Here and No Where

Ambrose rolled out of bed and let out a surprised gasp, everything was different. There wasn't the normal windowed view of their farm, or all the items that had their perfect place in their space. Instead the walls were dark and the room itself was empty, Ambrose looked down to themselves and saw what seemed to be a pink nightgown. They did like they way it looked at least, Ambrose noticed a mirror and stepped forward to investigate their appearance. Their hair was done up in a long braid, as Ambrose stepped forward towards the single window throwing it open they became aware of the height of the tower.

"Am I  trapped in a tower?" Ambrose asked feeling their stomach turn as the height of the tower itself was much taller then anyone should physically be able to climb. Ambrose looked around the room and spotted a single door, heading towards it Ambrose began to fumble with it. "Locked." Ambrose began to bang on the door, they were beyond confused. "This has to be a dream."

As Ambrose turned back around and sat on the bed what looked like a light began to grow lighter from under the door, and footsteps were heard. Ambrose shot up, and raced to the door knocking on it. "Let me out! Please!"

The door opened and before Ambrose stood a man with red hair and shark like teeth. "Ah I see you have woken up. Seems you took quiet a fall," the man said with a sharp smile.

"Fall?" Ambrose asked confused.

"Oh you poor dear you don't remember, come with me."

Ambrose squinted but followed the man, he seemed almost other worldly, it was clear he also wasn't human. "What's your name?"

The man stopped and turned. "Oh what poor manners I have. It's Zalman, but you can call me Zal."

"Where am I?"

"My home," Zalman replied, "I am a vampire as you know, so I am not sure I will have anything you'd want to eat. I am sure I can find you something however. It is clear to me from your legs that you eat vegetables and fruit, I am sure I can send someone to fetch them for you."

"You are a vampire?" Ambrose asked trying to get everything to make sense. How had they ended up in this position.

"Yes, I mean you knew that when you arrived, do you also not remember?"

"No, I don't remember anything before I woke up. How did I get here?"

"That is a good question, you arrived at my door drenched from the rain, you asked for me personally saying a friend of yours told you to come here. You didn't mention the friend but from your species I can assume I know who it was. Graham."

"Graham sent me here?"

"Well you did say a friend of yours told you to, but I know many creatures of all species so I could be wrong. But I have had interactions with Graham."

"What kind of interactions?" Ambrose asked knowing very well what Graham did as a side job.

"I think you can guess." Zal replied with a smirk as he led Ambrose through his extravagant home and down to the dining room. "Are you aware of what time you are in?"

"Time? Well its 2021?"

"No, its not. 1800s, I can assume you didn't know that either."

"How did I get to this time?"

"Anyone who steps in my doors steps back in time, its the rule of the house. I simply hate your technology and as such I enchanted my home to reflect my own ambitions. "Stepping onto my grounds reverts you back to that, so I think we need to get you dressed into something more appropriate. The nightgown only goes so far, are you looking for a more masculine or femanine outfit today?"

"I appreciate you being so inclusive but, I would really appreciate just getting home." Ambrose noted feeling their stomach growl. "I have a farm to take care of, and my time to return to. I appreciate the hospitality and all but, I really am so confused as to how I got here."

Zalman smirked and nodded. "Most of the time those who arrive here are, it does seem to be one downfall of my enchantment. I do suppose if you walk out the doors you would eventually arrive home. I mean you can only arrive here if you want to come here."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I exist everywhere and nowhere." Zal replied as he set his cup on the table, crimson liquid spilled out as it his the hardwood. "If you no longer wish to be here, you simply leave the front door and arrive where you do, if you wish to be here, you simply walk till my home appears. It is that simple, my home is resident in all realms, in all places. Simply think of my home, and you will appear. It is that simple, if you are stuck somewhere you no longer wish to be, my home can appear to you in the darkest of times."

"You make no sense."

"Simple really." Zalmon said. "For instance, say you are stuck in the rain as you where. Most likely far from home, and then you thought of your good friend Zalmon and his residence to have safe travel for the night, as I assume you did. You will have arrived here. Which of course you did."

"You remind me of the mad hatter, and this place is like wonderland."

"Ah, I suppose that is a good explanation for it. My place is always here, but not in all places until it is needed there." Zalmon replied, a wide toothy grin. Ambrose was beyond confused, how could a building be in all places and yet no places but one at the same time. Zalmon was almost creepy, his blank stares and wide toothy expression sent shivers up Ambrose's back. "Till I see you again Ambrose."

Ambrose nodded heading out towards the door, as Ambrose threw open the doors and began to run through the dense woods, until they shot up in their own bed like they had woken from a nightmare. Ambrose began to breath heavily looking around seeing the familiar window and farm through it. Ambrose stood heading to their mirror expecting to see their normal night clothing instead to see the same pink nightgown and their hair done in a braid. On the table before them sat a single apple with a letter.

I found you an apple, Z.