“You have to knock four times on the surface of an area that swings back and forward, like a door, or a window,” Mr. Moon explained. Jade and Noah were sitting down in the kitchen, George in his cat form, sitting on Noah’s shoulders. “It takes practice but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it.”
“Just four knocks?”
“Well, it’s more than that. You have to draw your element from inside,” Mr. Moon explained.
“How do I do that?” she asked.
“You have to close your eyes, and think of the place you want to go. It takes new Dividers a few moments to get the hang of it, but soon enough you’ll be in and out, and not even think about it,” Mr. Moon explained. “Would you like to see another world? What time does your dad get home?”
“He’s suppose to be home at six, but he’s been getting around eight, nine, this week.”
“Perfect,” Mr. Moon rubbed his hands together. “Where do you want to go?”
Jade laughed. “I know nothing about these . . . Realms. I know about the Capital.”
“No, no, pick something, like . . . do you want to see a village, a forest?”
“Is their forest like ours?”
“Well . . . for the most part,” Noah explained. “Maybe not the moving trees.”
Jade’s mouth dropped. “Moving . . . Trees? No, I feel like I would get lost. Can we go to a village?”
Mr. Moon smiled, “I’ll take you to my favorite village.”
Noah and George were asked to stay behind while Mr. Moon opened the door to a quiet village just on the edge of sleeping for the night. Jade wasn’t as scared to walk into the door this time, in fact, she was excited. She couldn’t wait to see more of this world.
As Jade and Mr. Moon walked down the village sidewalk, Jade couldn’t help to feel like it was something from her world. There wasn’t anything different about this realm. In fact, if she wasn’t told about this, she would have thought it was a normal little town.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“I’m not sure if I can eat,” Jade admitted.
“Hard to take everything in?”
“Well,” she started to starch her head. “It just feels odd. Like, this is all here, it’s all been here for as long as I even been alive. Yet, how do we not know about all this. How have I never heard of any of this?”
“Don’t feel too bad, you and about 6 billion people don’t know about this place in your realm. You’re the newest world that was made. It was just made legal about 200 years ago to pass in a door to here.”
“So, you’re not from England?”
“Oh, I am. Just like you, I was born in this world.”
“In 1896?” Jade raised an eyebrow. She felt her heart sink, wondering if she should have said that. But to her surprise, he just laughed very loudly.
“Did that devil cat tell you?”
“George? Yeah, he said you were older than him.”
“Little jerk.”
“So . . . it’s true?”
“Yes, it’s true. I didn’t become a teacher until after World War Two. My brother suckered me into doing it. It wasn’t all my choice, but I suppose I am grateful for what he has done. Anyhow, enough about me and my boring life, lets eat. I know a great little restaurant just down this street.”
Soon enough, they stood in front of a café, with very few people in it. When Mr. Moon had opened the door, and was greeted like an old friend from the two people working inside.
“My friends,” Mr. Moon replied to their greetings.
“Cream Puddin Berry drinks on the house,” the woman from the back called. “I owe you one.”
“Thank you, Cranstellae.”
They took a seat in the corner, waiting on their drinks to come out. Mr. Moon explained how they knew each other. The owner had a case of trolls attack their café, and Noah and him took care of it. They like to wonder around and cause trouble, as Mr. Moon explained. It’s what they were breed to do.
So, Cranstellae, the owner, promised free drinks. She has said ‘I owe you one’ about 50 times now.
“Is that what Dividers do? Fight . . . those things?”
He laughed. “There is more. Just what life calls for really. Now Jade, even though you are a Divider, you still must live your normal common life. You must still have an education, possibly a job in your realm. I’m here to teach you how to use your elements. Noah, he wants to be a doctor one day. Though, that being said, you could also move over to any realm you want, and live life there. It’s up to you.”
“So, this is like an after-school activity?” Jade joked.
“In a way. Though, I wouldn’t put it on your college application.”
“Yeah, probably not.”
Mr. Moon kept staring at her, and smiling. He looked sad though, with his blue eyes tearing up. “You look so much like your mother.”
Jade’s heart starting racing. “I’m sorry?”
“The face, you have her nose. Your hair is darker, but other than that, you look just like her.”
“You know my mother?”
“Knew. She was my brother’s wife.”
“Your brother . . . . my . . .my dad?”
Mr. Moon looked away, looking lost in thoughts and memories. “John, your father, is my brother. I knew both of them. They were fine teachers.”
“Wait . . . you knew my mom? What was she like? Wait? You knew my dad? Your brothers! Wait-“
“It was a shock to see you. Even more shocking that we Connected. Usually that rarely happens with family. Not impossible, but rare. I wonder why the Spirits put us together. I suppose they guided Mr. Cooper to Denver so you could start your training.”
“So . . . we’re family?”
“I’m your uncle,” Mr. Moon smiled.
“What do you mean the Spirits put us together?”
“The six spirits, the ones from that story I told you about, they do that. They work in weird ways. I suppose that’s why nothing shocks me these days, as I am used to all of them.”
“Does Noah know?”
“About you being my niece? He does. Nothing to hide. Though, do not tell-“
“My dad, I know,” Jade nodded. Their drinks came out from the back, and brought to their table. The waitress was the owner’s daughter. She eyed Mr. Moon, smiling widely, and touching his arm too much. Jade just mixed her drink with her spoon. When the yippie waitress finally went away, Jade went on. “What were they like?”
“Pricilla was strong, very brave. She loved you very much. I saw you once as a baby, after you were born. That was the last time I saw you. John . . . he has had somethings happen to him. After the war, he wasn’t much the same. I haven’t spoken to him in a while.”
“The war?” Jade asked.
“The last Great Demon War. Runin, a demon, had almost taken over the Inbetween. Almost. He lost, and was trapped in a Red Box. No one knows were the box is however. It was lost during picking up after the war. I think a follower of Runin took it and ran.”
“How long ago was this?”
“About 35 years ago, maybe? 1980, around that time. The Historians would know better than me, and I was there. Funny what war does to you.”
“You were there?” Jade asked.
“So were your parents. Your father was the one to put Runin in the box.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. Wait . . . how old are my parents? Were they teachers like you?”
Mr. Moon laughed. “You catch on quick, that’s for sure. Yes, they were. They were the ones to push me into it, really.”
“They sound amazing,” Jade dreamily stated. She didn’t see Mr. Moon’s sad eyes, the one filled with memories and years of running. She didn’t see any of that. She took a drink of her glass, and swiftly put it back down.
Her cheeks had turned bright red. “Everything okay?” Mr. Moon asked.
“It’s really . . . really spicy,” Jade said, with her eyes tearing up.
“I’m get you some water,” Mr. Moon laughed, getting up from the table and heading to the kitchen in the back. Jade’s mouth was still burning. She tried to distract herself, looking around the café, looking outside the window.
She saw a kid on the other side of the street, staring right at her. They locked eyes for a second, and he disappeared.
ns 15.158.61.50da2
