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There she weaves by night and day

A magic web with colours gay.

She has heard a whisper say,

A curse is on her if she stay

To look down to Camelot.

She knows not what the curse may be,

And so she weaveth steadily,

And little other care hath she,

The Lady of Shalott.

-Alfred Tennyson.

Dan took out the golden mirror and said , " it is time we need to go back to your world ".

The time matches the other universe time perfectly today at 11pm . I agreed and prepared everything and we decided to pay visit to my foster family .

The golden mirror was working again , as Dan could see the sparkle coming out of it again.

Hence , we grabbed each other's hand and following the sparkle , we were finally in the my world, the earth realm.

I ran towards my door and met my foster dad and he welcomed us .

He asked me where I was and I told him that I was lost and Dan , this man helped me find my way back home finally .

He said ," it's been a two days, I was worried , I need to call the police and call off the investigation ".

I took Dan to my room and we got freshen up as usual .

Anna Jane was lost in her thoughts. I lay on the bed. The room was dim. The lamp was lit on. Dan was sleeping on the couch. I requested him to not to leave me alone. I was afraid of ghosts. This Castle seemed haunted at night. Dan laughed at me while holding his stomach. But anyway, he gave in. I was feeling strange. The memories of my mother were haunting me. They were vivid. I closed my eyes again trying to sleep.

"Faith, Darling where are you? "

I sneak into my room. Dad was crazy. Mom held me and hushed me to sleep.

I hid my face with a blanket as my mom answered," James, I am coming. Anna needs to sleep".

"Faith, come at once".

Mom sighed. Mom was gone. I peered through the door. It was safe. I saw mom and dad arguing. Dad was strangling mom. I didn't understand the reason why. Mom looked helpless. Mom shivered with terror.

Dad said, "Anna, I know you are there".

I was motionless. He approached me.

He spoke, "Look into my eyes, Anna".

I did what he said.

"Good girl, you shouldn't be up baby. You shouldn't be..."

He slapped me tightly. I fell on the ground and he kicked me. I groaned. My mom ran towards me to secure me. Dad started hitting mom. Mom was growling with grief. Dad pushed mom and he was coming near to me. He caught my neck. He whispered in my ears, "You deserve to die. You ruined my life. Anna, you will be trash and no one will ever bother to care about you".

I couldn't move with pain shooting all across my body.

I was all sweat. I was wide awake. I sat on my butt. I looked through the duskiness. Dan was sleeping safe and sound. I couldn't help myself. I literally crying. I tired to suppress the noise. Suddenly, I saw Dan approaching me. Dan said, "Why are you crying, Anna?"

I didn't utter a word. I just grasped his shirt and let my head lay on his chest. I cried my heart out. He slightly rubbed my hair with his soft hands to calm me down. I was wondering why Dad had to ruin everything.

No one will bother to care about you, Anna.

I questioned Dan, "Dan, will you bother to care about me?"

He smiled and said, "Yes, I would Anna. You are precious".

"You are lying. You will leave me on my own and won't bother to know what happens to me like my Dad did".

"Anna, you can tell me about it. If you are comfortable with it".

I muttered out everything and he stood there listening. After all the saying was done, I felt relieved. A burden off my shoulder, off my heart was disappearing. Dan was so understanding. He just hushed me to go to sleep and wiped my teary cheeks.

The next morning, Dan brought breakfast for me. We ate together. Dan was my best companion. Dan, please don't ever leave me. Without you, God knows what I will do.

How strange life can be? Seven wonder?

for a moment, it feels like you mean the world to them then the next moment everything gets shattered. For a brief second, you feel like they don't even know you. How strange or what you call it anyway?

Because thinking through things, I feel that I am reaching nowhere. It hurts to see people's feelings change in the blink of an eye. It hurts. It's hard and strange. Don't why it's so tragic? Don't know why?

Dan, please don't change. Please, always stay on my side .

"Anna, what are you thinking with so much concentration? "

I babbled," Nothing, Dan. "

" There was something bothering you, Anna. Tell me what it was".

"It's just that I was feeling sort of homesick".

"Homesick! I can understand, Anna. Don't worry, we will find the pendant".

"Where is the pendant, Dan?"

"In the treasure chamber".

"Then, what are you waiting for? "

Dan pulled a key out of this pocket and unlocked the lock. He removed the steel chains. The gate opened and there were gold coins everywhere. There were boxes, huge and ancient. Dan asked me to search for a ruby pendant. We began unlocking the boxes and searching them like investigators. I should stop watching investigation discovery. There was dust in the air. The antiques were well placed with care around the room. There were shelves for them. Books shelves were present too. They were hung over the wall, east to our position. I started to sneeze. Dan was busy exploring. I reached upto him and said, " I don't think that we will find the pendant here, Dan".

"Eureka! Found it ".

Miracle do happen. Don't they?

" Anna, here it is. Now, we need the light of the moon".

"Huh? Dan, I don't quiet get that ".

" On the full moon night, the pendant will cure the mirror. It's sews the magical spell casted upon it like a spider's web".

"Oh, I got it".

" We are lucky. Today is the full moon night".

I should be happy that I will get to go back home but something had just died within me. Dan, I will be separated from you. What will happen to our beyond and forever ending?

Love will follow. Love will show up unexpectedly. It will....

"Anna, were you again lost?"

" No, I was just wondering that to-day I will finally get to go back home and see my step dad. He must be worried ".

" Yeah, he must be".

" Then, let's wait for the night to set it, Dan".

I wore my hood and striped jeans. I was ready to face it. The sinking feeling doesn't go away.

It was night. The moon was glancing at us with its silvery gaze. Dan brought the mirror. We stood in front of the balcony. He asked me to hold the ruby pendant and then he picked the mirror up. The reflection of the ruby fell on the mirror and the pendant touched the mirror. Suddenly, there were sparkles everywhere. Fireworks in the silvery light. I could see my house in the mirror. Dan spoke, "Did you see something?"

"Hmm, yeah I do".

"Touch the mirror then. It will transport you to your realm ".

I touched the mirror. It started to suck my hand into it. The glass just dissolve into a portal. I wanted to have a last kiss. I want to say goodbye to Dan. But before I could, there I was standing in front of a gate. It was my home. It was evening. Aunt Tina opened the door and exclaimed, "Anna, thank God. You are safe, my dear".

She embraced me and pulled me inside the house. I was standing in the hall. Dad came and hugged me. I could see his teary eyes. He whispered in my ears, "Thank God thank him so much. My love is alright. I was so worried, dear".

Aunt Tina called in the police and they took my statement. I said, "I jumped off the bike because he wasn't stopping it. I was afraid, officers. I walked a long distance and now, I finally reached here".

"No more questions, officers. Please let Anna have some peace of mind", interrupted Aunt Tina.

Officers gave a nod to my aunt. They left us and Dad went to finish the paperwork to the police station. I was resting on my bed. Aunt Tina entered and sat beside me. She kissed my forehead. I got up. She asked, "Anna, I know it's been hard for you but don't get yourself involved in such dangerous stuff ever again" .

"Yes aunt Tina, I never intended to . I just don't know what I was thinking when I hitched a ride".

"Anna, you have your final exams coming up and you should pay attention to studies. Dear, you need to graduate from high school".

"Yeah. I know that, aunt Tina".

"Now, come on let's have dinner together".

"What is the matter, aunty? "

" It's been a long time dear. Perhaps, since you finally look happy , Anna ".

I thought that our time zones are a bit different. The Doumore Kingdom is few hours ahead of us. Dan, I miss you so much already. I wish you could join me at the dinner table.

After a month, it was the graduation day. I finally made it. I stood there with my family clicking photos of me in my apparel. They were so happy. I suddenly felt an urge to puke. I puked everything in the garbage can nearby. I have been puking since the last week. I thought that I was suffering from food poisoning. Aunt Tina took me to a doctor and the doctor gave her a bad news. The doctor said, "Your niece organs look different, not humane

Shoot! Now I am in a great mess. Why it was always me?

" Oh my god ", exclaimed Aunt Tina.