Chapter 10

Amira was ,needless to say, surprised.

She went up to her room without saying anything else.
She was given dinner in her room and while she tore into it, hungry from all the walking around, she thought about what her mother had said.

It was definitely not what she expected.
And what did her mother mean when she said they believed her? Shouldn't there be some shock involved?
How could they be so calm?
In all the TV shows she had watched and the books she had read, every time someone got some powers or found out something, there was always some shock involved.

But this... it seemed to be expected. And it creeped her out.

Finishing her dinner, she took her favorite book from the shelf.

Reading Eragon had always managed to calm her down.

Lost in the book, she did not notice the time passing by. It was only when her phone beeped signalling for bedtime that she noticed the time.
She closed the book, getting up to brush her teeth.

Returning, changing into her pajamas, she slumped onto her bed.
Pulling the blanket over her head, she fell into what she hoped would be a dreamless sleep. But she knew who was waiting for her at the other end.


And slowly falling asleep, she found herself alone, on the dark, misty road. 

Chapter 9 - The Man

She did not notice her parents standing behind the man, nor her sister.
She also did not see the look of hatred in her sisters eyes, almost as if she had taken something she deserved.


The man gently removed himself from the grasp of Amira, looking at her face, his eyes meeting hers finally.
He smiled at her, his eyes coated with a layer of tears. He stroked his bushy yet well kept beard and then took her by her hand.

They walked together into her living room, where her parents had returned to earlier.

They were seated on the white sofa at the corner. Rima seemed to be engrossed in her phone, tapping at the screen.
Her parents looked sufficiently angry and she assumed it had something to do with her being late and also the strange man she had been hugging a minute ago.

Once they both were seated, her mother looked at her.
'Explanations. Now.'

As Amira started to speak, he cut in between.'I'd like to introduce myself Mrs. Mithra.'

'Haven't we already done that, Maanav? ', her mother asked. She seemed to be annoyed.

He smiled back at her sheepishly, nodding.

She nodded at him, cold and distant and then turned her head, looking at Amira expectedly.

'Uh.. mom...', she seemed to find issue with opening up.
'Today, dear', her dad said, a faint smile at his lips.

'Mom... Dad... this is gonna sound crazy but I know him from a dream.'
Their eyes widened a bit and a look of skepticism cut through.
And she explained to them, what had happened earlier today.

They sat back, listening to each and every word she said with rapt attention.
Even Rima had stopped her annoying typing and was listening in closely.

Once she was done, her parents looked at each other.

Standing up, her dad escorted him to the front door.
They talked something in hushed tones and she heard him leave.

Her mom came up to her. Her face was blank, but the words she said contained anger in them.
'You're grounded. Until we let you, you can't leave the house'

'But Mom...', she tried to reason, pleading.
'No Buts. Have your dinner and go to your room.'

She heard Rima snigger when their mother said that. Amira paid no attention to it, even though their mother did glance in Rima's direction.

'Look I know you guys must think all this is crazy and that I'm lying... but believe me... I am not lying!'
Her frustration was understandable, because she believed that her parents did not believe what she had said.

Her mother's eyes suddenly softened, her hands caressing Amira's face.
'That's the problem my dear. We believe you.' 

Chapter 8- The Surprise

Amira stood, transfixed, unable to process what had just happened.
The old man... she could not understand who he was. The people around him, the stone at the center of the circle, everything confused her. It made her mind go wild with theories and what they could be doing there.


She walked out from the building, the door closing shut behind her on its own.
She noticed the detailing in gold on the door... it seemed to be of a language she couldn't understand.

Walking away from the building, going over everything that had happened to her in the room, Amira just knew that Something or someone was behind this and that all this was way more huge that she could imagine.


The sun had travelled his course for the day, hanging low on the horizon. He painted the sky a shade of red, a color so irresistible, that all she wanted to do was stay there forever, staring at it.

She remembered the draganoid from the other world, his horns gleaming in the sun. A sense of loss washed over her, because she sensed that she could have learnt so much more from him.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't know her feet walking on, retracing her steps back to her home.

She found her parents cars in the driveway, the lights on in the house.

Amira knew today was going to be rough at home. She was way more late than she usually ever was. And Rima was rarely ever a help. She couldn't lie and she never would.

Ringing the bell of the house, she waited for someone to open the door. Amira could see someone walk up to the door, hesitation in every footstep.

Slowly, the door creaked open, the light from inside shining out to the front porch.

Amira was, to say the least, pleasantly surprised to see the person behind the door. She ran in, hugging him, a huge smile plastered on her face. Her eyes showed tears, her laugh echoing throughout the house. He hugged her back, his arms holding her, a strained smile at his face.