| Date: 11 December 2007
Characters: Estelle Cole, Lane Williams Location: outside Link to IJ: thread #3415 |
 "I'll be right back! I promise!" Estelle said, laughing and breathless as she separated from the tall boy who kept trying to draw her into another dance. "I just need to freshen up!"
She caught Louisa's attention and waved to let her know she was OK before she headed back down toward the first floor and the ladies reception area. She was about to push the door open when a light from a nearby window caught her attention. She glanced upstairs, biting her lip. It wouldn't do any harm to see what it was; it might even be important. She walked as quickly as she could toward the door, unnoticed by those having quiet conversations at small tables. It was chilly tonight and Estelle wrapped her arms around herself as the cold seeped through her dress. The light was just ahead and she walked toward it as if drawn. "Hello? Is someone there? Can you turn off that light please, so I can see?" She reached out, fingertips just barely caressing the shimmering shapes.... * * * "Oh." Estelle looked around, blinking in surprise. This definitely wasn't the dance hall in Cardiff. In fact, she was pretty sure it wasn't any building in Cardiff she'd be in. "Excuse me," she said to the stranger passing by. "Could you please tell me where this is?" |
 Lane turned, looking around to be sure she was talking to him. Yep, evidently so.
"Hotel California," he deadpanned, and then realized from her dress that The Eagles were probably not her thing. "Still trying to figure it out myself." |
| "Hotel California?" she asked, looking confused. "I'm sorry, I must sound like a lame-brain, but ... this isn't Cardiff, is it?" |
| "Oh, sorry, joke. And a bad one. Cardiff? Not sure. Is that where you were just before here?" |
| She nodded. "There was a light, and I thought I'd better go have a look." She was always getting into trouble for going off like that. |
| "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know what's going on. But somebody around here's got to know something." |
| "I'm Estelle," she said, sticking her hand out. Her mother would grouch at her for not wearing her gloves but ... oh lord, her mother was going to kill her. And poor Louisa! She couldn't quite smother a worried groan. |
| "Lane," he replied and offered his own hand. "I'd offer to show you around, but I..." he looked down at his bare feet. "I really need to find my shoes. I believe there's food down the way." |
| Estelle looked down when he did and laughed quickly.
"How did you lose your shoes?" |
| "Well," he smirked, "I wasn't wearing shoes when I got here, so..." |
| "Where did you come from?" |
| "Cardiff, like you. I walked through a door that wasn't really a door and ended up here. Still trying to figure out how it's all happened." |
| "I always thought Cardiff had something odd about it," Estelle said with a smile. She was glad to know that she wasn't the only one who had experienced things that weren't normal in the city.
"Too bad they don't have a fire, you could warm your feet there." |
| "Someone told me there was a shop, maybe some clothes, and I'm really really hoping an open bar somewhere around here. I'll see you around?" He waved a hand and started off again. |
| "Good luck!" Estelle said, waving as he departed. She put her hands on her hips and looked around. Well, she may as well explore, she thought, and headed off too. |