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Chapter 8
Relief and satisfaction rolled over Cal. Another performance done—it was one less thing to worry about. The weather seemed to affirm her mood. Leaves swept across the sidewalk and crackled under her feet as the cool autumn air washed over her. The bright day was slowly giving way to a setting sun. She inhaled before letting the air slowly out of her lungs, which intensified her feelings of exhilaration. Even though it was nearly October, the jacket she brought with her was stowed away, not needed yet.
She and Maggie had just finished a performance in the university’s auditorium this evening. When they managed to break away from the backstage crowd, they’d decided to head home. Lugging their assorted instruments and accouterments out of the building, they made for Maggie’s car.
“Ouch, Cal, watch it.” Maggie tried to rub her elbow where the guitar case had hit but couldn’t because of her full hands.
Cal straightened from her stagger. “Sorry.”
Turning, Maggie stumbled under the weight of her belongings and crashed into Cal.
“Maggie!”
“Oops. Just returning the favor.”
Cal, a retort on her lips, stopped abruptly. A rippling fog, made of a mist that carried the glistening of minuscule stars, began to appear before them. It would’ve been a beautiful sight if she hadn’t known what it was.
They both stood still as Maggie choked out, “Is that what I think it is? I’m pretty sure it is, but I still need a reality check.”
Cal nodded. She couldn’t believe Maggie saw it, too. “This looks like the same one.”
“But I can see it! You said nobody ever noticed it but you. This is getting strange—well, stranger than it had been and that’s saying something.”
Cal looked at her, feeling the frown form between her eyebrows. “It’s the same mist.” She bit her lip. “Should we try to turn around and hope to outrun it? Maybe it’ll leave us alone. I don’t want to involve you.”
“Do you really believe that the mist will disappear without it doing what it came here to do?” Maggie shot back.
“No.”
“All right then, that’s agreed upon. As for being involved, I already am by the mere fact that I know. And, not to mention, because I can see it. So don’t worry about me. Anyway, you shouldn’t always have to face this by yourself. If this thing...mist wants your company, it’ll also have mine, if I have any say in it. I’m not leaving you.”
From Maggie’s tone of voice, Cal knew she wanted in on any action that might happen, no matter the cost. “I just hope you won’t regret it.” She eyed the mist. It seemed to expand and reach out toward them like a beckoning hand.
“Nah, how could I regret an adventure with you? Nothing exciting ever happens to me, so I have to take advantage of excitement wherever I find it. And if I do seriously regret it, I won’t have anybody to blame but myself.”
“You’re saying you have to live vicariously through me?” She spared Maggie the briefest of glances before she looked back at the fog.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,”
Maggie’s words barely registered. When the cool mist enveloped them, Cal shrieked and Maggie joined in. Even though she’d seen it coming, she wasn’t prepared for the reality of it. And neither was Maggie, apparently.
They turned to each other, dropping their instrument cases on the sidewalk that frighteningly disappeared beneath them. All too soon, their feet touched nothing but the insubstantial fog. Her breath stilled, and her heart hammered. As the cloud lifted them higher, it shrouded the ground below. Neither she nor Maggie fell. Same for their cases. Relief flooded her. At least, they might not have to worry about plummeting to their death.
Maggie grabbed her arm and held onto it tightly. “U...uh, Cal, where do you think this is taking us?”
Cal winced. Maggie had a strong grip, and her fingers felt like they were digging holes in her arm. She pried open her friend’s fingers. “I don’t know where this magic carpet is taking us.”
“To your elf prince? Maybe it has something to do with this?” She reached over to touch the bracelet on Cal’s wrist.
Cal sent her a grim smile before shivering. The mist hadn’t seemed so cold and damp before. “I think the probability of that is high, don’t you agree?”
“Yeah, I figured as much.” Maggie sighed before perking up. “Well, at least the ride is smooth. It hardly feels like we’re moving at all.”
An ironic bark of laughter escaped Cal. “Our very own amorphous inter-dimensional space ship. The mist is not only a translucent mirror between worlds but apparently a vehicle from one reality to another.”
“Yeah, your ‘real’ meeting with Relian supports that theory. We could’ve been billionaires on Earth with this little piece of magical technology in our pockets.”
A horrible thought crept over her and stole her voice. When she could finally speak, her voice came out husky. “I wonder if we’ll ever see Earth or our families again.”
