The sun was setting when Steve finally reached Cascade General. He wove his
way through the parking lot, and headed to the main doors avoiding the
people who entered and exited. As he reached the doors, he suddenly stopped
looking at the sign on the glass that said No Pets Allowed. It was at that
moment sitting there on his haunches that his full predicament hit him.
Tail drooping, Steve turned and walked away from the doors ignoring the few pats he received as people walked past him. He made his way into the employee parking lot, and found his Dad's car. Quietly, he slipped beneath the car lying down on his belly as he waited. Eventually he closed his eyes, and slept.
Mark had checked on the Internet after a bit of frustration and found that the herbs, Yucca, Cloth of Gold, and chicory did supposedly have magical properties. Cloth of Gold was to make one understand animal languages, chicory was for removing obstacles, and Yucca was for transmutation. Mark wondered if someone felt that Steve was an obstacle to be removed, but what did the others have to with it, and why the dog hairs. Eight hairs to be exact.
"Mark!" Amanda's voice called to him, and Mark turned to see Amanda coming toward him.
"Steve?" He questioned fear and hope rising in him at the same time.
"I'm sorry Mark, there's no change. I was trying to find you because the most peculiar thing has just happened. How many hairs did you say that bundle had?" Amanda asked.
"Eight. I counted them when I found them." Mark said.
"I thought that was what you said. But just now, I was studying the hair, and one of them ignited and burned. I couldn't figure out what might have caused that. I thought perhaps sunlight had accidentally reflected off a curved mirror of some kind, but I noticed the sun had set."
"You mean the hair burned just as the sun set?" Mark asked.
Amanda nodded.
"Its been two days since Steve fell into the coma. There were eight hairs, and now only seven." Mark trailed off as he became lost in thought.
"Does that mean something?" Amanda asked.
"Maybe." Mark said.
"Did you find out about the herbs?" Amanda asked.
Mark explained what he had found. "I think that someone believes Steve is an obstacle. I just remembered that Steve is supposed to be in court seven days from now."
"Seven. What is the case about?"
"A young man accused of murdering a child in a rather ritualistic manner." Mark said emphasizing the word ritualistic.
"You think this has something to do with that trial, don't you."
"Seven days till court, seven hairs. I would guess there had been nine hairs originally."
"What happens after the seventh day?" Amanda asked.
"I'm afraid to find out, Amanda." Mark said, his eyes telling her the answer with its profound sadness.
Amanda wiped the tears from her own eyes.
Tail drooping, Steve turned and walked away from the doors ignoring the few pats he received as people walked past him. He made his way into the employee parking lot, and found his Dad's car. Quietly, he slipped beneath the car lying down on his belly as he waited. Eventually he closed his eyes, and slept.
Mark had checked on the Internet after a bit of frustration and found that the herbs, Yucca, Cloth of Gold, and chicory did supposedly have magical properties. Cloth of Gold was to make one understand animal languages, chicory was for removing obstacles, and Yucca was for transmutation. Mark wondered if someone felt that Steve was an obstacle to be removed, but what did the others have to with it, and why the dog hairs. Eight hairs to be exact.
"Mark!" Amanda's voice called to him, and Mark turned to see Amanda coming toward him.
"Steve?" He questioned fear and hope rising in him at the same time.
"I'm sorry Mark, there's no change. I was trying to find you because the most peculiar thing has just happened. How many hairs did you say that bundle had?" Amanda asked.
"Eight. I counted them when I found them." Mark said.
"I thought that was what you said. But just now, I was studying the hair, and one of them ignited and burned. I couldn't figure out what might have caused that. I thought perhaps sunlight had accidentally reflected off a curved mirror of some kind, but I noticed the sun had set."
"You mean the hair burned just as the sun set?" Mark asked.
Amanda nodded.
"Its been two days since Steve fell into the coma. There were eight hairs, and now only seven." Mark trailed off as he became lost in thought.
"Does that mean something?" Amanda asked.
"Maybe." Mark said.
"Did you find out about the herbs?" Amanda asked.
Mark explained what he had found. "I think that someone believes Steve is an obstacle. I just remembered that Steve is supposed to be in court seven days from now."
"Seven. What is the case about?"
"A young man accused of murdering a child in a rather ritualistic manner." Mark said emphasizing the word ritualistic.
"You think this has something to do with that trial, don't you."
"Seven days till court, seven hairs. I would guess there had been nine hairs originally."
"What happens after the seventh day?" Amanda asked.
"I'm afraid to find out, Amanda." Mark said, his eyes telling her the answer with its profound sadness.
Amanda wiped the tears from her own eyes.