Los Angeles - Elaine
It was strange when I first entered the world.
“Liiiz!” I heard a voice below me yell, “Get up! We’re gonna be late for school!”
My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself lying in a tiny bed, under a massive blanket. If this was twice the size of me - which it was - it must have been a giant’s bed… Was I kidnapped once I went through the portal?
Suddenly, a bony, ginormous woman barged into the room I was sleeping in.
“Liz, out of the bed!” She whined, throwing off my blanket. I winced, expecting to see the scars that Trem had given me the day before, but my skin was a pale, smooth white.
Looking down at myself, I realized that this wasn’t my body from Aereth, nor was it my ancient body. I looked around five feet tall, younger than I’ve made myself look in a long time: maybe seven years old? However, it was not my own action to look like this body. Wait…
What am I wearing?
“What’s wrong with the Pooh Bear pajamas?” The woman watching me obviously could read the disgust of my fluffy brown clothing, “I thought you liked them when we first got them for you at the store. Say… where did you get that bracelet?” She pointed at my left wrist, and I realized I still wore the shining crimson loop from Aereth. The very same bracelet that ensured the world’s safety.
That’s when it occurred to me: I’m not Elaine in Milo’s world. I’m… whoever this little girl is - practically a toddler. I don’t know what this girl’s life is like, and her family and friends won’t know who Elaine is.
I need to play the game.
“They’re fine,” I mumbled as I tried my best to adapt, already trying to understand her living standards. “School, you said?”
“Uh, yeah?” She threw a shirt, shorts, and socks towards me. I couldn’t catch any of them as I watched them fall to the carpeted ground. This height will take some getting used to, I thought.
“Put that on,” she said, “You have to look good for your first day.” With that said, she walked out of the room and I was alone to observe my new life.
- -
The tall and bony woman, who I later found out to be my mother, drove me in a metal box to the brick building.
She called the metal box a “car”. It looked beautiful, despite the amount of sewage water that stained the black wheels. It was a small, curvy “car”, with two seats in the front and back. I tried sitting in the front with my new mother, but I was ordered against it and ended up sitting in the back.
As she drove to the school, I got quick glimpses of my surroundings. We passed by buildings with a large yellow M at the center, and on the roads, I could see several beams of light that changed color, which seemed to direct the metal boxes - excuse me, the cars.
Although this world seemed to contain more advanced technology, I did fail to see any magic being used. No humans with wings, no wand shops or wizardry museums. And no magical creatures in sight!
After a few minutes, we arrived at a brick building titled “Murphy Elementary School”. Small kids, who I can now say are my size, were walking in from all around. There was a mascot of an aquatic creature, which simply looked like a very fat stingray, was painted all around the building.
This is their form of education?
“Alright Liz, you need to go to room 119,” My mom said in the front of the car, turning around to make eye contact. “I can’t walk in there with you because I have an appointment to get to. Now go, I’ll see you at around three.” Getting the very obvious message, I hopped out and made my way to the entrance.
Question for any mortals in the modern world who may be reading this: why did they make these education buildings so confusing to navigate? There are no maps anywhere, not a compass, not even a guidance slave to be forced to show me the way! I had no choice but to wander around the endless hallways, counting 101, 102, 103, until I ran into an unsuspecting teacher.
“Oh!” I stuttered, acting as shy and nervous as I could. “I’m so sorry.”
I ran into what looked like someone who, in my world, would have been eligible to enter the army. Perhaps around 24 or 25 years old, she was much taller than me but not intimidating - a Cheshire grin emerged when she saw me.
“Why you must be Liz,” she said, kneeling down to take my hand, “I’m Ms. Moore”. We held hands on the way to her room, as she began to explain how their school worked: “You’ll spend 2 and a half hours in my class, then you’ll go to lunch and recess, then you’ll...” She went on and on with a complicated schedule as she led me to her classroom.
She opened the door, and I was introduced to absolute chaos. Little boys and girls running around like scared chickens as they screamed and wailed about who was “it”.
Amidst all the chaos that I saw, in the middle was a boy.
I recognized him instantly. I couldn’t forget the face I’d seen literally over a million times, but I didn’t want to make eye contact for too long. I looked back at Ms. Moore as she sighed in protest of the children in front of her.
“Everyone settle down, quiet! I’d like to introduce our new student, Liz.” She waved to me as if I was an object to admire. I doubt she intended that, but I think mortals in this world might not know the same manners people in Aereth were taught.
Aereth. I don’t know what happened to my world after I jumped through that portal. For all I know, the world is still ending and they still need me.
First, though, the chosen one must return.
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