24 Dreams Of You And Me

27) Ingredient 2? Check.

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
-John Quincy Adams

***

Levi and Alyssa walked out of the house. There was no one to be seen.

"I have so many questions, I don't even know where to begin." Levi said as Alyssa spotted a car in the distance.

"Can you hot-wire a car?"

Levi followed her gaze and smiled. "Cars are my thing, sweetheart."

They went over to it and Levi got to work. "Let's take it sequence wise. First Odette."

"Um," Alyssa said as she checked the car, "the gold eyed Odette said the real Odette was long gone when we went inside the building."

"Right, and she never attacked while she had the chance. The first time we saw her real eyes wasn't an illusion."

"So what? Soldiers change forms now? Where's the real Odette then?"

"Dead probably."

Alyssa's eyes snapped at him. She leaned her elbows on the car top. "What?"

"The only possible story I can think of is that Odette was killed by some soldier, who took her form when we went inside and then you know what happened."

"Actually, I don't. Levi." She sighed and closed her eyes as she bowed her head in her hands.

"Max certainly wasn't either of our tribe member. Most probably a European."

"How'd he find us? Why'd he help us? Why'd he disappear? He didn't believe we were working together." Alyssa said. "Because we really shouldn't. If mom or dad knew-"

"They'll know or care only if you're alive. We need each other to stay alive. We pulled up six days. It's no child's play."

"But mom always-"

"Stop being so obedient to them suddenly, Alyssa. I know you feel like whatever you said proved to be wrong, so what they said must be right but trust me, it is not right. Not every single thing at least."

The car's engine started and Levi slammed the hood down and looked at her. She still had her eyes closed.

"The sun will be down soon. Let's go and get the bark." He said and she lifted herself up.

"Let's roll."

....

8:30 PM

Alyssa carefully picked out the leaves as Levi set up a bowl and a found a matchbox.

"Get sunflower oil." She said to Levi and placed the bark and the herb in the bowl.

He brought the oil and poured it in with the other ingredients. "Hurry up. I really hope this works."

"Same." She inhaled and mixed them well. The paste turned a whitish colour. Placing the bowl at the window so that moonlight fell straight onto it, she closed her eyes and spoke in a foreign, ancient language.

"Ashun para, vahela vahela."

Levi lit the match and dropped it in. The paste immediately combusted and the smoke formed a pattern and then manifested into a human figure.

Ruby Westwood.

"It worked!" Alyssa laughed.

"Who's she?" Levi asked as Ruby seemed to awakened from a deep sleep.

"My best friend. Ruby."

"Alyssa?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"Yes, now listen. I'm trapped in some kind of alternate universe. You have to go back and bring me some soil from Earth. The legitimate, real and authentic soil, Ruby. Straight from the ground."