Page 4 of Her Wonderful Wonder Bell
I’m pretty sure she’s talking to me, but I can’t hear what she’s saying. I’m too busy processing the fact that she’s made of fuckingpaper.
Chapter Two
Pearl
“Ma’am? Excuse me? Ma’am? Can you tell me where I am?”
I wave my hand in front of the gal’s face, but she continues to stare blankly at me. There must be something wrong with her.
I raise my voice in case she can’t hear me. “Are you alright? Do you need help?”
Her mouth opens and closes as if she intends to reply, but she still says nothing. How frustrating. Maybe thereissomething wrong.
She’s a strange-looking woman. She’s got stripes in her hair like that Bride of Frankenstein film. Tattoos poke out from under those men’s gym clothes she’s wearing. Goodness, she even has metal rings through her lip and nose!She must be some sort of performer with those looks, certainly.
“Ma’am are you with the circus? A traveling show of some kind?” I ask hopefully. Surely someone could help me from an entire carnival full of people.
She only looks more confused. Sighing, I look around the room for answers instead.
Oh boy. There are lights flickering and images glowing from machines all over the room. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I don’t think I like it. I know there’s been a visitor or two to Ghostlight Falls from beyond the stars, but they’ve sworn not to take us away unwillingly. I’m going to be so very upset if I’m on some other planet.
Something on a table next to me shakes, then lights up, revealing a glowing photograph of a men’s baseball team in full color. It continues to vibrate, the words “Mom Calling” across the top. None of this makes any kind of sense. Why would an alien have baseball? Or their words be in English?
“I don’t like this. Just tell me where I am.” I can hear the shakiness of distress in myvoice.
Normally I prefer to be the knight in shining armor, but I suppose this time I’m the damsel. Well, I guess my show of emotion gives the tattooed lady a kick in the behind, because she finally answers me.
“You’re in my room. In, uh, Ghostlight Falls. Do you—you do realize that you’re—” She claps her hands flat together like she’s praying, looking at me as if that’s supposed to mean something.
“Well, first off, thank you forfinallyanswering me. Who may I ask are you? And if I’m inyourroom,whyam I here? Also, I must say I don’t know what you’re trying to say with that clap.” I mimic her gesture and am surprised to find that I make no sound.
I look down at my hands and freeze. Something is very, very wrong here.
“Do you see what I mean?” the woman asks.
“I see something. Don’t know what,” I say with some difficulty.
“Paper,” she says, as if that makes any kind of sense.
I look at her and wait for a saner response.
“You’re made of paper. I think. At least, you were made of paper a couple of minutes ago.”
That really isn’t any saner.
“What are you talking about? I feel normal.”
I hold my hands in front of my face and—well, shit.I look down at my legs and any other part of me I can see. Everything’s flat.
It’s true, I’m all paper.
“I don’t understand. My brain’s working, my heart’s beating. I’m moving around, and I really do feel just fine. How can this be real?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll tell you what Idoknow.” She gestures to a chair with a bunch of clothes on it, which she swiftly moves to the floor. “My name’s Delia, by the way.”
I sit on the chair, nodding in her direction as I do. “Pleasure meeting you. I’m Pearl.”
“Well, Pearl, let me tell you what I know about how you got here.”
