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Sood, but she did like the respect and honor hich she was now treated Of course, she did have her enes, but always from a safe distance
Today her view fronificent, and sometimes she swore she could see the whole world froone on without her Far below the traffic of the living world passed, dots of buses and taxis in constant congestion Let theht
Itto me My concern is this world, not theirs
A knock at the door drew her attention away from the view In a htly curled blond hair
"What is it, Vari?"
"A Finder’s here to see you, Miss Mary He says he’s got sohed Everyone called themselves "Finders" these days Usually they had never actually found anything of importance A scrap of paper, a piece of driftwood, oods They were masters at what they did, and knew all the circumstances that could cause an object to cross over into Everlost The true Finders were few
"Is this someone we’ve seen before?"
"I think so," said Stradivarius "And I think he’s got real food!"
This news caught Mary’s attention, although she tried not to show Vari howher emotions to herself, but if the Finder truly had food that had crossed over fro world, it would be hard to contain herself
"Show hisuit, its waistband hidden by a pasty root-beer belly Well, thought Mary, we can’t choose theJust as this boy was condened to theabout it was that it was green and matched her eyes
"Hi, Miss Mary," the Finder said, respectfully "You reht?" He smiled, but his mouth stretchedthe impression that she could tip back the top of his head like a boy-shaped cookie jar
"Yes, I remember you You’re Speedo, froe, wasn’t it?"
"Grapefruit!" he said, thrilled to be re time since she had last seen this particular Finder, but how could she forget that bathing suit? "What did you bring today?"
His smile stretched even wider Noas teeth all the way to his ears "I brought so fantastic!…Hoould you like a little…dessert?"
"Dessert?" said Mary "Please don’t tell ht some of those horrid fortune cookies!"
Clearly Speedo was offended by the suggestion "I’m a Finder, Miss Mary I know better than to waste your time with fortune cookies I won’t even touch them"
"That’s very wise," Mary told him "And I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you
Please -- shohat you’ve got"
He hurried out, and returned with a box that he set on the table "You may want to sit down," he told her When she didn’t, he reht she’d never have the good fortune to see again
"A birthday cake!" There was no sense trying to hide her astonishment--and yes, perhaps she should have sat down, because the sight of it made her feel faint
This wasn’t just a slice of bread, or a gnawed chicken bone, as ht; this was an entire birthday cake, round and white, completely unmarred It said "Happy 5th Birthday Suzie" She had no idea who Suzie was, and she didn’t care, because if she was having a birthday, she was one of the living, and the living were not her concern Mary lifted her finger, then turned to the Finder "May I?"
"Of course!"
Slowly, carefully she dipped her finger down and touched it to the cake, dragging it over the tiniest edge, feeling the frosting stick to her fingertip
She pulled her finger back and put it to her mouth to taste The explosion of flavor was almost too much to bear It took over all her senses, and she had to close her eyes Vanilla buttercreaood stuff, huh?" said Speedo "I was gonna eat it ht want it" And he added, "That’s you," just in case there was any doubt
Mary grinned and clapped her hands together, as she realized how the Finder had come across the cake "You wait at birthday parties! How very clever!" Everyone knew the only food that ever crossed over was food lovingly prepared--and it only happened when that lovingly prepared food met an untimely, unlikely end Where better to find such food than a birthday party, where ht into the batter? "That’s brilliant!" Mary said "Absolutely brilliant"
Speedo looked nervous, and hitched up his bathing suit--a nervous habit, since it was in no danger of falling down "You’re not going to tell anyone, are you? I o to find food, everyone else’ll do the same, and I’ll be out of business"
"I won’t tell a soul," Mary said, "but you have to tellHow h until a cake crossed over?"
He puffed up proudly "Three hundred and seventy-eight!"
Mary shook her head "You must be sick of birthdays!"
"Hey, you do what you’ve gotta do, right?" Then he walked around, talking about the cake like it was a used car he was trying to sell "It was soh That little kid reached up and pulled the whole cake right off the table before they could even put the candles in! It smashed in a heap on the floor, but as you can see, it left a lasting ihost of a birthday cake, just waiting for ht about dipping her finger in again, but stopped herself It would be too easy to keep on eating it and not stop until the last cruone