What surprises Fiona
when the giant teddy bear scoops her up is how gently it handles her.
It's arms are soft, yet solid. It cradles her for a few moments,
the screaming reducing to a whimper, then a sob and finally it just
slumps to the ground.
“Poor blind teddy,”
it whines, but in a calmer, satisfied voice. The creature caresses
Fiona's forehead, gently rocking back and forth. As it does this,
Fiona is sure that the creature is getting even bigger, almost
doubling in size in the space of a minute or so.
“M'lady, are you
harmed?” she hears Strauss ask, seeing he has returned to a single
form.
“I'm fine,” she
tells him. “Perplexed, but fine.”
“Then we are pleased
to inform you we think we know where the ladder is.”
