The Irene Girls

The Irene Dimension

"Dad, what are you doing?" Avalon asks her father.

"I'm finally going to open the portal!" Avalon's father says excitedly. Avalon knows what he means, she is proud of her father and exited as well.

"What's a portal?" Asks Marie, Avalon's best friend.

"It's a gateway between two dimensions, I've finally figured out how to open it! A lifetime of work, and I will be the first scholar to ever see Irene's dimension, and you girls get to watch this glorious moment in history!" Avalon's father says happily.

"Mom would be proud dad." Avalon says giving her father a small grin.

Avalon's father brushed Avalon's stray black hair behind her ear. "You look just like her too." It is true, Avalon's long black hair, pale skin, and brown eyes all resemble her mother's features. Marie however has long wavy hair that is dark brown, with green eyes, and slightly tan skin.

"Come now Avalon, Marie, it's time." Avalon's father says standing in the area to preform the ritual.

Avalon's father begins to preform a ritual while the girls sit in the green grass watching in awe. By the time Avalon's father finishes the sun has begun to set. A red portal surrounded in white stone appears and Avalon's father is ecstatic, then he falls to his knees gasping for air. Avalon runs over and lays her father on the ground gently, "Dad? Dad? Daddy!" She shouts with tears running down her face. "Dad don't leave! You're all I have left, please!" Avalon's voice is cracking from all the tears. Her father gathers the strength to lift his arm, and brush a stay hair behind Avalon's ear once again. "I love you, Avalon." Are the last words her father would ever speak.

Avalon stands up and begins to walk towards the portal. "Where are you going?" Marie asks while wiping away tears, Avalon's father was like her father as well, even if they aren't blood related. "I'm not letting my father die for nothing. I'm going to the Irene dimension with or without you." Avalon says sternly. "With you it is." Marie says with a empathetic grin, she knows what it's like to lose a parent. Marie isn't going to leave her alone, not now, not ever. They have been friends since before they could remember, they are like sisters.

Avalon walks through the portal then disappears, Marie grabs a journal and pencil Avalon's father had brought then walks through only seconds later. When they walk in they are surrounded in nothing but beautiful white stone, and in front of them stands a gorgeous white castle decorated with some purple. Marie doesn't spend anytime taking in the scenery, she writes it all down, every last detail she sees.

Avalon walks into the castle and Marie follows close behind while still writing. Marie can hear Avalon sniffing but says nothing. They explore the castle top to bottom, no wall untouched, no door unopened. Marie is nearing the end of the journal. Her hand is sore and she has gotten tired, at one point she got Avalon to write for her for twenty minutes or so.

Avalon isn't okay, she just doesn't have time to dwell on her father's death right now. All she wants to do is preserve her father's memory as a great man, someone worth remembering. Marie has finally reached the end of the journal, "Avalon we should go get another journal." Marie's says handing Avalon the journal. "Right, let's retrace our steps and go back." Avalon says flatly.

The girls have been so busy writing things down that they got lost on the way back. After another twenty minutes of navigation they finally find a path they recognize. When walking through the main entrance room again Avalon asks, "Did we write about the floating stone?" Marie takes the journal from Avalon's grip and flips to the front of the journal. "Yes, in great detail. I feel it may be important." Marie says pointing to the stairs which led to the pedestal.

Marie is quickly skimming through the journal she wrote when she walks into Avalon. "Avalon? Is something wrong?" Marie asks concerned. Marie looks over Avalon's shoulder and is terrified, the portal is gone.