CHAPTER TWO-AND-A-HALF
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION
The next morning, Avery awoke feeling better than she had in years.
Before she even opened her eyes, she noticed that her back pain, a constant for the last decade, was gone.
It was the perfect temperature under her blankets.
Her pillow felt softer. The air smelled fresher, almost fruity. It was like a dream.
Opening her eyes, she was surprised at how little panic she felt when she discovered that she wasn’t in her own bed.
She was in a small, dim, dormitory-style room with high ceilings and a golden chandelier.
The walls were made of dark wood, accented with gold sconces providing soft, warm light.
A red velvet headboard sat between the wall and her bed.
A bronze railing ran along the wall, like in an old train car.
She slid herself to the edge of the bed and looked down at the plush green and gold carpet. There was a pair of black velvet slippers beside her bed, which she slid her feet into. She stood, straightened her pajamas, and took a step forward.
A small wooden table with a basket of stone fruit—plums and peaches—sat next to a door.
She picked up a peach and smelled it. It was real, and the fuzz tickled her nose.
She set the fruit back in the basket, glanced around once more, and put an ear to the door.
Soft, familiar, jazzy music was playing on the other side. Vince Guaraldi.
She reached for the handle of the large wooden door which silently slid open into a pocket in the wall before she could touch it.
Avery found herself on the threshold of a small, cozy waiting room. There was a fireplace, a couch, a coffee table heavily laden with Christmas cookies beside a large silver carafe, and a reception window, barricaded by a golden gate. Directly before her was a sign on a tall, golden stand. It said: