Chloe Mallory - Chapter 5

As she brushed my hair carefully, she began to speak. “So, Chloe, you said you wanted to ask me for a favor…I’m not too sure of what they could entail. But I'm willing to hear you out. This is the best time to do so, since mother and father won’t bother us here.” Her words fell softly into my mind. I’d nearly forgotten my original goal in coming to ask. As she brushed through each strand carefully, I pondered. What would be the best thing to ask for in this scenario? What would I need to learn more about this world? And what did she have the power to give me…? She mentioned coming from the school, so would it be safe to assume there were books? Maybe that would be a good idea to ask for?

“I was wondering if it’d be possible to get a book? More so, a personal journal! You help around the school in town, and I’d like to have one of my own!”. I thought this would be the best thing to ask for, as it should be inexpensive and practical! I could keep track of my notes on this world while trying to figure out what else is out there. This plan would be foolproof! It could work as a how-to guide for me to stay ahead and learn more. Sheesh, you’re one smart girl, that’s for sure! I looked back at Luisa, who seemed to be pondering my question.

“Would it be possible…” she muttered as she placed the brush down on the table, thinking some more on my question. The drips continued as the water continued to move within the tub; something I’d thought would be a simple request seemed to fluster my sister. She sighed before grabbing a set of clothes from the counter by the door and putting them on me. It was a simple nightgown, seemingly hand-stitched from the multiple lines connecting up the sides. I put on the rest of my undergarments before hearing her answer.

“It’d be quite expensive to get our hands on those sorts of materials. Dad might have some extra paper lying around to use…maybe we could ask him?” Her question brought insight into the matters of materials in this world. The paper didn’t seem to come cheap around these parts. I wonder what the school kids would have to work with. Chalkboards? Tablets? Who knows, maybe I’ll try to tag along with Luisa one day to see what it’s like.

I nodded, thinking it was a reasonable solution. I mean, he’d laid out many papers and scrolls along the table, what could it hurt to try and ask? He seemed to gloat over me and Luisa at the push of a button, so maybe I could sweet-talk my way into a new book. Let’s find out what we can do!

—

After leaving the washroom with my newly freshened-up attire, I walked back down the stairs carefully. I remembered seeing my mother push the eccentric man who was my father back into the room he’d walked out of. It was directly underneath the banister on the second floor. Maybe it’d been a workshop of sorts. I’m not too sure what he did for work, though, from first glance it’d seem he was an inventor. I carefully guided myself down the stairs, seeing that the main area was empty. Yet the sound of shuffling was heard from said room. I quietly stepped towards the large oaken door, slowly twisting the doorknob and peeking my head inside.

The view of the room was something to behold. From different slips of paper, notes, and everything was crowded. It looked as if there’d been nothing but different ideas sprawled around the room. I thought I was bad when it came to things like this; he was next level. I found him reading over a book, writing notes beside it on a free piece of cream paper. I slowly stepped into the room, my bare feet slapping against the wooden floor with each step. Trying my best to avoid stepping on the sprawled paper on the ground. He stopped his writing and turned his head to me, noticing my presence midway through his work.

“Hey there, what brings you to your old man’s workshop? Interested in something? I know I’m not around too much, but I want to make sure to enjoy my time home when I can.” His feathered quill sat near the small bottle of ink on his work desk. I decided to walk over and see what he’d been working on, having to stand on the tips of my toes. The desk was slanted, so it was harder to see everything from where I was standing. He noticed my struggle before using his hands to lift me up and onto his leg. Sitting comfortably, I was able to finally see everything he’d worked on since returning.

The book was thick, with many layers of pages and a leather casing; it was neatly put together, filled to the brim with notes. It took me a moment to realize these were handwritten, as I noticed the ink markings within it. I peered closely, trying to read more of what was there.

“24 vials of tonic, 12 bottles of honey…”

“Return to Meldrick by…”

“Experimental Log 34…”

The book was filled to the brim with different ideas, logs, and notes to remember. I could tell that my father in this world was a dedicated man; his work didn’t only expand from crafting different inventions, but he seemed to be a serious businessman and merchant. He began to chuckle, seeing my immersion with his book. I couldn’t help but continue reading over his notes, even if I had no idea what they pertained to. “So, little one. You seem very interested in what’s in this book. What piques your interest?” his voice was quick and light. His mood seemed to be quite happy, given the circumstances of what I was able to collect in my mind.

“You write so much,” I began. Skimming over the pages once more. “Where did you get one of these books…It’s massive.” To him, it may have been a regular book in terms of size. But to me, the book was massive; it’d easily take two arms to hold. I didn’t want to even think about attempting to lift it. His smile showed brightly. “Well, I have to use this big book to keep track of everything, from orders to simple notes to remember. It’s good to keep track of interesting and important things you find out in the world.” He reached for his quill pen and tapped it on the desk. He seemed happy to talk about his work.

“Did it cost a lot for this book?” I asked, curious about his means of getting it. I did so, making sure to tread slowly to my eventual question of getting one. You’ve got to open the shell before you eat the contents. He scratched the back of his head, pondering the question as I waited for an answer. Looking down at me, he smiled widely before answering. “No idea!” he replied, as he continued with his writing. His response left me in a state of confusion. What did he mean by “No idea!”? I knew the man was busy, but hearing such a lax response from a merchant of all things sounded peculiar. Better to press on, same as before.

“Where would you even get a book like this?” I questioned, hoping for a more straightforward answer. This should open him up some more, right? He stopped his writing and slowly pushed his chair back, lifting me off his leg and placing me down. He stood and stretched wide; you could hear the cracks of his bones as he let out a large yawn. It was safe to assume he’d been working ever since he returned, but the timing of his reaction threw me off course from my original plan. He then bent down in front of me and placed a finger in front of his lips, making a shushing sound. “Trade secret!~” he whispered. Was he purposely not telling me? What would cause him to refuse to tell me? I mean, I’m just a child. I mean no harm to his “trade secrets”, I just want to get my hands on a book!

He rubbed my head with his large glove before turning to pick up the loose bits of paper on the ground. I watched as he gingerly picked each up, inspecting it before adding to the pile within his hand. He seemed to be making sure of something. Wouldn’t it be better to help him out? He seemed tired from working when I entered the room, so maybe a little help is what he needs. Moving forward, I went ahead and scavenged the ground for loose papers spread along the floor. His eyes widened, seeing me try to help out.

“Hey kiddo, don’t wear yourself out too much helping your old man,” he said, taking the papers from my hand and adding them to his own pile. “I just wanted to help out…” I said, thinking of the possible conditions working in such an environment. I’d be surprised if he hasn’t slipped once or twice on something in this crowded workshop. After turning back to collect some more of the loose papers, I could hear sniffling behind me. It was my father, who seemed to be suddenly overcome with emotions.

“My wonderful daughter is trying her best to help her old man however she could…I’ve been blessed by the heavens, truly!” His doting words caused me to let out a small sigh. One second, he’s very diligent; the next, he’s fawning over his daughters once again. He’s a confusing one, that’s for sure. I’d begun to wonder what the others were doing within the house before noticing the open window at the back of the workshop. I walked over to it, seeing it was open as the curtains fluttered lightly in the wind. The night sky had finally fully surrounded us. The moon shone a nice white; it seemed to be a full moon, as stars gathered in the sky. The sight was one to behold.

I placed my hands on the windowsill to get a better look, taking in the sounds of crickets in the night. It’d been a long time since I’ve heard them, I’d be sure they’d be present in this countryside like town…Maybe it’d be a good idea to try to find a map as well. How can I learn more about this world if I don’t have a guide to follow? That’d be a death wish. Before my pondering could continue, my father appeared behind me; he’d taken off his goggles and gloves. When he wasn’t wearing his work clothes, he looked to be a rather lanky man. Though he stood tall in my eyes, his features were different, to say the least. Luisa couldn’t have been more of a spitting image of him. Though her freckles seemed very evidently to be from our mother.

“You seem very curious about books, Chloe,” he started. It seemed he finally picked up on my curiosity from before. I nodded hurriedly as I continued onto my original plan. “Yes, I don’t get to go out much, so I’d like to keep a record of things I see every day…but it’d be hard to get something as luxurious as a book.” I pouted, playing on the sympathizing factor of a daughter not wanting to be a burden by her wants. If you’ve got the dice in hand, you’ve got to roll them! His eyes lowered, seeing my reaction. He let out a breath through his nose before reaching into his pocket. A smaller book was revealed; he’d taken it out and opened the page. His eyes scanned the page before turning it, eventually closing the book promptly.

He leaned forward and whispered, as if to make sure no one else could hear him. “I may have some time to stop by the Parchment shop tomorrow…it’d be good to stock up on some new paper.” He leaned back before slowly closing the window. My ears fluttered at his words. Was he trying to tell me that maybe he’d be willing to help? I felt a small sense of joy hearing the man’s words as I hugged his leg, just as I did for my mother. He chuckled as he petted my head, feeling his rough hands move me with every rub. He was a hard worker. And a dedicated father, that much I knew. As he let go, he turned to the door, smelling the air and nodding happily. “We can discuss more tomorrow when Luisa goes down to town. For now, let us enjoy your mother’s delicious meals. She’s the best cook in town, I hear.” He said. His words were filled with true belief in them. He’d been a peculiar person as I’ve ever met, maybe you need to have some playful tendencies to get on people’s good side.