Extra Chapter : A Mother’s Journey
**A World Apart**
A television blared in a dimly lit living room, the news anchor's voice filling the space. "It has been 11 years since the disappearance of 17-year-old Alex Johnson. Last seen talking to his mother, he is now assumed dead after years of fruitless searching."
A woman with dark brown hair like Alex's threw the remote at the old box TV, shattering the screen. Samantha, Alex's mother, collapsed into a chair by a wooden table, tears streaming down her face. "My sweet boy, where could you have gone?" she sobbed, her voice breaking.
She finally stood up, her eyes filled with despair, and reached for a rope hanging nearby. Just as she was about to end her life, she closed her eyes and felt a sudden breeze against her face. Her eyes snapped open, the room eerily silent. "What...?" she whispered.
She closed her eyes again, and the breeze returned, stronger this time. When she opened her eyes once more, a swirling portal materialized before her. Before she could react, she was falling through the sky.
**A New World**
Samantha screamed, "Someone help me! God, God, where the fuck am I?"
As she plummeted towards the ground, an eight-year-old boy named Joan caught her with a burst of magic. It was night, and she landed softly outside a cabin, staring up at the starry sky.
The boy looked down at her and said, "Hey lady, you know you fell out of the sky, right?"
Samantha scrambled to her feet, looking around in bewilderment. "Where the hell am I?" she demanded.
"The region of the dwarves, miss," Joan replied.
"Dwarves? What do you mean, dwarves? This isn't a Middle Earth novel," she said incredulously.
Joan tilted his head. "What's a Middle Earth novel?"
Samantha sighed. "A book. A fantasy world."
The boy smiled. "Well, welcome to my home," he said, climbing up into a chair. "Would you like some tea?"
**Meeting Joan**
As Samantha followed Joan inside, she couldn't shake the surreal feeling. The cabin was warm and cozy, the fire crackling in the hearth. Joan busied himself making tea.
"So, where is your mom?" Samantha asked.
"She's in the village getting herbs," Joan replied.
"And your dad?"
Joan's face grew somber. "I've never met him. My mom says he left not knowing she was pregnant with me. All I know is that his name is Alex."
Samantha's heart skipped a beat. "Alex? Is his name Alex Johnson by any chance?"
Joan's eyes widened. "Yeah, it is. How do you know my dad?"
Samantha's eyes filled with tears. "So you're my grandson," she whispered. "And I guess this is where my son ended up."
**A Family Reunited**
Joan's face lit up with curiosity. "Really? How did you get here?"
Before Samantha could answer, the door opened, and Lyra walked in, her arms filled with herbs. "I'm home, son," she called out, then froze at the sight of Samantha. "Who are you?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.
Joan quickly stepped forward. "Stop, Mom. It's Dad's mom."
Lyra's expression shifted from suspicion to shock. "What? You're his mother?"
Samantha nodded, her voice trembling. "Yes, it's a long story."
As they sat around the table, Samantha recounted the events that had brought her here. Lyra listened intently, her face softening with each word.
When Samantha finished, Lyra took a deep breath. "You can live with us until Alex arrives. But he won't be here for four years. If we send a letter, it will take two years to reach him and another two years for him to come back."
Samantha nodded, tears of relief and gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you. I can wait."
**A New Hope**
As the days turned into weeks, Samantha adjusted to her new life in this strange world. She formed a bond with her grandson, Joan, and grew closer to Lyra, sharing stories and memories of Alex. The waiting was hard, but the newfound family gave her hope and strength.
In the evenings, they would sit by the fire, talking about the adventures that awaited them when Alex finally returned. Samantha felt a sense of purpose she hadn't felt in years, knowing that one day, she would be reunited with her son.
This concludes the Extra Chapter.