When It Begins

Where is platform 9 3/4?

I let out a tired sigh. The day could not  get more boring. I held the hand of the 13 year old boy and showed him the way.

The silence was getting on my nerves so I asked him the question that was loitering around in my mind for quite a while.

"Did you always dream of becoming a spiritor?"

He looked down at me. The fact that a 13 year old was about 5 inches taller than me agitated me. I suddenly wished I'd worn heels.

"Ummm...not really, but I've always liked fighting. And when my mom told me about my ancestors being spiritors and how they fought evil beings from the other dimension, I immediately decided that I'd be one too, when I grow up. Didn't know it would happen so quickly though."

"Well," I replied "We are low on warriors right now and even after the dark war the number of spirits entering our world has been increasing exponentially. Also its never too late to learn the proper techniques of combat."

The boy chuckled to himself.

"The dark war is such a cliche name. Couldn't you guys come up with a better name?"

I let out a laugh at that.

"Well we have brilliant scientists and warriors, but we do lack at the literature department."

At that moment, a feeling of dejection settled in me. I loved to write when I was young. I expressed all my emotions through words. I wished I could still do that now. Make up new worlds, swirl in a bit if romance married with poetry, and let my imagination run wild.

But I can't now. Too many responsibilities, too many people putting their trust on me.

That brought my thoughts to another image. I almost forgot his face but seems like he is always there in the back of my mind. Unkept, messy white hair, striking eyes of dark brown, almost black, dimples that could be visibly seen from 10 feet away whenever he laughed and his carefree attitude. He never took any responsibilities. Called himself a free spirit. I wish he hadn't gotten lost with the wind so soon. I wish I could have spent time with him, cause that year with him was the best year of my life, and I know, happiness like that would never come to me again.

" Val! Val! Are you even listening to me?" The boy said, interrupting my train of thought and bringing me back to reality.

"Uh, yeah, sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you where platform 9 3/4 is."

"Platform 9 3/4?" I asked  him quizzically.

"Yes, like in Harry Potter!!!! The station that will get us to the dome."

I let out a hearty laughter.

"There is no platform 9 3/4 kid. We are just going to Alaska."

"Isn't the Dome supposed to be hidden from human sight?"

"It is hidden, but it is not located in a magical country, Alec. Its in Alaska."

His face fell.

"Oh, how sad. I didn't know the spirit world is so mundane, or I'd have never joined."

He made a face at me, and I laughed for the third time today.