Beyond Imagining

Chapter 2

"Darling! Sam wants to go to the market with you."

"Uh, be right down."

Just as I was heading out the door of my bedroom I heard it.

Knock, knock. Knock.

I ran to the tapestry wall and knocked back. I heard a large thump, than silence. It had been more persistent lately. Knocking over and over again until I knocked back. Curiouser and curiouser.

"Hello sweety." Sam said.

"Morning Sam."

"Honey! Something is wrong with the stove!" Mother called.

Sam and I shared one of those 'Not again' looks as he walked into the kitchen to help my mother. She began describing the problem and I heard him get out his tools. For a lawyer, he was very good with tools and fixing this and that.

"See you in a bit then!" she called as we left.

I was beginning to love Sam the way any other daughter would love her father. Step-daughter or not. He was good to us and he was the first man Mother was relatively good to as well. I could see the love blooming. As a bonus, Sam and I were getting along smashingly.

"So we have a bit more work to do up in the attic if you're willing." He said as well climbed into the carriage.

"Anything to give me an excuse to wear pants." I mused.

We shared a smile.

On our way to the market, we shared political views. His, very much different from my own, were sensible none the less. He has very good ideas for the law system. I was surprised he ever lost case in his life.

We finally arrived to the market. The aroma was as inviting as the sight. Delicious looking foods from all over the world gathered in this huge market. What a place. So many ideas and cultures and wrapped together in one place.

"Well, go on. Pick something." Sam said as we passed the sweets stall.

"That's quite alright."

"No, I insist."

I picked up a small bar of dark chocolate all the way from Africa.

"We'll take that please."

Sam paid the man and we continued walking on through the market.

"Two pounds of chicken, three of beef, and one of venison." Sam said to the butcher.

My eyes were forced closed for a moment.

A shining golden deer; antlers made of silver. A vicious hunter with arrows stalking it. Then he went for the kill, a smile of pure evil on his face. The deer fell. A laugh that chilled my spine and made me feel uneasy...even frightened.

And then it was over. Just like that.

"No!" I said.

I turned to Sam.

"No deer. We can't. I'm, I'm uh allergic." I sputtered.

"Alright..." he said suspiciously.

He turned to the man.

"Forget the venison, sir."

We collected the meats and went to look for some vegetables.

"Okra?"

I wrinkled my nose in response. He laughed and turned back to the stall. I couldn't shake the feeling that some was watching me, someone who wasn't very friendly.