Dragon Reincarnated (Working title)

Lottie

Comfortable. 

That was my first thought as my eyes slowly fluttered open. I was warm, but there was a light breeze. The air smelt like flowers and blueberry pie and I could hear wind in leaves and the songs of birds.

I realized that I was laying down somewhere, and groggily got up on an elbow and a quilted blanket fell to the worn wooden floor.

Where was I?

On a sofa, apparently. Sitting up I saw that there was a set of wide open French doors leading out into a garden where I could see lush grass, various flowers, and what appeared to be several apple trees.

Brow wrinkled in confusion, I turned my attention to the world within the room. On first glance I would say I was in a grandmothers cottage. Wooden furniture, china cabinet with a couple tea sets, cute little animal ornaments on the mantle and just about every other flat surface. A round mirror on the wall between two paintings of kittens playing with yarn, and a small breakfast table already set for tea for two.

"You're awake!" Hummed a pleasant voice, causing me to jump and my head to spin so fast I got a crick in my neck. "Oh, sorry Dear, i didn't mean to frighten you."

From a door behind me, an elderly woman entered. I could smell the scent of blueberry pie heavier now that the door was opened.

The woman, short with grey hair tied in a bun atop her head, stepped aside. In her hands was a try with a pie and knife. I watched as she allowed several cats of varying colors to scamper into the room. Once about six cats had entered, she shut the door and I watched as she shuffled over to the breakfast table, setting down the pie.

She was shorter than me, with a kind face, wide eyes, and round classes, Her hands were small, I noticed, as she used the knife to cut out slices of pie. She woke a long dress that would not have looked out of place in an old historical drama about the prairies.

"Come!" She said with a wide smile and a wave of her hand. "Sit! I am sure you have many questions, and I have much to tell you besides."

Nervously, I slipped off the couch and awkwardly made my way over to the table. The lady pulled out a chair for me before slipping into the other, placing a napkin over her lap. She smiled and told me to sit with her eyes.

"I don't understand..." I said weakly, confused. I tried to wrack my brain for how I got here. What had I even been doing before sleeping on this little old lady's couch. And where the heck was I? I lived downtown! There was no way anyone had such a large backyard there. Not to mention, it had been mid spring, hadn't it? Why did it feel like summer?

"Try not to think too hard, Love. you will give yourself a head ache." Said the lady, taking the lid off a sugar dish that I saw was filled with sugar cubes. When was the last time I had even seen sugar cubes? "You can call me Lottie, by the way. And you are Maxine, yes?"

"Max, yes." I said, rubbing my sweaty palms on my jeans.

Lottie nodded. "How many?" She asked, tiny tongs hovering over the dish in her wrinkled yet very steady hands.

"Oh, um, two, thank you." I said, manners too ingrained in me not to use them, even in this bazar situation.

I watched as two cubes were dropped into a little white tea cup, followed by the brown colored tea from a matching pot. "Milk?" As Lottie, holding up the milk dish. I nodded and she poured in a little.

That done, Lottie took her own sugar cubes and set about stirring her tea, no milk. "Now," She said, taking her cup and placing it to her lips before taking a sip. "First things first. I am sorry Max, but you are dead."