After they finish their chess game, Donovan stands up with a sigh. “Right. Er, it’s starting to get late. Would you, uh, like me to go grab Maebell? She can show you where you’re going to be staying,” he says, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Corbin nods with a yawn. “Yeah. That would be great, thank you,” he replies, collecting all the chess pieces and placing them back on the board. Donovan nods and leaves the room in search of Maebell. Corbin relaxes at the stillness of the house when Donovan leaves. It’s calming, and helps to ease his mind. A few minutes later, Maebell walks up to Corbin in cat form. She rubs against his leg to get his attention. “Oh,” Corbin says softly. Maebell looks up at him and blinks slowly, before walking away. Corbin looks around, then grabs his bag from the floor and jumps up to follow the cat.
Maebell leads him back to the entrance hallway, and then starts to run up the stairs. Corbin follows, hurrying to keep up. They stop once they reach the first floor, and Maebell leads Corbin to a closed door. “Is this where I’m meant to stay?” he asks softly, reaching for the handle. Maebell places a paw on the door, as much of an approval as Corbin will be getting. “Okay. Thank you, Maebell. Say thanks to Donovan for me, please,” he says, pushing open the door. Maebell turns and runs back down the stairs, leaving Corbin to explore the room alone.
Corbin walks into the room, turning in a small circle as he shuts the door behind him. The room dimly lit, the only light coming from the moon. There’s a circular window on the far wall, and underneath it is a small reading nook, layered with pillows, blankets, and cushions. There is a soft, greyish brown rug covering half of the floor, stopping at the foot of the bed. The bed frame is made of dark metal, bent into swirls and rings. There are at least three blankets on the bed, all of them either dark brown, a shade of grey, or some form of mossy green. There is a dresser and wardrobe, both made of dark wood. There’s an old-fashioned mirror hanging over the dresser, and there is a bookshelf next to the dresser, as well. The books are all old, the spines weak from years of being opened and closed. The walls are all made of the same material as the floor: light, warm wood. There is a lamp in the corner of the room, next to a large, puffy armchair, that looks just so comfortable.
Corbin runs a hand along the dresser, walking slowly through the room. It seems so warm, so well-lived in, but also like it hasn’t been touched in months. He softly puts his bag on the floor near the bed, and continues to look around. There is a candle on the dresser, as well as a statue of an old camera. The candle has never been lit, but a small match-box sits next to it, almost begging for Corbin to strike one and light the candle. He reaches for the matches, quickly lighting one against the side of the box. The tip flares up, settling down into a small, comfortable flame. He lowers the match onto the wick of the candle. A moment later, the smell of coffee and vanilla wafts through the room. Corbin closes his eyes, slowly taking in the scent of the candle. It smells nice, like the essence of old bookstores and soft leather.
As the candle burns, Corbin keeps exploring the room. He’s scared to touch anything else, already a bit worried about having lit the candle. He pokes around into the corners, slowly taking in everything. He opens a drawer in the dresser, and is surprised to see it’s filled with clothing. Looking in another drawer, he sees it’s also full. All of them are. He all but runs over to the wardrobe, throwing open the doors. Jackets, sweaters, and shoes fill it. He blinks in shock. “What the…?” he asks, slowly thumbing through the clothes. “I hope that it’s all okay,” a voice says from the door. Corbin turns, and sees Donovan leaning against the doorway. “What is all this?” Corbin asks softly, looking at Donovan with wide eyes. “It’s, er… it’s for you. You left home with barely anything. So, I asked Maebell to put some things together a few days ago,” Donovan says, looking down sheepishly. “W-why?” Corbin exclaims. “How did… how did you know I was going to be here?”
Donovan smiles softly. “That’s the funny thing about magic. Sometimes, things happen and I don’t know why. I’ll get these… feelings, about everything. Hunches, I suppose. And more often than not, whatever I think is going to happen, happens. It’s not seeing into the future, exactly. I can feel the essence of whatever is going to come, but can’t see exactly what it is. It’s… it’s difficult to explain. So, when I felt that something was going to be coming to my home, I decided to try and prepare as best I could. I wanted whoever it was to be comfortable, and feel safe.” Corbin looks up at Donovan, a strange expression on his face. “But why?” he asks again. “Why do you care so much about me? Why did you bring me here, why are you helping me?” He starts to pace around the room nervously. “I am helping you because you asked for it. I brought you here because it is safe, and warm. I care because no child should be left outside alone, both figuratively and literally, left to be raised by wolves. I am doing all of this because I am not a terrible person. Because I saw someone who needed help, and I want to do everything in my power to provide it.” Donovan stands up when he finishes talking.
“Make yourself at home, little crow. We’ll figure this out in the morning,” he says softly, walking to the door. As he leaves, Corbin whispers, “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Thank you.”
Corbin puts out the candle, the smell of smoke mixing with the other scents. He changes out of his clothes and puts on the sweatpants and tank top that he had stuffed in his bag before he left home. He slips into the large bed, the cold sheets cooling off his hot skin, and the blankets a comforting weight on top of him. As he slowly adjusts to the new sounds and smells, he starts to relax. Actually, relax. In minutes, he’s asleep, the quiet noises of this safe place lulling him to sleep.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguTXtVkmUf
