Above Reality

HOME SWEET HOME

Shannon was in her bedroom, back in her house. The vacations had begun. She left for Earth on the first bus she could get. But now she regretted coming early.

Her mother was not letting her go outside and every day she sent her, Anet, and Alan to Lila's house, and at times as they reached Lila's house. Emily asks them to stay there and not to move from there.

And she goes to Shannon's house. Which was very strange. Also, to hear Lila's taunt daily was not something Shannon wanted to happen on a vacation. She now wished to take Jinni's offer to come to her kingdom. As her elder brother's engagement was there. At least she need not be under house arrest if that was the case.

Shannon tried to make use of her vacation by spying on her parents. She desperately wanted to know why her mother sent her to the neighbor's house. What are her parents trying to hide?

A secret even Aunt Emily knows but she can't know. Shannon spent days going through her old photographs to see from which age she wore that ring. To her surprise, she found that she had that ring from the first photo taken in the hospital after her birth. It was hard to believe she wore it from the day she was born.

For a few days, she tried poking around her parent's bedroom to get a book on magical artifacts. She was sure that there would be one book mentioning the ring. But her mother always came around the bedroom and asked her to leave the room.

She was thinking deeply about the ring, how she was going to find answers, and the events that happened during the event. When her mother knocked on the door. 'Shannon, time to go to-

'Lila's house.' Shannon said completing the sentence.

'Good seems that I do not need to explain.'

'Maa, seriously.' Shannon said indignantly. 'I am tired of going there and what nonsense is this in the first place? I am here for a vacation to spend time with the people on earth and....

'and' Smitha repeated.

'You are putting me under house arrest.' Shannon yelled. 'Maa, I am tired of this.'

'It's going to be six in any minute Smitha.' Mahesh said from downstairs.

'You need to go Shannon. We will talk about it after you come.' Smitha said trying to reason with Shannon.

'Fine.' Shannon said in a delighted voice. 'You want me out of the house. So, I will go.'

'You are ready to go.' Smitha asked looking at Shannon suspiciously.

'But I decide where to go.' Shannon said taking her bicycle helmet out of a rope basket and keys from the drawer.

'Shannon, where are you going.'

'Maa, to the same place I always went at this time.' Shannon replied crossly. 'The beach, my friends will be there at this time. We always hang out at six o'clock on the beach.'

'That was before you-

'Before I went to Whitewood.' Shannon said interrupting Smitha. 'I can't afford to lose such good friends. Maa, even though I am not from Earth and this is not my planet. I will always see Earth as my first home, and the people here will be forever my friends and relatives. Please maa, let me go.'

Smitha looked at Shannon sympathetically and spoke. 'Go'. And she said in a warning manner. 'Be back before the sun is down.' Shannon smiled for the first time on coming back to earth. She hugged her mother and said 'thank you maa. You are the best.'

'Now go. Don't waste your time. It's already five past three-quarters of an hour. Do you need some 'magic teleportation' help?'

'Maa, on earth I am an ordinary girl with no powers and I want to do things the ordinary way. Like, going to the beach by using my bicycle. I didn't use this birthday gift of mine for a long time anyway.'

Shannon rode as fast as she could on her bicycle. On reaching the beachside she saw her three best friends sitting on the rocks where seawater splashed. 'Hello,' Shannon said sitting next to them.

'Shannon' they said together.

'How are you.' 'How is Light.' 'Did you make any new friends?' They asked showering Shannon with a lot of questions.

'One mouth and a hundred questions.' Shannon said teasingly.

'We heard from Anet that you are under house arrest.' Drishiya said.

'And what did you do this time, your mother kept you locked inside the house for more than a week. Usually, she does it only for two to three days. And most importantly how did you escape your mother's eagle eyes and come here.' Hannah asked.

'I came here with my mother's permission only and I do not know why she kept me locked inside the house.' Shannon replied. ' And I have three reasons for coming here.'

'Three reasons.' Hannah repeated.

'The first reason for coming here was to meet you all. The second reason was to get out of my house. The third reason is that I want to discuss one thing.' Shannon replied in a very calm manner.

'On what matter.' Mariya asked doubtfully.

'On Light' Shannon replied in a stern voice. 'On this ring.' she said showing the ring in her hands. 'On my parents, people in Light, and many other things.'

'Continue Shannon.' Mariya said. So, Shannon explained everything that happened after she went to Light. From the people she met and the things, she discovered there. She wanted to even say the story Arjun told her but she has given her word on never saying about it to anyone.

'Shannon, this is an unbelievable story.' Hannah said in surprise. 'That ring you are wearing has something really special about it.'

'Hannah, that is the only thing I know about this ring. I do not understand why I even need it. Why is it so necessary to put me under protection.'

'Protection of a child is something all parents do. You were sent to Light for the first time and you went alone. Maybe that is why they gave you such high protection.' Drishiya said trying to reason with Shannon.

'No, Drishiya. This is something else. Parents will be always worried about their kids but my story is completely different.'

'What is different in your story.' Hannah asked not able to understand Shannon.

'Not different exactly.' Shannon said. 'There are things I do not understand.' Shannon got up and spoke. 'There is a lot that's been hidden from me. My parents are hiding something. '

'What such secrets will be even there to hide from you? They live a simple life here.' Mariya said with a frustrated look.

'Can you give me one good reason why my parents started living on earth? This ring I have is not made of any ordinary power. If my parents had this in their possession. Then who are they in reality.'

'Have your mind completely stopped working? You are asking who your parents are in reality.' Drishiya asked interrupting.

'I meant what did they do when they were in Light? What was their job? Which family do I belong to.'

'That is a fact.' Drishiya replied.

'Not only this. My parents always try to change the topic of going to Light whenever Alan or Anet mentions it.'

'Maybe there is something they are hiding from you, after all.' Mariya suggested.

'Shannon, from the looks of it. I do not feel that uncle or aunty is going to say anything about it to you.' Mariya said indignantly. 'That boy named Arjun should know something about this ring. Because he found out it was the ring of the royal dragons even when your friends or teachers failed to recognize it.'

'Once you know about the ring then you can find out how it is connected to you and your parents.' Drishiya advised. 'Try talking to Arjun about it. Maybe there is a slight chance he knows about the ring.'

'That boy knows more than that.' Shannon said resentfully. 'Maybe he can have even answers for what is going on inside my house when the clock strikes six in the evening.'

'Are you sure he will know about- Hannah asked but Shannon interrupted her and spoke. 'He is not an ordinary boy. There is something about him. Which I will find out very soon.'