All this time Zurg had been nearby, secretly observing the happenings. Now he silently rolled under the table and fastened his eyes on the sleeping beauty. He noticed his mask in her hand. She had pressed it tight against her bodice. He felt weird. This woman was finally aware of his true looks.
He sat carefully down and went to lie beside her. He moved a single lock from her face. Then he let his metal fingers wonder across her arms and neck, so slightly that she did not feel it. Less than ten hours time left. He breathed heavily and brought his face very close to hers. She was so obviously having nightmares again.
Miss Dashwood was indeed in the middle of a nightmare. She was again in that cellar, stuck to a cobweb. She tried to tremble off but got only more covered with it. A huge, hairy and ugly spider was approaching her. She screamed but nobody was there for her. Then she saw Victoria whose face went from red to violet in seconds. That little girl had died from suffocation after accidentally eating a Lego block. She saw also the web-covered toy girl. She blinked her eyes wildly and smiled spookily. Then she saw Victoria fall down. After a moment a nasty spider went inside the girl's mouth.
Miss Dashwood got cold sweat on her forehead. Zurg would've wanted to wipe off her fears. He tried to calm down her restless sleep by smoothing her hair. How much he would've wanted to kiss her, too! But he didn't do it.
In her nightmare Miss Dashwood had seen Zora in shadows and now tried to reach for him. The reality was not far from her dream: she actually threw her other hand over Zurg's neck and nestled her head to his chest. Then she calmed down and started to sleep peacefully.
Zurg was totally surprised by this sudden approach. However, he knew that she was still dreaming and didn't imagine anything more from it. He let her lie there in his embrace also because it felt kind of nice. He had never before watched a girl's sleep so close. He thought that he could easily get used to that. It was 1.07 am. He had only nine hours time left to see her, and a lot less to be there with her.
Morning came quietly. Zurg left Miss Dashwood early before the dawn so that no one could guess of him being so fond of her. Andy rose at eight o'clock and went straight to the shower and breakfast. Zurg was on his spot on the table and let the rays of early sunshine warm his face. He was sad.
Woody wanted everybody to come quickly in the middle of the floor. They did not have much time for their meeting, which was moved from yesterday to today.
"Now, everybody… As you all must know, Sam and Annabelle are the guests of the day. That means two things that are not so nice."
Mrs. Potato got scared:
"My goodness! What do you mean?"
"Em… at first… I should possibly mention that Mira Nova is coming here again. Jess…this is merely for your information."
The cowgirl grinned angrily. She didn't like the news at all. Mrs. Potato asked more:
"And what else? Is Andy giving my little monkeys away?"
"Good heavens, I hope so! I mean… I don't think so."
A lonely and proud Princess Romy –figure gave a smirk and shouted with her shrill voice:
"I am sure that this meeting has nothing to do with me. I am Andy's favorite toy, and I would be pleased if you could leave me out of your stupid meetings from now on." This toy was from a TV-series called 'Around the World in 80 Days'. She was a blue, 10-centimetre toy cat who had an Indian dress on.
Katie kicked her aside and told her to take a hike then. She was actually aware of what Woody would say next, and it was a subject so grave that they didn't need any Romy-figures around. Mrs. Potato asked more:
"Then what is it?"
Woody looked down.
"Miss Dashwood… Annabelle is going to take her away this time."
Zurg didn't want to believe it.
"How can you be so certain?"
"Because I heard her ask for it the last time she was here, but Andy couldn't find her then."
Everybody looked at Miss Dashwood who had slowly walked to them with the help of Bo. She was still a little weak but insisted to say something. She started:
"I am very sad that I have to leave you. But that is not the reason I came here now. I have something very important to tell."
Miss Dashwood gathered her words for a while. She just had to tell what she had seen in the cellar. What if that girl down there really was alive?
"When I was in that somber cellar… I saw something unbelievable. I… I am sure that I saw a girl down there. A toy girl."
Everybody were looking keenly at her. She continued.
"She… she was all covered with webs and… at first I thought that she was dead! But oh! She blinked an eye to me just before I lost my reality. It was so eerie!"
Miss Dashwood wanted to get her out of there:
"She is suffering so much! And besides, she looked like as she had known me. It was so touching…" her eyes filled with tears.
Zurg would've wanted to kiss them away but held himself still. No, he couldn't possibly let her know about his rave feelings. And definitely not in front of all the others! Suddenly Slinky pricked up his ears:
"Gee! On your spots! Andy's coming! With the two other children!"
