“You know … when I was young...” while sitting around a temporary plastic table at the corner of the set, Lady Manzene told Caroline and Jason in a reminiscing tone: “I started seeing things that were … unexplainable by any means. Later in my years, I came to know that those were ghosts, spirits that I occasionally heard about from reading and listening to tales.
“And I wanted to learn more. But I was also very, very afraid. I also wanted to find people like me, with special gifts that can see the world through a different lense. But even though I grew up here, the land of open-mindedness, they freaked out the moment I describe what I see to them. And they sent me to a children’s psychiatric hospital. Which actually worked out for me, because I met a like minded young man at the hospital, who could see exactly as I saw.
“We bonded over similar childhood experiences. And then one day. A lady in dark green and black came to the hospital and met with us. She had these… mystique around her, like someone who has seen ages of time and events but yet still remained young. She somehow examined us, and gave us these weird tests - like making us guess what was inside of a jar, making us see what was the thing floating in her hand, and making us attempt to move and bend a small metal spoon.”
“That sounds weird and ominous. Do you know who she was?” Madison asked: “That was like something right out of a movie.”
“I still don’t know who she was till this day.” Lady Manzene sighed: “In the end, she took the boy away, and left me at the hospital without saying anything. So I went back home, without any more information on her or the boy. But I was more stern in my belief that I was not seeing things in my head. What I was seeing was really there, it’s just that normal people can’t see it.”
“Have you tried to follow up with either of them?” Caroline asked with a frown.
“I tried to find the boy for a few years, his name was Roy. But I didn’t get to know his last name.” Lady Manzene sighed and drank up half her glass of cocktail: “And I learned to hide my feelings and the fact that I could see things. I wasn’t able to share it with anyone until years later, I met a bunch of like minded girls who were curious about the paranormal and the occult. They introduced me to the world of … magic, spell and all of these supernatural forces.”
“That’s where you learned your spells? It was a pretty impressive spell, revealing the trails of those spirits that we missed.” Caroline smiled and said.
“Sort of. And after the group eventually came to an end, I became on my own and started doing exorcism and fortune telling for a living. And with my gift, I was able to stand out amongst most of the people in my field.” Lady Manzene shook her head: “But that was it, the development of my gift and my knowledge hit a dead end - I have tried for years to get my hands on all the useful ancient literature and relics to the best of my abilities and my resources. But it seems like I have found myself standing in front of a thick and heavy veil - there’s much, much more on the other side, but without anyone to guide me or usher me in, this is as far as I could get all by myself.”
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“I see.” Jason laid down his drink and looked Lady Manzene in the eyes: “You think we’re the ones beyond the veil?”
“Yes. You would have my utmost gratitude, if you could just show me even a flicker of light from behind it. ” Lady Manzene’s voice was shaking, but she was still trying to remain as calm and not overly eager: “I am sure you can relate to it - to know that there’s a path ahead but you need someone else’s help to find it and even to start making the first steps?”
Caroline and Jason exchanged looks, then Caroline said: “I’m afraid you mistook us for people we’re not - Lady Manzene. We’re not … we don’t have connections to the people - whoever they may be - that stand beyond this veil. We’re just students, apprentices even, of someone who is not even of that world which you try to enter. And it’s not even our place ...”
“But you know about that world.” Lady Manzene swiftly caught a lead from Caroline’s words: “At least you have seen it?”
“Yes. But it’s not the point.” Jason sighed: “This world beyond said veil, it’s terrifying. I guess you would know, that what happened in San Francisco was related to something of that world.”
Madison gasped: “What? For real?”
Before they could continue, Garret, Josephine Wong’s driver and errand boy found them and interrupted them with a light cough: “Hey, sorry to interrupt. But this is kinda important, Ms. Wong has something for you.”
“Ms. Wong? Josephine Wong? Why?” Lady Manzene asked.
“Sorry, not you, Lady Manzene. It’s for Jason and Caroline. She insisted they have to come over immediately.”
“Got it. Thank you.” Caroline was a little relieved: “Excuse me. I am so sorry, Lady Manzene, but I wish we could help you.”
“I am sorry too.” Jason did not know what to say to Lady Manzene either and followed Caroline and Garret to the outside of the movie set.
“What does Ms. Wong have for us?” before getting onto the SUV parked outside of the movie set, Caroline asked.
“Your approval notice of applicants to the Grant Academy Audit Program.” the inside of the SUV was much more spacious than it looked from the outside. It looked like a small modern night club, with a bar, a few tables and a tall ceiling through which one can see the sky. And sitting at a table right in front of them, was Josephine Wong herself in a dark purple robe: “Welcome, why don’t you come here and have a drink with me?”
“Thank you! Ms. Wong.” Jason went to the side of the table and said down nervously.
“Josephine is fine.” Josephine Wong smiled and poured a glass of wine for each of her guests: “And per the tradition of the academy, I will meet with you myself first as the recommender and give you a debrief on the basics of the program. I don’t suppose Jianmen give you a lot of information?”
“No he hasn’t. He said he doesn’t know much detail about it.” Caroline sipped her wine and applauded the quality of the wine: “This is really good! Holy crap!”
“Thanks. It’s one of my personal favourites.” Josephine Wong chuckled and said: “It’s understandable, even though he was in the program, but he only lasted three days.”
“Oh, really?! Please, do tell!” Jason felt there was some really juicy gossip incoming.
“Yeah. He beat up the vice principal.” Josephine Wong tried to contain her smile.
Neither Caroline nor Jason could control their laughter and had to put their glasses down.