After checking briefly that the door is still where you came out you set off down one of the pathways, soon happening upon a wrought iron table where a smoothly beautiful girl with startlingly spiky hair is pouring a cup of tea from a delicate teapot.
"Oh hello," She greets
you politely as she deftly flips out another cup and
saucer, "I had a feeling someone was going to come
for tea today so I thought I'd get out my fancy china. I
do love pretty things.""Er...Hello," You manage to mumble, taking a seat across the table from her and introducing yourself. "Is this garden yours?"
"In a way. I just came through the door one day and found it here, not a soul in sight. If you don't have a specific destination in mind the door find something it thinks you'll like," A small smile graces the girl's face and then her eyes widen suddenly. "Oh, sorry, I forgot. I'm Sasha."
You spend a pleasant five minutes sipping tea in silence, then suddenly remember your reason for being here.
"Um... Does anyone else live here?" You ask, trying to sound casual.
Sasha smiles her small smile again before answering. "Yes. So far just my drizzil, Lilia. I found her while wandering through a place called DreamWorld. She's quite lovely, isn't she?"
Sasha's eyes move to a place just over your right shoulder and you turn to see a brilliantly coloured creature hovering over the roses behind you.
"Drizzils
appear to be draconic," Sasha says matter-of-factly,
"But in reality they're just a strange species of
bird."Lilia flits closer to you and then darts away, circling around the trunk of a glossy-leaved tree and flying into a distant corner of the garden.
"Wonderful," you breathe, and mean it.
Later, after finishing your tea and several delicious biscuits, you sigh happily and say reluctantly, "I suppose I had better go."
"Thankyou for having tea with me," Sasha says absently, studying a flower bed as if mentally pruning it, "It was very nice to meet you. You'll find the door in the same place it was when you came in, just up that path."
After making your final goodbyes you wander slightly impatiently up the walkway to the door, anxious to see what other worlds there are to visit.
Background image from Boogiejack.com. Signs made at FlamingText.com. Guestbook animation from The Animation Factory. Cartoondolls created by Jarecu here. Website and storyline copyright to Jarecu.