“Dolores, do you think this place is safe?"

As I was pondering if she was speaking about the cavern, she chuckled:

"I mean the world in general. It feels like I could live well and survive despite my weaker form. Is it not so?"

She stopped for a moment, waiting to see if I contradicted her, then continued after seeing that I kept silent:

"Since my presence seems to make you uncomfortable, and you're even afraid of me, we should go our separate ways as soon as we can."

She let out a sigh before speaking again.

"I need your help to understand how things work in this world and what I need to do to survive. I've learned some things, but there's still much that I don't know. I promise to repay your kindness."

I must be an out-of-place apparition, flimsy dressed in only a t-shirt, a pair of shorts, and tennis shoes, walking alone through the chilly cavern while shrugging and sighing.

Thankfully few people were visiting this part of the cavern. I tried to ignore them and concentrate on the message she was trying to convey.

Is my alter ego giving me an olive branch? 'Make me uncomfortable' was the understatement of the year!

Is separation suddenly becoming possible?

“OK, good. What's the next step?” - I asked while thinking, 'Don't hold your breath, Dolores!'

“We need a strong spell caster, one that is knowledgeable enough. I'd like to test him before we let him work on us. Tell me, how can we find such a caster here?”

Yeah, I was right.

“A spell caster?” - I asked, my skepticism rising.

We are back to the same nonsense! I should have known she was only teasing me. Well, what did I expect? How can you get rid of your alter-ego? She continued to confabulate:

“Yes, you know: a high-level priest, specialized mage, or...”

I could feel my frustration building, and I almost exploded. "There is no such thing as magic in this world! How many times do I have to tell you that?" I exclaimed.

Flo countered, "But what about when I healed your scratches? That wasn't magic? There is magic in this world; you're just choosing to ignore it."

Her words hit me hard, leaving me speechless for a moment. She was correct; there was some truth to what she said. Could it be that she existed because I refused to believe in magic? Was it my Dolores ego holding me back?

Walking through the mine was relaxing. A totally different environment but a relatively smelly atmosphere. I had not realized until now that we humans have a pregnant smell, but here, whenever I got in areas with people gatherings, I could smell them. Strongly.

Actually, all my senses seem to be improved. Especially when she is in the lead.

Apart from this realization, my cavern trip did not bring me anything new. I checked my mobile. Of course, no connection, no wi-fi. It was as advertised. Even Mike's black box had a small red led blinking. Yeah, I forgot to turn it off. I did it now and put it back in my belt-strap-pouch beside my mobile. It could barely fit in.

“Well, would you like to visit some more, or should we get out?”

“I would like to visit some more, but I am hungry. Can we find something to eat here?”

“I have no money, so there is nothing to eat.”

“I think I could make some money. That paper money does not seem difficult to...”

“Do not even think about it! You want to bring me to jail? Let's go. It is a long way home.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

There was now a queue for the elevator ride. I had to wait half an hour in line until I could step on the platform. Then, there came the almost ten minutes ride to the top. I was starving when we got outside, and she let me the lead. I watched, amused, as the number of glances I was gathering decreased rapidly. I was again getting invisible.

My bicycle was still there. Somebody had moved it to the side but decided it was not worth taking. Or, probably, they needed to shift it to the side to free their own bike.

It was getting dark, and I was hungry. I started to step the pedals as vigorously as I could. White Flower had to heal my sore muscles a couple of times. She explained that the healing was becoming less effective due to my fatigue. Yes, I know I do not have enough muscles. Ma would acclaim me enthusiastically if she knew how much sport I did today.

And just like that, thinking and not looking properly in front of me, I missed seeing a ditch on the road. It was not deep but profound enough to force a hard landing as my front wheel took a forced swing to the right. I flapped my hands and landed ungraciously, splashing myself on the gravel. As I placed my palms on the ground, I shredded the skin on both palms and right knee. Even worse, the front wheel was now bent.

I felt so miserable that I simply fell back on my ass and started to cry. Alone, hungry, on a deserted road watching the setting sun and bleeding from my poor hands and knee, with a broken bike, no dynamo, and soon no light. It was not very mature, but crying did help.

"Let me heal you!" - a known voice echoed in my mind.

I was almost going to let her lead when I heard a noise.

There was the asphalt road some twenty meters to the right where from time to time, a speeding car passed, but I was conflicted if to try to stop one. Frankly speaking, the idea of getting into a complete stranger's car spooked me. This is why when I heard that car slowing down, I did not even turn my head.

“Miss? Miss? Are you alright?”

I turned. A service car with yellow blinking light had stopped. I stopped crying, trying to compose my voice. I heard steps. I was unsure if to panic or be grateful. He jumped with easiness over the streets' guarding rail and came closer. I realized I had no chance to outrun him. I sighed and let him come closer.

“Oh, dear!” - he exclaimed.

He came, bowed to examine the bicycle, and then looked at me. Sure, in the right priorities order: he was a mechanic. I raised my head. He was thirty-something, relatively handsome, with brown but a little unkempt hair, his eyes brownish with a mix of green, and a three days beard. Oh, and he had a medicine box in his hands.

“May I?”

He asked, preparing to wipe my hands clean. I was still graciously spread there with my legs in V, sitting on my ass and looking at my bloody hands. I nodded, and he proceeded. Ouch, that did pain!

“Why don't you heal? You don't need this?”

"Now it is too late to heal. People do not heal magically in this world. I need to wait until I am alone!"

She was compassionate:

"Oh, poor you!"

He continued cleaning my knee.

“Ouch!”

I had to express my displeasure at the burning paint. He shrugged and handed me the absorbent cotton batted in alcohol.

“It needs clean-up!"

Two minutes later, I was efficiently covered with medical plasters all over my scuffs and scrapes. He grinned, satisfied:

"I'm driving to town; I could bring you there.”

I shook my head.

“I'm sorry, I don't have money with me.”

He lifted my broken bicycle with easiness.

“It's alright. I'm driving anyhow in that direction. I could drop you on the way closer to your home if you want?”

The alternative was walking without light through the dark woods dragging behind a broken bike. I decided to accept his offer.

As soon as I nodded, he yelled his war cry, taking me by surprise:

“Gonzo!”

As he saw he jumped me, for clarity's sake, he added:

“And you are?”

Oh, that must be his name.

“Dolores.” - I said

He wanted to shake hands, then saw my wounded palm again and shook my wrist with his broad hand, about double mine. He took my bicycle in the other hand and then helped me over the guarding rail.

Five minutes later, I was sitting in the cabin beside him, and he was driving towards the town.

As I was just checking my mobile, he pointed at the black mobile I had from Mike that I'd put aside.

“What's that?”

“Oh. Nothing. Just an extra device... from a friend.”

“Is it one of Mike's senders? You're friends with Mike?”

He became more effusive, explaining to me what other jobs he had done for Mike. He seemed to know the gamers' scene well, and we started talking about them. The atmosphere relaxed.

At this moment, my belly decided to revolt and announced with a growl that it hadn't devoured anything in too many hours.

He left the main road, and at my worried glance, he shrugged.

“There is a drive-in just around the corner. I need to buy some sandwiches!”

Ten minutes later, we were sitting in the car in the parking, chewing sandwiches. At my protest that I am not hungry, a protest that was immediately undercut by the beast in my belly, he just shrugged and started to narrate some old funny stories with Mike and a mobile he got from him.

I gave up any opposition, took the sandwich, and started to chew on it.

“I wonder what's his problem?”

“If you want, I can find out.”

I did not fully trust my fairy half yet, so I preferred not to let her find out. Who knows what she would have done, how this 'finding' works.

He told me a little about himself. He was self-employed, worked as an auto mechanic, and had his own shop. He was returning home after having done some service work not far away from the salt mine. He agreed to fix my bike for 30. He said that would be the most that it would cost; he needs to check it through.

That would squeeze my finance for the week, but I'll still have a bicycle. He also offered to bring Mike's device to him personally. He explained to me that he had to make a weekly round in the area where the gamers are, so I took on his offer.

He'll deliver the bike during the week once he has a trip that will bring him near my home. If I needed it earlier, he gave me the card from his workshop, so I knew where to pick it up. He took my phone number to send me an SMS about when he will be able to deliver the bike.

Cool way to get my telephone number.

Happy, full, and tired, I arrived home with much more confidence in human beings than I generally had. I greeted the girls who were watching some comedy. I went directly to the bath to take a shower and then straight to bed.

In the bath, I healed myself and watched, mesmerized, as all scratches disappeared. Is this real, or do I dream it? I watched my tattoo again. Is this real? The girls had not yet talked about it, but probably they hadn't seen it yet in the darkness. Should I let them see it?

Should I keep everything secret?

I hesitated. Lola was my friend. Do I want to lie to her?