I had pins and needles in my right arm and a thirsty desert in my mouth. Half asleep, with half-opened eyes I was groping for a glass of water in a bluish darkness of a room. Instead of finding a glass, I turned over an alarm clock with green numbers showing «03.00». Fortunately, I found a cup of cold yesterday tea that was recklessly left on a dressing table during my vain attempts at writing an ill-fated thesis. Having decided not to be picky about ancient tea, I drank it voluptuously to the last drop. I sat on my bed massaging the arm and watching the net-like curtain swelling and ballooning, as the memories of yesterday were slowly creeping into my head.
That couldn’t have been true. Real world doesn’t work this way. Tomorrow when the sun is up, I will easily find a confident explanation. Obviously, my thoughts are intermingled with dreams now. That’s why a good sleep is the best remedy.
I nodded in approval to my overly convincing adult quote, but the painful feeling that everything had been real the day before didn’t go. Even though having a luxuriant imagination, I didn’t believe in mysticism, destiny, horoscopes or anything of this rubbish kind. I could easily set apart a true life and my mere imagination, but that stupid day was an exception.
The curtain bagged out again, producing a whisper. I heard fluttering which made me shudder unwittingly. Behind the curtain, just at the window, I saw a dark shadow moving. Those were the latest events that had affected my nerves so much, for I jumped out of bed, kicking my duvet, and rushed to the window to close it as if a fragile glass could save me from an outdoor danger. All of a sudden, I felt a bagful under my foot; the bagful moaned and I, shrieking as loud as possible, jumped on the bed.
“Avis, don’t wake up your neighbours. That’s me, Zarya. We didn’t mean to scare you,” said a dark silhouette against the window. The bagful stood up with groan.
“It’s your fault! I told you to be more patient and keep the disguise. Now she’s shocked and unprepared,” a guy retorted sharply, looking at her.
“You were the first to shift and let her step on you! And now you are blaming ME?” even in the shadows I could see her glowing orange eyes.
“I fell asleep and it’s hard to remain the shape while sleeping! You must know it better than anyone else,” he said it through his teeth.
“And who let you sleep, by the way, uh?” she stood straight with her hands on her hips.
“Hello!” I waved at them impatiently, “Did you forget about me?” I stood disheveled with a white fist-size hare figure I grabbed from the night-table and hold it like a hand grenade.
Well done, dear: an airtight plan to protect yourself is to get a knick-knack hare. And what are you going to do with it? What about giving it to them as a present on the occasion of our second meeting?
I must have had a ridiculous look, but they didn’t seem to care.
“Avis, don’t you recognize us?” asked the girl, holding her hand over her heart.
“Yes, I do recognize you,” I said frostily.
“Thank…”
“You are suspicious guys from the bus stop,” I interrupted her.
Apparently, the answer didn’t make them happy. My eyes got used to the darkness, and I could see distress on their tired faces. I had no sense to call the police or cry for help: my self-defense reflexes and common scene were definitely out of order. Actually, I was extremely glad to see them again even under very unusual circumstances. Their presence created the atmosphere of safety. Nevertheless, I tried not to lay all cards on the table and preserve somehow my poker face.
“I understand your feelings. Just give us a chance and we can explain everything,” she spoke to me in such a tone as if I was about to jump from the bridge.
“I saw the monster you warned me about when I fled from you,” I sat cross-legged on the bed. “Where was I? A kind of twilight zone or a military experiment?”
“How did the beast look like?” asked the girl with a solemn face.
“A huge mass, pitch-black with a white mask,” I was irritated and didn’t hide it, for I did want them to answer my questions not vice versa. They exchanged glances, understanding each other.
“Could you please stop your staring contest and provide me with some information for a change?” I said, folding my arms on the chest.
“I wish I had never let you go. Sentinels are terribly dangerous especially for you when you are in such a vulnerable state,” replied blondie. “There are countless worlds excising together. Some of them are solid and kind of…right like this one or the world we came from, you came from,” he continued in a softer voice. I stayed motionless except for my eyebrow going up in disbelieve. But saying nothing, I gave him a chance to continue.
“…as I’ve told you, some of the worlds are right: they were normally formed and inhabited.”
“Like a multiverse full of our copies where in one world we are alive, rich and, probably, famous, but in another have already kicked the bucket,” I interrupted him, summarizing cynically.
“No of course not. Who told you this nonsense? All worlds are different more or less; there are no copies of us in this universe or anywhere else. Each world has its own peculiarities. Say, this world is quite,” he paused, “…quite odd. When I saw this place for the first time, I was shocked to see these hideous buildings like scattered bricks or the roads covered with sleek greyish stone, and rearing monstrous carriages swarming everywhere. It was rather difficult to get used to it, especially the smell. Even in the darkest mage laboratories the cauldrons emit better odour. Almost all the time we were hiding in between watching you, lest…”
“Excuse me, you said watching me? How long have you been stalking me I wonder?”
“It’s not a stalking. We’ve been looking for you here for two years. Only a week ago we found you at last, but when we did it you were different,” he looked disappointed, saying the last word.
“We didn’t know what to do. At first, I thought you had sound reasons to pretend, but it appeared you had lost all your powers to see us when we were in between. Until yesterday,” the girl continued.
“What do you mean by saying in between?”
“Sometimes we could be here literally,” she indicated my room with her hand like a tour guide, showing beauty sights to her group, “sometimes on the edge of the world. We call it in between. You were definitely in between with us for a while, but then, having no control over your power, fell deeper in the Mirror without us,” she said it almost apologetically.
What the hell are they talking about? Worlds, mirrors… Why on earth am I listening to them?
Seeing a silent question in my eyes, she hurried to explain, “Mirrors are the reflections of the nearby worlds, but uninhabited. Any Mirror could form inanimate objects which stay there like dim ghosts or shadows. The only creatures that could dwell there are sentinels; you’ve seen one. They can pick up the smell of visitors from outside and inevitably try to kill them, therefore, cleaning Mirrors of rouge organisms. That’s why it’s so dangerous to be there. You should always keep to a right world or stay in between. Mirrors are forbidden!” she said it, using patronizing language.
“So what are they: some demons or wicked spirits?” to my surprise I took interest in our insane conversation.
“Their nature, like the nature of Mirrors, is unknown. Some Birdpeople think they are powerful mages’ familiars. Dark mages might have been hiding in Mirrors since the end of the War, protecting themselves from intruders,” answered the girl with a childish awe of the Mirror.
“Come on! You are feeding her with silly assumptions and grandma’s hearsays. The myth about runaway mages was made up to explain why they have never found hordes of war criminals. They keep telling ordinary people that bad guys are hiding in Mirrors concealing secrets and mighty magical artifacts. The Birdhouse has never had a decent expedition, gathering recon team of battle mages,” he grunted.
“No one in the right mind would send people to this cursed place and risk their lives: we are lucky that she managed to return back with a head on her shoulders!”
“Do you want my opinion?” I broke in again. They looked at me slightly surprised like quarrelling parents who had forgotten about the child. “You are both insane.”
“If you don’t believe us, go and check your glowing box or a telephone with letters and pictures.”
I reached for my laptop reluctantly, scolding myself for being so amenable. I opened my email box to find that all my messages from relatives and friends were gone, just letters from group mates, lecturers, and some random spam.
That’s a huge mistake.
I got my phone to check other messages: no pictures with my parents from trips or family events, no goofy photos with my friends. There were only pictures that had been taken with people from that town “Max and I (we are sitting on his couch)”, “a girl from my group in a lecture room”, “a flower”, “a picture of a student book page”, and so forth. Incoming calls from my parents, letters and small messages with emojis from my friends – they all were gone.
What a fool I am!
“You have been trying to mislead me, and you almost did it, nice work!” I was furious, “You deleted EVERYTHING while I was sleeping or maybe even earlier. You arranged a little theatrical piece to make me believe you and your bewitching bedtime story. Is it a crazy psychological experiment? Are you the members of a cult aiming to recruit new victims? Let me guess: somebody told you I lived alone away from my family, then you hacked into my email, my smartphone, other accounts,” I was ticking off my fingers, “And deleted my personal data or…or…” I stammered from excitement, “…or you secretly gave me a psychotropic drug to make me see monsters?”
“Avis, we would never do that to you,” the girl was almost crying.
“Nice try, marigold, at least you guessed two letters of my real name. Are you still interpreting your character? Bravo, play as an encore!”
I straighten my features, “It was nice to see you again, but could you please get out of here,” I said it softly but decidedly. I knew, somehow, they wouldn’t dare hurt me, and I was right.
“Let’s go, Zarya. It’s useless,” blondie didn’t even look at me, but I saw his face darkled. Marigold hesitated. She raised her hand as if she was about to touch my shoulder, but I shrank back.
“I told you so, don’t delude yourself into thinking that it is our Avis. We’ll find another way to break the spell,” with those words he pulled at her sleeve and they silently left my room.” When the boy reached a threshold, he turned and said, “Are you satisfied living in this smelly place: in a house that looks like a stone box, in a room that looks like a stone box?”
I didn’t answer, fiddling the hare to avoid looking at him. The door remained silent; though I was sure they left. I sat on the bed with my hand on my head. I was devastated. Something significant seemed to leave me again.
That’s the way they deceive people. This couple is no good for you; don’t let them creep into your head. And you are not a wizard, for Harry Potter’s sake!
I was so absorbed in deep thoughts and self-accusations that almost missed a weak call coming from under my duvet.
“Are you ok?” Max’s voice was touched with emotion, “I heard loud noises and you didn’t reply my messages I sent you yesterday.” It was so nice to hear from him.
“Hi, Max! I’m fine. You have just waked me up,” I lied, forcing a fake yawn out.
“Oh, sorry, girl. I could swear I heard you arguing with somebody. It’s not in your nature to have anybody in your apartment at this time.”
Thanks for mentioning my zero personal life, dude.
“Don’t worry, it must be someone’s TV,” I pretended to yawn again.
“Could I call or text you tomorrow,” I heard imploring shadows in his usually determined voice.
“Sure, why not. Why are you even asking for my permission so officially?” I laughed, “And, Max, thanks for your care. Have a good night.”
“Night,” He didn’t believe me. I heard it in his anxious voice.
But what shall I tell him? This ridiculous stuff? No, no, no! I have only one real friend in this dumb town and I won’t lose him because he might think I’m a psycho. Do I have to call the police?
I clutched my head with two hands like a psyduck, swaying from side to side. For reasons not well understood, I didn’t want blondie and marigold to get in trouble. More than that, I couldn’t stop thinking about my lost messages and photos. I took my laptop again and opened the folder with photos. They returned back, smiling faces. They were looking at me from pictures like creepy strangers, even my own images created the effect of uncanny valley.
Is it just a dirty trick or I am really screwed?
I clapped my hands before my face to emerge from oblivion.
Ok, fine! I’m going home.
I didn’t want to call anybody in the middle of the night.
Let it be a morning surprise!
I went to my bathroom with no delay. Without looking in the mirror, I washed my face fiercely and brushed my teeth. I put on my T-shirt, old hoody and jeans, comfortable enough for a trip. I threw a bottle of water, headache pills, my ID, cash, a credit card, and some clothes to change in my gym bag. The bag seemed too new for a thing that had been used numerous times during my visits to parents. I was convinced I was at home two months ago, but I couldn’t remember anything. Tania stayed at my place at least couple of times. But why I was so nervous to show her the town as if she had never been there? I shook my head and zipped the bag. One last glance at cords, electric points, and a kitchen stove. I had my grim suspicions that I never left the place.
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