Chapter 15

Chapter 15: A lucky or an unlucky event?

Like a lot of others groups, Cindy, Amany, Bobby, Big Bob, Colet and I, came to sleep in Big Bobs house.
His wife had baked bread, and there was a pot of stew simmering above a slow fire.
Sleeping places were easily made in the fresh hay of summer, with the blankets we all had with us, so no fuss was made.

The talk that went on, was a lot of small proposes.
And small suggestions, and in our case, while our group was the only one, who had recent experience in the world I was coming from, questions and visitors.

Sometimes a face from another group peeped round the door: “Psst, do you sleep?” and waited, to try again.
We were to excited by all the things happening lately, it took a long time to get asleep, so mostly a short conversation was had.
The other people wanted to know how normal people traveled, or if I, Lea did know about…

But often I had to say: “Ho, stop a bit, I am just a kid. We grow faster than in your world.
We have been taught other things, as you have learned. I have to say, I do not know, on a lot of your questions.”

So my thoughts kept going to tomorrow: there would be a lot of questions, and the more I did think about that, the more I did hope, Cindy used her time alone on my world well.
I had to trust my friend did so. For that was essential…
Further my thoughts did not come: there was sleep, deep sleep.

Breakfast did bring us all together in the big barn, some even had their bread still in one hand, and a drink of milk in the other.
But long there was no uncertainty: The lady took over again. She asked for silence and before her words were spoken out, it was silent.

She started: “Morning all, I do want to divide you in groups in a certain way.
Done so, I’ll explain, but time is of the essence now so please: will every grown woman, who ever was in the other world, stand on that side please?”

Cindy and me looked to each other with a question in our eyes, but silent, while it seemed the Lady wanted it that way.
Most of the women had been in my world, it seemed.

The Lady went on: “Will every grown woman, who still has a friend in the other world, stand to the left side, please?”
Only 3 woman stepped to the left, the others stayed where they were.

“And now the same with the girls, please, over there!” and she pointed the direction. Cindy went to that side and only Amany went that way, while I did not know what to do.
But my friends tugged me on both arms with them.

“And now the question, that does ask the most honest answer: who of the boys has ever been on the other world?” the lady asked, and her gaze went slowly over all 13 boys.

Only Bobby and a very young boy, whose name was Jehan, and who could not have been older than 8 years, went to that side.

The lady pointed out Jehan and asked: “How did you come in that other world, Jehan?”
His head bowed and he confessed: “I woke up one night from a nightmare, went to my mother to get comforted and did see what she did.
I just could fetch a slip of her skirt.
I have promised never to tell, I do know how she traveled.
We went to take care of her friend, who was very ill, and asked for Mom.
The people in that other world did think she was halliccc”

“Hallucinating” his mother, in the other group helped him.

Jehan went on: “We only stayed there in the sick-room.
I did play with her picture-books so I was out of the way, and Mom helped and comforted her.
On the way back I did wear the scarf, just like now. Did I do wrong, Lady?”

The Lady smiled: “You will not be the first on nor the last one who did such an unexpected travel. You did well not to tell about it before.”

Jehan looked very indignant: “I did promise, did not I? And while I had that nightmare, I even was not sure it was no part of that dream.”

Than the finger went to Bobby. “And you? I could have expected that. But tell us please?”

“I also went with my mother,” and his mother nodded.
“My father was injured and needed help.
I do not know how my mother knew, but she woke me up, bounded my eyes, and took me the same way we went now.
It was a great mess in the town we went to.
I had no idea what had happened, but it was as if all houses were broken down and we had to take Dad out under the rubble.
The people of the other world could not see him.”

Bobby’s mother took over: “His friend died in the earth-quake, he also would have, had I not seen him in, OH!” she held her hand over her mouth with a dark red face, as if she nearly said something wrong.

“But on the way back, both my boys were with scarf, although it was difficult enough to reach a place with a doorway, that was big enough.
Later some women went back, and helped in silence.
They did bring people under the rubble water and some soft food, made them more comfortable.
More we could not do, while we could not move heavy things, and had to stay out of the way of the other helping people, for they could not see us.
I am still very proud of Bobby, because he worked so hard and never told.”

The lady gave Bobby a big rewarding smile, and said: “Now I do know, how it came, you started doubting. One such an experience is enough.
It must have been hard, was it not?”

Bobby only could nod, glad the Lady was not angry on him or mom.
He was not supposed to have such an adventure yet.
Than Cindy, Amany and me got our question-turn.

“How Cindy fled the Otherlanders we all know now, except some boys.
Lea is from the other world and gets later a lot of questions, she may or may be not able to answer.
But you, Amany, are still to young to go adventuring?”

Amany blushed a bit, but decided to tell the truth, although difficult.
“My Daddy had a bet in the other world, he likes to go, and gamble in a city with a lot of lights.” She looked at me.

“Las Vegas perhaps?” I tried to help.
“I never have been there, but I did see about it on television.”

Amany nodded and went on: “The man, who he owed money, wanted a security, he said.
But Daddy had of course none, for our money is just paper there.
Dad told me, he could not take some gold or silver with him, from great-grand-fathers treasure, for than he could never go there again, without being robbed himself or worse. So he took me with him.
Am I allowed to tell how we travelled, Lady?”

I was very curious, most women also looked very interested.

The lady told: “May be if we know, how the most man travel to that world, we can use that in our plans. But first you have to tell that to the Elder.”

7 Elder women stepped besides.
They formed a circle around Amany, who softly told them what they wanted to know.
The women looked at each other and a laugh was heard.
Then the Lady said: “Go, and tell everybody. The most man still travel the old fashioned way of our grandfathers.”

So Amany told: “Most man have a secret drawing, they inherited of their father or an uncle. Mostly it is a drawing on paper, or linen.
They just step through, and at the last moment they take an edge so it is reversed on the other world.
To go back, the do it just the other way around.
My father owned that man a lot of money, ánd he needed a new gateway to escape.
Firstly: he lost a lots of bets and had to pay, and secondly: on the place of his gateway, now was another building.
So he could not use his image go come back.
He needed a new image to go through to that world.”

The lady looked to the other women and girls: ”Is there a reason, you never traveled to another world? Will you tell us please?”

She smiled encouraging to them, so a small girl of about 8 told: “I never found my own gateway yet.
My grandma tells, it is because my destined friend is not yet on the place, were we are supposed to meet the first time.”

Other girls, and women nodded, letting know this way, for them it was the same.

“In that case there is a first travel together necessary.
That way everybody has a gateway, we all can use in case of emergency.
Let’s take the big one near the lake, on the other side of the mountain, in that part that is not Homeland, nor Otherland.
We have to make some preparations there, so whatever happens, some of us will be there.

We are lucky to know, how much experience there is in our group already.
What most women believe is an unlucky event, the early going to the world of Lea by some kids, seems to have worked in our favor now.
Let’s travel to the lake and go on from there.” Everybody agreed.


© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.