II The Kitchen.

Unsure where to go Ember dithered in the corridor outside the nursery for almost ten minutes the next morning. But soon the delicious smell of apples and cinnamon reached her nose.
She followed the scent until she reached a large old fashioned kitchen. An old, wooden table, worn and scrubbed filled the middle of the room. It was the biggest kitchen Ember had ever saw. One side of the room was simply all cupboards and drawers of all different shapes and coloured. Ember’s curiosity burned but she was distracted by a large woman wearing an apron. She was taking a steaming apple pie out of the oven and setting it down on a table. She looked at Ember who began to stutter an apology but the woman simply stared right through her.
She glided past her to the door and called- “Lettie! Food’s ready for you to take up!”
Ember was astonished. How could this woman not see her? What was happening? The woman walked back to the table but this time she walked right through Ember. She gasped as a wave of icy cold engulfed her then went back to normal. She saw the woman walking away from her. She had just walked through Ember! But how? Was she a ghost? Was Ember a ghost? But she couldn’t be. She wasn’t dead. This woman must be a ghost and that was how she could walk through people. It was the only explanation. Just to make sure, Ember stepped forward and waved her hand energetically in front of her face. She didn’t blink.
Another person walked into the room making Ember spin round.
“Hurry Mabel” She said. “The Master’s very partial to his apple pie and would like it served immediately”
“Right you are Lettie” Mabel said and handed a slice of the pie over on a tray along with some coffee and other delicacies.
Lettie took it spun on her heel, and vanished.
Ember stared. Where did she go? She had just disappeared. She turned to check if Mabel was there but she too had vanished. Ember shook her head slowly.
“They must be ghosts” she muttered to herself. This place is very strange.”
Then she looked at the table. The apple pie with the slice missing was still there. She was very hungry and hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. So she ate all of it. Every last bit. And then she proceeded with her exploration.