Where I should be

Ida startled awake in her seat, gasping for air, as if an invisible force had pushed it out of her body.

“Kathrine, honey, are you alright?” Ida blinked quickly. The woman tilted her head. She repeated the question, enunciating every “t”. She sounded like the people in the movie Ida had seen at school, not too long ago. What was it called again? Right, “The Great Gatsby”.

It was an odd cadence in which the syllables escaped her lips. Like a singsong of sorts. She was smiling, but it wasn’t a reassuring smile, not when it didn’t reach her beady blue eyes. Ida shuddered, still panting from the dreamless dream. Though she wasn’t quite sure that she had actually awakened from her slumber. Where was she, anyway? It didn’t look like home. Well, it kind of did, but not really.

It was as if she had plummeted off a cliff and landed right here at a breakfast table straight out of the Art Deco era. There certainly were worse places to be, she thought, glancing at the filled plate of pancakes and bacon before her.

“Kathrine?” The blonde woman repeated.

“Honey, have you seen my car keys? I just had them.”

A tall man entered, stepping off a staircase that seemed to float in the massive living space, and Ida’s half-closed eyes were drawn to him instantly, making her shift in her seat. Standing at his full height, he towered over the strange blonde. Dressed in a baby-blue suit and snakeskin loafers, he hunched over to grab a kiss from her before snatching the dangling keys out of her hand.

“What would I do without you?”

He laughed, the motion distorting his features in a way that made him look like something straight out of a horror film.

The living room and kitchen were separated only by the electric blue kitchen cabinets facing Ida. Just beyond the counter, a plush pink sofa took up center stage, complete with a large tiger plushie placed on it. Wooden floors stretched all the way from where Ida sat to the floating staircase, with a few bright orange and red-colored carpets breaking up the sea of brown. Ida thought it was odd how similar this place looked to her home, but then dreams weren’t always logical, she reminded herself.

Ida shifted uncomfortably in her chair as the man made his way over to her. Both he and the woman dressed like a pastel version of the people Ida had seen in her grandmother’s magazines. Decked out in heavy golden jewelry from head to toe.

Ida’s eyes grew wider the closer he got.

At a whirring sound to her right, she whipped her head around. Was that a robot?

Ida leaned closer. Indeed, a small silver robot in a frilly blush-colored apron rolled toward her, holding a plate of hash browns. Its animated eyes blinking at her.

Ida figured she was still dreaming, as the hair on her arms started to rise. She flinched, drawing her head back when the man bent down to meet her gaze straight on.

“Now, darling, make sure you’re on your best behavior at school today, will you?”

His eyes were darkness itself. So void of color and emotion that the pit in Ida’s stomach grew to a steady pulse. Unsure of what else to do, she nodded. “Sure.”

His lips peeled back, revealing a row of perfectly straight teeth that made her shudder again.

“You haven’t eaten at all. Darling, are you not feeling well?”

The woman asked, placing a warm hand on Ida’s shoulder. Her eyes followed every one of Ida’s movements as she softly squeezed. The sensation so real Ida recoiled within the little space she had between the two. Quickly, she pinched the skin of her hand between her pointer and thumb. It stung as she held on tight. Ida shook her head. Surely if she were asleep, it wouldn’t have hurt. Then maybe she had been abducted, Ida thought. But if that were the case, why would they talk about school? Ida’s hands grew clammy, with each thought racing through her mind’s eye. It made no sense, but whatever the case, she knew she had to play along.

“I’m fine. Thank you, I’m just tired. Um…I should probably get going.”

“Are you sure? ”

The two of them tilted their heads in unison, a grotesque grin spreading across their faces.

The tendons in Ida’s neck jutted out as her heartbeat started pulsing in her ears. “Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll see you later.” She said, barely above a whisper. Ready to run out, Ida bolted up from her chair, almost tipping it back.

“Don’t forget your lunch and your bag.” The blonde handed Ida the items with lightning speed and nodded. Ida imitated the nod and, to her horror, the blonde’s grin widened to an unnatural degree. Turning on her heels, Ida started walking towards the glass door leading to the outside before her captors could stop her. As her hand grabbed the gold handle, she glanced at the mirror next to it and gasped. Stumbling over her feet, her eyes widened as she grabbed the face that looked nothing like her own.

Who was this stranger looking back at her? Ida stepped closer, pulling at her nose, her eyes, her mouth. Every time her hand collided with what was supposed to be her face, she felt the sensation and saw the image mirror her movements, yet none of it made any sense.

As if conjured up by the thought, a vague memory dawned on her. One of an old book with a strange leather casing, engraved with odd symbols and words in a language Ida couldn’t place.

What had the man at the antique store called it? A grimoire. Yes, that was it! A book of spells. But magic wasn’t real, right? Ida fought to make sense of the startling image staring back at her in the mirror. A frail blonde girl with deep blue eyes. The same shade of blonde as the woman’s. Dropping her gaze to her hands, Ida spotted distinct purple veins running up her pale skin. How had she not noticed before how different her arms looked? She shook her head.

She had read one of the pages out loud, yes, she did, but there was no way. Could it have put her in a different body, she thought, and if it had, was this girl, Kathrine, in her body instead? Or did she…No. No, she couldn’t go there. Ida took a shaky breath and shimmied her shoulders to loosen the knots. Okay, think!

Lifting her gaze back up to the mirror, she jumped as a tall figure appeared behind her. His head tilted again, and the corners of his lips tipped up, slowly expanding like the Cheshire cat from her favorite animation.

“Are you alright, honey?” He sneered.

“Ah, yes. I’m…I’m fine. I just…I’m gonna go. Don’t wanna be late.” She said. Forcing a shaky chuckle, the sound, hollow in the tense silence that followed. Ida pulled at her shirt, keeping an eye on the man. “Alright then, adieu.”

His hand rose, yet his face remained completely still, devoid of any emotion. Ida stared for another second before she took hold of the handle and walked out into the scorching heat that was the morning sun. Her eyes watered under the harsh glare, and she instinctively raised her hands to shield them until they could acclimate.

The outside was just as odd. As people walked by, the same unpleasant smile marred their faces. The air hummed with greetings. A symphony of voices, some booming, others soft, intertwined with the gentle rustle of leaves as people went about their day. The scent of damp earth and blooming honeysuckle hung heavy, a sweet, cloying perfume sticking to each of Ida’s nostrils.

A cool breeze brushed against her exposed skin, replacing the stinging warmth of the sun. Horrified, Ida could only manage a nod and a slow wave in response to the scene. Around her, the heat continued its assault. When she looked up, Ida was astonished to find a second sun glaring down at her. The sudden realization made her stumble, her feet nearly giving out from under her. With two suns blazing down, an odd collection of individuals in antiquated attire, and robots moving about, this place felt eerily like a twisted reality. And what was that? Oh, flying cars! Yes, of course. What else could there be? She thought as a pastel pink Porsche flew past her with a whooshing sound.

Though as she looked up and down the street, she couldn’t help noticing yet again all the similarities to her home. Besides the oddities, it looked almost the same. Even the house she walked out of looked like her own from the outside, she noted. So maybe this was, what did they call it in physics? Something like a parallel universe. Or maybe she was still dreaming, but without knowing for sure, it was best to assume the worst. Now, with that in mind…

“I have to find the antique store.” Ida said out loud. Maybe she could find another grimoire here. Ida thought she might as well try; if this was indeed a version of her own world, then a chance was all she needed. With quick strides, she made her way to the bus stop, hoping to find her way to the old orchard. If she were correct and lucky, she’d find a bus much like the one she’d got on yesterday morning. The one heading to old Billy’s farm.

Within minutes, a big, baby-blue monstrosity of a vehicle approached with an electric buzzing noise. Stopping in front of her, it hovered a few inches above the pristine pavement. The doors opened, and she hesitated for a second before stepping in. “Hello Kathrine. Go on up.”

“Hi, oh, okay…thank you. “

The man behind the steering wheel waved her inside, and Ida wasn’t about to argue with him. Once seated, she looked outside, unsure if she could trust her eyes. Everything looked as though a camera had applied a pastel filter to it. It was uncanny. But sure enough, the bus stopped everywhere it had the day before, with each place looking almost like home, besides, of course, the creepy, smiley people and the odd vintage aesthetic. Soon enough, the old orchard stop arrived, and Ida jumped off quickly. The store should be just on the other side of the street, she thought. And what have you? As the bus slid off into the sun, it made room to reveal the second-hand store just across the street.

A wave of relief washed over Ida as she ran forward, pushing her way into the cramped store. The door closed behind her with the shrill ding of a bell.

The man behind the counter, however, bore no resemblance to the Clay she knew at home; his white hair slicked back and an insane grin plastered across his face.

“Good day, young lady. Might I help you?” He drawled.

“No, thank you. I’m just looking.” She said.

He nodded and disappeared quicker than Ida could follow. With him gone, the shiver that had been creeping up her back faded to a low hum. Trusting her gut, she went to the shelf where she’d found the book the day before and searched. It had to be here, surely. It just had to.

She scanned shelf after shelf, but could not find that familiar leather-bound book. A deep sigh escaped Ida’s lips with every passing shelf. Just as she was about to give up, she crouched in front of the sales desk, and her breath caught. There it was!

“You found what you need?”

Ida jumped. “Oh, goodness.”

A chuckle rumbled from his chest as he laughed. “I wasn’t trying to scare you. “

“It’s okay. Yes, could I buy this?” She handed him the book.

“It’s not for sale…”

“Please, I have to have it.”

“No, you misunderstand, darling. It’s not for sale. You can have it for free.”

“Oh. Are you sure?”

He handed the massive book to Ida and nodded.

“Good luck.”

“What?”

But before he could answer, the man had already slipped away. Ida stood there, her brow furrowed for a brief moment before snapping out of it. She shook her head, spun on her heel, and made a beeline for the door. Outside, she walked toward Orchard Park. Much like home, the park seemed to exist here, though its grass appeared at least two shades lighter and its flowers four shades brighter. Beneath a giant oak tree, she found her spot and settled into the grass, its strands tickling the bare skin of her unnaturally fair legs. Let’s see if the original spell has anything on how to reverse this misery.

Sure hands pulled open the book, passing through the pages with haste until one looked familiar. This was it. The compass symbol. Yes, this had to be the page. She paused, opened the page all the way, and started reading.

“How to reverse…” Ida beamed as she read the words out loud, but the excitement didn’t last long. For every word she spoke, ten separated from the page and flew off, disappearing into a cloud of dust.

“No, No, No! What is happening?” Every time she flicked her wrist to turn a page, the words on the pages evaporated into thin air.

“Oh no, this can’t be happening!”

More and more tiny, black words lifted from each page, floating through the air just before Ida’s eyes.

“No, please! I want to go home! I need to…”

Poof, poof, poof, they blew up in smoke.

A flush crept up her neck, hot and prickly, and her breath hitched in her throat, a tight knot of frustration making it difficult to draw a full, steady inhale.

It was too late.

“No, please…”

A wet droplet landed with a soft splat on the pristine, blank page. Her head hung low as she pleaded with whoever was in charge of fate. As she prayed, a man’s dark shadow fell over her and the book. Looking up, she watched a slow, agonizing smile slice across his face like a razor. It could easily have been mistaken for kindness, though it didn’t carry the warmth. A shiver traced its way up her spine as she recognized the old man from the shop.

“There, there, don’t cry, dear. It’s a lovely day, and I trust you’ll come to like it here.”

The End.