Clara’s words, of course, meant nothing to Maia. They would mean nothing to any normal human who had no knowledge of the Between. Unless you are one of those unusual people who has read too many stories of fairies or children disappearing only to return with stories of wild adventures in a fantastical land, or have caught movement in the corner of your eye only to find nothing there, it is unlikely you have even considered the possibility of such a world. Science has tried with tales of dimensions and parallel universes, but there are some things that numbers and equations cannot capture. Maia, was indeed an ordinary person, and the words did mean nothing to her, but they also sent a shockwave to her heart, one that brought back memories of a childhood exploring forests and talking to trees, a childhood full of magical possibility, not yet dampened by spreadsheets and video meetings.

Clara looked at her knowingly as Maia fought a small battle with herself that said she was obviously in a coma having the strangest dream and another small part that suggested just maybe this was the beginning of something more.

“Uh-huh.. So, thank you.. Um, Clara. I appreciate the rescue. But can you just point me to the exit? I can find my way back. That’s what GPS is for after all.” Maia said digging in her messenger bag for her cellphone.

“I’m afraid that won’t work here my dear. There’s simply no service,” said Clara tossing back her glass of cider, wisps of gray curls falling around her reddening cheeks.

“That’s okay, GPS doesn’t need service.” Maia said, poking at her phone.

“Ah, sorry. I don’t know the terms any more. I won’t work at all. None of those satellites or whatever here, dear.” Clara said, offering a stray crumb to the stoat creature. Maia looked up at her perplexed as she repeatedly hit the power button on the side of her phone.

“It’s not turning on,” she said dumbly.

“I’m afraid you’re in for a bit of a shock, hence the cider.” Clara said with the air of someone about to drop an uncomfortable truth on someone, and indeed she was. “I’m afraid in the excitement, I haven’t even asked your name.”

“Maia,” she replied, now scanning the room for escape, finally wary of her surroundings, gripping her phone for some sort of familiar comfort. Normally, her phone offered an escape from awkward situations. She could just act like she was texting or had gotten a call, or just look at it to avoid eye contact (as most of us have). Now only her face shone up at her, mirrored on the black screen.

“Maia, my dear,” she said, reaching over to give Maia’s hand a pat, “You aren’t in your world any more. You are in the place between places, the space where magic exists, that cats stare into, the place called the Between.”

“I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about, but this is obviously a dream,” Maia argued, standing furiously from her seat, and slapping her cheeks red.

Clara stood and grabbed her hands, “It’s not a dream, though you are free to think that when you return, most do. But no human comes here without a reason or without a guide. If you want to know how to get back, I need to know how you got here in the first place, and we will figure out how to go from there. Now sit back down and drink your cider.”

Maia sat defeatedly and stared into her glass of cider. You are probably wondering what could be going through her mind, why didn’t she just leave. But somewhere in that secret place in her heart, the place where that child who wandered the forest still resided, Maia was both curious and hopeful. She hadn’t yet admitted this to herself, of course, still full of shock and anxiety, her mind unable to keep up with her racing thoughts.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“I wish I could explain this place better, but I find it is something you have to witness for yourself,” Clara admitted, “Your brain just can’t accept what you are hearing. It contradicts everything you’re taught in the modern realm. But I promise, if you want to go back, you can find a way.”

Maia, on the brink of hysteria thinking she had finally gone absolutely mad, laughed, “Sure, sure. Why not? Might as well tell the weird lady in the medieval bunker how I got to Wonderland.”

Maia, told her of her evening, of Marshmallow, and the normalcy and mundanity of her life until she sank into the ground head first and wound up on a velvet loveseat petting a winged rodent as she got drunk with an elderly art teacher she was sure was a figment of her imagination. When she finished her story, Clara said something Maia would never have expected even if she was dreaming.

“Sir Marshmallow Quentin the Third?” Clara asked with a slight gasp.

“Of course you know his full name. How could someone I made up not know?” Maia said with a chuckle, now on her second glass of cider.

Clara returned her chuckle, “That’s what I would think too, if I was new to this place. But you have to understand, this is the place cats see when they seem to be looking at nothing, the place they go when you’ve checked for them everywhere, yet they appear out of thin air suddenly. They are some of the few creatures who still live in both worlds. And your cat, or well the cat who chose you, is rather well-known, though he hasn’t been seen in an age or two. He must have opened a door here for some reason, and you accidentally passed through as well.”

“He’s not even allowed outside, much less other worlds,” Maia quipped.

“Since when do cats do what they're told,” replied Clara, “I think you need to get some rest dear. Much more cider and you really will start hallucinating.” Clara helped Maia to her feet and led her to an adjoining room, where Maia quickly collapsed on a soft bed. Her last thought before sleep was why dimension hopping cats couldn't scoop their own litter box, which you have to admit is a pretty good question.

~

Maia woke with a throbbing headache and the pitter patter of tiny clawed feet on her forehead.

“Ugh.. what a fucking dream.” She said, batting at her forehead. “Marshmallow, you pissant, get off my head.” She squinted open her eyes to see small beady eyes staring down at her. She sat up with a start, which when you have a tremendous hangover is very unwise.

“Trelli, leave our guest alone. I know you're excited, but Maia isn't used to having her face trampled by an Elixi in the morning.” Clara stood in the doorway, dressed in what looked to be an old explorer's outfit, brown pants that clung to her legs and a loose white shirt, and her gray hair in a long braid over her shoulder. In her hands, there was a tray with bread and coffee. Trelli flew over to Clara's shoulder and scampered around her shoulders and settled behind her braid.

Maia flopped back on the bed and groaned, “Well, at least part of it was real.”

Clara chuckled, “There's a bathroom behind the door to your left. Feel free to take a shower; I've left some clean clothes in there as well. When you're done, Trelli will show you to the courtyard for breakfast.”

Maia sighed and nodded as Clara left her to wash. The bathroom was full of bronze fixtures and a dark green tile with stained glass windows high on the walls, casting rainbows across a clawfoot tub. The water came out gloriously hot from the shower, and washed away some of the anxiety and weariness from Maia's muscles. When she emerged, she was dressed in an outfit similar to Clara's, high-waisted, multi-button pants and a flowing pale blue top which she had tucked in, creating a very pleasing silhouette. Trelli flew to eye level as she exited the bathroom and seemed to gesture with her head for Maia to follow.

Maia had the urge to reach out and grab the small winged animal and shower it with kisses and scratch its little head, but thankfully resisted the urge. If she had, she would have quickly found out how sharp an Elixie’s teeth are. One should never pet an animal or person without their permission. They followed the winding hall until Maia was thoroughly lost. Trelli may have taken Maia on a more confusing route on purpose, as Elixies are as mischievous as they are smart.

Finally, they reached some great wooden doors, carved with flowers and vines. The doors opened with Maia's barest of touches to reveal a pale lavender sky and a lush garden.