Crunch.
Ahem... now...
Crunch crunch crunch.
Blast it all! As colder weather settles, the leaves of the forest fall and dry, creating a hostile environment for silently pursuing Rose.
It is not stalking.
One does not stalk one's maid. Especially not one as faithful as Rose. John is worried for her. Yes. Worried. She had collapsed the day before after all...
Crunch.
Confounded!
A few paces ahead Rose lapsed in her steps. John hid himself behind a tree. Clinging to the bark, and listening intently for her steps to begin again against the noisy ground.
Yet none came.
Surely she would not be so patient with an intruder.
John dared to peek past his haven, but she was gone. Does she walk on air? He heard nothing of her parting!
Having already come too far, John strode on. Embarking on her path blindly, hoping for the best. And the best, apparently, is what he got as he stumbled from the forest onto an old barn. The latch of the door parted, a lock dangling, unhinged from it.
His life answer!
In a barn?
John crept to the opening, allowing his eye to explore its secrets. Yet the darkness inside swallowed everything whole. Well, apart from the most peculiar light.
He could decipher the outline of another entrance facing away from his person, and after a quick check, he confirmed it could not exist. Unless it is another structure. A closet perhaps. Within a barn. Rose must be inside holding a candle for it to be lit so. Ludicrous. Walking all this way to sit inside a closet inside a barn? He knew she was odd, but this is pushing what he would accept.
A closet within a barn. John scratched his head furiously, messing his carefully combed hair. This is the mystery which has plagued him for weeks!?
John tossed the doors out wide. If he must drag her back, revoke her freedom, he will. This must end.
However the wind knocked out of him at the sight. In full light. The closet. It's not a closet at all. The... the... no. He must be dreaming. He approached the object of his fantasy, and found it becoming more of a reality. A daydream. A dream in broad daylight. He never thought he'd see that day.
The magical blue box.
As though it would bite on the wrong move, John reached for it. Cautiously. Tentatively. Wondering if his fingers would pass through the illusion. When it met his touch, he gasped. It purred.
His thirst to understand this phenomenon, while unnervingly quenched, did not end there.
John moved around the box to its open doors, and what he saw nearly drove him mad.
A/N
Oh wow. You're all lovely! Such a sudden influx of reviews. Wrapped this chapter up so I could hurry up and respond. I love the motivation, thank you.
MirrorFlower and DarkWind: Thank you! I'm so glad this is entertaining. :)
GriffinGirl8655: Yes... :) It was accidental, actually. I was in the middle of the last chapter when I realized, 'oh, I'm having him basically stalk her, aren't I?' And then there was no getting around it. xD Thank you for the review!
rpicard06: That's great! I imagine his nose adorably scrunched up like, "...why?" I don't think I've ever seen a fic that takes his 'no pears' to heart, but I haven't read everything. I hope. Thank you for reviewing!
I Need To Log In: Hahaha! I can't tell you how much your name made me giggle. Well. This is me. Continuing this. Thank you for, ya know, 'all caps'ing at me to update.
Wings of Tears: Oh, you know. Curiosity killed the cat... too soon? No, but it will go well... Weeeelll, I say it'll go well, but -really- eventually it will be fine. Weeelll, I say fine... Ahem. Thank you for the review!
TheMoment: Thank you thank you thank you!