Beyond Orcus

Chapter 2

(note: Juniper is nonbinary their pronouns are they/them)

"What's it like up there?" continued Alex.
"You'll see. " he whispered.

Just then, the oldster began to walk away.
Alex suddenly feels a pain in her heart and falls asleep almost instantly.
She woke up a little later, still on a public bench, to the metallic sound of shutters opening in a café across the street.
The person opening the shutters was Juniper, an employee of the café. They were looking at Alex through the window.

"What a weird girl. Why was she sleeping on that bench? Is she a homeless person? I've never seen her before." says Juniper to themself.
They set up all the tables and chairs in the room while thinking aloud.
"No, definitely not. I would have recognized a girl with dyed blue hair and a pretty cool outfit. I would have seen her if she had been here before!"
They stare at her as they turn on the lights and open the coffee.
"Oh, shit, I think she saw me! Okay, stay cool, stay cool," says them trying to be more confident when the blue-haired girl enters the café.

Alex walks into the café and approaches the coffee shop employee.

"Hi, hum, excuse me?"
"Hi, what do you want? A coffee? A tea? A hot chocolate? There's everything you want and more right here."
"Oh, no, it's not that. In fact, can you tell me where we are? I am kind of lost."
"Uh, okay. We're in a coffee shop in Freyton." answers Juniper judging her question.
"What did you say? Freyton? Where is that we are not in Cabra anymore?"
"No miss, we are on Orcus in Freyton. "
"Okay, hum. Sorry, what's your name?"
"Juniper Grant, nice to meet you. And you are?"
"Alex Swanson."
They shake hands.
"Juniper, you have to help me get to my planet."
"What? Your planet?" asks Juniper surprised.

Alex sits down on a couch in the corner of the room. Juniper joins her.

"Okay, Swanson, there is no way you are from another planet."
"Juniper, trust me. You told me earlier that we were on Orcus, right?"
"Yes, but..."
"But I wasn't born on Orcus. I was born on Earth!" adds Alex cutting Juniper short
"On Earth?"
"Yeah, you know the blue planet blah blah."
"I know, I know, but how... Ok, I'll help you. Stay here. Let me finish my shift. We’ll go to my friends' apartment. They will be able to help you."
"Yeah, okay. I'll wait here until you finish your work.” says Alex anxious about what will happen next.

Juniper returns to the counter, greets the customers, and leaves Alex on the couch with a warm, comforting latte.