BEYOND

26

Jane Woodruff {2nd day of second moon, 754Q}

"WHAT!" shouted Jane; she could not believe what was happening before her, how come someone is mad all of a sudden?

"You have just become mad Gienne, it's not memory loss", said Jane looking at Gienne.

"No, I am not mad Jane, it's the truth", said Gienne

"What truth? Are you telling me that someone with the name, Sara, just possessed Gienne's body?", asked Jane.

"Yes", replied Gienne 

"No, you should consult a doctor, someone who can cure your madness"

"I am not Gienne, my name is Sara Jacob, I just don't know how, but all of a sudden I am in this girl's body, I couldn't grasp what was happening, all I could do was just agree with Mrs. Higgins, Believe me, I am telling the truth, why would I act as if I am someone else?"

 Jane could not believe it, she did feel that something was off with Gienne, she ignored all of that, thinking that it's due to her friend's memory loss, but never in her mind had she thought that it must be due to possession

"Are you telling me, my friend Gienne is gone?"

"I don't know where Gienne is, but I am not her, I have a family back there in my world"

"Your world?" this time it was Madam Rinley who asked the question.

"yes , I am not from Spacia, the place where I come from there is no magic, no witches, and we don't speak this language, I don't know how but I can understand what you are saying, but I don't know to read it", said Gienne

"So you did cross the portal", said Madam Rinley.

"Portal?" asked Jane  

"I too am not well aware of the portal, but there is a gate that connects different worlds and Gienne here, no Sara here must have crossed the portal", said Madam Rinley

"Is there a way for me to go back?" asked Gienne(Sara Jacob)

"I don't know dear, but if you need to go back, we would have to find the slider", said Madam Rinley

"Slider? What slider?" asked Jane.

"Girls, there are a lot of things that you don't know about this world, slider is the one who operates the portal that connects different worlds, and if Gienne has crossed the portal the only way to bring her back is to find the slider, maybe he could help"

"So where is this slider?" asked Gienne(sara Jacob)

"I don't know, I only know that the portal is somewhere in the Brimoires lake. where the slider is? I don't know, it won't be easy to find the one who operates the portal, I have been searching for him for years, but nothing, I couldn't even get any information about him"

"So does this mean I can't go back to my world?" asked Gienne, whose eyes were now teary.

"Don't worry dear, I can't promise you to take you back to your world, if we can find the slider there is hope", said Madam Rinley

"But how am I going to find the slider?" asked Gienne

"I will help you, but till the time we find the slider, you will have to stay here in Spacia as Gienne"

"Wait......, Madam Rinley, did you know that Gienne was from other world?" asked Jane.

"I had some doubts, I needed to confirm it, that's also one of the reasons I wanted you to bring her here", said Madam Rinley to Jane.

"So where is the original Gienne? My friend" asked Jane.

"Don't know, either she must have crossed the portal, or she must have died", said Madam Rinley

"What?" shouted Jane.

"yes", turning to face Gienne whose face showed that she was concerned and sad , Madam Rinley continued, "Gienne ,I am sure we can find a way for you to go back , till that time you have to be patient"

Gienne just nodded her head in a yes

Jane was feeling confused, 'different worlds', 'portals', 'sliders', all these words were new to her, she just did not know how to respond to such knowledge all she could do was believe whatever Madam Rinley had just told.

"Both of you should keep this a secret, do not utter a single word about what we have talked here, got it" asked Madam Rinley

"Yes madam" replied Jane who was now confused so much that she could not even think properly, her mind was now filled with lots of questions

'Why would Madam Rinley help Gienne?, oh not Gienne, but Sara , who is inside the body of her best friend, Madam Rinley never does things that do not profit her. what is this other world like? was her friend just making up stories? or has everyone except her gone mad, maybe it can be the other way around she must be the one who had gone mad', Jane's mind was now filled with all kinds of thoughts.

"Jane,  from tomorrow on bring Gienne along with you to the school"

"Why?"

"Do not ask me why, just bring her here, I am sure she can help me find the slider"

"Yes, ma'am" , said Jane.