The Watchers Wake

Chapter 24 - Father figures

CHAPTER 24 - Father figures

Open your eyes Qaddis.

I screwed my face up. 

That wasn’t Scott’s voice in my head.  Why was Adam in my head? Ohh that’s right, well this took the whole prospective father-in-law relationship to a new level.  Hang-on, father-in-law – that was jumping the gun by the proverbial mile!  And exactly why am I rambling?

I giggled.

What is it with the giggling?  Seriously?

I opened my eyes, everything spinning slowly in nice loopy loops. I was in the foyer of an office type building, all steel and glass but nothing but white light came in through the windows, but for some reason I had the distinct impression I was on a boat.  The floor was pitching.  I stumbled even though Adam was holding me tightly.  

A receptionist was the only person I could see and she sat at a curved high counter with modern art adorned the walls behind her.  I opened my mouth to start lecturing her about something but then I completely lost my track of thought because I realised I was naked from the waist up.

Ohh hell, it was like one of those dreams where you are walking down the street or catching the bus and realise that you are butt naked.  Was I dreaming?  I better be dreaming.

I had my eyes closed as I continued to chant “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home...” while I frantically bashed my heels together, when I felt something being yanked over my head and down my face and torso.  My arms flung out against the material in surprise and in doing so miraculously managed to find the arm holes.

I looked at Adam but he shook his head in warning, instead I glanced down to find my t-shirt back on me.  Without saying a word to me he wrapped an arm around my waist as I staggered as the building pitched to right again. 

The receptionist must have put gum in the wheels of her chair, cheater, cause she wasn’t moving.  She must also have used a bucket load of hairspray because nothing moved on her not even her eyes.  Maybe she was one of those wax models.  Maybe this was a dream. 

The building tossed itself back to the left.

“The Watchers of the Third Tower are here to see Jariel.” Adam was speaking. 

I looked up but he was focused on the receptionist who had somehow changed her positioning without moving.  I wondered if she would move if I threw up on her?

“Archangel Jariel is not available for appointments,” the receptionist spoke still without moving.  I then noticed her hands were moving under the counter.  On tippy toes I peered over the edge to find a bottle of bright red nail polish being skilfully applied.

Wait a minute, what did she just say?

 “I think you will find that he will see us.  Allow us access to the lift system now or maybe we will open a portal to Kzanya...” Adam hissed through his teeth.

With that the receptionist head came up and with wide eyes she looked straight at us.  Her mouth moved but no sound came out.  Her fingers were suddenly very busy.

I was confused.  Everything was happening too fast.  I wanted to ask questions but I didn’t know where to start.  I shook my head hoping to clear away some of the fog that seemed to have taken up residence in there.  Adam just smiled at me as he dragged me over to the lift. 

Keep your concentration on me, no matter what happens here you need to keep your focus on me until I tell you otherwise.

But...