Dating : Loom

When Jonas and Lacey enter Mr. Meriwether’s Antiquities it’s like stepping back in time. The walls are hung with tapestries depicting medieval hunts, battles, and religious scenes. The foyer that is laid with smooth tan stone slabs gives way to a dark wood flooring covered in an array of brightly woven Persian rugs. Groupings of artifacts are arranged under tented fabrics creating the illusion of a ancient middle eastern market place displaying goods from every corner of the world and time.

Soft sunlight filtering through delicately carved jadeite vases cast a slightly greenish hue through a glass dome holding a specimen of the largest butterfly Jonas has ever seen. Its blue and brown wings seem to flutter above its deadwood perch as if it would fly away if the dome were removed. In the next display sandwiched between four nesting outer shrines and two gilded wood coffins is a sarcophagus containing a pure gold coffin who’s lid is slightly askew. Jonas finds it quit unsettling that it is unoccupied and decides not to peer to closely into any of the stores dark corners. A light fragrance of musty spices wafts into the air as he quickly fallows Lacey towards a large desk in meddle of the room.

Leland pulls up two brocade chairs and gestures to the two of them, “won’t you sit with me my friends, it’s good to see you Lacey and to be in the presents of a Galanis is a pleasure I haven’t enjoyed since your family left Greece to settle in America.” Jonas stares at him with a puzzled look on his face for a moment before remembering that this peculiar little man, in his deep blue vicuna suit and colorful woven cap, enjoys a very different relationship with time. Leland gives him a reassuring smile and brings the subject back around, “so, Jonas, how is it that you have come to need my help in finding you son.

Jonas is overcome with emotion as he relates the series of events and his voice cracks as he recalls the day Nikko was taken. Tears well up in his eyes as he speaks of his search in Jamie’s dreamplace and he breaks down while telling of how he was almost trapped when Vic’s window home vanished leaving a not so solid wall that some how brought him here.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he gratefully accepted a handkerchief and a large brandy from Leland, “no need to apologize my friend, I have been through many a trying times in my dreamplace travels myself, that is why I am more than willing to help you in your search. But you must remember that the dreamworld is a very big place and is not always welcoming.