When the sun began to appear through the barred windows, there was a flash of light and a group of confused and tired people laying on the wooden floor. Ursula, who had spent the night climbing the bars, trying to reach the balcony, and crashing with her entire weight at the bar, for it to crack in half, seemed okay. Okay is, perhaps, a strong word. She looked like she’d been run over by a buggy. With baggy eyes and holding continuous yawning by the time the mechanism returned the staircase and we could climb down; she was ready to return to bed.
And so were we.
Everything in the Prohibition Bar was returning to a sense of normality, so no one besides those who had been there that night knew what happened. The mechanism made the bars on the windows disappear again inside the ledges and the doors to unfold into reality. Mx. Bonheur no longer had their jackal’s head nor the robes, sporting the old fashion suit and repairing the bar with a gesture of their hand. And the other werewolves were returning to their human-looking selves and, very much hoping so, returning to their rooms to catch some sleep.
Mr. Darbinyan walked in, snapped his fingers and all the trays, plates, silverware, and cups floated away back to the kitchen. He was jolly, probably because he was the only one who had a night of sleep. And told us to return to our rooms and to rest for a few hours. We were approaching San Francisco Bay and will be on the ferry to the island before lunch.
—Still an awful lot to prepare before we get there, but that’s my problem— he said with a saccharine smile—. Go ahead, sleep if you can.
I felt like dozing off while walking back to our car. Dr. Tang’s was with us there, as Doctor Munoz was nowhere to be found, so we sat for a brief couple of minutes in the couches there. It is damn hard to keep a coherent conversation while three people are partially sleeping in their seats.
—Again, thanks for everything—Ursula said—. I know this was no easy task.
—It was surprisingly manageable, have to admit it— I was trying my best, and failing, to contain a yawn—. Though I really need to sleep now.
—You and me both— we stood up—. Doctor Tang, are you going?
—Zhu, please— Dr. Tang muttered, not looking up from where her chin had sloped—. I’ll remain here until I can feel my legs again. Sleep well.
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