WAR: A Voice from the Past (1/1)

BY: N&NPacker Rosemary Beard ©1997

TIME: After Misplaced Love & Mangos Too

Rosemary looked around the busy theatre that was now the N&NPackers headquarters. She had arrived here earlier and had quickly been caught up in the confusion of the strange stopping of time. The N&Npackers meeting hadn't been all the informative, but at least people were being distracted by having something to do. And what was it with all these other characters that were showing up?

She had seen a Nick or two, Natalie, Vachon, Schanke... She looked down at her watch. It had been hours since the sun set yet it still said 5:00. She shook it and held it to her ear. This was just too strange. Her head began to ache.

"Not now." she said to herself.

Rosemary took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

"Probably just stress." she thought, "I'll take a couple aspirin and it'll be okay."

She reached for her purse, only to realize that she left it in the car.

"Heather, you got any aspirin with you?" she asked.

Heather shook her head and asked the others. No one had anything with them that would be of help. Someone should probably set up a first aid station, with all the work going on and with war going on, they were going to need it. She'd worry about that later. Right now, she just needed to get rid of this headache.

"Can I have your keys? I'll have to get my purse from the car. I'll be right back."

Rosemary walked to the door and opened it, angry with herself for being so forgetful. Hurrying across the parking lot to the cars, she located the Volvo and fumbled with the keys to the door. A noise from behind startled her and she turned to see a shadowy figure standing at the corner of the building.

"Tammy, uh, I mean Amethyst, is that you?" she asked.

"No." a voice said, as the figure stepped forward into the light of a street lamp.

That voice! It couldn't be. Looking closer at the figure standing in the dim light Rosemary gasped.

"LaCroix?", she asked.

"You seem to have the advantage over me, my dear. You know who I am, yet I have never seen you. Who are you and where is this place?"

Rosemary looked at the person who stood before her. He was dressed so strangely. His costume was so, so medieval. Was it possible?

"I'm NiteRose, uh, Rosemary." she stammered," This is Toronto. H-how did you get here?"

" I was hoping you could tell me. I have never heard of the kingdom of Toronto. What kind of magic is this?" he asked. "And what have you done with Fleur?"

Rosemary took a deep breath. "Fleur?", she asked. "What do you mean?"

"I was in the garden waiting for Fleur, when I found myself here." he said, stepping closer to where Rosemary stood. "If you have harmed her..."

"W-wait. I don't know what you mean. I've done nothing." Rosemary said, backing up into the Volvo. "Perhaps if we go inside, maybe someone can explain what's happening."

"Nicholas is here too, is he not?" LaCroix asked. " I sensed his presence. That is what led me to this, this castle?" he said, looking up at the theatre.

"Yes, he's inside. So are quite a few other people. Maybe we should go inside now."

"After you, my dear." he said, motioning towards the door. "On the way perhaps you can explain to me about these large armored beasts," he said pointing at the cars in the parking lot."

Rosemary looked around her.

" Oh, you mean the cars?" she asked, smiling. "Boy, do you have a lot to learn!"

Rosemary decided she better track down Soul or Mel and let them know she had found another LaCroix.

End