Codename: Angelus

Chapter 14 - The portal to the outer layer

Time passed sluggishly in the manor. There was not much else to do besides tending to the young lady’s needs — that being, try to smack some common sense into that thick head of hers. She was a spoiled, unruly, pesky — *brat*. They couldn’t have made a more unsavory NPC if they tried. I’m quite sure Mary Lennox, the character she had been modelled after, wasn’t *that* much of a brat.

I spent my nights talking with Claire, trying to come up with a way to go back to the outer layer - we were quite sure it was impossible to go right back to reality - and wondering why Claire’s legs wouldn’t budge.

“I’m pretty sure your nerves weren’t affected by you getting stranded here.”

“It’s still in the brain, the chip. I’m sure it’s the chip.”

“But your chip was hacked before!”

I spent my spare time in the library. It was still an eerie place but the books kept me company. Besides, it was a good place to retreat to and think.

Spring has come. And then, on a bright, sunny day of May it dawned on me. Oh, I was way too excited to wait for the night to come to to tell Claire. I wanted to tell her right away.

It was Sunday. The little lady always went for a walk on Sundays so I asked Lily to go in my stead — I told her I had a terrible headache, possibly the first symptoms of a cold.

“The book!” It had always been there, hidden in plain sight. “We *changed* it!”

Claire looked at me as if I had gone crazy.

“What are you doing here in broad daylight? What about the brat?”

“I sent her away with Lily — and Mrs. Churchill, that old-maid, is running her errands in town. We’re in the clear.”

“What were you rambling on? About a book?”

“The book we used to send the message, we *changed* it!”

“Uhm, duh! I was there. I know. What about it?”

“It’s the answer we’ve been searching for, all these months!”

“You’re giving me a headache. Stop pacing! And tell me in simple words!”

“I think we can *alter* reality — bend it to our needs.”

“I can’t even budge my legs!”

“It’s just a psychological trick. Look, just let your mind — I don’t know, go blank or something. Then try to move your legs.”

Claire let out a sigh, but it *was* worth a try. Besides, she had nothing else to do.

“All right, I’ll give it a try.”

She closed her eyes. Instead of thinking of moving her legs, she let her mind wander. A twitch in her right foot. She felt the ruggedness of the rustic bed linen. Then her legs moved! As naturally as they always did!

“Alice, you’re a genius!”

She got up and paced around the room. It felt wonderful to be standing on her feet again!

“This is —!”

She hugged me. Tears popped in her eyes.

“Come on. You’ll make me cry, too.”

“You said we should be able to alter reality?”

“We did. When we changed the book. And, look! You’re on your feet, now, aren’t you?”

“Yes — but, just make an entire *world* disappear...”

“Not make the world disappear. Just *leave* it. We just go back to where we were before.”