I walk along the long corridor of the Hospital Wing and take one last look at the rooms there to check that all have been vacated.

In front of Door One I get my screwdriver out and remove the number plate as a souvenir of Cap’n Bob’s in-and-out residence there!

A worthy souvenir of “the old place”

Passing Fuzzy’s room I notice that it is completely bare except for a pile of dust bunnies.

My magical broom soon makes short work of sweeping them away with a great deal of satisfaction since how it was attacked the last time it tried to do so!

I muse: “Fuzzy is so enamored with her cot that she is taking it with her!”

Morphing my broom into its charabanc mode I return to the Tea Room. There I am faced with “unfettered chaos”!

My partners and fetching or carrying and then packing everything that is not nailed to the premises.

They are all working as a team and the results are phenomenal.

They seem to be so expert at doing this.

On reflection though I am not surprised since they are all ladies of various households  who have borne the brunt of such activities since the beginning of time!

All this activity of course is creating a whole heap of dust and dust bunnies from their fevered brows.

It is then that I notice a certain wriggle in my huggie jacket pocket as my broom seems to have shrunk to its smallest size possible.

Since there is flotsam and jetsam that it can clean up I order it to reappear and do so.

It refuses to budge!!

Astounded I try to tug it out of my pocket and get pricked all over my hand as if I had just attacked a porcupine.

Somewhat bemused I turn round and see silly grins of the faces of certain of my partners.

I just cannot remove my broom however hard I try. Their grins turn to outright laughter, which is now irritating me beyond belief.

To put me out of my misery Roo chimes up:

“Do you recall your broom sweeping away certain beloved pets when you were last here?

“And do you recall a certain uncalled for and vicious action of it sweeping dust bunnies over certain of our beloved?

“Well it upset us greatly.

“And what you may not have realized it that we all have a new and VERY efficient protector.

“If she is in the mood she will now demonstrate how effective she is!”

I get a very strange sensation as I am lifted off the ground and propelled to the Tea Room door.

Accompanied by ethereal cackles I am whooshed down to the moat and deposited in its muddy water.

Certain urchins who are trading sweets  for chocolate look at me with annoyance as I seem to have interfered with their trading for carrots!

Ros calls out from the Tea Room door:

“Let that be a lesson to you “Mister 2ic, we have a ghostly protector who normally takes no prisoners

“You were lucky as it is her first go at you.

“it had also better be her last or you will regret it.

“Now come back inside, dry out and have a nice cop of hot coffee from this thermos flask. All the equipment has been packed away so we can’t do fresh at the moment”

I drag myself up from the moat and back into the Tea Room.

They have not heard the last of this little matter!

Sebastien reappeared.

But this time in solid form.  So he could be seen by one and all.

And he is not happy.

At first I thought it may have been because of Annaleise's prank.  But he is paying no attention to her.  

His focus is entirely on PTG.  

"Are you in charge here?  If so, I have some news for you.

This ship you have asked these lovely ladies to board ?  At this moment it has a hole blown through it ." ??

Hey guys, Fire queen Luentio here...just wanted to say that crafting and cooldown will forever be not cool.

Also those smiles creep me out...idk why...which sucks btw because I need like a million of them

And why are pet eggs so hard to win? I really want the treasured phoenix...buuut I do not have the egg...freaking figures

And no, you stupid fairy...I'm not giving you my wreaths of spring

Lastly, Arabella the witch is giving me bad vibes...hmmmm

As I sit there staying out of the way, Cash comes up to me and climbs into my lap. “ We are worried about Gim. She hasn’t woken up, she doesn’t move and we don’t know what to do. Will you keep us company?”

“Yes, Cash, I will. Just give me a moment to get my stuff. Why don’t you wake Buddy and fill him in.”

“Thank you,” He gives me a kiss on the chin then gets down and gets Buddy.

I grab both bags then remember that the carpet bag doesn’t get heavy no matter what I put in it. I put my travel bag in it and pick up the carpet bag. “Okay, Cash, Buddy, lets go see to Grim.” Cash leads the way.

Grim is sound asleep with Wickerbat curled up next to her. He lifts his head and the sad look in his eyes make me want to cry. I put my stuff next to the only chair in the room and sit down. Both ferrets climb into my lap and they shake as though they are crying. Buddy sits in front of us and gives me that ‘what is going on stare’.

“Sorry, Buddy, I will cuddle with you later. These 2 need me right now.” He settles down at my feet to wait. Meantime, all I can do is let Cash and Wickerbat do what they need to and offer words of comfort. When they seem to settle down, I take out a book to read.

While I read, the room seems exceptionally quiet until Grim seems to stir. We all look over at her expecting her to wake up but it appears that she is only dreaming. I return to my book and the 3 animals get together for a quiet game of tag and chase.

ANNALIES WAS SO HAPPY,  AND WHEN ROO AND THE REST OF US AGREED THAT SHE COULD SHOW PTG JUST HOW WE FELT ABOUT HIS BROOM AND IT TREATMENT OF OUR FUR FRIENDS.  

I LAUGHED AT THE LOOK ON HIS FACE AS HE BECAME AIRBORNE.  AND THE AIRBORNE AGAIN TO BE DROPPED IN THE MOAT.  I WANTED TO GIVE ANNALIES A HIGH FIVE.  I HAVEN'T HAD THIS MUCH FUN SINCE I WAS A KID MAKING MUD TRAPS FOR UNSUSPECTING PLAYER OF HIDE AND SEEK.   YOU DID A HOLD FILL IT WITH WATER AND DIRT THEN COVER IT WITH LEAVES AND WHATEVER IS LYING AROUND.  YES WE CAUGHT SOME IN OUR TRAPS.  

I HOPE PTG THINKS MORE THAN ONCE ABOUT GETTING HIS BROOM TO GO AFTER OUR FUR FRIENDS.  

I HAVE EVERYTHING I BROUGHT WITH ME TO THE ROOMS IN MY CARPET BAG, TO BAD IT IS CAN'T HOLD MORE.  IF IT COULD I WOULD HAVE ASKED FINN AND HIS PEOPLE TO TRAVEL IN IT.  WITH LUCK THEY WILL MAKE IT TO DELPHI.   MAYBE SOME OF THE GOOD GNOMES WILL ALSO.  BUT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO.

BECKI'S BITS AND BOBS HAVE BEEN PACKED.  SHE HAS GONE WITH THE OTHER GHOSTS.

SEBASTIEN SAID THEY WERE SETTING UP ANNA'S LIBRARY SO SHE WILL BE HAPPY.

I AM NOT OF MUCH USE BUT I CAN KEEP THE FUR FRIENDS OCCUPIED AND OUT FROM UNDERFOOT.   WE HAVE PACKED WHAT WE WILL NEED IN THE ENCLOSURE. THE PETS THERE ARE READY FOR THE MOVE.  EGOR WANT TO COME TO THE TEA ROOM BUT I DECIDED IT IS BEST HE STAY WITH BABY.  HE AGREED BUT WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.  GEE, I WONDER CAN GHOSTS HAVE PETS?  HE AND ANNELIESE WOULD BE A GREAT PAIR.  

PTG HAS LET TO FIND ROO.  WHEN HE RETURNS HE IS SOMEWHAT WORSE FOR WEAR.   SCRATCHED, AND DIRTY.  ROO HAD COME BACK EARLIER VERY PLEASED WITH HERSELF.

I WONDER WHAT THOSE TWO HAVE BEEN UP TO.  WHATEVER IT WAS PTG LOST.

IT IS HARD TO HEAR WHAT HE IS THINKING WITH SO MANY IN THE ROOM. ALL BROADCASTING THOUGHTS,   OH, WELL.  PRECIOUS IS CLINGING TO MY NECK HE SEEM AFRAID.  SAM OH SWEET SAM SO CALM.  I FIND AN UNPACKED MUG AND GET SOME COFFEE. CAN'T FIND THE HONEY, PROBABLY ALREADY PACKED.  BLACK WILL DO. 

ASK IF I CAN HELP.  I CAN HELP JUST NOT LIFT ANYTHING HEAVY.

WE CONTINUE TO PACK THE TEA ROOM.  I CROSS TO THE BOX KATT HAD PUT BY THE DOOR.   BUT ANNALIESE IS THERE FIRST.  AND IT GOES SAILING INTO THE MOAT.  HOPE THERE WAS NOTHING IN IT ANYONE WILL MISS.

I drop into my seat at the corner tale of the Tea Room completely deflated.

After just having one of the worst few hours of my life being propelled by hidden forces through the air and dropped into the muddy waters of the  moat I return to find only laughter in my partners as they give me to understand as its owner to keep my broom in order.

I was only trying to restore a bit of order and sanity in this room with pets running around causing mayhem, but my reasons are ignored because of the methods that I used.

My broom once more takes me to my room in the hospital wing where I shower and change out of my fetid clothing. How those kids at the moat’s edge, who spend more than a month trading there, can stomach even the smell of it I will never understand?

Once more I return to the Tea Room and order my favorite brew. Unfortunately that particular tea caddy has been packed away and all that is on offer are the ubiquitous tea bags that serve up colored water.

Ah well! The liquid is hot and slakes my thirst.

Sitting there I do a head count. One of us is missing and that someone is Roo. Surely she cannot have slept through all this kerfuffle?

Where is she?

My broom quietly informs me that she is making heaps of dust bunnies as she snores in a little hollow by the Castle Gates.

Over I go to remonstrate with her about the urgency of us ALL being ready for the transfer to Delphi.

Only for her to threaten to stay behind in this Castle since Trina’s puppies can’t go with us!

But there is a trade-off and I take Trina and the mother wolf for a stroll while she creeps into her room and “borrows” the two puppies’  dog collars.

But their mother senses all is not well  She is determined to return to her pups, which would be a disaster as Roo is at this moment cuddling them. So once more I am led a merry dance through thicket and muddy paths as she tries to return to her place by Trina’s side.

I am just about exhausted when Roo emerges triumphant holding the two dog collars. I release the wolf hound back to her place with the puppies  and we return to the Tea Room

There, as if by magic a cup of hong cha is passed to me by Roo

But as I sit there I become aware of an unknown presence by my side that I cannot seem to get into focus.

Oh no! Not another dousing or some such prank.

But this time as he speaks the Room goes silent.

He informs me that something or someone has manged to get by Pirate Pete and put a hole in his boat, rendering it unseaworthy!

All eyes are on me!

It all started with a fir cone. . .

. . then escalated into a pillow fight.  And in to course of sixteen months and eighty-nine pages, the exploits of the denizens of the Special Room has been recorded in the Record Book in the Secret Library.  Here you will find pink pills, evil doctors, bardic duels, kittielephants, fashions from the House of Schpadoinkle, parallel universes, C*L*A* P*, questionable poetry, hundreds of major and minor explosions and a plethora of “cunning plans.”

I looked up from the laptop Sebastien has provided me.  It is done.

For over a week I have been transcribing the history of the Special Room from the Record Book while all around me packed their belongings.  My belongings have been packed and moved to Delphi.  Sebastien located empty rooms adjacent to the new Secret Library which has no discernible entrance.  He and the ghost players have set up a gaming area there, giving Anna back her library.  I now have my own quarters completed with a special area for cats.  There is where Sebastien moved the Mirror and Record Book for that universe, along with transcriptions from the Storybook and the Book of Evil. And it is there where Sebastien will take my laptop.

Sebastien appears and I hand him the laptop.  I then give Big Kitty one more belly rub and place her, Blackie and Chris into my carpetbag.  The other kittens and cats who have been guarding me (and who are not claimed as pets) jump into the bag as well.  It was decided that Sebastien will transport them to our new home.  Grammi G will take care of them until I arrive.

As for me, I will also be transported by Sebastien when the time comes.  I originally planned to join my other inmates, but then remembered a certain ferry ride I had taken to visit lighthouses in the Atlantic.   

Sebastien picks up the carpetbag and laptop looked into his mirror and disappears. He then returns.  There was one more thing we needed to do.

He unchained the Record Book from the table and we carried it outside.  Since it contained the complete history of the Special Room up to now, it had become a liability to our future safety.  He had already destroyed the Mirror in the Library to prevent unwanted passage. Now the Book needed to be destroyed as well.

We set the book down and Annaleise appeared with a bomb from the Armory.  As we ducked for cover she lit the fuse and

KABOOM!  There was an explosion and a hole where the book once sat.  But instead of shrapnel flying through the air, there were . . .eggs?  Hundreds of Easter eggs were flying everywhere.  And as the eggs rained down, Annaleise began to dance.  Sebastien and I ran back into the Tea Room before we were mobbed by players trying to complete their Castle Challenge.