Meet in The Space Between ✔️

4

I'm living on the wildside, wildside
No telling what I might find, might find
No stopping 'cause it feels right, feels right
___________________

MAL WAS lying on her bed, elbows propped up as she doodled in her notebook.

Mal and I shared a room across the hall from Dizzy and Evie. It was only our 'summer home', but Mal had already decorated the walls with drawings and random posters she picked up at the library. She was definitely an 'artsy' person, considering all the times she's drawing or reading.

"I'm gonna go say goodnight to Dizzy and Evie." Mal said, getting up, "Well, if they're not asleep already."

I chuckled. "Hey." I called before she made it out of the door. "Can I take a look at your sketches?"

"Sure." Mal said brightly, leaving me alone in our room.

I reached over to her bed to grab the notebook, then sat down and flipped through the pages. It was filled with drawings of shields, trees, skeletons and just about any random thing you could think of. I smiled at the sketches from today's trip. Mal managed to capture the tone of the streets so well.

Suddenly, something caught my eye.

A purple dragon, curled up in a way that it formed a perfect circle. It's teeth were bared, eyes sharp. There were dozens of dragon doodles but this one looked so familiar...

I stood up and grabbed my jacket that was draped over my bed stand. It was the same jacket from today, and I knew I didn't empty the pockets. I fished out the pocket watch that girl had given me this morning and sat back down on my bed.

I was right. The dragon carved on the back of it completely matched Mal's drawing.

I must've been tense, cause my whole body jumped when Mal opened the door.

"What's gotten into you?" Mal laughed lightly as I sighed in relief.

"This." I explained as she took a seat next to me and saw me pointing at her dragon drawing. "What is this?"

Mal frowned slightly. "That was a very old sketch." She paused before continuing, "That dragon is my mom's symbol. I kind of used her symbol to design mine, but mine is shaped in a heart..."

I stopped listening halfway through.

Her mom's?

"Why'd you ask?" Mal questioned.

I handed her the pocket watch. "This girl at that weird shop gave it to me."

"What?" Mal looked as shocked and confused as I was, running her thumb on the symbol. "Woah." She said.

"Do you think it's your mom's?" I asked.

"I mean- yeah." Mal replied, "But how did it manage to get outside the barrier, let alone into that store?"

"I don't know."

And a part of me wants to find out.

Suddenly, Mal opened the lid of the pocket watch and a bright purple light shone in our faces, making us duck behind our arms.

"What in the-"

When the light disappeared, I looked down and saw a clock, just as I expected. But the time was off, and there were words on the inside of the lid that read:

Come back

Well now I'm even more creeped out.

"That was Maleficent's magic." Mal said, looking solemn, "I know it when I see it."

"That does it." I stood up, catching Mal's notebook before it slid off my lap, "I'm going back."

"Back to the shop?" Mal asked, standing up as well.

"Yeah. Tomorrow." I was surprised by the determination in my own voice, "I want answers."

"Fine, but I'm coming with." Mal declared, grabbing my hands.

My first instinct was no. But this was Maleficent Bertha- she doesn't take no for an answer. And a part of me wanted the company.

"Alright." I smiled, "I hope you drive better than Jay."

Mal rolled her eyes, then laughed. "For sure." She answered, "Just the two of us though, cause I miss that."

I smiled wider. I liked the idea of a trip with Mal, maybe even a little mischief. That has always been our thing. Summer's been boring as heck, might as well go on adventure with the best person to go on an adventure with.

I hugged her. "I can't wait." I squealed quietly.

"Me too." She replied, a wicked grin on her face, "And I can't wait to know the story behind that." She motioned to the pocket watch and I nodded.

I was up early the next morning, delighted by the aroma of pancakes coming from the kitchen. I shook Mal's sleeping body, too excited to care if she'd skin me alive for waking her up. She groaned in response, but finally obeyed.

"Good morning, you two." Evie said cheerfully when we appeared in the kitchen, "Keep it down. Dizzy's still asleep."

"Blueberry pancakes." Mal grinned, immediately digging in. I did the same.

"Why are you both already dressed?" Evie asked, genuinely curious.

Mal twirled her fork between her fingers and answered with "We're just going on a joyride on the motorcycle Ben gave me."

Evie raised her eyebrows. "I'm glad you found something to do- good for you!"

"What will you be up to?" I asked the blue haired girl, before pointing at my plate and adding, "These are so good."

"Thanks. And I'll probably be working on designs again."

"Sounds fun." Mal smirked.

Once the pancakes were devoured, Mal and I said goodbye to Evie, left the cottage and went to her purple motorcycle that was parked at the curb.

"Ready to solve a mystery, Isle Orphan?" She smirked, handing me a helmet.

I laughed.

"So ready."