My eyes close and I can hear the breathing of the snake. I can almost feel its glittering eyes boring into me. Warmth touches my face and a gentle breeze lifts my hair. The fear that has been eating at me vanishes and I am ready for whatever is going to happen. My eyes open slowly and the creature is just below the surface of the water. Its eyes are closed and it seems to be asleep. I take a step backwards and then another, never taking my eyes off the creature. Several more steps backward and then I turn away from it. I listen for the sound of splashing water but there is only silence. I cross the swamp one step at a time and fix my eyes to the West.
The sky is a drab gray and there is no sunshine to be seen. I can’t help but wonder what had happened back there. I was so certain I would be dragged underwater by that creature and eaten alive. I push the image of the creature out of my mind and focus on the sound of my rubber shoes on wet grass.
Thoughts of the swamp soon leave my mind as the tops of high towers and building dot the skyline. I crest a large hill and can see the outlines of houses and other buildings. It’s a few miles to the city and below me are narrow twisting roads that rise up to meet the dusty countryside. The placedoesn’t remind me of anything I have ever seen and has a sense of foreboding about it. It seems alien and part of an era that has long passed away.
My stomach is aching with hunger and I wish I had brought my backpack. There is a snickers bar in it and a soda I had borrowed from the teacher’s lounge earlier today. It would have tasted good washing down the snickers bar. Right now, I would even settle for the chicken strips that the cafeteria serves. I walk with my head down and before I know it I am on the outskirts of an old town.
There is a house to the left made of white stones with brown flecks in them. A faded white fence circles the property and a couple of barren flower beds are on either side of a rickety gate. I am thinking of going up to the house and knocking on the front door when I notice some movement on the porch. An old porch swing hangs from rusted chains and moves slightly as though someone had bumped into it. I walk through the gate and notice a cat curled up on the swing.
The swing begins to move slowly back and forth and the chains that hold it up groan as though someone heavy had sat down. I watch the tabby cat to see if it will jump down but it remains asleep. That seems curious to me and I take a few steps closer to call to the animal. I then notice blood dripping from its mouth and the legs have been removed.
I hold my breath and back slowly away from the porch. When I reached the gate I can see the curtains shift slightly inside the window. I can’t take my eyes away from the window and stand there glued to the ground. My calm is about to snap and that is the worst possible thing that could happen at this moment.
An image of the snake in my mind awakens lingering fear and I wonder if it will show up again. I began to tremble violently at the hazy memory. It dawns on me that this monstrous place harbors tortured souls and this shabby house is just one of many things hiding secrets.
The gray light of the afternoon casts long shadows and I force myself to move from the gate. I stop for a moment and wonder if I would be better off going the other direction. I stand here unsure of what to do and finally turn and walk toward the city. At least I may be able to find a place to h ide in the town. Why didn’t I listen to Thomas? Why oh why do I always refuse to listen? If only I would have listened.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath trying to recover my wits. As I walk toward the city I began to feel foolish and embarrassed as I replay Thomas’s words in my mind. Don’t try and cross over by yourself. Okay, so he was right and I made a mistake. Wishing I had done things differently will not change anything now.
The temperature has dropped and I wish I had brought a jacket to school today. My thin T-shirt does nothing to shelter me from the cold and the prospect of walking for hours is a very real possibility. As I walk I contemplate what had happened. I had been able to create a portal but not direct the energy where I wanted to go. I had believed when the door appeared that it would take me to my friends. Wrong. Who was I kidding? Thinking I could get where I wanted to go. What an epically stupid idea.
I walk in silence with my hands shoved in my pockets. Brick sidewalks run on both sides of the town’s main street and decayed trees line the street. The buildings give me the impression that whoever lived here left the place in a hurry. An old bank with filthy windows has a broken sign that hangs down at an odd angle. There is a mom and pop grocery across the street with the words welcome on the front door. A barely readable sign is painted above the entry: Smith Brothers Mercantile. I try and look into the windows. There is a thick layer of dust and grime that make it nearly impossible to see anything. I cross the street to take a peek inside. Maybe there is a jacket or even a few supplies.
As I stand outside the window I hear a throaty caw. I hear bird wings close by and turn around to see a black raven landing on top of the bank. There is a sickening feeling in my stomach and I pause to wonder what else is here. I quickly pull open the door and the hinges groan as I slip inside. The shelves are still stocked with goods and the cash register sits on the counter as though the place was open for business when everyone vanished.
In the back room something crashed to the floor. I feel a sudden wordless terror that someone is in the store with me. The dank air in here is making me feel nauseous. I slowly turn my head in the direction of the sound and attempt to focus in the dim light. A black shadow lengthened on the far wall. Unsure of what to do I decide to make my way to the front door and let myself back outside. Once outside I move off the sidewalk to the center of the street. The shock of seeing a shadow figure makes me want to exit the town and get as far away as possible.
I hurry down the road and soon am o the the edge of town. There is a post with two signs on it that point in different directions. The one that says Greenfield points back to town and another says Greenfield hotel and points in the opposite direction. From the left of town I can see fields of brown grass and further beyond are miles of barren land.
The vastness of the lonely country is a nice contrast to the confines of the eerie town. I feel curiously relieved to be heading in that direction. I walk briskly for the next hour and the anxiety I have felt since I arrived is fading. There is no point in indulging my fears. I need to direct my energy into finding a way out of here.
The barren countryside has a slight incline that leads to a large hill. As I crest the hill I can see an expanse of green fields below me that encircle a tiny town. I stop for a moment and consider my options. The buildings below consist of a few houses, a church and a large, multi-floor building that is set away from the others. Half-curious, half-unsure whether I should go there at all, I decide to take my chances. The road I am on leads to a stone bridge that crosses over a creek. The sound of the gurgling water relaxes me and I decideto see if it’s safe to drink. I kneel by the side of the bridge and cup some water in my hands. I take a sip, and once satisfied it is safe, I drink for several minutes. After I have had enough to drink I splash water on my face and wash the sweat and grime off. I feel a surge of energy course through my body and my senses are heightened. I stand here for a moment and then make my way around the bridge and cross over it.
It’s the first time I have seen an ything alive here. I feel optimistic as I approach the stone buildings that make up the town. In the center of the town there are tall columns with beams that crisscross back and forth. Green vines grow up and over the beams and purple flowers are sprinkled across the green foliage. Beneath the vine covered beams are two benches placed back to back. They are made of the same ornate metal that can be found in city parks. The place has a charm all its own and a certain ethereal feel about it.
Part of me wants to turn around and leave but another part of me wants to see what is here. I hoover near the flowers for a moment before deciding what to do. I have a sense of dread that always comes to me when I may be confronted with the unknown and it is keeping me from moving any clo
ser to the buildings. My heart is pounding and the logical me is screaming for me to run. There is a cold shiver on my neck and then my decision is made.
I follow a path that leads from the courtyard and pass modest cottages on either side. They are made of stone with red planter boxes below the windows. I stop and listen, feeling my heart beat faster. Not a sound to be heard. I continue on the path and pass an old church and at the end of the path there is a large home. It stands 2 stories high with large windows and planter boxes like the ones on the cottages. There is a statue of a little girl standing in a bed of flowers. There is movement in my peripheral vision. I pretend like I don’t notice and watch out of the corner of my eye. The curtains of the upstairs window are moving. There is a glimmer of light in the window and then a face emerges. I am too petrified to respond and stand there like a dumb thing. Then the window flicks up and a woman pops her head out.
“Hello? Can I help you?” She says with a puzzled face. Before I have time to think the front door opens and a girl my age comes running down the steps of the porch. Her shock of blond hair is tied back in a ponytail and the blue T-shirt she is wearing matches her eyes. She is not as tall as me but heavier and very pretty.
“I’m Rachel. Can we do anything for you”? Out of the corner of my eye I see the woman that was in the window coming out the door. She stops at the top of the stairs and then makes her way over to us. She rests a hand on Rachel and smiles warmly at me but wears a curious expression.
“Will you tell me what happened? How did you get here?” The woman’s blue eyes searches mine for a moment.
A blast of fierce wind came out of nowhere. I can’t help but wonder if I will end up dead in a ditch somewhere as food for the crows. There seems to be nothing out of the ordinary about these people- well other than the fact that they don’t live in the same dimension as I do. Yesterday I would have thought this was a delectable adventure if not for the fact that I don’t know how to get back home. My family won’t notice that I’m gone but I hate to let Thomas and Elizabeth down. I don’t like letting people I care about down.
I eye the people in front of me cautiously. You can never be too careful around strangers, although, I always throw caution to the wind. Jen would have a heart attack if she knew what had happened to me. I can almost hear her telling me not to talk to strangers. Jen is always the voice of reason. I never let on that I know she is right. Why give her a big head? I can’t help but smile thinking about Jen. She’s all the good things that a girl should be and yet she chose me to be her BFF.
For a moment I was tempted to ask Rachel and her mother what they are doing here but I figured it best to play dumb. It always takes me a few minutes to size people up and decide what they are about. If I have learned anything in lifeit’s that people can be unpredictable and a girl has to watch her back. I’d be willing to bet that these two know more than they are letting on.
I put on my best smile and decide to be as honest as possible. Stretching thetruth won’t work. Not here. It’s clear that these women know that I came through a portal and probably are aware that I don’t have a clue about how to get back. No. The truth is my only way back.
“I don’t know how I got here and now I don’t know how to get home”. There. I had said it.
Rachel turned to me smiling. “You did that all alone”? She said with a kind of awe in her voice. Rachel’s mom ga ve her a disapproving glance, and thenlooked back at me. “Perhaps we can help you. Why don’t you come inside and get something to eat. You look like you can use a meal and some rest”.
She turned toward the house and then as an afterthought turned back to me. “You can call me Maggie”.
Rachel walked alongside me. She looked at me with wonder but said nothing. When she had closed the door behind me Maggie gestured for me to follow her into the kitchen.
“Tell me about it. How did you get here”? S aid Maggie.
Without hesitation I spilled the story to Maggie and Rachel. Maggie nodded as though it was the most natural thing in the world to be caught in another dimension. She waited patiently as I told her everything and then gazed at me for a moment.
“Well, we need to get you back home. Your family will be missing you about now and I imagine your school is running scared about now.
Rachel giggled. “It serves them right”. “Rachel”. Said Maggie. “That’s not funny. Those poor people are probablyworried sick”. With that Maggie gave me a wink and held back a smile.
“Perhaps they may think twice next time they want to come down so hard on a student”. “So, what shall we do with you Ivy? Tell you what. Why don’t you finish your lunch and then we will go about getting you home”. Said Maggie with a smile
I finished eating, and rinsed of my plate. Maggie and Rachel took me into the living room and I sat down in an oversized chair. The light of the late afternoon shone through the window and I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to live here. It was frightening and yet beautiful. It seemed to have a life all its own and I wanted to stay. I sit here lost in my thoughts and wonder if I have any real obligation to anyone at home.
I feel confused about what I should do. At that moment Maggie gave me a wistful smile. She looked as if she was considering my thoughts and had finally come to a decision.“You must go back. It’s not safe for you here. Your safety depends on you going back”.
I have a strong sense that something is wrong and it disturbs me. I am not fooled. They want to get rid of me. “My dear girl. You are a treasure and we would like nothing better than to keep you here with us”. Maggie hesitated and studied me carefully. “I must say I was skeptical when Elizabeth told us you were coming. She said you may want to stay and that I must insist you return. We would much prefer if you stayed but there is much for you to do on the other side”.
The shock of hearing Elizabeth’s name lasted only a moment. I had the strong impression that there is more to the story than Maggie is letting on. Maggie narrowed her eyes as though deep in thought. Her gaze stirred something deep inside me. There was pain in her eyes. She must have known I suspected something was off for she avoided my eyes and changed the subject.
Rachel shot me a watchful glance then looked at Maggie with the oddest expression. I watched them and found myself wondering what they were holding back from me. I had an overwhelming desire to ask them to tell me what they were hiding. Bending my head I smooth imaginary wrinkles out of my T-shirt.
“What do you mean? What does it matter if I stay or go back”? Maggie pulled her chair close to mine and leaned slightly forward. I figure I am in for a lecture for leaving home and not wanting to go back.
“You must go back or you will not reach your full potential”. I roll my eyes and sigh. “Me full potential? All that I’ve learned is anger, sadness, death and hatred for other people. I’ve learned how cruel people are, how selfish they can be and how they care only for themselves”.
Maggie gave me a wistful smile. “Yes. That’s partly true. However, you have also learned to be kind, care for others and how to be humble. The person you are becoming is in part due to the things you have experienced. You have learned what it is to suffer, be treated with hatred and to lose those you most love. The journey you are on is cultivating your gifts and helping you to understand yourself. You have a great capacity to protect others, care about people and understand their problems. You can be a light to others and show them the way. To be a leader one must often times to walk alone. It’s no accident that things have unfolded like they have. When the time is right you will understand the interconnection between the realms. By the time that happens you will be able to discern good from evil and follow your inner light. That light will take you to the next phase of your journey and then you will have the wisdom to manage great strength.”
My trips to the void come back to me in bits and pieces. There are flashes of Maggie sitting in her living room with Rachel or the smell of home baked bread from a village. My best memories consist of
nothing I can put my finger on. It’s more the way the people made me feel. The people who lived in the other dimensions were attuned to their true selves and did not have any hidden agendas.
I learned to keep the visions to myself and tucked my memories of the other side deep inside my
subconscious. They were precious to me and I didn’t want to give them up, not exactly, but I also didn’t want to be labeled a freak.
I didn’t realize it at the time , but my life was unfolding according to prophesy; written in the journals that had been long ago hidden by a frightened young woman. Maggie put her own needs last and decided to sacrifice herself. She wanted to somehow make right the evil that her father had done to so many innocent souls. Beautiful Maggie gave her all and eventually found her way to the light. Her life started the moment she crossed over into the otherworld.
Chapter 10
I awoke about 7 am drenched in sweat. I look around at the cave walls and things start to come back to me. I remember being in a passage, hearing voices and then everything went black.
I don’t recall the door I used to get back all those years ago. The day I hid in the basement of the school is a complete blackout. Everything about the otherworld was hazy until I turned 18. It was then that I was considered an adult and stopped taking medications. Then the past hit me like a ton of bricks. Phantom images seemed to press in from all sides and I started looking for answers. The answers came in Bill’s ancient house when the Shining Ones came to me.
You can probably guess I did some research on the Shining Ones. Some resources said they were angels and others said they were humans with supernatural gifts that live on the other side. Then I found a book that said they were related to the Knights Templar and yet another that said they were Extra-Terrestrial beings. The most general understanding I could find was that they were beings from the Otherworld that are set apart. They were said to be champions of truth, filled with wisdom and operate in the realm of supernatural gifts.
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