Chapter 14

Setting things up with Alfred was easy. We all met on the Island to decide how we would go about it. Earlier, Elise had me drive over to the country inn near the chalet and declared it suitable for us.

"For us, dear?"

"Yes, of course for us. Don't you think that I have earned a holiday, after all this turmoil you created? Don't worry. I won't interfere with the treatment. However, I think that you should let Karla know that I am near. If she needs support or solace, I shall be there for her."

Alfred agreed, yet voiced his doubts regarding that, in his eyes, questionable hostelry.

"Never mind. It will only be for a week or two. The food is decent enough, we shall not suffer any hardships. You should not stay in the chalet, Alfred, to keep things on the level."

It was left to Helmut to provision the family retreat. Their normal food staples should do, plus whatever Karla especially fancied. Alfred was certain that he could cook up something edible in case Karla would, for whatever reason, not be up to it.

Everything was ready when Helmut called us to say that he was picking up Karla and taking her directly to meet us at their home from home. Alfred and I had already filled and moved two large plastic tanks of healing potion to their front door. It could be heated with some Heavy Matter. This was more than ample for full treatment. We all packed into my little car and hit the road.

Checking into the gasthaus was quite hilarious. Nobody manned their front desk; there wasn't one. In fact, the place appeared dark and utterly deserted. Eventually I went outside again and managed to find an old granny sunning herself whilst feeding the plump chicken. She was much surprised by my approach, and grasped perhaps every other word of what I spoke. Her babble through toothless gums was not very enlightening either, but I managed to decipher that all people were on the fields, to just wait, somebody would turn up.

Resignedly, I started to turn back when, to my utter surprise, she pulled out a very modern smartphone, of all things, and fiddled about with it. She babbled happily into the phone, shot me a frightening victory smile and waved me off, not willing, not able, or just not bothered to explain whatever actions she might have triggered.

It wasn't long, however, till somebody did indeed turn up. On a huge green monster of a tractor as it were. A young woman in work clothes. She looked us over curiously, frowning heavily while she opened the door for us. "Ah, you must be our guests. Sorry we couldn't be here. Have to make hay while the sun shines, right? But you can always depend on grandma to watch over things, he, he, he."

Without looking, she fumbled about her in the twilight, grabbed a key from an unmarked rack, handed it over with a flourish. She gave us one last searching glance. "Here you are, room 12, ready to settle in. The taproom will open at five, meals you can get shortly after. That key also opens the front door at night, don't lose it. See you later. Bye now!"

The expression on Alfred's face was priceless. He shook his head, mumbled darkly about German hospitality, and what about his room, then? Should we all cuddle together? I just reached over the counter and snatched another key at random.

"Here you are, Alfred. The VIP suite awaits. Come. Let's face whatever horrors they have in store for us."

Elise got a bad case of giggles, Alfred huffed and wanted to sulk, and we all trundled up the dark staircase in search of shelter. To our mutual surprise, the room was quite decently, if sparingly, furnished, bright, clean and large to boot, with a very large bed, modern bathroom, 'his' room next door to ours about the same size and style, only the bed much narrower. Puzzled by this coincidence, Alfred asked for my key and tried all doors on the floor. Indeed, we need have used only one, since that key opened all rooms, even the broom closet. Another head-shake from the Great One, till he broke down and laughed madly.

"Bert, Elise, what a pity that Jake isn't here with us. He always complains about the service we don't get in the States. This would have had him in a frenzy!"

We settled in quickly and were at a loss about what to do, when we heard Helmut's car arrive outside. He commiserated with Alfred's plight, not without a twinkle in his eyes, and invited us over for a cold lunch. To help Karla settle in, he said.