Kaleidoscopic

Tori was having trouble sleeping. It had been a long day. Being forced into work at Kaleidoscopic really took it out of her. Although she was tired she couldn't fall into the comfort of her dreams. She got out of bed. Perhaps if she took a walk around the building she could get out of her restless state.

She got out of bed and was careful with the door knob. It was sleeping and didn't enjoy being woken, but it fell back asleep after Tori closed the door. She looked at the pictures and the doors. The pictures she thought were too normal for a place so odd. They were pictures of normal looking people.

"They're pictures of all the humans that worked here in the past." said a voice. She had to think about it for a few moments to figure out who it was. She recognized it. It was the talking door knob.

"Oh. You knew all of them?" She asked.

"Almost all. I have been here for a very long time." The door knob said.

"Well, that would make sense. You can talk after all." She said. It rolled its eyes. She wondered why it seemed so unhappy.

"Why are you upset?" Tori asked.

It sighed. "If you had to stay locked all the time then you would be upset too."

"Ok...can't you unlock yourself?" she asked.

"No. No one but Loki can." It explained.

"Why? Does he have a key to you or something?" she asked. It was getting sick of all the questions.

"Yes, there's a key. If you steal it from him then you may come in. Unfortunately, you have no such thing so you will continue to be locked out. You're getting on my nerves. Now leave." The door knob ordered.

She did as the door knob said and continued her walk. She wondered who Loki was and where he kept the key. Maybe if the room was opened the door knob would stop being so crabby. Tori turned the corner and saw door leading outside. She went through it and was surprised to be outside. It dawned on her why she could go out in this spot. It was a courtyard that you couldn't get out of by going through an arch leading into town. You had to go through the building still.

It was warm out though. Several tall trees were spread out across the courtyard. Flowerbeds were placed against the walls. Ivy was clinging to a tree and a wall that were near each other. This place was the only thing that had brought a real smile to her face since she had been trapped here. She saw something move near one of the doors. She hid in the ivy and hoped whoever it was wouldn't see her.

Two people walked through the door. One she recognized as Luke and the other was someone she'd never seen before. He was short though. The top of his head only came up to Luke's chest.

The short man sat next to the pond she hadn't noticed before. He stared at the water. Luke remained standing.

"So what is it that you want to talk about Sorin?" Luke asked. The short man looked up and answered, "I hear you have a new slave."

"Yes I do. What of it?" Luke had a curious expression on his face.

Sorin smiled. "Wanna make a bet?"

"It being?" Luke knew better than just to agree right away. If he did that than he would probably get the bad end of the bet.

"Well, I was thinkin-" He stopped take for he heard Tori. She had drew in a sharp breath when she saw a spider crawling on her hand. Spiders were not something she could deal with. She wanted to scream, freak out, and kill it. Tears flooded her eyes. Spiders always have and always will scare the shit out of her. It was a fairly big spider to. At least two inches long and that is not including the long legs it had.

Sorin turned his attention to Tori who was ready flip out. "We know you're there so come out."

His voice had an odd sound to it. It sounded calm like a summer breeze. It didn't matter that he was basically giving an order. Tori could not do what Sorin said. She was too scared to move. She had no idea if it was poisonous and she did not want to get bit by, especially if it was.

He was curious so he went over to see what the problem was. Sorin found the frightened teen and picked up the spider. He smiled at it. "Thank you, Edward. You're such a good boy."

Sorin stroked the spider's back and the spider seemed to fall into resting state. Tori was confused. He looked down at her and said, "Get up."

Now that Edward was off of her she did just that. She stood and wanted to laugh. Even she was taller than this man. Tori herself was only five feet four inches.

"This is Tori. She's the new girl." Luke explained.

"Oh. She's a little...odd for your tastes. You didn't pick her did you?" Sorin asked.

Luke nodded his head. "Her now ex-boyfriend did. Traded her for his freedom."

Sorin looked up at Tori's face to see the look of anger and hurt that ran across it. "Poor girl. You must hate him. I could take you away from here and the rest of those nasty humans. I could take you to a land of dancing, parties, and carefreeness. Only if Loki would allow it of course."

He wasn't asking. He was demanding actually. Sorin never asked for things he wanted. He always got them at least for a short time. Of course there would always be a bet with the owner of the object.

"Ah, so she is what you are after. I'm sorry, but if you got her what would I get?" Luke said.

Tori looked between the two men. Pointing at look, she asked. "Why are you talking about me like I'm owned by him?"

"Pointing is not polite, Tori. Now be quiet and let us grown ups talk." Luke waved a hand at her and her jaw was locked tight. She couldn't open her mouth to speak or do the most involuntary actions such as breathe or cough. Tori tried to fight it open while Luke and Sorin spoke about their deal.

"So, why not let her live with me for a week and see how she likes it there for when I win our little arrangement." Sorin said.

"I still get nothing this way. I refuse to get nothing in return for a slave staying with you." Luke said.

"I'll send one of our prettiest girls over for you to do whatever you wish to her. Although I can't say she won't fight with you about it." The short man said.

"Ok...I can live with that. Now let us discuss our arrangement. How about if she doesn't escape from my little restaurant within five of the restaurant's years, you get to have her?" Luke suggested.

Tori looked panicked. She tried even harder to get her mouth open. She wanted to yell at them, but only muffled sounds came out. She wasn't some object that they could trade and bet for. At least that was Tori's belief. The two men talking in front of her did not think the same.

"If she does I assume if she does she gets her freedom? But you get nothing from that deal." Sorin pointed out. Luke smiled.

"Oh yes I do. I get the joy of you complaining and beating yourself up over losing. That is all I need to get me through the years after she is gone." He explained.

Sorin rubbed his hand over his deep red dragonfly-like wing that Tori hadn't noticed before. His hand was covered in the sparkling fairy dust that was all over his wings. He held his hand out. Luke shook it. A pact made on fairy dust. It was something no one, not even the strongest creature in any world could get out of. Their arrangement or bet, which ever you wish to call it was set in place and now there was no going back.

"In a few weeks I shall let her stay one week with you. That way she may get a feel for what life is like with your kind." Luke promised.

"I'll enjoy her company. You never know perhaps she'll love it so much with me she won't try to escape." The fairy suggested.

Luke shook his head. "I think not. She seems to like her human life a lot and is willing to do anything to get away from people like us. I think her attitude will surprise you. After all, this is not the fifteen hundreds anymore. Women now do not give in so easily."

Sorin smiled. "We'll see about that now won't we."

"Yes we shall. Good bye now." Luke said.

The fairy vanished before their eyes. Luke wasn't at all shocked by it. To him fairies leaving on the wind or trees and seemingly disappearing was a normal occurrence. For Tori it wasn't. She looked around and couldn't find the direction he went in. Luke went over to her and put one finger on her lips. "Time to go to bed now Tori."

"I'm not tired and I don't want to sleep." She said with a strange look on her face. Her jaw was no longer locked.

"You sound like every young child in existence, but you must sleep." She felt her eyes get heavy and her mind started to slow. Tori fought with her eyes. That's all that she seemed to do anymore. Fight and lose and the fall asleep. She didn't want to sleep anymore, but unfortunately it was not her choice. So once again she fell into that darkness that was starting to not be such a comfort.