"How canI help you today?" she crooned. "Or would you prefer that I tell youwhat it is you're looking for?" How ... how could you know ...?" Madam Ze...da knows all," she replied with a toothy grin. She staredinto my eyes, and I felt like I was being mesmerized. "You feel guiltfor your associates," she pronounced after a moment. "And you bearguilt at what happened to an innocent girl." How ...?" I stammered."Madam Zelda knows all."Something about this woman crumbled my tough-guy exterior. . It was also about that time that, she noticed that her body temperature was starting to climb. "Master," Wren cried out, "I don't understand what is happening to me." Ah little one," Flugret responded. "You are at a dangerous time. You have passed into the fifth level; your body is attempting to change though your strength of will is stopping this. We masters have never seen this and are at loss how to save you. You must find it within yourself a place to put your rage 'til you can rid yourself. Hold onto my ankles at all times. If I let go, she will stop and then she will start all over again. Do you understand she asked. Yes Mistress I replied.The first three strikes with the cane were painful. They hurt but I felt I could stand the 10. But than the fourth strike cane and hands slipped from my ankles. She saw this and stopped. Stand up she said. Then she walked in front of me and reminded me of my failure. She chastised me. Verbally tore into me. Told me how pathetic I was as a male.. "Sandra, is this a private joke or would you like to let us in on why you are in hysterics all of a sudden?" Grandpa was making faces at me, and I was the only one who saw it and it caught me by surprise is all." Harry, we are trying to have a serious conversation with you, so would you please save your weird sense of humor for some other time? I mean, come on, we haven't seen you in ten years and you're making faces. That's not right, Harry, so quit it. We really want to know how life's been.