“She’s a cute kid,” Cricket remarked as Cara darted out. I smiled along with him, my throat still aching from the flu.

Soon, Cara came back in, carrying a tray that precariously swung this way and that.

I steadied her with a firm hand, and she gave me a wide smile that I thought would split her face in two.

The rhubarb pie, to say the least, looked ethereal.

It had been so long since I had even tasted rhubarb. What can you expect?

Running around like a maniac, being chased by maniacs (namely, those with spoons), tripping over roofs, whizzing down laundry lines, being called ‘smelly jasmine’ and now a sports competition?

Besides, Master was still missing, somewhere in the wilds of…well, I don’t know if he’s in the wilds or not, but he’s somewhere hostile, that’s for sure.

“Are you gonna eat that, or am I going to do it for you?” Cricket’s voice made me warp back into reality.

“I turn down your offer, kind sir. I shall dine with the utmost pleasure,” I answered, and then cut a chunk of pie.