The trip took hours, but time passed quickly. Lost in her thoughts, Alice barely paid attention to what was happening around her. No one stopped her, no one asked for ID, no one checked her ticket. It was as if—for a while—she'd stopped existing in other people’s eyes. She only realized it toward the end of the journey, but didn’t dwell on it. She accepted it as something entirely natural, then let herself drift back into the beautiful dreams still circling in her mind. Dreams she wouldn’t even admit to herself.
The guesthouse was small but cozy. The picturesque surroundings looked nothing like where she came from. Everything around her seemed brighter, more vivid, different. The nearby houses, the open fields, the forest on the horizon, the blue sky—it all carried the scent of something foreign and strangely intoxicating. She soaked in the atmosphere with all her senses; rational thought—and the inner critic that usually followed it—had faded into silence.
“Do you like it here, miss?” the owner asked, flashing a wide, warm smile. “I hope such a beautiful young lady won’t find herself bored in our little corner of the world.”
He was a rather short man, and very overweight. His round face, flushed even from the slightest effort, struck her as kind, even pleasant to look at, in a way that surprised her. That’s the face of someone with a huge heart, she thought, smiling just as widely.
“Oh, no, not at all! This place is beautiful! So quiet and scenic I almost want to stay forever. It’s wonderful, really. I’m so glad I came.”
“The pleasure is all ours. I’m happy to see there are still young people who appreciate the beauty of nature. We don’t get many guests here, especially not your age. A real shame, really, because this place has such a lovely atmosphere and stunning views. If you don’t mind my asking, what brings you here? A long journey like that, all on your own, seems a bit risky for someone so young. Did you come to recover your health?”
Alice looked at the man, wondering what she was supposed to say. Alone?
Had the Not-a-Doctor tampered with his memory? Erased himself from it? Entirely possible. Who could ever guess what logic he followed? Better not to risk it.
“I’m escaping the stress. Doctor’s orders.”
“Ah, that makes sense,” the man said with a booming laugh as he handed her the key to her room. “Enjoy your stay—and may it be peaceful.”
Alice thanked him, took the key, and hurried off to get settled in.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
She was surprised to find that the Not-a-Doctor was not waiting for her in the room. A strange feeling stirred in her stomach—mild unease, perhaps—but why should she feel that way? She set down her bag and walked over to the window. There, on the windowsill, was an envelope with her name written on it in elegant script. She stared at it for a long time before she even reached out to touch it. Something inside her wouldn’t let her move—until she finally pressed her fingers to the paper. Then everything broke loose.
She pulled the letter out quickly, unfolded it, and began to read.
Make yourself at home. Don’t wait for me. You can manage on your own now, can’t you? You’ve been following my advice and practicing regularly... You wouldn’t disappoint me, would you, Alice? Surely I’m not wrong about you. But just in case, here’s a tip: steer clear of the owner. He’s got more on his conscience than that friendly laugh lets on. And he’s not exactly picky about his methods, either. Not that I should be telling you this. You must’ve already seen it in his aura—or maybe even peeked into his mind. Silly me. You’re all grown up now, and here I am still treating you like a child—like some brainless idiot who needs to be reminded to lock the damn door just because she smiles at every friendly-looking bastard who crosses her path.
She finished reading and set the letter down. Then she took a deep breath, forced herself to read it again and then again. Right. No big deal. Dreams die every day. It’s no reason to fall apart. She’d known that for a long time. She also knew exactly what kind of man she was dealing with, though no word in any language felt foul enough to describe him properly. Her gut had been telling her all along. Too bad she’d only just started listening. It didn’t matter anymore. The world had become grayer, dirtier, senseless. Full of cruelty, rot, bastards, and idiocy. Unfortunately, the last one had been growing steadily stronger ever since she boarded that train hours ago…
The night passed quietly for the girl, though she woke up with a strange feeling, as if someone had been watching her the entire time. She tried to push the thought away, to focus on the positives of the situation, but she couldn’t really see any at the moment. Still, she had planned to enjoy this little vacation of hers. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on her side either. It was cold, the rain kept falling, and the sky was covered with a thick layer of gray clouds. Alice could feel her irritation growing, the excess energy practically pulsing through her.
She sat down on the bed, closed her eyes, and let herself slip into a short meditation, trying to regain emotional balance and calm the storm building inside her. After fifteen minutes, the tension in her body slowly began to ease, and her mind relaxed just enough to let her focus on her usual small exercises. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around, but there was nothing in her field of vision she could use to practice. Only a small plastic figurine on the nightstand across from the bed. Even that was a bit too large for the kind of object she usually worked with. But after a moment of thought, she figured, why not? She had nothing better to do. Concentrating her energy took another fifteen minutes, and the result was the figurine shifting just under two centimeters. Alice felt it immediately—the pressure in her skull flaring dangerously. Then came the nosebleed. Well. Two centimeters is still something, she thought, wiping the blood off her upper lip with the back of her hand.
