1927: Redemption

The man from Taured

“Dream?

What are dreams? Aren't they the illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you?

Maybe, let's find out!”

2016-DECEMBER-LONDON

“Jammy…….one more story, pretty please…” The eleven-year-old Adeline whined as James asked her to sleep after six stories in a row.

Shaking his head in negation, “Now young lady, you’re way past your bedtime and this was the sixth story in a row.” He said, trying to move out of the bed.

Adeline caught her hand just on time, saying, “Please, grandpa…. The last one, you know for the sake of number seven.” She gave her best innocent look, well, James knew her favourite number was seven and she always tried to do everything according to that number.

Strange child, he thought.

Sighing, “You’re very stubborn,” he said and sat beside her on the bed, “come here, you’re going to lay down if you want another story.”

Like an obeying one, she immediately laid down on the bed while James tucked her in the maroon duvet, asking, “So, which story you want to hear, princess.”

Her eyes lightened as without wasting another second, she answered, “The man from Taured.”

Chuckling, he said, “Taured it is then, now close your eyes.” And Adeline immediately shut her eyes close.

Well, this wasn't some bedtime story, but for years, James narrated his field of research in the form of stories to Adeline. He knew she was immensely interested in the concept of parallel universe, she thought that they were some kind of fairy lands.

And, from the pit of his research papers, there was a case of ‘the man from Taured’, which is often considered to be a well-documented instance of an inter-dimensional traveller.

“It was the year of 1954, everything was normal at Japan’s Haneda airport where they were checking passports of passengers, just as they usually would. Well, but that day was marked on calendars when one passport came out a bit different, and it belonged to a well-dressed businessman who spoke fluent French and Japanese.

But, not everything looked good with this person, the alarming difference that made security officials pull the man aside was the fact that he somehow seemed a bit out of place......well not a bit, but a lot. They began to question him, assuming that he was a prankster or maybe a trafficker. The man was confused out of his wits by this. He said that he was from Taured and that it was a country situated between France and Spain. Customs didn't believe him, well, who would, and the man himself didn't believe customs when they said that Taured didn't even exist.

The man got pretty annoyed, he showed them his passport - which was from Taured.

The increasingly distraught man was desperately trying to prove that he was correct. The passport had several official stamps from other countries, all of which appeared to be legitimate. The passport itself didn’t seem fraudulent, either. However, it was from a country that never existed! Customs officials took him to a local hotel to spend the night while they investigated the matter. The hotel room was guarded so he wouldn’t escape if he was a trafficker. He agreed and entered the room.

That was the last that anyone ever saw of the man from Taured or his passports. Both he and all of his items disappeared that night, despite many of them being miles away in airport security’s hands.......”

When the story was over, Adeline was finally asleep, seeing that James moved out of her bed quietly, he caressed his granddaughter’s head and placed a kiss on her forehead. Before moving away, he murmured, “If sleep is a little slice of death.....then dreams are-”

“Escape....” completed Adeline for him with a yawn as she faced towards the wall, murmuring, “Goodnight grandpa.....” with that she fell into a deep slumber.

Fixing her duvet, “Goodnight princess.”

.

.

.

“Adeline.....sweetie....wake up, Adeline!”

Adeline let out a small squeak of shock and bolted upright, looking around frantically to try and find what the source of the voice was. Her mind was still caught up in the dream of her with her grandfather and his stories.....

As she looked around, as it happened, she noticed that a few things were completely out of the ordinary.

For one, she was wearing a pair of pyjamas, an oversized shirt with a cardigan, also the socks....which she clearly did not change into.

She distinctly remembered talking to Ace in a restaurant about going back in time.....then he took off after blowing a weird powder or might be hypnotism.

Two, she happened to be slumped on the bed in the guest room of Michaela’s home, and lastly, there was Michaela’s figure leaning over towards her across the bed with a rather concerned look in her eyes

“How.....how am I here?” Adeline stuttered while asking.

Michael's eyes widened a bit, “You came a bit late, sweetie. You were asleep when I checked upon you, then I heard you calling for your grandfather......” her voice faded.

Adeline could not believe this was happening, this had to be some sort of cruel, cruel trick that her mind was playing on herself. The last time she was awake was when she was in a restaurant with Ace of whatever his real name was, and then there was nothing as such she remembered.

Yet, she was here in the bed, in her clothes...

“Adeline, sweetie....are you okay?” Asked Michaela.

Adeline knew that this lady was doing more than enough for her, and she could not make more problems for her let alone include her in the midst of everything.

Nodding her head, “Yes....yes...everything is fine....just a bad dream.” Saying so, Adeline gave her a small smile.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Answered Adeline.

Sighing, Michaela stood, saying, “Sleep Adeline....it will be all okay.” With that, she left the room and Adeline in her thoughts.

She sunk into the bed and sighed heavily. So far, this had been the most she had ever done in a day before.

Adeline actually wore a dress for once. She went to a funeral, her grandfather’s funeral. She met Ace who sent a threatening note to her and made a deal with him. She has to go back in time but before that, she has to move back to Florida. Then Ace took off, rather disturbing thought was she was in the house and somehow her clothes were changed- in the process.

Suddenly, a gush of cold wind entered her room as the curtains swayed along with the wind. Instantly, Adeline felt cold, sighing heavily, she got out of her bed and moved towards the window to shut it.

Turning around after shutting the window, Adeline heard a rustling sound from the dark side of the room, looking intently she saw a figure moving in the dark.

She clutched the sides of her cardigan in fear, calling out, “Who is here?”

Who brought Adeline back to the house?

Where did Ace go?

Was the person Ace or the one who might be in her room now?