The Darkness Throughout: Book Two of the Andra Kingdom series [On Hold]

Chapter 2

"Sherri, that just isn't working for you girl." Linda sighed

"What?" I looked down at the purple, slightly baggy, sweater I was wearing. 

"It's just so...90's." She replied with a grimace. 

I sighed deeply. It was probably true. Ever since I had left Andra I hadn't had the greatest grasp on what was "in" or not. Magic could create it, but I was the one that imagined it. I suppose using those old Sears catalogues as reference? 

"Well, I happen to like it." 

"Alright girl." Linda replied in a huff, flipping her medium length curly blond hair. "But you know, you're never going to get past the first sate with Greg dressed like that." She said this while continuing to flip through the magazine rack outside the little grocery store while I picked out a few fruits and vegetables. This world did have a lot of food in it, fresh food at that. But you had to pay so much for it! And it all tasted as if it had been tainted with some poison. I was told it was some sort of chemical. Crazy world this 21st century was.

"I am not going to go out with Greg! I already to you that and I already told him that." It wasn't that Greg wasn't a good looking man or that he wasn't kind. I just...couldn't. It felt wrong to date someone from this world. And who knew how long I could stay anyway? Every moment I was here a great amount of time passed at home, and who knows what was happening there? But I was safe here. Andra was safer with me here.

"Ahh, come on! He's so gorgeous! You need a fun night out, and I'm sure Greg is the man to give you one!" She exclaimed causing a few passerbyers to glance our way with annoyance.

"Yeah yeah. Linda, I'm fine being single, I don't need a man to--" I dropped the apple I had been studying as a weird sensation came over me. Someone was here...someone from Andra. I looked around wildly, the excitement that someone from my home was here overcame all rational thought that they could in fact be one of Nahriska's men, or worse. 

My action did not go unnoticed by Linda. "Hun, what's wrong?"

I stopped moving wildly around, and instead grabbed Linda and pulled her into the store.  "Sherri, what are you doing?"

"I--I just wanted to" I felt it again, this time it was stronger though, they were nearer. Much closer than before. I had to get Linda away from me before that. I couldn't risk her getting hurt. Just as I was about to send her off, I felt it once more. But it was too late. I had underestimated how fast they had been moving. They must have been in a vehicle of some sort. "Linda, I'm sorry for whatever--" 

"Unhand me now! Who do ye think ye are?" I stopped. That voice...I automatically knew who's it was, how could I not? I had ruined the man's life. Not a day went by that I didn't feel the guilt from it. 

"What? What are you sorry for?" Linda asked. I looked around the door. There across the street he was being pulled out of police vehicle. Barely clothed and stumbling he was dragged inside the building. I stepped back into the building and leaned heavily against the wall. Roderick. He was here. He was alive. He was in a normal human form. But how? How had he gotten here? 

"Uh, nothing. Sorry. I was distracted. Look, I gotta go. I'm sorry, I'll call you later." I pulled her out of the store. Luckily the bus was there and was just about to leave, I quickly pushed her on.

"Sherri, what is going--"

"Sorry! I'll explain later!" I wouldn't. I tried not to use my magic too often, but in this situation I would have to so that she would ask any questions. I focused on her mind, and just like that, her concerned and confused face turned calm and serene. I saw her sit down just as the bus took off. Good, that was taken care of.