Norbert opened his eyes, seeing the wooden ceiling above his head. With a sigh the ceiling once more looked awfully familiar, looking to the side confirming his suspicions, seeing the empty table and hearing some humming from the other side of the room. Norbert sat looked towards the kitchen.

Over the stove, Norbert saw Granny stirring something within a pot, its red glossy sides shinning back the kitchen and Norbert’s small face; Norbert only saw the handle of the wooden spoon. Rapping the spoon on the side, she turned to look towards Norbert.

"Oh, you awake again. Good, good, come over here and help me with the rest." Granny insisted.

Norbert nodded as he swept his feet off the bed, patting the sheets down to make them nice and smooth as he fluffed up the pillow again. Looking over his handiwork, he was happy it was not friendly and neat for the old lady.

Walking towards the kitchen, I saw everything in disarray. Walking towards the pot, Granny gives the wooden spoon to him. Looking inside the pot, I saw the red liquid within, filling nearly three-quarters of the pot.

Placing the spoon in Norbert, he began stirring, steam coming off from the liquid, moving the chunks of food inside as he continued to stir. He took one piece of food out of the liquid and saw a vegetable that reminded him of celery.

Dropping it into the liquid with a splash, Norbert continued stirring it as instructed. As Norbert looked about, seeing the mess that was previously gone, the table being set for just the two of them.

"May I have a taste?" Granny asked from beside him.

Norbert jumped slightly, spilling several drops of the dish before passing over the wooden spoon to Granny.

Giving a slight nod as she took the instrument from his hands, dipping it into the soup before carefully moving it to her lips. Her other hand underneath to catch any stray drops from falling onto the floor.

Norbert heard her slurp the liquid up before giving a satisfied nod of approval. Rapping the spoon on the side, getting the rest of the liquid off and back into the pot before placing it into the sink.

"Would you like me to place it on the table?" Norbert asked the older woman.

"That would be splendid; thank you Norbert." She said to him.

Norbert nodded as he picked up the pot from the handles on either side. His gloves stopped the heat from quickly travelling to his hands. Spinning around, Norbert quickly placed it on the table, seeing a wooden square that was slightly charred empty placed on top of the table.

Leaning over, Norbert placed it on the square, stopping the hot pot from marking the table. I looked back around and saw that Granny was coming to the kitchen. Going to her side of the table, Norbert untucked her chair for you.

Receiving a gentle rub on his arm in return for the kindness, Norbert made his way to his side of the table. Looking at the food there, the main being the soup that Norbert was working on, some bread on the side with some sauces in jars fills the small table.

Looking down at the bowl on top of his plate and the spoon on the side, no other cutlery is seen. Norbert took the ladle now in the pot, moving his bowl closer as he poured some in, making sure to get some of the chunky bits as well.

Leaning forward, Norbert took the spoon, carefully raising it to his waiting mouth as he took a slow slurp. He felt the liquid go down his throat, the taste of tomatoes filling his mouth.

Feeling his stomach rumbling, not knowing when he had something to eat the last time, all this travelling within the hall made him hungry. Going for a second spoonful, Norbert looked up, seeing Granny looking at him, waiting for a response.

"Good soup," Norbert said around the spoon while giving it a thumb up. Granny smiled in response and helped herself to the food she made. She broke off a piece of bread, dipping it into the soup, and letting it soak up the juices before eating it.

Norbert copied her as he broke off his chunk. He dipped it in and let it sit there, absorbing as much liquid as possible. Satisfied with the amount of moisture it absorbed, Norbert brought it to his lips before eating it.

The lovely, smooth bread quickly broke off as he chewed on it. The thick crust was chewy in his mouth compared to the fluffy bread inside. The soup-logged bread quickly absorbed the flour that dusted the top of it.

Norbert continued to chew it, placing the next chunk to eat in the soup so it could absorb some as well.

With the level lowering, Norbert could now see some chunks within it. Swapping the rest of the bread to the other hand, Norbert picked up the spoon, fishing around for the vegetables.

Finding the celery he had found before Norbert picked it out, he brought it towards his mouth, biting into it as it slightly crunched. Fishing for more, Norbert finished the rest of the vegetables, finding carrots, onions, beef chunks, and baby potatoes.

Stolen novel; please report.

Filling his bowl again, Norbert quickly downed it, getting another piece of bread to absorb the last bit of the soup and wiping off the bowl. Going for his third helping, Norbert took his time, seeing that it was now halfway down Norbert.

"Just as good as all your other food," Norbert said to Granny as he beamed at her.

He was receiving it in kind; Norbert looked around the cabin, seeing it was the same. Apart from the kitchen, this dining room and the bed off to the side, no other doors showed. Fishing the food in his mouth, Norbert asked the first question of many: "Do you know where Skelly is?" Norbert asked her.

She only received a shrug in response as Granny continued to chew the food in her mouth.

Norbert nodded in acknowledgement as he moved around, taking the first bit of food.

Granny spoke up as she finished her bite. "Why did you release Skelly?" She asked him.

Norbert shrugged. "Didn't see another way of getting out. With the barrier around me stopping me from leaving the prison section, the black form following after me and Skelly, who can outlast me as he was there for a long time, didn't leave me with many options." Norbert explained.

Granny just nodded, not seeing a point in asking more questions.

Continuing to eat, Norbert asked her one instead, "So, what do you do?" He asked her.

Granny held her finger up, asking Norbert to wait as she finished the bread in her hand, wiping up the last soup. "What do you mean?" She asked him.

"Well, instead of pulling me out of sticky situations and nursing me better, what do you do for the rest of the day?" Norbert asked her.

"Same thing as this: help those in need and have meals with friends." She said to him.

Norbert grinned slightly at the connotation of them being friends. Norbert nodded his head. "What a great hero you are," Norbert said to her.

"Well, I don't know about a hero, but I try my best," Granny said as she ate.

"And that's all we can do." Norbert said in return.

Receiving a nod, the meal went into silence again. Norbert knew that the elderly lady did other things. If they didn't do other activities, one didn't just appear when being called. The entire room he was in felt like there was something else to it, something else that he could not find.

Looking around the room again, Norbert changed his vision, ensuring not to look at Granny. Although he didn't look directly at her, Norbert knew why she warned him. Seeing a kaleidoscope of colours coming off of her, Norbert quickly turned it off, unable to look around the room as the aura Granny was exuding was too much.

Looking back at her, a knowing look on her face of what he had just tried to do as Norbert felt tears watering down his cheeks. Sure, his eyes were bloodshot from his test. Norbert continued to eat, not bringing up his discovery if Granny didn't want to speak about it.

Norbert mindlessly took a piece of the bread and poured another soup spoon into his bowl. Drenching the bread in, Norbert continued to eat the food he gave himself. Granny finished with him; Norbert took his cup and drank some of the water, allowing it to be washed down.

Swishing the water in the cup around, Norbert looked up at Granny expectantly before his eyes moved to the door. Several seconds passed without either of them saying anything.

"No other guests coming?" Norbert asked her, unable to not ask the question after so long.

Granny smiles smilingly before shaking her head. "Today, it just you." She said to him.

Norbert nodded, looking at the meal they had just had and the dishes that needed to be washed now. Norbert was about to ask why him when he realised he received the answer earlier.

A thought trickled over Norbert about how Skelly could get into his head and talk to him. Sitting in silence, Norbert thought about his interaction with Skelly and the hall, something nagging at the back of his mind but unable to place his finger on it.

Running through the events, Norbert thought back to when he realised his face was breaking out, his body breaking down from the mist in the air.

With a sharp breath and intake, Norbert whispered, "So, you can influence the actions of others."

Granny just nodded in response before saying, "A very sinister attack. Those that are under their spell don't know that they are. And those aware of the attack aren't affected by it."

Thinking back to his conversation with Granny there, Norbert said, "So that's why you and he were surprised I was still alive and kicking down there." Norbert asked her.

Receiving a nod in confirmation, Norbert played the thought through, now talking aloud his thought process. "So, once taken in, he would have a thrall to do whatever he desires. It's probably something to do with the staff and releasing him. Two things which I did anyway." Norbert said, saddened about what happened.

Playing the thought a bit more, "Are we still in Morenas?" Norbert asked Granny.

Receiving a nod in response, the older woman did not want to interrupt Norbert's train of thought with unnecessary words.

Norbert continues, "So, depending on the history of this place, Skelly will either want revenge on his captors in whatever form they are now. Or be after champions because that is what he is designed to do." Norbert thought, finishing off the thought.

"Have you reached out to Sally about this?" Norbert asked Granny.

Granny shakes her head, "It's time for you to start leaving the nest and fix the issues you have created." She said to him.

Norbert nods in understanding, "Time to put the big boy pants on, pull my socks up and wear a helmet cause life’s tough, build the bridge and get over it." He said.

Standing up, Norbert slid the chair back slightly. Looking around at the table, "Need a hand?" He asked her.

Granny smiled. "Ever the gentleman, and a hand would be much appreciated," Granny said to him.

Norbert returned the dishes to the kitchen, sealing the jam—contained jars. Placing everything away, Norbert helped dry the dishes as Granny washed. The two of them were doing this in silence, Norbert not wanting to interrupt the silence that consumed the cabin.

Finishing up, Norbert wiped his hands on the towel and walked towards his backpack. Slinging it over his shoulder, Norbert headed towards the door. Granny walked towards him with her arms outstretched.

Norbert stepped forward and received the embrace, needing to bend down to grasp her properly. Norbert felt her around him, staying in the embrace for several seconds. Feeling Granny push away but still holding onto him, he looked him up and down.

Receiving a nod of confirmation that he was put together correctly, she let go. Norbert opened the door behind him and walked through. Finding himself in the once filled-with poison hall now cleared out.

Seeing the spiral staircase below leading towards the prison, Norbert walked out of the house and started his journey down the hall, wondering what else he would find.

Turning around one last time, Norbert saw Granny standing in the doorway looking at him. Norbert smiled as he waved to her, arm outstretched as high up as possible.

Receiving a wave in return, Norbert walked backwards several steps before turning around and continuing down the hall.