Miracle in the Mist Read Online Free Page A

goes into the first Transition stage." Then he sighed. "But I must admit that at this time of year, I do so miss Meghan's sugar cookies."
    Clara chuckled and placed a plate of golden-brown sugar cookies in front of him. "I expect she knew you'd be missing her cookies, so when Alvin went to the cabin yesterday to tell Irma about the arrival of another Assignment, Meghan sent these back with him."
    Assignments, the troubled souls from the world outside the enchanted village of Renaissance, came and went periodically, each with their own special emotional burden, each seeking peace. Most times, the Guides who lived in that outside world sent the Assignments to the village, but this time, Emanuel knew of this particular arrival before anyone else did. To ask him how he knew would be fruitless. Emanuel always knew things to which the rest of the residents of the village weren't privy, and no one ever asked the why or how of it. His uncommon sight was simply accepted for what it was: a blessing.
    Emanuel smiled over the cup's rim at the woman who wove the cloth for the village of Renaissance. He moved aside an angel cookie and chose one of the frosted bells.
    "The first Transition stage? Will there be more than one Assignment this time?" Clara knew it was rare that more than one troubled soul came to the village at a time. When Emanuel nodded, she asked, "Will they arrive together?" She refreshed his coffee.
    He took a bite of the golden-brown cookie, then set both the cup and the unfinished cookie on the table and leaned back in his chair. "Ah, yes, the Assignments. No, they won't be arriving during the same Transition. One is being prepared as we speak and will arrive soon. The other will not come until Christmas Eve. I've decided that the first one will be yours. Only you can give her the special care she'll need, Clara." He frowned.
    The snowy-haired woman slipped into the seat across from him. Outside her window, she could see that a fine mist had begun to gather. It would take a while for the mist to thicken and herald the Transition of the village from mystical to material. Shortly after that, the mist would part, and they would welcome another soul in turmoil, an Assignment, into their midst.
    Emanuel's obvious despondency tore at her heart. She didn't know for certain why she felt his emotions more acutely than the others in the village did, but she had come to believe it was because her love for Emanuel was different from their emotional bond to him.
    "This troubles you. Why?" she asked, her full attention concentrated on the man sitting across from her.
    His bushy eyebrows drew together in concern. "I have to wonder why people mistreat each other so badly and then label it as love. Such a peculiar contradiction of the word." He shrugged and rubbed his large hands together. "But that's a worry for another day. We've more urgent concerns to occupy our minds at present. Your Assignment's life has been especially hard, very hard. She's lost her direction as a result. She needs to rediscover herself, to renew her faith in the person she has always been, a strong, goodhearted woman. And she needs to find the strength to face and relinquish all that has turned her life into a hell on earth. In short, she needs to rediscover love, Clara."
    This Assignment indeed sounded special, and in dire need of the peace she'd find here in the village. Clara nodded toward the gathering mist outside the window. "And the other Assignment? Who will get that one? Surely you won't be giving both of them to me." Dividing her attention between two Assignments would severely disadvantage one or the other.
    He shook his head and patted her hand. His long beard swayed gracefully back and forth across his chest. "No, no. I want all your efforts aimed at healing this one's needy soul. The other one will be Alvin Tripp's."
    That announcement surprised Clara. "Alvin's? But why?"
    Alvin, the Traveler, was Renaissance's connection to the world beyond the