“Girl! I need answers. I’m freaking out here. Where am I? What happened to my apartment building?” Just as he sat in on another barrage of questions Tok jumped through the gate.
“Oh my god! That monster, it followed us here. Get behind me! I’ll protect you,” he stepped in front of her. Spotting a large rock laying at the edge of the path he crept down to grab it.
Realizing what he was doing, Tat pushed him, knocking him off balance. Again, he crashed to the ground. His phone hit the rock, shattering like his now fragile sanity.
“No!” she shouted, surprised at herself for being able to speak again. “Don’t hurt her, she won’t harm you if you don’t harm her... it’s all right, she’s my pet.” As if in acknowledgment Tok leaped forward, spreading her wings for just a moment and then rested at Tat’s side.
The boy looked up at them with obvious confusion. “This... this doesn’t make any sense! How can that thing be a pet?”
“Well... uhm...” Tat wanted to answer but realized she didn’t have an answer for his question.
Closing his eyes he drew in a deep breath as if when he opened them and exhaled the world would make sense to him again. “OK. It’s your pet. So that answers that,” he said trying to be calm and realistic, “but, where are we?”
“You’re in the Notherworld,” she tried to match his tone and be as calm as he was.
He chuckled, pushing himself up from the ground to stand. “The Notherworld? Ok, I’ll bite. Where...or what is the Notherworld?”
“The Fae World...”
“Fae... World?”
“The fairy world. I think that’s what humans call it.” Tatyana did her best to remember what Clover and Biscuit tried to teach her about the humans and their words for things.
“Fairy? You mean like Tinkerbell and Peter Pan? And what do you mean, ‘you think that’s what humans call it’, are you not... human?”
“Oh yes, yes, of course I’m human. Well, it’s a long story, but I’m just not from your world. I mean I was... I was born there... but--”
He laughed so loud it startled her. “Yup, it’s official. I’m going insane. Ok fairy-but-used-to-be-human girl, where did the human world go and how do I get back to it?”
“I’m not a fairy...” she began to explain but decided against it and continued to answer his questions. “And, you can’t. The gate... it closed... and... well... I lost the keystone that opens it when we fell through.” Feeling guilty, she knitted her fingers together, trying to be calm about it. She shifted the toes of her boots in the dirt. The boy looked as if he was getting angrier.
“Are you trying to tell me I’m stuck here!”
“Yes...”
“But the cat – thing, it went through, does it have some kind of key?”
“Oh no, Tok doesn’t need a stone. She’s fae. You see, she’s a pooka cat and fae animals naturally go through the gates all the time.”
“You’re not making any sense! This is just... crazy!”
“Please boy, just calm down. You’re scaring me!”
“Me? I’m scaring you? I didn’t just go into your world and pull you through to mine, now did I? And stop calling me BOY!”
“I’m... I’m sorry...”
“My name is Aidan,” his voiced quivered with a strange calmness, as if he’d precipitously realized that the high pitch of his terrified voice could attract other things in this forest that weren’t the girls’ pets.
“A-den,” Tat let the strange sound of it roll off her tongue. “My... my name is Tatyana,” she mumbled, trying not to be afraid. They remained silent for a few moments after their bizarre and rather awkward introduction.
“I really am sorry about all this,” she bravely continued, “I never thought this could happen. I mean my parents told me I was Errata, and that I couldn’t touch any of my own kind without making them Errata too... but I thought... I thought I was being careful.” Tatyana sniffled.
“Oh, hell! Don’t do that. I hate it when girls cry. Just... just stop crying... and let me think,” he tried to change the conversation focus so she would stop. “Is there another way to open that gate thing? You said that cat creature thing can go through. If I’m holding – it... could we both go through?”
“Her name is Tok, and I don’t think so....” She tried to control her sobbing, “I was holding her one time and we got really close; she went through but it knocked me back. I don’t think the Fates want anyone accidentally getting through that way.”
“The Fates? What are you talking about now?”
“The Gods of Fate, surely you know about them?”
Aidan shook his head, “never mind, just tell me if there’s any possible way I can get back through?”
“Well, my parents might be able to get another stone... but...”
“Ok. So let’s go ask your parents.”
“No, oh no... I can’t tell them I lost the stone, besides... No, it’s just not an option.”
“Look. I don’t belong here. This is not my world.” He gently put his hands on her shoulders, and stared into her wistful azure eyes. “There are people in my world who will miss me. I have to get back home. You brought me here. Help me get home.”
“I know, but even if you could, you shouldn’t. No, you can’t go back. I’m sorry, but you just can’t go... home.”
“Why the hell not?” reflexively he balled his fists out of frustration and dropped them to his side.
“Don’t you listen? Like I said, you’re Errata now, and well, Errata’s can’t be in the human world. It would be extremely bad for them.”
“What are you talking about? You just keep saying nonsense and expect me to understand. Hello! Not from your world here,” he waved his hand in her face and then pointed to himself. “What the hell is this Errata thing? And why are you, and now me, it?”
“I will try to tell you. I will try to explain everything. Please, I know it’s my fault that you’re here and I am sorry about that and I’m sorry this isn’t making sense to you,” Tat sniffled, “but you have to stay here.” She paused for a moment, not sure if she should tell him, but then decided he had a right to know, “If you don’t, the Annokai will eradicate you.”
“Eradicate?”
“Umm... destroy. I think that word fits...” she tried to clarify.
“I know what the word eradicate means,” Aidan pushed the words through gritted teeth, beginning to lose his patience. “But I don’t understand. Who are these Annokai and why would they want to destroy me?”
Tat didn’t know how to explain, especially since he didn’t seem to understand half of what she was saying. She knew she had no other choice. She would have to go home and confront Biscuit and Clover, maybe they could clarify it better. Maybe they could help him.
“I can’t explain it to you, but maybe my parents can. Just come with me to my home, please?” It was the very last thing she wanted to do, but what choice did she have? She had done this to him; she had to fix it, and this was the only way she knew how.
He nodded. She could tell that he wasn’t happy about it, but this seemed to be the best solution.
“All right then,” Tat agreed, trying to fully stop her sobbing, “let’s go...”
Chapter Three
The Return Home
T he quiet trip back through the forest made them feel uneasy. Tatyana tried to make small talk, but Aidan only replied in one-word answers, if he answered at all.
He didn’t want to talk to this crazy girl, but he knew he had to placate her if he had any chance of getting home, even if it meant navigating some crazy alien planet. While he was still quite unnerved by the entire ordeal, so far nothing other than Tok was too shocking to him.
The immense dark forest that surrounded them reminded him of the national parks he visited on camping trips with his father. Nevertheless, he half expected to see some repulsive monster jump out and try to eat him.
He could tell this forest was an ancient one by the enormous size
of the trees. Their slick black bark made them appear bizarrely out of place, and the leaves were sometimes blue or purple rather than green. Even the air itself seemed different, having an oddly sweet taste to it. And for the first time in a long time his sinus allergies weren’t bothering him, which never happened in any other forest he’d visited.
It was nearing daybreak and he could hear critters beginning to scamper about. The sun’s vibrantly golden rays outlined the ancient trees on what felt like an early crisp Spring morning. Leaves shined like miniature stars on a vast canopy of night as the sunlight reflected tiny droplets of dew on them. What a beautifully magnificent scene; perhaps it was some magical fairy world after all.
Lost in thought, Aidan almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the high-pitched eerie screech of the very colorful, yet somewhat reptilian looking hikhadi bird having more scales than feathers. He studied the ungraceful bird as it jumped off a low hanging branch. Nope, this definitely wasn’t like his world.
The sound hadn’t phased Tat. She probably heard their calls greeting the sun rising every morning. Instead, Tat began to ramble and Aidan tried not to listen, deciding that he really didn’t care.
She explained that her parents would be up and going about their usual morning routines right about now. Her ba would be rolling out her oatcake dough and her da would perhaps be getting wood for the stove.
She stopped walking as her face drained of color. Aidan noticed Tat slightly shiver, then realized she was getting nervous. Did this mean they were getting close to her home?
“What am I going to tell them?”
For some reason a reflex kicked in, a reflex for him to comfort this stupid, stupid girl. He didn’t understand why, but he had to do something. What could he say to fix this before she started freaking out more?
“Aidan, I know I am probably asking too much, but when we get there can you please let me go in and explain before coming in? It will be hard enough to tell them I took the stone and went to the Otherworld after they said I couldn’t go – but having to tell them that AND I brought a human home that I also made into an Errata–”
“Ok, I get it,” Aidan said with a slight smile on his face. It all began falling into place. This girl might be from a fairy world, but she was still a teenager. He was happy that he could somewhat relate to the situation and things were beginning to make at least a little bit of sense.
“It’s like taking the new car for a spin after they say no, and then putting a huge dent in the side when you swiped the mailbox,” he crowed, feeling oddly proud of finally figuring it out.
“Car?”
Aidan looked at her strangely, then realized she knew as little about his world as he knew about hers. “Uh… yeah, never mind,” he answered, grasping that he had no idea how to explain what a ‘car’ was to her. He decided this place must not be very advanced if she didn’t even know what a car was.
“I get it though. I’ve been there. You’ve disappointed the parentals, and now you’ve got to ‘fess up.”
“I guess… yes, I mean if ‘fess up’ means to tell them I ruined everything, then yes, you’re right.” She turned her face away from him and stared at the ground attempting to hide the fact that she was about to burst into tears again.
Aidan stopped walking, “hey, I’m just guessing here, but they love you right? I mean your parents, they are the supportive type, right?”
“Of course they love and support me…”
“Then it will be fine. They will get over it, eventually. I mean, yeah they’ll be disappointed, but it doesn’t mean they will stop loving you. That’s how it works with parents, or at least that’s how it’s supposed to work.”
“I know, you’re right,” she said, just as they saw the small puffs of smoke coming out of the sooty stovepipe from the roof of the little cottage. “But please, can you just wait outside? Just for a bit. I promise you’ll be safe.”
Tok took flight to the front porch as if telling them to hurry, knowing a saucer of warm sweet milk waited for her near the door. “I don’t know,” Aidan looked around at the well-kept yard with small raised garden beds of herbs and flowers and chuckled. “This place looks pretty dangerous to me.”
Tat wiped away her tears and smiled. “You’ll be fine, just wait here near the trees. I will let you know when you need to come in.”
Aidan nodded.
Tat told herself to be brave again as she made her way across the yard. Dreading having to go in, she slowed her pace on the walkway to the cottage. She nervously grabbed the entwined briarwood rail to pull herself up the steps. ‘It will be fine’ she remembered what Aidan said, and it gave her just enough momentum to push the iron ring on the round entry door.
“Tatty?” Biscuit was sitting in his favorite chair pulling on his boots as if he were getting ready to go on a run.
Had they not even realized she wasn’t home last night? Would she really be lucky enough for them not to notice anything was amiss? No, she couldn’t deceive them, even though she experimented with the fleeting temptation. “What are you doing outside this early in the morning?”
“Da…” she fidgeted, trying to calm her nerves.
“Well what is it child? Is it about last night? Don’t you worry about that none. Clover and I understand; we know you don’t really hate us. And we know how much you were looking forward to it–”
“Tatyana! Tatyana!” Aidan screamed outside, interrupting Biscuit, followed by a loud bellowing howl. Oh no, she forgot about Muk!
“What’s going on?” Clover asked, coming into the room from the kitchen after hearing the calamity going on outside.
“Tatyana! It’s a monster! A real monster!” Aidan screamed while barreling towards the porch.
“Tatty, WHAT IS going on?” Biscuit stood and demanded an answer.
Tat opened her mouth to speak, just as Aidan cleared the steps in one jump, lunging through the doorway and falling face first once again. Muk was seconds behind him.
Aidan flipped over as the huge fae canine bounded squarely on his chest. With a rough thud Muk’s giant furry brown and white front paws pinned Aidan’s shoulders to the floor. The canine let out a fearsome low growl. Aidan shrilled in terror.
Tat forgot that pooka dogs are quite larger than the typical variety in the human world and would possibly terrify any human. Even as a pup Muk was one of the smaller breeds, about equivalent to the size of a full-grown St. Bernard. He resembled a long-haired sheep dog, or at least he would if sheep dogs had long pointy spikes running down their backs with small protruding tusks on either side of their mouths and glowing green eyes.
“Muk no! Bad dog! He’s a friend…” Tat scolded. In reply Muk licked the stranger from chin to forehead with his dripping wet tongue, which was wide enough to cover Aidan’s entire face. He then went to sit promptly next to Biscuit as if to say he’d done a job well done.
“Are you all right child?” Clover asked, bending to help him up.
Aidan first wiped Muk’s saliva from his face with his sleeve, then jumped a little when he saw the diminutive size of Clover and Biscuit.
“I’m sorry again Aidan, really I am.”
“Let me guess, another pet?”
“Yes... and these are my parents. This is my ba, Clover” Tat motioned in her direction. “And this is my da, Biscuit,” she pointed to her father while he pat Muk on the head, as if agreeing he’d done a job well done indeed. “Ba, Da, this is… Aidan…” she finished the awkward introduction and didn’t know what else to say.
After an uncomfortable few moments of silence Clover remembered her manners, “Please, let’s all sit down. I’ll get us some tea and biscuits. You both look like you could use some.” She excused herself, hurrying back to the kitchen.
Biscuit resettled in his chair next to the not yet lit fireplace while Tat and Aidan sat on stone stools carved and painted to look like wild mushrooms.
It was a few quiet minutes later that Clover arrived carrying a plain
wooden tray lined with colorful crocheted doilies that contained the plate of tiny sugary biscuits, then hurried back to the kitchen for the tea.
“So, you went to the Otherworld alone after all?” Biscuit said the second Clover returned, almost causing her to drop the serving tray.
“I’m sorry Da. I know I shouldn’t have done it. I just wanted to see the world where I was born.”
Clover sat the tray with the plain unpainted ceramic tea set on a small round table then sat in a padded chair adjacent to her husband. She started to serve them but Biscuit reached for his wife’s hand and shook his head.
Tat couldn’t hold in her tears any longer. Even though both parents were calm about this, it made her even more nervous, “I’m sorry. I had to go.”
“I see. Well young man, since you are here and can see us, I will assume that you two somehow touched. Is that correct?” Biscuit asked Aidan as if he were picking Tatyana up for their first date.
“Uh, yes sir… it was an accident…”
“An accident?” Clover looked horrified.
“It really was an accident Ba. It was Tok,” Tat struggled to explain, “she–”
“We don’t need the details,” Biscuit shot his daughter a silencing glare then focused his attention back on Aidan. “Now, I’m sure she’s explained to you that you’re Errata now and can’t return to the human world?”
“Sort of… sir... but I really don’t understand any of it.”
“No need to call me by any title, besides, I’ve never been knighted,” Biscuit chuckled which seemed to ease the atmosphere some.
“So, you’re not mad Da?” Tatyana hesitantly asked.
“I’m disappointed, that I can definitely say. I hope you understand now why we didn’t want you to go. Still, what’s done is done and there is nothing we can do to change it. The important thing is you’re here and safe, and the stone is returned. It’s sad about Aidan though. I am sure this will be difficult for him, but maybe if he seeks out the Gods and explain, perhaps all will be well.”
The Fateless: Errata Page 3