Chapter 16. Inversion

  Finn changed trains at St.Erth for the branch line to St.Ives.

  He'd lost count of how many times he'd taken this trip to and

  from Oxford with his family.

  He idly rolled the crystal marble in his hand, the fortune teller

  had given him after she'd read his cards.

  He could hear his Father's voice - "What sort of idiot thinks

  that a baubel can protect them from harm or bring good luck.

  It's superstitious nonsense."

  Finn held it to his eye and watched the inverted countryside

  go by. As he opened the window to throw it out, it caught a

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  ray of sunlight and cast a rainbow crescent in his hand.

  You are a pretty thing he thought

  Finn put it back in his pocket as the train started to slow for it's

  arrival in St. Ives.

  *

  That morning, Finn had started out early to catch the first train

  to St.Erth. When he'd gotten to Oxford station, the ticketing office

  and platforms were already crowded with soldiers.

  Every seat on the train was taken and some passengers were

  even standing in the carriage aisles. The idea of being jostled

  by people he didn't know, and standing up for the entire trip, didn't

  appeal to him. Finn decided to try his luck with the next train.

  There was a bakery a short walk from the station, so he decided

  to get something to eat and sit down by the river.

  *

  He passed a pleasant hour sitting near the Osney bridge,

  watching the boats on the river and sketching in his notepad.

  Walking back to the train station Finn passed a terrace house

  that had a display set up in it's front window selling second

  hand books. The common theme appeared to be fortune telling

  and the mystical.

  One book in particular appealed to him.

  On it's cream and sepia cover was an Angel wielding a sword

  and swathed in three sets of wings.

  He had no intention of ever reading it. It was going to be a

  present for Nain Joan. She liked that sort of thing.

  Finn knocked on the door - there was no answer.

  He waited and was about to knock again when a short wiry

  woman opened the door.

  She looked at him without saying a word, then looked up and

  down the street. "Can I help you?" she said.

  "I was walking past and saw the books in your window."

  The woman smiled. '' Come in dear boy."

  *