1927: Redemption

Adeline’s Disappearance

“Death ends a life, but it does not end a relationship, which struggles on in the survivor’s mind toward some final resolution, some clear meaning, which it perhaps never finds.”

~Robert Woodruff Anderson

21 DECEMBER 2021- MIMAI, FLORIDA

“That’s it,” Adeline said, pointing excitedly ahead. “That’s the location!”

William appeared beside her in a blink. “I can hardly see it yet through the trees, are you sure it’s the same one that is mentioned in the letter because I did not see any passage here?”

Adeline bloody well hoped so, or they will get hopelessly lost and they will end up getting eaten by cannibals somewhere in this green stew pot.

“Yes! Absolutely! Passage could only be through the top, else I have seen a bird’s disappearance through my own eyes.” Adeline pressed her argument to make it more convincing.

“I see.”

While in between their exchange, Ace walked a bit in the eastward direction where she was pointing and saw a red arrow pointing in the same direction up above carved in the tree.

“She’s right. It’s the right direction.”

Giving out a half-hearted laugh, “I’m always right, but didn’t you were the one who claimed to know the way a while back?” Adeline demanded.

Turning around, “Yes, I did. But, there is something about this place,” his thoughtful eyes wandered around as he said, “look at these trees, this road, everything is so symmetrical. Like a mirror image.”

“Indeed.” Answered William, moving his eyes in his surroundings.

Not wanting to waste more time, “Fine whatever you guys say. Now, move.” Adeline said, pushing Ace on the left and William on her right side while walking ahead with determination.

Luckily, none of them questioned. Walking for just five minutes, an eerie feeling caught onto her. She felt goosebumps all over her body, suddenly the temperature she felt had come down a little more than she thought.

For some unknown reason, Adeline lost her courage to look back and call out for William or Ace, but the thoughts continually struck her brain- are they behind her?

Were they equally scared?

Why the hell was she so fascinated by the path that she hadn’t even noticed if they were behind her or not.

While fear surged through Adeline’s veins, then panic surged through Ace’s and William’s veins, because a moment ago, Adeline was walking right in front of them, but now- she disappeared into thin air.

“Did she enter through the portal unknowingly?” Asked Ace turning towards William, though he avoided talking to William but right now he had to ask this question as it was the need of the hour.

Without giving Ace a glance, he answered, “I guess so.” His brows were furrowed while looking in the space where Adeline disappeared.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Ace followed William’s line of sight at a site near the mysterious forest, then they heard a piece of light music coming from a small, stone cabin that was lit up by torches.

How did that come here? Thought Ace.

The forest authority claimed the area to be residential free, then what was it doing here? Being a curious man, he was drawn to it, so he headed over and was about to enter. Before he could get inside, William pulled him away, and half of Ace’s body immediately became paralyzed — the half that had entered the area where Adeline disappeared.

“Where the hell are you going?!” Asked William in a rather high pitch.

Half of Ace’s body felt paralysed and because of it his knees buckled under his own pressure, before he fell down, William caught his body, resigned to Ace’s fate and settled him against a tree.

Ace was unable to speak, but his eyes questioned William the reason behind what had just happened to him. With fewer words and more curses.

William straightened his back, sighing he said, “There is a common belief that when a human being partially enters a dimensional gateway, they cannot survive. And when you were pulled out, you experienced a shift that threw off your nervous system, resulting in this partial paralyzation. But don’t worry, you will get better in a few hours.”

That was the most William had ever spoken to Ace, while Ace was settled against the tree, William stood just a step away from the portal, he could definitely enter the gateway, but could not leave half paralysed Ace on his own.

Sighing, he stood there, arms crossed over his chest, eyes seeing in space, waiting for her to return.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, unknown to the fact that Adeline was now actually transported into another dimension, she walked ahead.

Every step was becoming difficult for her to take as the level of anxiety and fear was going up with each passing second.

The feeling of the dark woods releasing the sounds of a plethora of nocturnal ghosts, of they who may move safely within the hug of grey shadowed night, scared her.

Minimal light that was present had started to fade away. As the light faded to black, the colours of the grass and left remained in her mind almost like a fragrance. For her, the forest became ever more silvery between the shadows that stretched out as if yawning. Already the warmth of the autumn day was quite gone, only ever-present in the sunshine, and the first bite of coldness paled her skin.

The forest grew ever darker. Soon the shadows of the trees would blend into the blackness and their silhouettes against the sky would grow less pronounced. As the view disappeared the sounds emerged as if the volume was being steadily turned upward. The breaking of simple leaves or twigs became the focus of Adeline’s attention. She detected the loam fragrance in the cool breeze and glanced upward to catch a glimpse of the reddish moon before a dark cloud erased its precious yellowish rays.

What she was learning from this journey was that a scary path through the forest, you might not want to travel on, or maybe it could be an emotion's door and you might want to face what scares you? Who knows?

By now Adeline understood that this was not the same place where she set her foot upon earlier. It had changed, also she somehow with every fibre of being knee, she was alone on this path.

Yes, this path’s fear had been creeping her out, but she could not stop.

Not now!

Well, now the challenge for Adeline tripled as now the canopy of tall trees had now blocked the rays coming from the moon, lighting her way. The path at her feet faded as it led into the darkness of the woods, yet to follow it she must for the sake of her grandpa. Somewhere in there were the answers she needed, and so her feet followed the narrow strip of naked earth among the giants of root and leaf. And she let her hands touch their skin as she passed, feeling their gentle spirits soothing her own. For this was their world as they stretch toward the light they never see yet sense, and Adeline must do the same... open up her other senses... to sound, to the aroma and listen so very carefully to every instinct.

It’s okay Adeline, you can do it, do it for grandpa. You shall achieve what you came here for.

Thinking about James, she realised that he did say that the path to the portal was going to be scary.

Does it mean that she has entered the portal? Thought Adeline.

Halting her steps, soaking the realisation that dawned at her, she understood that she indeed entered the portal. There was no lie in it.

Now whatever it may be, Adeline got to complete the task at hand. Also, in this eerie scene, there was a chance for her to learn how to silence her inner fears and train her eyes to see better than they ever have.

Adeline loosened a bit and tried to see what lay ahead of her. Looking for a few minutes, while walking, Adeline made out that there was no one in the area but an old gent who appeared to be reading a paper.

She could not trust her eyes and walked a bit more beside two gigantic metal gates and paused at the gate, the greenery was already charcoal and two dimensional and the grey path was melting into the night. She shivered. It sure was cold; now that jacket Ace had tried to force on her didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Taking a deep breath, she walked ahead, her steps making a sound, she thought it disturbed the man. But that man just sat there without getting disturbed, well how does he even see the print? Thought Adeline.

She resolved to walk quickly, the cheap black runners she had bought for waitressing moved quietly over the tarmac until she stepped on a twig or dried leaf leftover from fall. She did not want to stare but her eyes repeatedly flicked to the man, so still, so decrepit. Once she was closer his attire was discernible from the darkening gloom. It was theatrical but shabby, a cloak like a magician with a flash of red silk beneath the collar. As she approached, she locked her gaze dead ahead, but once she reached his bench he was gone.

What the hell? Where did he-…