Strange Adventures of Cinnamon Ch. 01-05

Chapter 1: Strange Disappearance

It was a seemingly normal morning that Cinnamon woke up to. The sun was just rising in the sky and the birds were beginning chirp in the trees. Cinnamon liked the early morning. She felt they were so peaceful. Not that she saw them through the heavy drapes covering her window but she knew they were there.

She stretched her hands out to her sides and then brought them together over her head in a big stretch, her back arching, her breasts pressing against the fabric of her nightshirt, and gave a big yawn. Then she settled back into bed and closed her eyes to sleep some more. She'd just started to drift off when someone began pounding on her door.

"Cinnamon! It's time for breakfast!" her mother yelled.

"Ugh!" Cinnamon groaned. As much as she loved mornings she hated breakfast. It wasn't so much the food she hated but the company. Her mother and step brother would be there as well as her new step father. She didn't have a good relationship with either of them. She'd never had a good relationship with her mother and it had started sliding even further down hill after her father died. Once her mother remarried their relationship stopped it's downward slide. It fell off a cliff. And it was still falling.

While her relationship with her mother was bad and getting worse she had no real relationship with her stepfather. While she thought that he was ok but she rarely saw him as he was bit too involved with his work. She thought that maybe if he wasn't so involved things might get better, as the few time he had gotten involved it had been on her side. As it was though he didn't see her unless something blew up under his news paper.

And then there was her step brother. He was the same sort who made her life miserable at school. The kind that picked on her, called her names, played pranks on her and stole her things. And that's when they were being kind. Home had been her refuge. Only since her mother remarried her misery now had no end. He continued, at home, what the others started at school. What made it even worse was that when no one was watching he gave her a look that gave her the creeps. She'd even caught him in her underwear drawer. They'd had a big fight over that and her mother supported him by saying she'd told him to put her things away. Cinnamon couldn't believe it and was outraged. He'd been sent in with t-shirts.

They'd had an even bigger fight a week later when she'd used all the money she'd saved up to have a dead bolt installed in her door and locks put on her windows. Her mother insisted they be removed. Cinnamon finally won by saying the next time she caught him in her room she was calling the police. Her mother gave her one of those "if looks could kill" looks and told her that she'd pay for it. She happily told her she already had and held up her receipt. Her mother slapped her and ordered her to her room without dinner. Cinnamon ended up testing her new lock on her.

Even it had caused another fight Cinnamon was glad she'd started keeping her money and diary behind the heating duct under her bed. Before then her money kept disappearing and everyone knew the contents of her diary. Even so the lock and it's installation had used up nearly all her savings. Not that she minded in the least. She hardly even minded the extra chores her mother made her do. The past week she'd slept better than she had since her father had passed.

Her mother pounded on the door again and yelled "Breakfast! Now!"

Cinnamon sighed as her good mood left her. As if things weren't bad enough, the rest of her family hated mornings. Even when they didn't fight she still left for school feeling ruffled and raw. Cinnamon sighed again and then turned onto her side, swung her long legs out of the bed while pushing herself up with her arm, and sat up. She sat there looking at the clock trying to focus on the numbers until her mother pounded on the door again.

Cinnamon groaned and called out "I'm coming!"

"Hurry it up! And don't use all the hot water either!" her mother snapped.

Cinnamon groaned again. Her brother was still here. He was usually gone or going by the time she got up since he usually left early for practice. That meant she was up even earlier than normal. It also meant she'd have to face his learning stare on the way to and from the bathroom. She sighed again as her depression deepened. Then she slowly stood up and gathered up the clothes she'd planned to wear today from her chair. She paused to consider putting her clothes on first but she didn't have the energy to dress now just to undress again down the hall.

She carefully unlocked the door and opened it just enough to stick her head out past it. She looked up and down the hall for any sign of her step brother. Then she listened carefully for him. Not seeing any sign of him didn't mean he wasn't lurking somewhere. She smiled and some of the tension left her as she heard his voice coming from the kitchen. Then she bristled in anger. He was hitting his father up for money again. And she knew he'd get some of what he wanted.

It wasn't fair! He was given money almost every time he asked but when she asked she was told they didn't have any money in the budget and that if she wanted it she'd have to earn it herself. Fortunately she loved her part time job in the library but still. It wasn't fair. If she had to earn her money so should he!

Cinnamon gave a silent "Harrumph!" and the stepped out into the hall. She quietly closed her door and locked it before padding silently down the hall and into the bathroom. Once the bathroom door was shut she leaned against it and let out a sigh or relief. No problems so far. Now she just had to lock the door without getting caught.

She pushed off the bathroom door and placed her clothes on the counter as far from the door as possible. Then she went and turned the shower on, carefully avoiding the clothes hamper and her step brother's nasty underwear.

With the noise of the shower to cover her actions she carefully took the door handle off the inside shower door and then walked back to the bathroom sink. It wasn't hard it is just popped on and off. Then she carefully opened the vanity cabinet doors and placed the door handle between them and smiled. Now she could shower in peace.

Now that she was safe she could take care of some other business while the water warmed up. She grabbed some tissue and lowered the toilet seat and then wiped it down. Then after throwing the tissue in the toilet she turned, lifted her nightshirt, lowered her panties, and sat down. That's when her life changed forever.

She'd just sat down when it felt like the toilet suddenly dropped out from under her. She cried out, her arms and legs flailing. When she came to rest her feet were against the wall opposite her. Her right arm clutching the counter and the left the outer shower door handle. She sat there panting with fright before starting to relax. 'It was just an earth quake.' she thought. A pounding on the door startled her again.

"What's going on in there? I told you to hurry and not use all the hot water!" Her mother yelled angrily over the noise of the shower.

Cinnamon yelled back "Didn't you just feel the earth quake?"

"Earth quake? What are you talking about? came the reply.

"You didn't feel it?" Cinnamon asked surprised. Normally her mother felt even the tiniest of quakes.

Her mother's reply was lost as she felt it again, only stronger.

She heard her mother yell "What's wrong?" then the bathroom door banged against her make shift lock. "What the,,,? Cinnamon open this door at once!"

Cinnamon smiled. She knew her lock it would work. Her smile disappeared as she felt the toilet drop again. Only this time it felt more like a tug or a pull. Then it happened again, stronger. She tried to stand up only she was stuck like the time she'd sat down half asleep with the toilet seat raised. Only she didn't feel water against her bare bottom but a strange tingling sensation.

She was scared! "Mom what's happening?"

"Cinnamon open this door at once!" came the angry reply.

She felt the tug again and cried out as she sank down, her toes coming away from the wall and the shower door handle coming off in her hand with a loud bang.

"Cinnamon open the door right now!" her mother yelled frantically. Then she heard her yell for her stepfather.

She felt like she was impossibly deep in the toilet now, her thighs starting to press against her breasts. She turned frantically to grab the counter with both hands, forgetting to let go of the shower door handle, when she was tugged again. She screamed.

She heard her stepfather call out her name and then something heavy hit the door making the walls shake. Again the bathroom walls shook, louder. Then she was tugged again and again she screamed.

Her step father yelled "Hang on Cinnamon! We're coming! Put your shoulder into it son! On three! One! Two! Three!" The bathroom door shook again. The shower door handle bent and snapped under the stress. The vanity door closest to the bathroom door was torn from it's hinges. And the bathroom door crashed open under the combined weight over Cinnamon's step father and brother. They both stumbled into the small room with the sudden opening. Cinnamon's mother followed right behind them, calling out her name. Only Cinnamon wasn't there.

The only sign she'd even been in the room, apart from the running shower water and missing door handles, was her panties dangling from the towel cabinet door handle, directly above the still flushing toilet.

Chapter 2: Strange Arrival

"Aaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeee!" Cinnamon's scream filled the night followed by a loud crash and an even louder cry of surprise.

Cinnamon sat up slowly holding her head and rubbing her back. "Ow" she murmured. "What happened?"

"You landed on me that's what!" came a very loud angry voice from below her. "Now gi'off me!"

Cinnamon screamed with fright and scrambled backwards as something began to flail about under her sending canvas flying around her.

"Disturb a Dwarf's sleep will ye? Land on me will yea? Arr! Jus wait til I find me axe!" the voice bellowed.

This was followed by the sound of running foot steps. Cinnamon spun to her right too see two figures rapidly approaching her out of the gloom. The tall one, a man, was dressed in leather and armor. He held a torch in one hand and a sword in the other. The smaller one, whom Cinnamon could now see was a woman was also dressed in similarly with the addition of a cloak about her shoulders. And she held a bow with an arrow notched and ready to fly, at her. Cinnamon froze in fear, the angry voice next to her forgotten with this new threat.

"Hold!" the woman told her. "Do not move! I have you covered."

The taller of the two held the torch higher and said "She does not look very covered to me." with a lopsided grin.

"Hush Lancos!" the woman hissed. "Muriel would have your head if she thinks you plan to stray."

The man, Cinnamon took to be Lancos, grin grew even more lopsided as he said "She can have my head and shaft any time she pleases." while giving small thrusts of his hips.

The woman grunted in disgust but never moved her eyes off Cinnamon.

Then came a roar and a small, round, bearded man exploded out of the remains of a tent. He was dressed in an ankle length night gown and night cap and he held a very big axe in his ruff hands.

"Ar! Were be the one who attacks me in my sleep?" He bellowed.

Cinnamon whirled at his appearance and then spun back worried that the woman would loose her arrow. The woman's aim had not wavered, however her eyes had opened with surprise, and an amused smile crossed her lips. Her companion mean while was no longer looking at her but at the angry man behind her. And he was chuckling.

"I think that would be her" Lancos said waving his sword in Cinnamon's direction.

"Ah!" The man said and started to raise his axe. Then he paused and lowered it. "Are you sure?" he asked confused. "This wee snip of a girl, doesn seem the sort to be attacking dwarves in their sleep."

"Can you see anyone else here?" Lancos replied dryly.

While they talked they were soon joined by others. They were all dressed for sleep but all had weapons in their hands.

"What has happened?" "What is going on?" "What's all the noise?" "Are we under attack?" They asked.

When Lancos had told them what they knew so far, six pairs of eyes turned on Cinnamon. Cinnamon backed away on her hands and feet as they slowly approached her, until her back pressed against a large tree and she could go no further.

"Who are you?" "What are you doing here?" " Were are you from?" "What are you?" The questions came fast and furious overwhelming Cinnamon until she began to cry.

"Please don't hurt me!" she begged them.

"Quiet!" A feminine voice rung out over the others. "You're frightening the poor girl"

The others quieted down and a woman dressed in robes approached her. The woman knelt down not quite in front of her but slightly to Cinnamon's right and gently said "Rest easy child, no one will harm you.

Cinnamon stared at her unconvinced.

"My name is Muriel and I give you my word you will not be harmed." The woman in robes turned slightly and motioned to the first woman to lower her bow. This was followed by a more firm motion and a stern look. The woman grunted and reluctantly lowered her bow but kept it at the ready.

"There now." she said with a smile, "What is your name?"

Cinnamon sniffled. "C-Cinnamon. Cinnamon Marchant." She said haltingly and then looked around in fear at the stir her name caused them.

"Cinnamon is a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Muriel said gently. Cinnamon blushed shyly at the praise. Indeed she was an attractive young woman, although she lacked the confidence to believe it.

Then the woman introduced the rest of her companions and asked how she came to be so far out in the wilderness?

"I-I don't know." Cinnamon said. "I fell."

There was some grumbling and murmuring from the others but Muriel lifted her hand for silence and said to Cinnamon "Tell us your tale from the beginning."

So Cinnamon told them about begin woken up and going to take a shower. She told them about locking the door and then she paused and blushed. Muriel gave her a gentle knowing smile and said "Go on."

"Well,,,um,,,I needed to go,,,but when I sat down I,,,uh,,,fell in?" she ended cautiously, her face bright red.

"Fell in? Can you explain?" a tall blond haired man named Ernon asked. Cinnamon's eyes widened in surprise as she saw his pointed ears. The others agreed and also told her to explain.

So blushing furiously and with many pauses Cinnamon described thinking she felt an earthquake and then feeling the tugs. "Then I fell through. The next thing I knew he was yelling at me and those two were running at me." She indicated Harnley, Sharmon, and Lancos.

"She lies!" Yelled the dwarf.

"Calm yourself Master Harnley." The elf said.

"Calm!" The dwarf roared. "Do ye think I make it a practice to pitch my tent under other peoples privies! Do you see a privy about my tent? Do ye?" He demanded pointing with his battle axe above the remains of his tent. As they all looked a shimmering circle of light fading out of sight.

"A magic portal!" Lancos exclaimed.

"Blasted magicians!" Harnley muttered. "Always openin portals without botherin to look."

Chapter 3: Strange Questions and Stranger answers

"You mean to tell me ma'am you're daughter got flushed down the toilet?" the police officer looked at her incredulously.

The teenage boy standing just across the door from him started laughing. He stopped when his father snapped at him but he still smiled.

Officer Michleson couldn't blame him. He wanted to laugh too. It was all he and his partner could do to keep their faces straight.

Mrs Andrews said angrily "She was kidnapped!"

"From a locked bathroom, that you had to force open?"

"Yes!"

"Uh huh" Officer Michleson said doodling in his note book.

"Look I know it sounds crazy but she was in here and now she's not!" Mrs. Andrews cried.

"Well I don't think anyone came in and out the window ma'am?" Officer Mclain said. She was standing on the edge of the tub trying to imagine a teenager smaller than her exiting out the small window that high up.

"But she's gone!" Mrs. Andrews wailed and broke down in tears. Her husband took her into his arms and she sobbed against his chest.

They were joined by two more officers, one from outside the other from Cinnamon's bedroom.

The one who'd looked in Cinnamon's bedroom spoke first. "Her diary mentions how she doesn't like how things are here Sir but no mentions of running away. Also her money was with her diary and there's no clothing missing. If she ran away, it was a spur of the moment decision."

"Why would she run away? She had everything she needed!" Mrs Andrews cried.

The officer just said "Ma'am" without saying many teens ran away for less, while thinking if she were the girl she'd have run long ago.

Then the one from outside reported quietly. "Neither the window screen nor the ground under the bathroom window look disturbed, sir. The ladder is doesn't look like it's been used lately and her bike is still locked up in the shed. I don't think anyone could have gotten in or out that way sir."

"But she's gone!" wailed Mrs Andrews. Mr Andrews hugged her tighter and said "Officer I understand this sounds crazy but I heard Cinnamon in here myself. I heard her scream." At that Mrs. Andrews began sobbing even harder. Mr. Andrews paused to comfort his wife and then said "Please find her Officers."

Officer Michleson said "We'll put out a missing persons report and an APB sir."

Officer Mclain added "We'll also distribute her picture to all the cars in the area and have them keep an eye out for her."

Mr Andrews nodded and said "Thank you officers."

The four officers made their way to the door but stopped when the teenage boy said laughing.

"Dad why don't you call the plumber?"

The watched the father's face go from anguished to furious in a second. "Brad! School! Now!"

He ordered. The boy paled and ran out of the house in front of the officers and quickly left.

When they'd shut the door behind them Officer Michleson said "You know I wanted to ask that same question."

The other officers gave him wry grins as they gathered around his patrol car. Officer Mclain said "I did too sir but I just can't see how she could have gotten out of that window myself. And there's no way it could have happened if she was struggling."

Officer Chochrin added. "I don't think she was kidnapped either sir. At least not from the bathroom like her parents claim."

Officer Michleson nodded and said "Go on."

"Well sir, it's like Andy and Lorraine said. There's no evidence to support her being kidnapped or running away with her doing so from the bathroom. However her bedroom window was broken but Mr Anderson admits to breaking it."

"Do you suspect him?"

"I don't think so Sir. There was only one set of foot prints under her window and those were Mr Andersons and they were going in."

"OK so she ran away?"

"I don't think so Sir. Her window was locked from the inside. And while she does have the key to her bedroom door she'd still have to pass the kitchen to get out of the house."

"Another window?"

"All locked and the ground undisturbed."

"Hmm"

"You said you found her diary?"

"Yes sir and while she didn't get along with her family, there's no indications that she planned to run away."

"Spur of the moment decision like you said?" Mclain asked.

"Except she left everything here. Most people would have at least taken a few personal things. And she'd still have to pass her parents getting out."