Chapter 12~Ladieeees and Gentlemen!

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Breakfast was a hurried mess as Jacob and I scoffed down our food. We both wanted to get to the loop as early as possible for another day of curious magic. I wondered what the children had in store for us as I chewed the last bit of my deep fried toast.

Jacob had finished a few minutes ago and was talking to his dad. There were a few moments when his voice was raised and gave Jacob a questioning glance and then turned around to look at me. Our eyes would lock, I could feel heat to coming my cheeks and looked away.

I really hope he didn't think I liked Jacob like Kev. So far Kev hasn't asked me about it this morning but who knows what goes on in his mind. One moment he's worried about my well being the next he's making fun of me. Uncle of the Year trophy goes to...

This morning was like any other Cairnholm morning that made me dread that I lived here. Outside the rain fell like marbles hitting against my skin and the wind and fog rolled by causing my hair to twirl and tumble.

I was wearing my fluffy purple jacket with faded blue jeans and a black and white dotted t-shirt. I held onto the outfit the children had leant me as I braced the rain. This time I decided to wear my big green rain boots, but tucked under my jacket were my converse. I didn't want to have a lecture from Kev about the proper footwear but I also didn't want to be walking around a perfect summer day in boots.

Jacob didn't seem to care with his converse as we ran through the rain. He was wearing his jacket, black jeans and a red shirt with a fancy design on it. I could tell it was from a major retailer since at the corner there was the logo.

When we reached the dense forest the rain simmered down the tiniest bit and Jacob and I ran faster. I really hoped I wasn't actually insane and dreamed everything from yesterday. I wouldn't want to come back to high school at the end of the summer and have the teachers ask what I did and say, "oh it was interesting you see. I imagined there were floating girls, time traveling birds and an insane boy to wrap it all together."

By the time we had reached the cairn we were both breathing heavy, our huffs and puffs bouncing of the stone walls. I emerged into a rainless summer day. The air felt dry and warm, just as I had left it. I looked around my surroundings and spotted Emma sitting on the edge of the mound of casting stones into the bog.

Her eyes landed in our direction. "About time!" she cried, jumping to her feet and walking toward us. "Come on, everyone's waiting for you."

"They are?" asked Jacob.

"Ye-es," she said rolling her eyes and grabbing for Jacob's hand. When she pulled him to the direction of the house I half expected to be dragged along by a rope around my wrists, though, feeling like a third wheel isn't too different.

Emma dashed around the bog looking much like the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland where as I was Alice. Everything was eerily familiar, the sun shone through the same gaps between trees and even the same clouds floating lamely through the sky. It was like déjà vu but scarier.

Finally we passed through a bush and the house came into view. Emma led us (or rather Jacob) around the house to the backyard where a small wooden stage was fitted with a red curtain and wobbly staircase. A few folding chairs had been strewn across the grass and children busily wandered around everywhere. Some dashed in and out the house carrying props. Others buttoning suit jackets or fixing their hair. Even a little orchestra was warming up, they consisted of an accordion, a battered trombone and a musical saw that Horace played with a bow.

I noticed on the stage was a floating straw boater hat and a red and white striped suit. It was moving about, turning and bobbing around. When one of the children passed by to ask something the hat stopped and nodded then starting moving around again.

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