Sophie said, holding the "cleaning cuts" in her hands.

"Wow... I can't believe you just figured that out." Markl said amazed," Sophie, when are you going to get married?"

"Soon Markl, very soon"

"I know who I'm going to marry!" (Hannah says this)

"Who?" Markl and Sophie say in unison.

"Master Howl!"

Markl laughed and fell to the ground, rolling on his back.

Sophie giggled and held up her left hand," Already taken."

"Alrighty then, I'll choose... Markl to be my husband."

Markl stopped laughing and stood up glaring at her," What!"

"Unless there's another man in the house, you'll have to do."

"Not me! You can have Heim!"

At the same moment Sophie finished bandaging Hannah's knees, Howl, Heim, and the Witch of the Waste stepped through the door.

A/N: Thanks for the review whoever the meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.. person is. This one is more cheerful than the other ones, so I hope you like it! If you have any questions, just ask!