Chapter 26 - Dear Me

Day 3

Dear Me,

Another day dawns. Sophie continues to sleep, though more peacefully than before.

Howl, however, has only grabbed handfuls of rest here and there. He gave her the final dosage of medicine today ... Don't worry. No magical meddling this time. Just a normal infusion of medicinal herbs used to cure exhaustion.

Keep telling him she's going to be fine, but he worries constantly. He finally fell asleep, thank the Spark. His nagging and mumbling got on my nerves. He collapsed on the edge of her bed, cradling her hand. If it wasn't so sweet looking, I'd be rolling with laughter. He looks like a 5 year old.

One thing's for sure, he'll never try nothing like this again. As you know, he destroyed the last of the love spell on day 1. Stunk up the house, of course. Told him to get rid of it outside, but does he EVER listen to me? No. Course not.

Can't wait for Sophie to wake up! It'll be so good to have things back to normal ... or as normal as they get around here, anywa -

The words blurred and then faded as a damp cloth dissolved them. Calcifer pouted and stared at the spot where he wrote his thoughts in the ash.

"Howl! I wasn't done with my entry yet!" Calcifer complained. He looked up. Not Howl. "Sophie! When did you wake up?"

"Just now." She raised her arms above her head, stretching. "I feel so rested."

Calcifer was a little suspicious of her calm behavior. Maybe she had partial amnesia ... "So, Sophie. Do you remember anything ... odd? Anything at all?"

Sophie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Odd?" She leaned in closer to the fire, placing both hands on the hearth. "I remember everything, Calcifer. Every. Single. Embarrassing. Horrifying. Detail. From the moment I drank that blasted tea."

The fire grew smaller as he took refuge deeper in the log. "Oh? Everything?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she nodded sinisterly. "Everything." She fixed a fierce glare on the sleeping Howl.

She smiled.

Calcifer shuddered.

Dear Me, he thought. I think Howl is in trouble.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""

Howl had odd dreams. While many people reported highly visual dreams, his always involved smells - a side effect of a spell gone wrong in years past.

This time he was in a house, everything around him coated in shades of black and white. The smell of smoke wormed its way through his body, thick and choking. The house must be on fire!

"Sophie!" I have to get her out quickly! "Sophie!"

"Howl," her voice called back to him, though in a much calmer tone. "Howwlll?"

He searched frantically, getting tangled in a dark curtain. The smell of burning almost overwhelmed him.

"No! Nooo!"

Howl fell off his chair, dragging the bed sheets with him. He sat up groggily, blinking as he looked at his surroundings.

Color, he thought. I must be awake.

Sophie stepped into his view.

"Sophie!" he exclaimed happily. "You're awake!"

"That's right, Howl! And I made breakfast. Why don't you come have some?"

Eat? He wanted to pick her up, twirl her around, and dance through the house with joy. Sophie was back! But she had made this meal just for him, and never let it be said that Howl refused a meal made by his love! There would be plenty of time for dancing later.

"Sophie?" he said tentatively as he sat on the stool. He wanted to see what she remembered and ... he sighed internally ... to apologize. He hated apologizing.

"Food's ready!" she said in a high, happy tone. She put food on the plate and then walked towards him.

"Thank you!" he said sincerely. "It looks wonder-" She slid the plate in front of him. It was heaped with piles of food. All burnt to a crisp. " - ful. Full. I'm full."

The smile on Sophie's face suddenly turned dark, striking fear into his heart. "Of course you're not full," she said. "You are hungry. You will eat every bite. You will love it. After all, isn't this how you like things? Overdone?"

Howl looked at her. He looked at the food. He looked at her. He looked at the food.

Sophie smirked. "Would you like me to get some tea to go with it, my dear?"

Howl picked up his fork. "Um ... no. That's all right." He put the food in his mouth and swallowed. It was like eating ash. Sophie watched his reaction, her sharp eyes not missing a thing. "Mmmmmm," Howl said, smiling through his grimace. "Good."

The cook smugly headed back to the fire. "I'll get you another plate."