Emily and the Battle of the Veil

by Karen Michelle Brooks

When a beak-faced monkey aspirates next to Emily, she realizes that she may be as mad as her Gran's long-time companion, Mamasita, who is terrified of the African Xhosa tokoloshies. When she meets Josh, a spiky-haired street kid who know things, she is given clues to the Shimmers, and the parallel world of Aurana. So begins Emily's journey into worlds unknown.

EMILY AND THE BATTLE OF THE VEIL

Emily and the Battle of the Veil

Karen Michelle Brooks

Emily and the Battle of the Veil

Copyright © 2007 Karen Michelle Brooks

Smashwords Edition 1.

ISBN: 9781301087846

DEDICATION

For Dave, who taught us to sail and fly on our own steam and Jill, who dared us to live, to dare, to be, and to dream.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To the many teachers on my path who have sparked my interest in worlds unknown, and to those who are dedicated to educating our children on the wonders of the world.

Our imaginations create the world's we live in, the only way to know is to believe it. Be still and know…

CHapter ONE

Emily's stomach butterflied uncomfortably, fear surfacing and draining away, as it had done for most of the afternoon.

She rubbed her stomach, stretched her arms above her head, rippling her back straight after bending over a book for so long. She loved reading, loved escaping into worlds unknown and exciting, loved living other people's lives drawn from the words on the page.

Emily looked around the library, feeling her way back to reality, stood up and pushed her books into the huge floppy carry-all bag. The library was like a small hall with a high ceiling and a large open space competing with shelving all the way around the outside groaning at the weight of old books. Some shelves jutted into the middle of the floor, making nooks and crannies, hiding places for people who wanted to stay and read. The library tried to encourage the village people to read by putting up bright posters, keeping the inside warm in winter, and cooler in summer, but in a town of approximately a hundred people, sixty of them children, not many visitors came in. Emily was the library's most regular visitor.

Emily flicked her long, thick plait out of the way as she swung her bag onto her shoulder. She smiled, waved goodbye to the librarian, glancing outside the window towards the swings to see if Sam had arrived. She flung open the mesh screen door and winced as it sprang shut behind her with a bang. They really need to grease those hinges, thought Emily.

Sam, her best friend who hated being called Samantha, and Emily were a little old to use the swings, but it had become their regular meeting place. Sam didn't like reading, preferring the company of live people, so very seldom went into the library.

They made an unlikely pair, but didn't care what people thought of them. They liked each other and that was that. Emily thought they brought out the best in each other.

"Hiya Em," said Sam, "I've been waiting ages for you. What took you so long today?"

Emily hurried over, dropping her book bag at the corner of the face-brick library wall, "Sorry Sam, I got stuck. You know I lose time when I read, so come fetch me if you want to."

"Not a chance. I know if I step into that hallowed hall, that witch will try to get me to take a book out," laughed Sam.

Emily grinned, sat on the swing, pointed her feet towards the sky and started pushing her legs in and out to speed up.

In front of swinging girls lay the ocean. The tar road to their right ran all the way down to the local tea room, the only real shop in the village, and ended in a wide sweeping parking lot that looked like a blob of chewing gum caught on sea sand at the edge of the white waved sea. No locals ever parked there but because visitors came to the village in the summer months, the town council in their wisdom decided to spend money creating this ugly tarmac.

The houses in the village were a contrast to the dull road, made of different materials depending on when they'd been built, and a riot of colour, shades of green and blue for the roofs, white and brown walls, most populated with evergreen trees and flourishing flowers. Across the tar road, away from the swings, a corrugated iron house still had its main toilet outside. The owners had converted it to the soak-away tank system in the last year but the older folks still called it a long-drop. Most houses now had inside toilets but all of them used the soak-away tanks that came with living far away from a mainstream city.

Emily, lost in the view of the sea, jerked when Sam shouted at some boys riding past on their bicycles, "I'll see you guys at the tennis courts now. Don't wait, okay? I won't be long."

Sam was blonde, beautiful and part of the in-crowd. She was tall, slim, athletic and confident. More than once, Emily wondered why Sam had chosen her as a best friend, when she could have had anybody. Emily was smaller in height, had dark brown hair and was awkward when it came to speaking to people.

She was a loner, preferring her own company and the worlds she found in between the pages of a book. As much as she wanted to connect with other girls her age, she always felt like she was separate somehow. That's why her friendship with Sam was sacred, special.

They had been friends from birth. Her Gran often repeated, "You're meant to be with each other, there for each other," in a weird sort of way. Her gran was like that, full of weird words and general craziness.

Emily looked over at Sam's thumb, wondering if it was their physical abnormalities that made them stick together. Sam was born with a bum-thumb, a double digit on the end of her finger, a heart shape with two separate bones and two nails from the last joint up. Sam's parents had taken her to hospital when she was two years old to cut the extra bit of bone and nail off so that it wouldn't hamper her ability to write. Sam no longer had the great heart on the end of her thumb, but still had the scar. Anyone who didn't know about it rarely spotted it, but it bothered Sam because she'd been teased about it when she was younger.

Emily's anomaly was much the same, there but mostly unseen. At the base of her neck she had a strange birthmark. It looked like a sideways eight, or an infinity symbol, with a perfect circle around it. Most birthmarks were red, hazy blobs much like the parking at the end of the tar road, but Emily's was as distinct and clear as could be. Since she'd been too small to say infinity, they'd simply called it her Eight as soon as she could talk.

Emily tilted her head sideways and downwards towards her shoulder. "That's weird!" she said, not realizing she'd said it aloud until Sam answered, "What's weird?"

"I was thinking about your thumb and my Eight, and suddenly my Eight's really hot." Emily shifted, twisting and turning.

"You're weird, is what," said Sam, teasing her like she always did when Emily mentioned her Eight.

"Ouch! No, really, it's hot!" Emily said, dragging her feet on the ground to slow the swing down, grabbing the back of her neck with her right hand.

She came to a stop, squirming around, trying stupidly to see the back of her neck. Sam laughed at her friends movements, but just as Emily was about to snap at Sam, a puff of smoke drew her attention towards her book bag resting against the library wall.

Squinting, she looked harder. Something shimmered, the air wavered, grey on grey, like heat coming off the tar road on a hot day, then materialized into focus. An ugly beak-faced monkey stared back at Emily.

Emily screamed. Not an earth shattering, high scream but a little quirky scream, as if her throat didn't want to believe her eyes. Her Eight continued to burn, her eyes continued to stare at the ugly beak-faced monkey, and the ugly beak-faced monkey continued to stare back. She noticed it's fur was brown and matted, clumps of hair stuck together, as if it had never bathed. The beak, so unusual to see on a monkey was a bright yellow, but it was the piercing sky blue eyes above the beak that scared her most. She felt they were looking right into her, into her soul.

"Sam, Sam, can you see it? There at the library, near my bag? A kind of monkey, with a beak face. Ugly. Difficult to describe," squeaked Emily, as the shimmering image grinned slowly, teeth becoming visible within the beak as it widened, stretching across the hideously formed face.

"What, crazy chick? There's nothing there," said Sam, quickly glancing back towards the library corner.

Emily rubbed her eyes, hoping, nay praying, that she was dreaming. Her stomach butterflied, fear shooting upwards as she pointed to the exact spot where the ugly beak-faced monkey grinned. "There. Can't you see it?" she asked, turning back to Sam.

Emily heard a spritz-like noise, swung around in time to see a puff of smoke and the ugly beast had gone. Vanished, as if it had never ever been there.

"You really didn't see anything?" Emily asked, spine tingling, her Eight cooling down as she turned to face Sam.

"You mean like tokoloshies, like Mamasita?" Sam teased.

"No, maybe, no, yes," Emily said, no longer sure of what she'd seen, or even if she believed it herself anymore.

"Em you are becoming just like your gran. Weird. Weirder each day, with your stories of dreams, and your – what do you call them – your Shimmers, and your Eight getting hot and cold."

Emily lived with her Gran, and her Gran's great companion, Mamasita, who believed in little dwarf like man-animal type beings that could come and steal you away. Emily had thought Mamasita somewhat mad to be afraid of fabled beings, at least until she'd started having her own dreams of strange beings, which she'd started calling her Shimmers. But at least her Shimmers appeared to be friendly. Now she was having visions of teeth grinning beak-faced monkeys in broad daylight. I'm madder than Mamasita.

"Emily. Earth to Em," Sam said, trying to get her attention, "you really need to figure out what this is all about. And don't say anything to anyone otherwise they'll throw you in the nuthouse. Actually," Sam said, slowing the swing down to a stop, "I'm surprised they haven't locked your Gran, Mamasita and you up already!"

Sam jumped up off the swing, shifted sideways and bent down to give a still stunned Emily a hug, throwing in the comment, "Beak-faced monkey indeed," and set off towards the tennis court that was in the opposite direction to the sea. Blowing Emily a fake kiss, she said "You know I love you kid, but you gotta get a grip."

Emily sat dead still, a small smile slowly showing as her friend walked away. Perhaps she was going crazy, like her gran with her visions, and Mamasita with her tokoloshies.

There was only one way to find out, and that was to talk to them. Her gran might be strange but she could be wise.

Emily stood up in a daze and stepped gingerly towards her bag wary that the ugly beast would reappear. On the last step she leaned forward cautiously, snatched her book bag and leapt quickly away, her heart hammering..

Maybe Sam was right. Maybe they did all belong in the nuthouse she thought as she walked over the grass, past the library, over the main tar road, down the side street towards the little white house with the bright red roof where she lived with her Gran and Mamasita.

CHAPTER TWO

Emily woke up the following morning wondering why her life was so different from other children's. For as long as she could remember, it had always been just her, Gran and Mamasita. No mom and dad, or brothers and sisters, just her and the old women.

She'd asked Gran about her parents, and over the years got snippets of information but Gran never gave her the full picture, almost as if she felt Emily couldn't handle the whole truth. Emily figured that seeing a beak-faced ugly monkey in broad daylight warranted the truth. Today was the day that Gran was going to give her the whole story, once and for all, like it or not.

Emily gazed out her bedroom window at the sea, gulls squawking as they dive-bombed fish. She breathed in, salty sea air filling her lungs, loving the taste on her tongue. Shoving the multi-colored crocheted blankets off her legs, her bare feet landed on the wooden floor. She padded over to her cupboard and put on her gown, not wanting to get dressed yet. Emily dragged her feet lazily, opened her door, yawned and stretched, walked into the lounge, about to join Gran outside on the patio where she sat every morning, when she was startled by a yell.

"Mamasita. Mamasita, it seems we've woken the dead! Bring some more coffee, please."

"Ha ha, Gran," Emily said, slouching into the white plastic chair waiting for the light of day to wake her up properly.

"So, child?" Gran asked, waiting for a comment from Emily.

"So, what?" Emily replied, playing the game.

"So what have you got to say for yourself this morning?" Any more dreams? Any more strange happenings?" Gran always seemed to know something had happened even though nothing had been spoken aloud. Emily had decided on her way home yesterday to first figure out how she felt about seeing the beak faced monkey before she said anything.

"Gran, how come you always know when something weird has happened to me? Were you at the library yesterday? Did you see it?"

"See what?" Gran asked.

"That ugly beak-faced monkey. That's what."

"Nope. Didn't see a thing…" Gran replied. Mamasita shimmied her way into another white plastic chair, dumping the hot cup of decaf coffee in front of Emily.

"Why don't you tell me about it?" asked Gran.

"Yes girl, tell us. You seen more tokoloshies?" Mamasita asked, giggling like a schoolgirl while looking around the veranda just in case tokoloshies were sneaking around.

Emily gave Mamasita a warning glance, "It wasn't like the dreams, Gran. This was real. It happened during the day and he grinned at me with big scary teeth." Emily said, assuming the thing was a he, shuddering at the memory.

"Em, apart from it being during the day, how exactlywas this different from your dreams?" Gran asked.

Emily had been having dreams since the age of seven; dreams that would wake her up in the night, dreams that happened on and off for about a year, and then seemed to disappear. Until this past December.

Emily would sleepwalk into Gran's bedroom and wake her up. She would try to describe the beings of all shapes and sizes, some fat, some thin, all shining in different colors, some happy, some sad, some seemingly mad and some that just seemed like a dark mass, which would fill Emily with awe, excitement and fear.

The last time Emily had sleepwalked to Gran she had spoken about a flying dog that had licked her face. Emily called the creatures in her dreams Shimmers, since they wavered in and out of focus.

Taking a sip of her decaf coffee, looking out to sea, Emily said, "Gran, remember the flying dog? Remember how I told you I'dfelt him lick me? Well it was like that. It started all out of focus, like the Shimmers, but then it was there, clear as day. I could see it with my own eyes, not like a dream where it's all in my head."

"Oh, I see now…" Gran said, smiling teasingly at her.

Emily sighed, wondering if she'd ever be able to explain what she saw. She looked out towards the sea again, leaving Gran and Mamasita to their chattering about what she'd seen or not seen.

Emily turned and grabbed Gran's arm, "Gran – sorry, Mamasita – Gran, don't you think it's time I knew the whole story of what happened to mom and dad? My Eight got really hot yesterday. I thought it was going to burn right through me."

Gran raised her eyebrows, and knees creaking, stood up to lift Emily's brown plait to look at her birthmark. "It does seem kind of red, Em."

Gran looked at Mamasita over Emily's head, "Mamasita, won't you please get our special cream?" Mamasita grimaced, her own hefty body struggling out the chair.

"Are you sure you want to hear it again Emily. I don't have all the answers, and sometimes I wonder if what I'm telling you is even truthful since my memory is somewhat faulty these days..." said Gran, trailing off as Mamasita now mobile, bustled into the house and back out with the cream.

Mamasita pulled up Emily's plait and started massaging her neck. Emily felt her neck grow warm and soft, and she closed her eyes dreamily.

"Oh, and Gran before we talk about that, last night when I was about to go to sleep, I heard some words. Like a poem, I think."

"Thanks Mamasita," Emily said, as the rubbing on her neck stopped abruptly. She opened her eyes and saw the look that passed between the two old women. "What?" she said.

"Nothing, nothing," said Gran quickly, attempting to divert Emily's attention, "So what did you hear?"

Emily closed her eyes. The darkness behind her lids became the blackboard for the words she'd heard the previous night. As they appeared, she whispered them aloud:

Thoughts are things

As real as night

The Book will bring

You to the light

Listen carefully in your head

Then read the words and you'll be led

To our world and the Scroll of Seven

Uniting all of earth and heaven.

Gran blinked her eyes quickly a few times, as if holding back tears. Emily's eyebrow raised a question.

"Oh hell, heck and dammit," said Gran.

Emily's mouth dropped and stayed open.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to swear," said Gran "It's just… I guess it's time for you to know as much as I know."

Emily had never seen her Gran so rattled. Gran never swore. She was usually full of teasing, silliness and loud laughter, very seldom anger. Emily felt a shiver run down her back, her spine tingling with someone dancing on her grave.

"It was a dark and stormy night…" began Gran.

Emily's eyes widened in concern.

"Gran, what do you mean it was…?" Emily's voice faltered, seeing the laughter coming back into Gran's eyes.

Emily leapt out her chair, grabbed towards Gran's throat, playfully wanting to strangle her, but Gran shoved her chair backwards trying to get away, so they both collapsed on the floor as the chair went crashing down, their laughter contagious.

"Ouch. That hurt but I got you, Em, didn't I?" giggled Gran childishly.

"In fact, it was the exact opposite," Gran continued, getting more serious, holding Emily's hand as she helped her up from the floor and guided her into the plastic chair.

"I've told you before how the light seemed brighter. The night was filled with shining, shimmering light. The most unusual light actually," Gran said as she moved back in time, towards what little she knew about Emily's birth.

They had all been living in Kingstown then. A town different from what it was now; a friendlier town, where children could still play in the streets without fear, a town filled with love and laughter.

Mae, Emily's mother, had been alone when the contractions started, but she wasn't worried. All through her pregnancy, voices within her had been saying to her, "She's special." She knew that the baby was indeed going to be the start of a new life for her husband, herself and even her mother, who everyone called Gran.

John, Emily's dad, had organized to be away with his friends that night. They had the kind of relationship that worked well. They spent a lot of time together as a family, while also trying to give each other some breathing room. When one of them wanted to do the thing that they loved most that the other wasn't interested in, they went their separate ways for a few hours.

Mae had smiled when her husband and soon-to-be dad had patted her stomach, leaned down and whispered to it, "Now don't you come out tonight." Mae had laughingly shoved him out the door looking forward to some alone time and said, "Go. If anything happens, I'll phone. Go!"

When the contractions started near midnight, Mae calmly touched her stomach, saying, "Slow down, little one. The night is still young. We still have some time," then laughed because every time she said that to her Emily, all she did was kick and squirm more.

They had decided on the name, Emily May, earlier that week. The pregnancy had been easy, with no nausea and lots of laughs as things had grown. Mae had felt like summer for the entire nine months, so they had chosen the light, airy name of Emily May.

Walking into the bathroom, Mae turned on the tap to run a hot bath, humming a tune that made no sense to her at all, "Oh little warrior, what a life, oh what a life you'll have. Oh little warrior, warrior girl, oh what a life you'll give," silently letting her clothes fall to the floor, becoming the center of something affecting more than one world.

In the parallel world called Aurana, the Balance between light and dark forces had been disturbed when a war had broken out centuries ago. The dark had been steadily taking over, but the birth of this child would change all that.

Turning off the hot tap, feeling the steaming water with her ballet toes, Mae held her big belly with her right hand and towel rail with the left. Toes pointed, she placed first one foot and then the other into the hot water. As her feet got used to the warmth, she slowly lowered her body down.

Settling in, lying down on her back, head poking above the water, her big stomach and over-grown breasts floating, her feet planted on the base of the bath just under the dripping tap, she drifted off.

Time morphed.

Her body remained in the water, as her sense of self wandered into the unknown. Mae would never have the chance to explain what happened.

An angelic being appeared. An apparition, shrouded in a see-through muslin gown, flowing like a breeze, shimmering lightly. Whatever the being was in front of her, it seemed to be wise.

While she couldn't make out any features, light shifting and surrounding it, she felt wonderful. She felt safe, peaceful, warm and comfortable. She didn't have a scared bone in her body as she listened carefully to the words that came from the Angel:

The child is yours to love and to hold,

But her life will be ours when she's twelve years old.

He'll disappear now, on her birth date,

Won't be seen, until she knows The Eight.

You'll lose it all – both sense and sound

Will take their leave and won't be found.

Hold on to us, to them and me

Until your warrior sets you free.

"Call it intuition, or a feeling of some sort, but I suddenly had to get to your Mom immediately, even though it was so late," said Gran, jolting everyone back into the present, "I walked over to your mom's house in the pitch dark as quickly as I could."

"By the time I arrived, your mom was lying on her bed, smiling and crying all at the same time, repeating a phrase over and over again. The most amazing lights surrounded her. Lights and colors I have not seen before or since. They shimmered and shone, colors and different hues of the rainbow swirling and twirling around her. She wasn't in pain but ecstasy. That's the only way I can describe it. It was the happiest I've ever seen your mom, Em. Strangely, it seemed like the lights were helping her, keeping her safe, wrapping around her as she gave birth to you."

"At first I was a little afraid to go near her and into those lights, even though they seemed kindly, but I could see your head peeking out. You were in such a hurry, as you've been ever since. You couldn't wait to start your life, Em," smiled Gran in fond remembrance.

"You slipped out into my hands as easy as custard pudding. All creamy, yellow and sticky, with eyes as big as saucers."

"Yuck! Not sure I want all the details thanks Gran," Emily interrupted.

"Slipped out easy as pie," said Gran, ignoring Emily. "The lights mesmerized you, and even though a baby shouldn't be able to see details like that, yours were clear and followed the movement. You didn't look at me at all, you didn't make a sound. You didn't cry and I wasn't sure whether to smack you on the bum or not. Should have done it, but you looked so happy," grinned Gran.

"Anyway, I got your mom to finish birthing," continued Gran, lost in the past, "Wrapped you up tight in a white towel and went to phone the hospital to come fetch both of you. It wasn't unusual for children to be born at home then, but since your mom was still in that strange trance-like state I knew something was up."

"I was holding you in my arms, while on the phone with the hospital, across the room from your mom, when you let out an almighty yell. I didn't know what was wrong, you screamed and screamed. I unwrapped the blanket you were in, looking at every inch of your body, trying to find out where the problem could be but you carried on screaming until I put you back with your mom in those lights."

"As I lay you down next to her she turned and took you in her arms. That was the first and last time she seemed to be with us. I heard her say, Hello, little warrior, hello my beautiful Emily, oh how I love you, then she just slipped away, clutching you tight."

"What do you mean she slipped away, Gran?"

Gran looked up from the white table at the waves crashing on the rocks in front of the house then squinted into the sun. Holding up her hands, looking at her liver spots, she clutched them together over her stomach, refusing to look directly at Emily.

"The ambulance came to take you to the hospital. The lights seemed to cling to your mother. None of the paramedics even remarked on the light, so I assumed it was only family that could see it and didn't want to appear like a doddering fool so I pretended that everything was normal. made sure that I stayed in the halo of light since I had you in my arms and didn't want you to start screaming like a banshee again. I rode in the ambulance, but when we arrived at the hospital they told me to follow one nurse while they whisked your mom away in another direction. I know it hurts you to have lost your mother like that."

Gran stumbled over her tongue and looked upset. "Eight, schmeit, Angel, Elder, fools," she said, not realizing that she was mumbling nonsense.

Gran continued on with the story as if she wasn't aware of her outburst, straightening up into her no-nonsense pose.

"Anyway, I don't think she knew you were there after saying hello that once. Having drifted away, all she talked about was the Shimmers, lights, shimmering, words and stuff that I thought was nonsense paddy-wacked coddle, at least at the time," mused Gran.

"Initially, your mom wouldn't let me take you from her arms when the paramedics arrived, but as she sank deeper and deeper …"

"She wanted to keep hold of you but I was scared that she would hurt you."

"Oh, not purposefully!" said Gran, seeing Emily's eyes widen.

"It's just that her eyes never focused on you or anything actually. They closed, and she was gone."

Still lost in memories, Gran said, "One of the nurses came out much later. You didn't scream when we separated you from your Mom at the hospital, and by then you were sleeping like an angel. She told me that your mom had been taken away."

"What do you mean, taken away?" Emily asked, "Taken away where?"

Gran ignored Emily's question for the time being, saying, "And so after time, I thought it best that we didn't speak of it anymore. I thought the hurt would go away. I thought leaving all the details in the past was the kindest thing we could do for each other."

"I thought it best not to mention the words the nurse had written down for me since it didn't seem to matter at the time, but now I know it does." Gran said coming back to the table on the porch, with the gulls swooping all around them.

Emily missed Gran's mention of written words, focused as she was on her mom's death, saying again, "What do you mean she was taken away, Gran?"

Gran refocused on Emily, "She was gone, Em. There was nothing that could be done. She'd left us. The nurse told me she had died."

Emily slumped. Gran had obviously told her that her mom had died before, but she'd secretly hoped to get a different answer.

"And Dad? Where was he?" asked Emily

"We don't know Em. He disappeared that night and though we've searched, leaving no stone unturned, he seems to be gone too. We don't know if he's alive or dead."

Gran, trying desperately to get to what she felt was the important part of the whole story, continued, "As the nurse that had been with your mom came walking towards me, and I could see the news was bad, I looked down and noticed the mark on your neck. Well, felt it more than saw it at first. The back of your neck was unbelievably hot. I moved you onto my chest and you snuggled in. I lifted the blanket and saw the infinity mark, your Eight. I could swear it hadn't been there before."

"Anyway, as soon as the nurse stopped in front of me the heat dissipated. The infinity symbol, your Eight, has been there ever since." Gran continued, seeing the hospital corridors as if she was still there.

"Once the nurse confirmed your mom was gone, she told me that your mom had been quite insistent that she write down a message. She said your Mom seemed to come out of a coma of sorts, and clearly stated that her wishes were for me to be told these specific words. In fact the nurse said your mom made sure she'd written them down, before once more losing consciousness. I could see that the nurse thought it was more than a little strange. But since your Mom had been so insistent, the nurse had hurried to us to pass them on."

"I think it's time you knew your mom's last words, Emily. I don't know what they mean, even though I've tried to guess over the years, Lord knows I have. But now that they're out in the open I'm sure you'll figure out their meaning."

Gran, knowing them off by heart, having run them through her own thoughts over the last twelve years, repeated:

Thoughts are things

As real as night

The Book will bring

You to the light

Listen carefully in your head

Then read the words and you'll be led

To our world and the Scroll of Seven

Uniting all of earth and heaven.

Emily stared at her Gran. "No way, you're just teasing me again."

Gran glanced at Mamasita, who fished in the pocket of her brown-speckled apron, and produced what looked like an old and dog-eared piece of paper, yellowish with age, crumpled from much fiddling, with a red cross in the upper right hand corner.

"So this is what the look was all about then earlier, was it?" asked Emily.

"Some silly piece of paper?" Emily took it from Mamasita, opened it and read the same written words, feeling a tingling in her fingertips.

"No way Gran, I'm sure you're still trying to trick me. Come on Mamasita, did you just learn to write? You must have, Gran…." Emily's eyes started watering.

"Look at the date Emily, and the logo of the hospital, this isn't anything we suddenly made up last night. Even you can feel the spark that comes with it."

Emily, tears streaming down her cheeks, read the note again, her fingertips gently stroking the words over and over, feeling connected to her mother for the first time in twelve years.

CHAPTER THREE

Admonai spat, huge sticky globules dripping off his bottom lip.

Elgeba hated being summoned into the cavernous depths where Admonai ruled in fear. Admonai, as a shape shifter, changed his looks depending on his mood, but very seldom did he take a form that was pleasant.

Elgeba often imagined Admonai as a small rodent with buck teeth, or a big hairy monster with tiny, shimmery butterfly wings. Elgeba tried to find something funny to add to Admonai's current creature-form to make him less fierce and frightening.

Today, Admonai looked and talked like a Man. A big, fat, hairy, pus-filled Man. Admonai could look any way he pleased, but when he was at home in his dark underground cave, he liked to be a big, hairy, pus-filled Man more than any other form. Elgeba shuddered with revulsion, did his best not to run away screaming while feeling grateful for the Man-form. Admonai's original form was way more scary.

No one ever knew when Admonai was around because of his shape-shifting ability. What gave someone a clue that he might be around was a feeling. The feeling that you were being stared at, that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The feeling that told you that something wasn't quite right, that something, or someone, was watching you.

Nobody liked that feeling, especially when they were trying to get away with whatever it was they were up to at the time, and most of the time Elgeba was up to mischief.

He couldn't help it. It was in his bones – bones that looked like they were on the outside of his body because he was so skinny.

Being a long-beaked winged monkey with a bony body, he knew he looked ugly and scary, but he was actually one of the least threatening creatures in Attica, Aurana. It was just his mischievous side that got him into so much trouble.

Admonai was not a well-liked leader, but he was a respected one. Fear was a powerful weapon. The reason Elgeba had been summoned before Admonai was because he'd been noticed. And being noticedwas one of the worst crimes in Attica, with the most severe punishment. Elgeba wasn't sure that he'd get away with just being punished this time. He was trying hard to think up a clever excuse, quickly.

It had all started when she had noticed him.

Elgeba had overheard Admonai speaking about the dangerous girl a few days before. Admonai, in another spitting rage, had flung out his arms and said to The Heathen, "Why did you not warn me of her before?"

Elgeba knew Admonai had heard an answer he didn't like because he got even more out of control. Admonai was not often summoned by The Heathen, but when he was it was always about something very important. That's why he'd become so curious.

Elgeba got away with murder most of the time. This time, however, he'd been caught red-handed. He could swear she hadn't seen him. He'd been so quick. In and out.

It was only the unexpected spark that had caught him off guard. He had aspirated for the first time in his life. He had forced through the Veil, next to the library where she'd been swinging. The noise sounded like a suction, draining the air around him.

He had taken a chance, had simply willed to be near her, needing it so badly even though he didn't understand this need. Then he'd aspirated. He certainly hadn't expected to get it right, even though he'd seen smaller animals do it.

He didn't think she would notice him. Most people on the other side of the Veil, never knew a creature was near them.

He just thought it would be fun to see if he could have a look around on the other side of the Veil now that it was thinning.

Stupid monkey, he thought to himself.

But it had been worth it.

Firstly, Elgeba knew for sure now, that he couldforce his way through the Veil. That didn't mean it was a good thing because Admonai had scared them time and again by saying, "When the Veil comes down it will be The Beginning of the End for us, for all Auranians, but mostly for us."

Admonai had told his underlings about the Great War because it was the only one waged between the light and dark in the whole history of the Veil. In the years preceding the Great War, light and dark had lived comfortably side by side, each of them allowing the other to exist in harmony. Admonai had smirked in satisfaction when he told his captive underlings about tipping the Balance in their favour, allowing the darkness to start taking over more and more of Aurana.

Elgeba's curiosity about the dangerous girl and the thinning of the Veil had driven him to break the law. So here he was, grovelling before Admonai, wondering what excuse he could use.

Elgeba no longer wondered how Admonia knew everything. He'd learned that lesson before when trying to save his skin. That time he'd only been flayed within an inch of his life, which is partly why his bones stuck out of his skin.

Elgeba thought as fast as he could while Admonai continued screaming and spitting at him.

"You fool, you great big clumsy stupid fool. You had to try break through the Veil, didn't you? Stupid, ugly beast. You deserve to die or be banished forever..." Admonai raged on.

Admonai, shouting insults, gave Elgeba time to come up with the best thoughts and answers that would fit his crime. It was a gift, his lightning-fast brain. A brain with which any monkey could come up with a good excuse.

"Your Royal A," interrupted Elgeba, hanging his head so low in supplication it touched his toes, cowering but not yet terrified enough of Admonai in his Man form, desperately trying to diffuse the situation.

"Your Royal A, it was for you that I did this. It was for you, my Lord. I would never think to do something against your wishes. Never ever go against your laws."

Elgeba, head still on his toes, slowly moved his sly eyes upwards until he could see Admonai's heaving heart, not daring to look him in the eyes yet.

"Your Royal A, for you I put my life on the line. For you I did this deed."

Admonai screamed, "For me! For me! What did we gain by this, you stupid, bony monkey?"

Elgeba answered courageously, "My Lord, now we know," but before he could carry on Admonai interrupted.

"I know what is going on around me. I hear reports from my sources. I see what needs to be seen. There is nothing that I don't know, you imbecile."

Admonai started bouncing between his Man and original form, ranting and raving. Elgeba realised that he was in more trouble than he thought, but he had to try and change the situation around, or he was a dead duck.

Interrupting, Elgeba tried to find a way to say delicately what was needed without offending Admonai more.

"But your Highness, it was you that said you couldn't see her clearly. It was you that said something was about to happen."

Risking what was left of his skin, and pretending he knew nothing about a dangerous girl, Elgeba repeated, "I aspirated because I thought you would want to know that thereis a girl that threatens us. I thought you may want to know what she looks like. And now I can tell you, your Royal A. But if you'd prefer, you may take my life now, oh my King, for I am just your humble servant."

Elgeba knew full well that in time Admonai would be able to see all the girls features for himself, as the Veil grew thinner, or by consulting with Sileknis and his Cirles of Infludence. In the beginning, Elgeba had assumed that Admonai could shape-shift through the different worlds, but recently found out under great threat to himself, that Admonai was only able to shapeshift in Aurana.

Admonai had also only been aware of her for the last few hours. But Elgeba's curiosity was so heightened about the Veil thinning, and he'd felt such a need to aspirate in the exact place he'd approached while mindlessly following his intuition, that he hadn't been able to wait another second. He'd been both lucky and unlucky that he had seen the girl.

And so, with a glint in his eye and trust in his cleverness, Elgeba took his last chance, raised his eyes and looked into Admonai's snarling, dark features, saying "For you my King, for you, only, always, ever for you."

Admonai, still spraying gooey globules of spit everywhere at Elgeba, said, "And You have given her a view of us now, oh stupid monkey."

"She did not know of us before, but now she knows what you look like. What do you think she will do when she finds you?"

Elgeba waited for the ranting to stop. He'd never been near a human before so how was he supposed to know what she would do when she found him. Was she really dangerous?

There was nothing more that he could say.

Admonai, calming slightly, continued, "But you have gained some valuable information, earlier than needed but valuable nevertheless. I'd rather you didn't go to your grave with it.. Therefore I will grant you your life, but take away another's. You decide who will die in your place."

Elgeba couldn't believe what Admonai was saying. He was happy to put his own life on the line, but not that of someone else. Please no, screamed the inside Elgeba's head, knowing the inevitable would happen regardless.

"Quickly Elgeba," said Admonai, "a name. Now."

Elgeba stumbled over his words, shocked to his core, "Um, oh High One, um, Please."

"Now Elgeba," threatened Admonai, "Now!" boomed off the walls as Admonai asserted his full power.

Suddenly Elgeba was out of time and no longer feeling so clever. He cried out, trying to deflect the inevitable, "Oh Lord of High, I cannot. I cannot give you a name so quickly. Please, don't ask this of me. I don't know anyone. You know I have no friends or family. I have no one that I care for."

Admonai was adamant. "If you cannot choose then I will chose for you. Bring me Josie,"' he shouted to his gate-keepers.

"No!" screamed Elgeba aloud but his voice went unheard.

He couldn't believe he had sacrificed another for his curiosity. He couldn't believe Admonai would do it.

Elgeba didn't like too many of the other cave-dwelling unerlings, but still, to name a name, to choose death willingly for someone else... That was unthinkable.

Elgeba had learned hard lessons through time. One of them was never to get too close to anyone. It just meant getting hurt. Caring for someone always left a scar when they left or when they were gone, so he hadn't allowed himself to make friends.

Until recently. He'd figured that after so many years one friend wouldn't hurt. He'd been wrong.

"Please, oh High one. Your Majesty. Please. Spare her." he begged, but Admonai would not be moved. Not by tears, not by supplication and not by pleading.

"Please, oh Majesty. Take me instead. Please," begged Elgeba, moaning, but still Admonai wouldn't be moved.

"No. Enough. You broke the law. Be it on your conscience that her life gets taken," said Admonai menacingly, as the gate-keepers brought Josie in.

Looking questioningly at Elgeba, whose eyes were rimmed with tears, Josie smiled sweetly, saying a silent goodbye as she understood her role in the drama being played out. Elgeba tried once more.

"But Mighty Ruler, how could my heartbroken mind then remember the details of what I have seen? I will surely die with grief and you will not then know what the dangerous one looks like." It was a gamble, but the only one Elgeba had left.

"You cannot bargain for something that I am now aware of. You alerted her. She is aware now. I will be able to find her for you have led her to me. You have led her into my arms," cackled Admonai sinisterly.

Realising that he hadn't only placed Josie's life in harm's way, knowing it was a lost cause now, Elgeba shrank.

A monkey is curious, it's his nature, it's what makes him what he is, Elgeba thought, It's what makes me, me. How can I change? I cannot. I am who I am, Elgeba thought, watching Josie being led towards Admonai.

"Stupid, ugly monkey. See what you have made me do." Admonai shouted in rage, in his awful Man form, as he killed Elgeba's only friend.

Watching the light fade out of her eyes, Elgeba made a promise to himself. He knew he had killed Josie. He knew it was his fault. Elgeba screamed silently at Admonai, "My chance will come. I don't know when or where. But it will come. And I will take someone or something that you care about from you."

It was a good thing that Admonai could not read minds, or Elgeba would have died that night along with Josie.

CHAPTER FOUR

Emily climbed into bed, exhausted by the day's overload of information. Outside her open window, the sea swished and washed, in and out, in a rhythm that lulled even crickets to sleep at night.

She kissed Gran goodnight, then asked as she did every night, "Where did she go Gran? Mom. Where?"

Getting the same reply of, "I don't rightly know, dear child, I don't know, probably Heaven," Emily knew she wouldn't give up trying. She and Gran had had different conversations about this same topic as she was growing up.

What was the world 'out there' like?

Was there a Heaven?

If there was, where was it?

Was there a Hell?

What did it look like?

What if there was just a black hole, what if there was nothing?

Did something really create the world?

Was this life the same as any other?

Were there other things out there?

But she didn't often get a straight answer from Gran. Perhaps because no one could say for sure. Perhaps because her Gran didn't know the answers?

Emily was persistent, if nothing else. She thought that it was one of her good traits, being persistent. Drifting on the waves in and out, Emily closed her eyes sleepily.

Suddenly she jolted awake, sitting straightup in her bed.

One of the things that Emily loved about her bed was that it was at least a half a metre higher than any other normal bed. She didn't have bricks under each corner like some of the village people had to avoid tokoloshies – it was just made like that.

A few times, when Emily had asked Mamasita what a tokoloshie was, Mamasita just replied, "Not for you to think about girl. Is a devil thing that. We don't say his name. But you too young to think about it now anyways. Maybe, maybe one day I tell you, but not now."

Emily thought the two old ladies, one black, one white, were spitting images of each other. All their ways – what they did, how they spoke, what they said, how they said things to each other with just a look – were alike since they'd grown up together. Sometimes Emily wasn't sure who did what for whom. They just seemed to dancetogether like two ballroom partners who had practised together for years.

At that moment, though, with Mamasita's tokoloshies and beaked-ugly-monkey things in her head, Emily was scared. Really scared.

"Who's there?" she shouted, "In the name of All that is Good, whose there?" Emily asked while peering into the dark.

Emily wasn't sure what she was saying, but she reckoned if Mamasita could say it to keep the tokoloshies away, she could do it to keep whatever else away too.

"Who's there?" Emily whispered, as coloured lights started dancing at the edge of her vision. Emily's stomach stopped clenching and started to feel warm.

"Hello," Emily said into the light.

"Emmmmm. Emm…." said the voice. If Emily hadn't felt warm and safe, or if she'd been a few years younger, she might have wet her bed. And she hadn't done that in a very, very long time.

The voice was eerie but nice. As the words came, she realised she knew them. She'd felt the presence behind the voice over the last few years, had heard the voice recently mouth the words:

Thoughts are things

As real as night

The Book will bring

You to the light

Listen carefully in your head

Then read the words and you'll be led

To our world and the Scroll of Seven

Uniting all of earth and heaven.

This time there was more, though. More than just the poetic words. She heard, "Hurry, Em, hurry, remember thoughts are things. Remember us. Book. Em..." as the lights danced all around her.

Emily was lost, lost in the colour of rainbows, in the world of light, in the feeling of love and kindness.

A flying dog, a Shimmer, how cool. Emily's consciousness faded and winked out. Sleeping lightly, she thought she felt someone or something lick her face. 'Yuck' was the last word in her head as she smiled and drifted away.

CHAPTER FIVE

Boarding school. The thought bounced around Emily's head as soon as she woke up the next morning.

Wondering why, Emily walked out onto the porch overlooking the waves. Gulls cawed overhead. Gran joined her, sitting down with creaking knees as she gave Emily her morning coffee.

"So?" Gran asked.

Emily answered as she did, "So, what?"

"So, child, now you know about your birth, your Eight and the Shimmers all around you."

Emily gave Gran the look.

"Yes, I've seen and heard them around you child, seen the lights too when I've come to check on you. Mamasita has too. Almost frightened her out of her wits one night when she was coming to tuck you in!' laughed Gran. 'I can't tell you anything more now, except that I knew when you turned twelve I didn't have much time left to have you all to myself. They've visited me too over the years, you know." Gran continued as Em's eyes got even wider, knowing that she wasn't the only one feeling as mad as a hatter.

"What your mom said that first minute with you has never left me. It's been repeating in my head for years."

"I knew I'd have to let you go, like I once had to let your mom go, but perhaps not in quite the same way."

"Some days, I think I'm as lost as she is," Gran continued, thinking of the worlds she seemed to bounce between as her mind got older, weaker, less logical and more accepting.

"When it arrived, I knew time was up. The Letter." Gran continued. Emily's memory jolted. She remembered something about a Book, but a letter? "What? What letter?" she said impatiently, not following her gran.

"Oh," said Gran nonchalantly, "the acceptance letter for boarding school," sounding like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"It's from the school in Kingstown. I'd love you to stay, Em. But there's no middle school here. Surely you must have thought you'd go somewhere?"

Now Emily knew why she'd woken up with the thought of boarding school in her head. It seemed it wasn't just her Gran who could read minds.

"I just thought it would be somewhere close. That I'd stay with you. That's all." Emily said, realising she hadn't exactly plotted her next move.

"You'll come home in the holidays," Gran continued as if there was nothing wrong. But Emily saw the tear forming in Gran's eye as she turned away from her, looking at the sea. She was angry and sad all at the same time. She knew Gran and Mamasita had always loved her, so why did they want to send her away? She said, "Holidays aren't quite the same, are they Gran? Everything I've ever known you're taking away from me. I'll be all by myself." Emily continued, feeling like a baby, starting to realise that a she would be leaving the familiar behind.

Gran leaned over the table and took her hand. "Not by yourself, Em. Never by yourself. You'll have your dog-like thing, your, what do you call them, your Shimmers. Besides, I spoke to Sam's parents first. I asked them to also send her with you. That way you'd at least have someone real whom you know with you," Gran teased.

"Do you remember what you used to say as a child, my girl," Gran asked. "That rhyme from Pooh Bear that you loved so much? You're stronger than you seem, brighter than you think and braver than you believe, or something like that." Gran said. "Go pack your things. We go first thing tomorrow."

Gran wobbled as she stood up. "Mamasita!" she yelled. The answer when it came, "Already done."

Pack. Sam. Shimmers. Dogs. Silly old bats. Emily's head swam. Time to go, she thought. Thoughts are things? Emily's thoughts wafted around, directionless.

She'd always known that she was going somewhere, sometime. She just hadn't known when. She stood up and walked calmly to her room.

"No more Sea. No more Library," she said to no one in particular. No more ugly beak-faced thing? she wondered.

She resigned herself to her fate without liking it, folding her jeans. The words she'd heard in the night repeated in her head.

Emily was starting to get a little fed up with these words. But maybe she'd find out what they meant. Maybe they'd lead her to find out more about her mom, or maybe even to find her dad?

Her journey had started. She only hoped she'd end up somewhere rather than nowhere.

CHAPTER SIX

"She's coming. She's coming. She's coming!" was all you could hear whispered in Aurana.

Excited whispers that said "She hears us, she feels us, she's finally coming!" Whispers that had been waiting a long time. Whispers that flew up and down the airwaves, "She's ready. She's coming. She's finally coming!"

Aurana was a world filled with colour and light. A world filled with all the shades of the rainbow. Each of Aurana's dwellers could be identified by the colour that shone out around them. Most had a single dominant colour that told everyone who they were and what they were about. There were very few secrets in Aurana, because your colours told your story.

Pugly was the only one of his species that had a dominant white colour. It really was very unusual. Most dogs-that-weren't-quite-dogs had a brownish-green colouring. But Pugly was different.

From the age of six, he had been trained in the magical ways. Pugly had been trained to become her guardian and guide within the magical kingdom of Aurana. It was he that was running up and down through all the valleys, forests and towns. letting everyone know of her coming of age.

Pugly looked like a small dog with four legs. He was rock-solid, with a crinkled, squashed face, a huge grin and round smiling eyes. On the end of his long, thin fingers and toes were the sticky pads he didn't use much these days. But, having seen earth dogs on the other side of the Veil, he knew that he was much, much more intelligent.

In Aurana he was part of a tribe that lived mostly in the dense forests of Avignail. But they weren't the only dwellers of Aurana. Not by a long shot.

Aurana was filled with creatures of all sizes and shapes, but their unifying feature was the colours that shone around each one of them. Only once before had a creature come without colour, in a time before Pugly was born. The stories of Admonai of Old, of The Cursed Man, were still whispered by those that feared him.

Aurana was filled with differences. But just because the creatures looked different on the outside didn't mean that they were different on the inside. Or so Pugly thought.

Pugly was a man. Barely a man, some of his friends and family teased him, but Pugly believed if thirteen was when he was expected to become hers, then at thirteen he was old enough to be recognised as a man. Not The Cursed Man, he thought shivering, thinking of the dark one, but at least a Man.

There was a lot that Pugly knew about life that some of his friends didn't. He knew about how things aren't all that they seemed even better than his parents did. He knew way too much about good and bad, not just from the stories his parents had told him.

The Elder had been coming to him since he was seven. At seven he was told about his role in the righting of the Balance. At seven he was told of the greatness inside of him. Seven was when he became scared for the first time ever.

Most nights from then onwards he still woke up in a cold sweat. But he was tough. He'd been taught well, he'd trained even harder.

And now she was coming.

Not able to contain his excitement any more, he ran down the muddy road and flew off in the direction of the village of Amarteen, in the valley that ran perpendicular to the sea.

Pugly didn't need to use his padded feet to climb much these days because he could fly. This is what made him so different from the rest of his tribe.

He didn't need to run to take off. He just did it to make take-offs more gradual. He found that if he was just standing there one minute and not the next, it confused and frightened his friends and family, so he made a big thing of running down the road and taking off like an airplane on a runway. The Elder taught him to fly, and it was this that had earned him his white colour. Sometimes, the good came with the bad. Others teased him because they were jealous. He'd learnt to live with it.

Pugly rose up in the air, almost unseen against the blue-white of the sky, to spread the news that she was coming. He loved flying. When he was very young he'd often believed he could fly, and kept hurting himself when he jumped out trees. Once, after jumping off the roof of their home, he realised having broken legs wasn't so pleasant. He gave up on flying until the Elder had come.

Pugly looked around as he flew.

This land lived so deep in his heart that he couldn't think of it ever not being there. That was why he had to help her, help them. She was going to make sure that Aurana throved again. The Balance was sweeping darkness over lush lands, and parts of Aurana were becoming invisible. His land was disappearing.

To his left in the forests of Avignail was a waterfall. The waterfall was clearly visible above the trees, the mountains so high they disappeared into the clouds. It was caught in what looked like a fishbowl made of sweeping mountain cliffs, with one side sloping down towards the sea. It was beautiful, but so much of the beauty of Aurana had disappeared.

Before Pugly could fly, it had taken a full day's travel to get to the Amarteen valley. Now he could get there in minutes. The sky was mostly his so he didn't worry about bumping into someone. Every now and then he would fly past a phoenix or some assorted air-beings, but their numbers were dwindling as Aurana diminished in size.

Sometimes Pugly wondered what he looked like when he flew. Eyes bulging, fur flapping behind his bum, arms stretched forward like a comic-book hero, legs tucked in under his stomach. He saw the mountains behind him, their cliffs plunging into the sea. The river became a small lake, then flowed through green shrubs into the dunes. The gentle slopes leading down to the sea were a golden brown. Sand wisped off the top of the dunes, with the breeze blowing inland to cool the area. Beautiful, Pugly thought again, as he began his descent to meet Elvis.

Elvis lived in Amarteen. The Amarteen homes, if you could call them that, were different shapes, sizes and colours, just like each dweller. Elvis lived in what looked like a carved-out hollow about a quarter of the way up the mountain, overlooking the flatlands of the Amarteen Valley. Elvis had often told Pugly that it was the view that drew him to make a home there. But Pugly knew it was so that he would not get trampled on by one of the bigger dwellers. Elvis was even smaller than Pugly. Pugly was the size of a small dog; Elvis was the size of a human adult's hand.

Most of Elvis' tribe was about Pugly's size, but for some reason Elvis was half the size of everyone else. Elvis no longer minded, now that he knew what his purposewas. He'd spent much of his childhood being laughed at and called names. He didn't have many friends, which made his friendship with Pugly that much more special. Besides, it was his height, or lack of it, thought Elvis, that now allowed him to get onto Pugly's back and fly with him.

All those years of being ridiculed had made him stronger. Now, everyone that had ever laughed at, ignored or trampled him envied him.

The half-pint.

The short-spit.

The little squeak.

They envied his size because he was the only one small enough to climb onto Pugly and take rides. Pugly had tried to lift some of the others in Elvis' tribe when they had moaned about him giving Elvis special treatment. Needless to say, their weight had prevented lift-off.

Elvis loved Pugly because they were friends, because they were chosenand now had a mission. Pugly had asked Elvis to be a part of it, small fry or not.

Elvis was sitting on his high chair when Pugly flew down. It had taken some time for Elvis to carve out enough space so that both of them could fit into his home. His space was his own, so it wasn't always the tidiest or neatest, but it was clean enough for him. And Pugly didn't seem to mind the blankets that were any place but on the bed. They gave Pugly something soft to sit on.

The rest of Elvis' space was quite functional. He'd carved out some table-tops next to the walls to put things on, a bed at the back made especially to his size so he could pull the covers over himself and be snug. The front of his home, or worm-hole, as some of the jealous dwellers called it, was protected by a film of air. The air had been 'stilled' there. It kept the wind and the unfriendlies out while allowing Elvis to let creatures he liked in.

Pugly wafted down. Spotting Elvis in his high chair that allowed them to talk eye-to-eye, he manoeuvered around to wedge his bum further back into the hole.

Pugly often asked Elvis to meet him outside the village, but knew how house-proud Elvis felt and didn't mind wedging himself in from time to time. He did, however, have to face the open end so that he could at least see light. It gave him the illusion that there was enough air in the hole for both of them.

Pugly had a good look at his friend and helper. Small as he was, Elvis' every feature was alive. His long hair waved from side to side. His nose wiggled constantly and his eyes blinked rapidly all the time. He also couldn't sit still. Bouncing up and down on his short little legs, arms flapping as he spoke, Elvis wasn't someone you could ignore once he had your attention. Elvis moved so much that Pugly often worried he would plunge off his high chair.

"Hey Pugly," yelled Elvis quickly, "Is it time, mine, fine? Is it? Is it? Huh? Huh?

Pugly felt sure that Elvis had been waiting about as long as he had for her to come. He had first met Elvis about a year ago when the Elder had told Pugly that he would need someone smaller to help him. The Elder had told him that he had to stay on this side of the Veil, at least for now. Though he had been able to lick some people through the thinning Veil, he had not been able to aspirate through it entirely. The Elder had told him that to disturb the Veil without someone on the other side explicitly asking for it, was to create a 'rip in the substance of time.' It was not done. However, these were special circumstances, so the Elder told Pugly they needed someone really small. Enter Elvis.

The Elder told Pugly to go to Elvis, the dweller that was called little freak, among other things.

Shame, thought Pugly. It was bad enough that he was singled out, but at least he had the size to fight back.

And so Pugly had said goodbye to his mom, who was getting used to him disappearing for days at a time, strapped on his backpack and started walking to the village. He'd only learned to fly after meeting Elvis that first time.

It had taken him a day to walk to Amarteen. Footsore and hungry, Pugly thought that it would be some time before he found the pip-squeak, since he didn't even know who he was looking for.

He'd stopped in at the first watering hole on the edge of the village. It was a place with many kinds of dwellers, with smells that were very inviting. Sitting down outside on a mound of hard, dry mud, a mug of clear water and a softly baked roll in his hand, Pugly got his first glimpse of the chaos. Listening to the conversations around him, he'd soon got a hint of where to find the tiny creature. After resting, Pugly made his way through the village to the bottom of the mountain. He'd stood there for the longest time before a constantly moving head had poked out.

"Oy!" he said to the busy head, "Are you Elvis?"

Elvis had gawked at him like the stranger he was.

'No one calls me that, gat, fat, you splat. How'd ya know my name, game, fame?" yelled back at him.

"Can I come up, please?" asked Pugly, trying to show some decorum. "On second thoughts, you might have to come down," said Pugly looking at the small round hole.

"What do ya want, front, lump? Huh? Huh? I don't want anything from you, blue, stew," said the small head

"I came to find you. I was told to come looking for you," said Pugly. "Weren't you told?"

"Go away! Leave me alone, stone, moan," said the small-fry muttering, "Told, scmold, hold, by who, few. Ugly dwellers, I'll get em, stem, ahem," withdrawing into his hole.

"No, wait!" shouted Pugly, "I was sent. Really I was."

As he caught Pugly's words, Elvis muttered, "Sent, bent, meant. By who, new, flew? Who do you think you are, bar, star?'

Pugly shook his head. This was going to be more difficult than he thought, and wondered how such a pip-squeak could get up so far up his nose.

Pugly didn't tell many people, outside of his tribe, about the Elder. Many either shook their heads or otherwise wanted to bow down and kiss his feet. Either way it made him uncomfortable, but since the half-pint clearly wasn't getting his meaning, he supposed he'd have to spell it out for him.

Taking a deep breath, trusting as he'd learnt to do, Pugly yelled up again, "The Elder sent me. Come down. Please. The Elder sent me."

His voice trailing away, Pugly wondered how he was going to convince the little thing that he was for real, all the while listening to the muttering in the cave going, "mad, sad, bad, glad. Ugly dwellers, elder, felder, mad, fad, glad."

Suddenly, like a lightning bolt, the moving head popped out again, "Elder, schmelder, welder. Elder? What did it look like, huh, huh?"

Pugly, breathing in deeply, explained what he knew and saw of his Elder to Elvis.

Elvis slowly stuck more of his bouncing body out the cave. Looking out at the large creature glowing strangely white, Elvis hung on every word. He didn't call her the Elder, he called her something else, something that smelled like and tasted like Heaven. But it seemed like she was the same thing this dog-like thing was describing.

Elvis clambered out of his hole, wiggled his way down to the flat land, said, "Yeah, pear, mare, okay, so you got a her too?"

Staring Pugly down, neck pulled backwards so he could look him in the eyes, Elvis challenged, "Elder, schmelder. What of it, meet, git?'

Squatting down, scrunched up so that they could look each other almost in the eyes, Elvis heard Pugly say, "We, that's you and me, together, have been chosen. We need to help her. We've got to make her see that we're for real. Really real. We have to help her find Josh and the Book. The Elder told me to come and find you so that she could teach you to break through the Veil."

Then just for good measure, trying to get the moving, grooving Elvis' attention, Pugly said, "Got it?"

Elvis stood his ground, eyeball to eyeball. He responded, "Got it," surprising both of them with the simple sentence that didn't include any strange words.

Elvis shivered. His hair flew in every direction as goosebumps made his body look like it was molting and reforming.

It was not something that he really wanted to do. It was too dangerous to go through the Veil. Many of the dwellers spoke about it in whispers. The dark ones would see him on the other side of the Veil. The Lost Ones too. Taking a deep breath, knowing that he was anything but a coward, Elvis said, "Got it" again.

Now, here he was in front of Pugly, jumping out of his skin, having prepared for what felt like the longest time, saying, "Hey, fey, way, Pugly. Is it time? Is it, wit, git? Is it? Huh? Huh?"

Pugly responded with a glint in his eye, as excited and nervous as Elvis.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The old Peugeot chugged slowly up the hill.

It wasn't a very steep hill. It was just that Gran drove at twenty miles an hour. She ignored hooting passersby while Emily cringed as low as she could in her seat so that no one would notice her. Sam waved at everyone.

Emily noticed the school. "A girls-only school," Emily said sharply, "You could have warned me about that one."

With no answer from Gran, her train of thought rambled onwards. Girls can be really nasty sometimes. I hope they've got a good library. Thank goodness Sam will also be here.

Emily glanced around her as Gran drove into the school grounds. Lost in thought, Emily barely noticed the spiky haired boy, but he noticed her.

Josh was used to people ignoring him. A street kid, he'd learned to blend into the background from an early age. She's here, he thought. Finally here.

"An' will find me soons enough I'm sure," he murmured as he swaggered around a corner and disappeared.

The big buildings of Kingstown fell behind them, and Emily started feeling a little easier. When they'd passed the Courthouse, she'd felt like she was going to have a panic attack. Her breathing had become shallow and her heart raced. It felt like everything was closing in on her. She'd glimpsed side alleys through the tall city buildings that allowed very little light into the streets below. Then she'd been out the other side, moving up the hill, breathing better.

Emily wasn't sure how much she liked the whole idea of town living. She was used to spending time running around, doing as she pleased in her village at the sea, where everyone knew everyone else's business. She felt threatened by people she didn't know all around her. She wondered about this strange place, with new faces and a new school.

Emily thought she'd handle the change, but was realising that she actually liked the familiar. She didn't feel so strong or independent anymore. But as much as she wanted to turn around and run home with Gran, she knew that this was where she would have to stay, at least for the next little while.

Emily had spent the last two days begging Gran to find a place closer to home where she could be 'fetched and carried.' What about the farm school, she'd asked when she'd found out that some other friends were going there. It was closer. But Gran had remained adamant that it had to be the boarding school in Kingstown, and when Gran made up her mind there was just no changing it.

Stubborn old goat, thought Emily, getting angry all over again. The only reason she wasn't climbing out the car at the next stop street was because she wouldn't know which way to run. And because she knew deep down that this is where she was supposed to be.

Gran eased the car into the school's brick driveway, pulling up the handbrake just before she hit the wall that had flower pots dangling precariously on it. Emily realised she'd been holding her breath, and released it in a whoosh.

"Em! Em! We're here," shouted Sam, "I've booked our beds in advance so we can sleep next to each other. How cool is that?" There were times Emily knew Sam was the really brave one and was so thankful at that moment that Gran had organised for her to go to the same school.

Sam grabbed Emily by the hand while Mamasita coaxed her big frame out the front seat. Gran creaked her door open. Sometimes Emily wasn't sure if it was her knees or the car door that made that sound.

While Mamasita and Gran moved towards the car trunk, Sam led Emily away.

"Wait. Don't just run away," Gran said heatedly. "Come and grab some of your stuff. I can't believe a teenage girl needs all this rubbish. What did you pack, child, everything in your room?" Gran exclaimed loudly.

Some other children and their parents turned around. Gran, not often the centre of attention, had become exactly that. Especially when she was joined by Mamasita who also yelled out, "Come girl. Sometime you must make your own ways in the world. You big enough now. Come. Take your suitcase." Emily felt like crawling under the paved road, but knew from experience that it wasn't about to swallow her up so she could feel inconspicuous.

Sam, oblivious to the loudness and staring, shouted back, "I'll help Mamasita, stop your jabbering. We're on our way."

Slowly, even with all the new smells, faces and sounds, things settled into a comfortable space for Emily. The old craziness of words being swapped back and forth amongst her loved ones made her unclench her jaw and relax for the first time since she'd got into the car at Paradise Beach.

I think it's going to be okay, Emily thought.

I think it's going to be okay, repeated in her head as Sam grabbed her and said, "Come, let's dump this inside the front door, so we can explore."

The school and hostel buildings had been there forever, and looked like it. Emily's mom had attended school there, as had her Gran and even her mom's gran before that.

Even a fresh coat of paint couldn't hide the cracks that appeared in the corners. It looked like one outside wall was about to topple over. It had been like that for as many years as the building had stood there.

As they walked through the double front door, the wooden floors creaked and groaned underfoot. Where the walls blocked sound in, the floors expanded them. To the left of the main doors was a small office. Further down that corridor was the dining room and opposite the dining room was the kitchen.

The dining room had about eight long tables with about ten chairs each dotted around the room, with not one picture on a wall. Bare, barren tables sat alone with a few plastic flowers mourning in the middle.

Lovely, thought Emily sarcastically.

The kitchen door, while slightly open, was barred by a woman twice the size of Mamasita, but with a much less cheerful attitude. The smells coming from there were also nothing like the ones from home. It smelled like something had died, and perhaps something had, as a big grey cat walked out with a huge smile on its face.

Sam marched Emily in the other direction, past the main front door. On the right side of the door was the break room. This was where the older girls could relax without interruption from the skivvies, or newbies, which is what Emily heard some of the older girls call the youngsters. Emily wasn't sure she liked the name skivvy. Past that door was the common room where all the rest of the girls spent their time studying, reading, doing homework, whatever.

Sam, turning around, showed Emily where the steps led up to the second floor towards the dormitories.

The dormitories spread through the upstairs, over the kitchen, across a passage, where the teacher's or house-mother's individual rooms were, and continued on the other side above the common rooms.

"Yeah right," said Emily to no one in particular as she noticed these individual rooms, "more like a killer chef than house mother. Perhaps the locks should be on our side."

Sam laughed and agreed, "Could you also taste those awful smells in the back of your throat. Yuck."

Sam showed Emily the bathrooms. There were no doors on the showers, baths and some of the toilets.

Sam, witty as always said, "Want to wee together?"

Emily could only shake her head and say, "No thanks. I'd rather you don't see the expression on my face when I do a number two."

Sam dragged her to the last two cubicles in the dorm above the kitchen. It seemed the older girls got to stay nearest the doors. Sam opened the clean but ugly green and blue spotted curtain all the way to the edge of the cubicle to show Emily her single bed.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" said Emily, looking upwards towards the heavens, "not a bunk bed." Emily had fully expected a fight to get the top bunk bed. A single bed in her very own cubicle was heaven sent, but not much else seemed like it was.

The bed only just squeezed in between the two prefabricated walls. A tiny desk and hard brown school chair sat next to the foot of the bed, while the head had a tiny locker and a metre-wide cupboard for all her clothes right next to it.

"Good job the cat didn't follow us up here," laughed Emily, "because you couldn't swing it in this space."

But before Emily could cry or laugh more, Sam pointed out what she thought was the best feature.

A hatch, with a great big bolt and lock on the front, made of tin or some kind of metal. It stood out from the bleak white walls. The hatch had probably been used to ferry food upstairs and back down to the kitchen for at least the past hundred years, or so it looked from the rusted lock.

Emily wasn't so sure she wanted an opening at the edge of the building. Who knows what could get in that way?

Sam, oblivious to Emily's scary thoughts, said "See Em, now we can ride down in it at night and go and steal all the yummy food from the kitchen."

"Yeah right," replied Emily, "I can't wait for the liver and kidneys to be delivered to my door."

Sam moved across the passage to sort out her own cubicle. Emily looked at the hatch once more, then did her best to ignore it as she swung her heavy suitcase onto the bed. She sighed, resigned, then sank into the soft, lumpy mattress.

Now what? she thought, for the hundredth time.

Emily looked out of the window above her bed, over the hockey field, over the tennis courts, over the primary school, over Kingstown, towards her sea so far away. She couldn't shake this feeling of being lost and alone.

Sam knew her friend well. She said, "Oh come on, Warrior Woman. I know that you don't like change but think of the adventures we'll have here. Finally, finally we'll figure out the rest of the story behind your Eight!"

Emily tried to shush Sam. No one here knew about her Eight yet and she was aiming to keep it that way. Gran had gone and blabbed the whole story of her birth to Sam soon after she'd told Emily herself. She couldn't contain her old doddery self, Emily thought angrily.

Emily surrendered to Sam's enthusiasm and brightened a little. First she had to settle in at school. Then she had to find the Book or the Scroll or whatever it was that the Shimmers had been whispering about lately. Then, and only then, would she find out what her Eight meant. And somewhere in between all of that, she still needed to be a normal human girl at a new school. Town, Em realised with a little leap. Kingstown, I'm in town. Emily felt excitement and trepidation at the same time.

Sam was rushing around her cubicle, the mirror image of Emily's, frantically unpacking while still blabbing. "So Em, you think you'll find the Book? Where do you think the Scroll is?" "Quiet Sam," Emily commanded. She had only told Sam about the Words the night before, figuring she may need an ally in this strange place. "Let's try and keep it to ourselves for now."

And Sam, in awe of Emily's Eight, but not letting her get away with being the only potential warrior said, "'I wonder if my cool lobster claw finger will help us open Pandora's box?" before quieting down. Emily wasn't always sure what to say to Sam when she made fun of herself. She often wished she had the same confidence as Sam.

Sam realised her friend felt awkward and said, "You know that I'm curiosity deluxe, Em. How come you get to see all these lights and things? How come you get Words and the Eight, and all I get is a bum-thumb?"

And as always, Emily smiled as she socked Sam on her shoulder playfully while repeating "Thoughts are things. Thoughts are things. I wonder what the frig that means."

Sam was right. Her journey, wherever it was now going to lead her, had begun.

"I wonder if I'll see the Shimmers here" said Emily aloud, "I wonder if they came with me or if they only live at the sea?" Sam playfully replied, "You're the mad bean. You can't leave your fairy lights or craziness or whatever it is behind you somewhere. They're all in your head." Emily, not taking it lying down, said, "Well at least my madness only shows every now and then. Everyone thinks you've lost it all the time, you crazy fowl."

Unpacking still, both of them fell silent. Emily, feeling new but no longer lost and alone, wondered where her dad was. She often thought she'd just run in to him one day and that they would recognise each other immediately. That he'd grab her in a big bear hug and say, "Where have you been all my life, beautiful? Where've you been?"

Emily's thoughts flew to the town as her eyes widened in comprehension. Her dad had disappeared in Kingstown, never to be seen again.

I wonder if I'll find him, I wonder …

.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Emily didn't sleep very well the first night in her new bed. There was no sound of the sea to lull her to sleep, only loud snoring from further down the dorm. Emily didn't think she'd ever get used to hearing that sound.

Her first day at school was uneventful. She and Sam had walked down from the hostel, past the pool in the school grounds, down the hill and found the high school with the hundred or so other hostel kids.

Emily felt like she had grown up overnight. Gran wasn't there to tuck her in, nor was Mamasita there to check that she'd had enough to eat. She was stuck, eating whatever was put on her plate, liver, onions or beast, with no choice about what she wanted or felt like any more.

There were rules and regulations, bells that rang saying 'its dinner time' or 'it's study time' or 'it's quiet time.' Sometimes it felt like they rang all the time.

Days passed. Emily got used to walking back and forth in the school grounds from her running practice, to school, to hostel, to swimming. She got used to bells ringing and to sleeping in her new bed. The snoring had become background noise, but still woke her when it suddenly stopped and then started again. Only when it was rhythmic did she sleep, but at least she was sleeping again. Emily wondered what it was she was supposed to do now. It felt like she was waiting, but she didn't know for what.

Kingstown seemed scarier than she remembered and she really wanted to find her dad, but every time she walked to school, in her heart she knew her dad wasn't there. The initial excitement of being in Kingstown, near him, had slowly turned to ashes. She didn't know where he'd disappeared to, but intuitively felt that he wasn't hanging around, as much as she wanted him to be near her.

She also hadn't had any Shimmer feelings since she'd been at school. She was sure it was just because she was getting used to the new routine. And of course, not sleeping didn't help. Perhaps it's because I'm so distracted lately, Emily thought.

School and sport kept her busy. Reading and studying kept her even busier, but mostly there were so many people and things around her that it was difficult to get some of her own time. Swinging on swings was a thing of the past. Her days of wandering around on the beach, alone, drifting, were over. And as for finding anything that looked remotely like a Book or Scroll, well, that was not going to happen anytime soon.

Not for the first time, Emily missed her life in Paradise Beach and her Shimmers. She'd always felt good when they came to visit her, once the initial scare had passed, when she felt them flitting in the corner of her eyes. Sometimes, when she looked over Kingstown she felt the Shadows, a dark that was darker than night. The dark that always scared her before the light or Shimmers came.

She wondered again about had it changed so much? What had made it so unfriendly? What was it that was drawing her towards it even as it repulsed her? Kingstown certainly wasn't what it used to be when her parents lived there. The streets were filled with dirty vagrants who had no access to water, street kids who had left broken homes behind, the dumb and the poor, all jostling to find a way to survive another day. Some people had money and lived in wealth, in high-rise apartments far above the dirty streets, but you didn't bump into them down below. They simply got into their air-conditioned vehicles and zipped past, ignoring everything and everyone around them. Could it be the Shimmers that drew her to this place? she wondered, walking back to hostel one night after having spent most of the late afternoon in the library.

Emily was definitely used to going to sleep alone and even more used to not having a chatter-box called Sam across the corridor.

Emily's days melted into each other. Sam started calming down once Emily had asked her to give her some 'space' just before bed time. And once, but only once, Emily thought she had felt a lick. 'Yuck' was still the word that came to mind, but this time it came with a fond smile.

The last bell of the day had just rung at eight o'clock, saying, "It's Quiet Time. Go to Sleep Now."

Thank goodness they don't ring another one later for sleep time Emily often thought as they rang out. The bells were loud enough to wake even those that were fast asleep already. She slipped under her covers, and as was her custom, picked up her book. She was busy reading a fantasy series full of trolls and goblins and fairies, and really liked it because it made her think of the Shimmers.

Emily thought she might have seen the Shimmers earlier in the day, but wasn't sure. She had just finished running practice and was sitting under the gnarly tree just above the grass steps of the practice field. Alone for a change, she'd just needed to catch her breath, and since the bell hadn't rung for study time yet, she dropped down to sit still for a second.

Out of the corner of her eye she'd seen a tiny shower of sparks. So tiny she wasn't even sure it had happened. A stick-thin, wiggling mass, moving so fast that it blurred, seemed to pop in and out of the space on her left. When she'd turned her head to have a better look, there was nothing there. But while her eyes might have been deceiving her, Emily knew that her feelings hadn't.

It was different to what she was used to. Usually they only came when she was about to go to sleep but different places possibly meant different rules to visitations. She knew something had been there. She was sure of it.

Whatever that something was, it drifted back into her mind as she was reading that night. Emily put down her book and switched off her bedside lamp. Sam was already asleep so there was no light coming from beyond her curtained cubicle. Most of the other lights were also off since she was the only real reader amongst them. They called her 'the bookworm', just like they did at home.

It seemed this was a label she'd never be able to get rid of. She'd rather be known as the brilliant runner, or Sam's' friend, but it looked like 'bookworm' was as creative as it was going to get. Sam, loud and crazy as she was, had obviously made a lot of friends since she'd been here.

Emily realised that supposedly being different, even if she just read a lot, made up other people's minds about who she was. Now she was really glad that she'd managed to get a promise out of Sam to not say anything about her Eight or the Shimmers.

Shimmers, shimmers, shimmers, she thought drifting into sleep.

A sudden spark erupted in the far corner of her cubicle near the hatch. Sitting up straight from lying down, her eyes straining as she struggled to see in the dim light, Emily could swear she saw a jiggling movement.

Slowly moving the duvet off her legs, Emily put her left foot on the floor as quietly as she could, trying not to make a noise on the squeaky floorboards. The spark had disappeared, but the residual tiny puff still seemed to hang in the air.

I must be crazy, bat freaking crazy, thought Emily. Nothing's ever been here when I've been wide awake.

Emily pinched her thigh, and with an 'ouch' realised she was actually awake and that the wiggling creature was still there. She was really glad that it was smaller than her. If it had been bigger she would have run out of the dorm screaming, giving Sam a good laugh.

She put her right foot down next to her left and leaned forward, still sitting on the bed. Peering closer, eyes like slits, she stretched towards it.

It skittered away so fast towards the top of her bed that Emily sat bolt upright again, frantically looking around for it. Her heart beating fast, Emily willed herself to calm down. Finding her feelings, and recognising they felt good, she whispered softly so she wouldn't wake anyone else.

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Hello?" she said again, seeing movement on her pillow.

Emily turned sideways, slowly swinging her legs up to sit cross legged facing her pillow. A glow slowly created a circle of light. Orange light, oddly enough, that shone only as far as the ends of her pillow. And there it was: a wiggly, flowing little creature with the biggest smile on the smallest face that Emily had ever seen.

"Hello?" it said.

"Are you there?" it said before Emily could close her gaping mouth. "Hello?" it said again, and then nothing.

Emily realised it was her turn and whispered, "I hope you're really there and not just my imagination."

It then whispered, "I hope you're really there and not just my imagination."

"Are you copying me?" said Emily, wondering if it was just going to repeat everything she said.

"Are you copying me, tree, three. Huh? Huh?" the hairy, jiggly, squiggly creature said, so fast Emily struggled to understand.

She tried again "Can you understand me. Do you speak English?"

It said, giggling, holding its stomach, "Can you understand me, we, free. Do you speak English, ish, wish?"

"Who are you?" said Emily, her mouth still catching flies at the phenomenon in front of her, feeling the smallest ever laugh running right up her spine.

"Who are you, loo, poo, huh, huh? Who are you, clue, flew?" it said, rolling around, eyes twinkling. Emily thought she saw the twinkle there, but who could tell with eyes that were smaller than peas.

"I'm Emily. Emily May Harrison," Emily said, starting to feel like this was going nowhere. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Are you a Shimmer?" she asked one more time.

And just as suddenly as the giggling started, it stopped.

Elvis always giggled when he was really nervous. He'd been practicing for the longest time to aspirate through the Veil. But he'd never been allowed to go all the way through. Much as he'd wanted to, the Elder had stopped him just at the point that he'd been about to push through. But he hadn't been stopped this time.

In what seemed like a hot flash of light, no colours, just searing hot white, he'd burst through into dark. Eyes wide, without being able to see a thing for a while, he had just stood there.

Not knowing what to expect, he'd just prayed loudly that nothing would eat him or hit him or step on him. As soon as his eyes had adjusted and his ears had cleared with an independent wiggle, he noticed a very large foot come down from the bed.

Over the last year, as part of his training, Elvis had also been taught how to see the people world. Most dwellers were taught by their parents or families, but since Elvis had none of these, the skill had passed him by until he'd met Pugly and the Elder. He'd spent the last year gawking at every opportunity and had almost been run over and flattened a few times by the bigger dwellers. He'd also walked into some trees while practising when he'd gone to Pugly's in Avignail. That had made him feel more than just a little stupid. He was really glad that only Pugly had seen him do it and that the rest of Pugly's tribe had just ignored his stupidity.

He was getting used to looking at two worlds at once but still sometimes got confused as to which one was which. A foot, he thought as the white puffy stuff cleared around him. A real live foot, as his ears stopped ringing from the sucking sound. Elvis suddenly realised that he was actually on the other side and that a foot as big as that could stand on him and squash him.

Seeing from one side of the Veil was one thing; being here was something else entirely. The Elder had reminded him that what couldn't harm him on that side, could harm on this side once he'd aspirated.

Elvis remembered the sweet words sung to him in a voice dripping with honey just before he'd left.

Be careful oh courageous one. We need you back.

Be careful oh courageous one. Watch for the cat!

We need you to come back so please take care.

Come back to us, oh beautiful, when finished there.

Elvis always blushed when the Elder sang so sweetly to him. But the size of that foot! Then, when a hand was stretched toward him, well, that was just too much. Elvis scattered towards the place that was closest to the floor.

Hair flying, nose twitching, eyes batting, he clambered up the bedside table, jumped onto the bed and scampered up the side of the pillow.

Light, light, he remembered, as he moved towards the middle of the pillow. If she can't see me, she can stand on me.

He'd focused into his stomach and sent his orange light out around him. He was nervous when she started turning around, but he had got used to the size of people during the last year.

Amarteen was a village of smaller dwellers. The Elder had told him and Pugly that there were places with Giants that were much, much bigger than people. Elvis only hoped he'd never have to meet one of those.

Then she'd started talking and, not used to the language being said out loud, even though he had been practising with the Elder, all he could do was mimic her. He couldn't believe he was really talking to her. The her that he and Pugly had talked about so much. But here she was right in front of him, alive and kicking.

"Hello?" she'd whispered, "Are you there?"

"Hello" again.

Trying out his voice in the new denser world of people for the first time, he'd also said, "Hello, Are you there? Hello," or close to that at least.

When she'd said "I hope you're really there and not just my imagination," he had got the hang of his denser voice but couldn't resist repeating her words.

Giggling uncontrollably, catching his breath and repeating her by saying "Can you understand me? Do you speak English?" he thought he'd burst.

Then she'd said her name. They'd all been waiting for the longest, longest time to hear it. No one on the other side of the Veil had ever heard all of it before. It had been hidden from them.

But there she sat as bold as brass as if the saying of a name didn't matter at all, a purple circle lighting up around her, "I'm Emily. Emily May Harrison."

Her colour swirled. Elvis wondered what it looked like to Pugly on the other side of the Veil. The Elder had told them that the first time a person made themselves known by their name, to someone on their side of the Veil, it felt like fireworks going off. That's why they had to be so careful.

Breathing heavily, scared out of his wits, knowing that He would be able to see them now too, Elvis blurted out, "Don't say your whole name." Thinking he should be more polite, having just met her, and having learnt the people customs, he continued, "I'm Elvis, Emily. Elvis Livingston but you can just call me Elvis."

In another burst, he warned, "Don't ever say your name, your whole name, fame, game, out loud, ever, never, lever."

They stared at each other, unsure if they'd heard each other properly, and smiled their biggest smiles, even in their terror of each other's unknown world and customs.

"What?" asked Emily in confusion, "Who are you? I mean, what exactly are you?"

"A Shimmer?" asked Emily, watching Elvis bounce up and down.

"I'm a dweller," answered Elvis, "from beyond the Veil."

"Veil?" asked Emily, "What do you mean Veil?" while Elvis asked, "Shimmer, what's a Shimmer?"

Emily and Elvis realised the first thing they would have to do was get their listening and language straight. It was really cool that they could understand each other's words, but if they couldn't find the same meaning they'd be in trouble before they even began.

Spending the next few minutes in each other's company quickly describing their worlds, explaining what they called things and generally just getting to know each other, they started understanding.

"Shimmer, glimmer, shimmer," repeated Elvis, his tongue rolling over the words, "I can live with that. Live with that. I'm called a Shimmer, glimmer, shimmer, ha-ha."

"The thing between us, you called it a Veil?" asked Emily, aloud to herself, since Elvis was rattling and jumping around like a jelly bean going Shimmer, Shimmer, Shimmer. She said, "Sounds about right. Maybe that's why I could feel the licks, if it's made as thin as our material veils."

At that thought, Emily said "Have you been licking me?"

To which Elvis, slowing down to a mild panic, said, "Yuck, I wouldn't lick you, blue, who. Who'd do such a thing, ding, wing."

Too many thoughts were floating in the air for both of them. Beyond the Veil there are other worlds, was running through Em's thoughts. Elvis mumbled, repeatedly, "Swimmer, shimmer, ha!"

Emily was amazed at what was happening. She noticed that her thoughts and spoken words were mostly different from each other. She didn't say everything she thought. Elvis's thoughts and words seemed exactly the same. What he thought was said out loud.

"Shimmer, Shimmer, Shimmer, Shimmer," Elvis continued, sounding like a stuck record.

Emily asked, "Elvis, how come I can see both my and your thoughts and words?"

Interrupting abruptly, Elvis, having drowned in Emily's wonderful light, said quite forcefully, "Em. Em. Em, stop, slop. Stop wanting to know, slow, go, everything, bling, sing."

"But …" Emily began.

"Em. Stop. Listen, glisten, cistern, listen." Emily realised Elvis was very frightened and insistent, so listened intently.

"Emily, you've said your name out loud, proud, cloud. All of it, wit, git. It's the way they'll find you, blue, new. If you say it aloud to someone on our side of the Veil, snail, mail, it helps them to find you, screw, clue."

"Please be, me, see, careful now, bow, wow," said Elvis, stumbling over his words like a dog.

"Never, sever, clever, say your full name all together, leather, feather," Elvis warned as quickly as he could. He told her what the Elder had told him about the Circles of Influence and Admonai of Old. Suddenly breathless, he sucked in a huge breath, saying, "He can find you now, cow, sow. I'm sorry, worry, lorry, I didn't warn you before, more, score. Too much was happening, flattering, scattering."

"But we'll help to keep them away, pray, may, for as long as we can, fan, man. You've got to find it now. The Book, look, nook. The Scroll, roll, mole and us, bus, cus. Find Josh, posh, nosh. Hurry, the balance is out of whack, smack, lack. Aurana is disappearing faster, plaster, master."

In a flash, a spark of light, as if the orange had been sucked into a void and ignited, Elvis disappeared, leaving Emily with her mouth open and her brain asking fifty questions to the thin air.

For a moment Emily wondered if what she'd seen had really happened. Leaning down towards her pillow, she smelled citrus, like ripe oranges or lemons that had just been freshly cut. Emily didn't think all her senses would deceive her at once. She'd never been able to see or smell them so clearly.

Questions swirled around her head. Keep who away? Find the book? Josh? Them? On saying them, she felt her whole body shiver in disgust.

Emily, moved her head to lie over the smell of citrus on her pillow, wanted to make sense of it, but was too tired to do it at that moment, and tried to blink awake.

Josh, who the blazes was Josh? She spent most of the night lying awake, wondering just that.

CHAPTER NINE

Silenkis slithered around the Circles of Influence. The Influences were intertwined, one smaller than the other, each moving in separate concentric circles. When not active, they simply looked like a flat round table with heavy legs, see-through because it had no top. Moving, however, they started shaping into a ball, spinning faster and faster until the edges of the circle disappeared and all that remained was a shimmering blaze. It was through this that Silenkis could view the other dimensions and influence those who were unaware.

Now that he knew her name there was no stopping him. Admonai might be their feared leader, but he wasn't half as good as Silenkis when it came to using the Circles of Influence.

"And now I have her name," he reared up excitedly ready to strike.

"S-s-silenkis-s-s, S-s-silenkis-s-s, the great S-s-silenkis-s-s," he said aloud, bowing to a make-believe audience. There were days when he wished he'd been given a name without S's but there was no changing it now. Besides, it wasn't really important in the grand scheme of things.

What was important was that he wanted to take over from Admonai. He had plotted and planned, but had never had the courage to overthrow the ruler. He was too frightened. When he did find his courage once before, Admonai, with his shape-shifting ability, seemed to know he was plotting against him.

"But at least I'm not as s-s-stupid as Elgeba," said Silenkis to himself, "S-s-stupid monkey." The fool had almost ruined things with his huffing and puffing through the Veil into the Other Side.

Silenkis knew that once she with the Eight had come of age there'd be a small window of opportunity for him to take over from Admonai. As Admonai's right hand, he always intuited things before Admonai became aware of them. Admonai didn't know it and Silenkis wasn't about to tell his Feared Ruler, but he could read Admonai's thoughts. Silenkis knew things that he shouldn't know. It didn't always work – the mind reading – especially when he was busy in his own thoughts and schemes, but there were many times when he sat silently next to Admonai 'tuning' in.

Wanting and plotting, using his Circles, he was almost at the turning point of power. Now his plan was ruined by the silly monkey.

But, thought Silenkis with a sinister smile, I'm still the only one that knows her name. He sang silently, as he swirled around himself in delight.

Silenkis had a lot of followers in many worlds, inside and outside the Veil. Beings, creatures, dwellers, out-landers, fropazoids, sirians, seedlings, changers and Earth people; his Circles of Influence had no limitations. Some feared him, but many more co-operated with him not realising they had a choice, individually and collectively. Silenkis could tell them what their futures held. Mostly.

No one likes the unknown. We're all far too curious for our own good. Or rather for my good, sniggered Silenkis.

He loved that he could control the weak ones. It was because of their weakness, their inherent self-hatred and self-criticism, that he had control over the Lost Ones. By feeding them visions of themselves as dark and depressed, where they had no control over their future thoughts or actions, their power became his.

Admonai believed that he was all-powerful, but he had no idea how his own creatures, let alone other beings, thought. This will always be his downfall, his weakness, thought Silenkis snidely.

Admonai believed that the Lost Ones would bow down to his orders when the time came.

Silenkis, clever soothsaying snake that he was, had silently slipped a slither of words into each vulnerable weakling to make sure only he had the power to manipulate them.

"Jus-s-st another way, I'm cleverer than him," said Silenkis aloud.

Silenkis moved around his dark grotto. Water pooled at different points, seemingly seeping from the walls. Stalagmites and stalactites had formed and joined to create crevices and cracks behind which the light from his Circles of Influence never reached.

Silenkis was happy in his dripping, silent world. He liked being alone to weave his tangled web and watch his magic work. He liked being able to cast his spells and create his mischief without any interference from anyone.

The Heathens could remain Admonai's problem, thought Silenkis

"I know her name, I know her name, I know her name," he sang, like someone whose wish had come true.

Silenkis slinked around his cavern wondering what to do to the stupid monkey that Admonai hadn't already done, when he'd noticed his Circles of Influence light up unexpectedly. As a snake-like being with a long, slim body, but wide ear flaps, or a hood, as it was more commonly called, Silenkis was a true puffer when threatened. He always felt change before anyone else was aware.

He quickly wound himself around his Circles and watched in amazement as the jiggly, tiny thing poofed into existence on the Earth side of the Veil. It seems the little-speck had learnt how to create a rift and was speaking to something.

Silenkis willed the picture larger, trying to find out who the sprig-twig was talking to, but it remained dark until she'd said her name. Then the Circles filled with purple mist and he saw the girl.

Could that be her? The one Admonai had ranted about. The one the monkey discovered? Silenkis thought.

"It mus-s-st be her,"' he said excitedly to the troglodytes in the cave, "It mus-s-st be."

He'd watched and waited patiently, knowing what she looked like meant nothing to him. He saw Earth people through his ball all the time, but he couldn't touch anyone that didn't invite him in somehow, in some way.

There were a few ways he could manipulate someone. Silenkis could catch them in his Circles of Influence via the 'airwaves' like he could with those living in Aurana, but it was forbidden, and he was watched, so he never dared.

His best way was by manipulating the weak. He caught Earth people, the Lost Ones: those that were filled with self-hatred, doubt and self-criticism because their strength of presence was so low. He asked for 'entrance' and they allowed him in easily.

The other way was if someone said their name aloud while being in the presence of an Auranian. And she'd said it without someone even asking her, without that moving, grooving thingamabob warning her not to, grinned Silenkis.

This was the secret to his Circles. Once he knew a name there were many things he could do. Silenkis unwound himself from his Circles, doing his excited, weaving snake dance, singing, "I know it, I know it, I know it now, I know it."

Thinking about what the best binding would be to capture her, he didn't notice the movement in the corner near the biggest stalagmite and nearly lost his skin when a voice boomed out.

"You know what? What do you know, Silenkis?"

Silenkis shot upright then slumped in a pool of snake as he realised that Admonai had been there all the time.

"Oh Majes-s-sty," he said, "I didn't know you were there. I s-s-so wis-s-sh you wouldn't s-s-sneak up on me like that."

Silenkis quickly glanced at the Circles. They were dark. Thanking The Heathens for that small mercy, Silenkis started talking his slippery self out of trouble.

"Nothing, oh Feared One, just another Earth pers-s-son I've managed to convert onto our s-s-s, onto our s-s-side," he said glibly.

Admonai had felt a shudder in the Veil.

He'd taken a chance and come into Silenkis' stale rooms as a mole snake. Anything heavier, like a Man, and Silenkis would have heard him, anything different, like rat and Silenkis would have eaten him. Shape-shifting came with its own dangers.

Fortunately and unfortunately, taking the form of something meant you had the same vulnerabilities.

A bug could be squashed.

A worm could be eaten.

A snake could be caught by a mongoose, but there weren't many of those in the caves. Silenkis had almost slithered right over him in his delight.

The one problem with being a mole snake in a shadowed room was that snakes relied heavily on their smell and forked tongue senses. Sight wasn't one of their strong points so Admonai, seconds too late, had missed the flash of the Circles.

Admonai was sure Silenkis was lying to him. He'd caught him out more than once in the past, but until he had proof that Silenkis was up to something, there was nothing he could do.

This time, something important had just happened. He felt it. Now he had two choices. He could either force it out of Silenkis, chasing him further away, or he could wait patiently for whatever it was to come out in its own time.

Admonai was a killer, but not a random one, unless he was incredibly angry. Then it didn't matter who you were or what you had done. He knew there wasn't much point in killing everyone immediately or he'd have no one to do his bidding.

Some cave dwellers wondered why Admonai didn't just get rid of Silenkis, but Admonai knew that Silenkis was a coward at heart. That's what made them such a good pair. A coward always needed someone more powerful above them.

Admonai transmogrified into a slimy worm in front of Silenkis. Testing Silenkis's loyalty since Silenkis couldsquash him in one fell swoop, Admonai left his parting words, "Remember Silenkis, I always know what's going on sooner or later. Be careful in your doing or I will get rid of you once and for all."

Silenkis shuddered then smirked.

The words, I've got her name. I've got her name. I've got her name, ran through his thoughts as he glanced at the dark Circles of Influence.

Pity I couldn't use her name this time, Silenkis silently raged towards Admonai's retreating, slimy back.

A ban had been placed on them by The Heathens, due to an agreement after the Great War, that the Circles could only be activated and used while the unwilling but namedperson, creature or being was visible in them. Once the Circles returned to darkness, it was too late.

It was different for the Lost Ones because they willingly gave up. Some of the Lost Ones didn't even know they had given up, but in looking at their lives they should at least have suspected that they'd allowed the Influences to take over.

Fools, thought Silenkis, wishing more would come to him. For someone like Emily, completely unaware, young and full of hope and with very little dark within her, it was only when she said her full name, to an Auranian, that Silenkis could start influencing and manipulating.

And so he had to sit and wait patiently for Emily May to make the same mistake again.

CHAPTER TEN

"Sam, Sam, wake up," whispered Emily as she tried to shake her friend awake, "Come on, Sam, wake up, please."

Sam's eyes creaked open as she mumbled, "whatsit" while sleepily looking at Emily's shining eyes.

"I've got to go and look. I've got to go. I just don't want you to worry about where I am. I'll be back, okay?" Emily whispered while backing out of the hostel cubicle slowly.

Sam shrugged, mumbled, "kay" and fell back into the twilight zone. Emily often envied Sam's solid sleeping habits. Nothing, not even loud snores, woke her up.

Emily decided earlier that day that she needed to go and find whatever it was Elvis said she must find. The night of his visit was still a little unreal and she couldn't remember everything he'd said, but her Eight had been itching since then so it must mean things were starting to happen.

What things exactly, Emily had no idea, but she had some leads, some clues that might point her in the right direction. Emily's Eight had never itched before and she wondered what it all meant. The last few days had been a little crazy. Emily had almost forgotten what it was like for things to be weird around her.

First, Elvis' visit, then trying to explain it all to Sam. Now she had to find a book and someone called Josh without knowing where to start.

When Sam had asked how Emily would know her book when she saw it, Emily simply replied, 'I'll know. I'll just know' not being able to say how yet, not knowing herself, but feeling like she would be able to identify it when the time came. Emily felt the 'pull' that kept dragging her attention towards Kingstown and even though she had no idea where in Kingstown to start looking, she knew she had to go into town.

She decided she didn't want to drag Sam with her when she went looking. The feelings that she'd had when driving through Kingstown on her way to the hostel, with Gran, were enough to frighten anyone, even the ever positive Sam.

Emily closed the big, spotted green and blue cubicle curtain behind her while Sam slept on, crept out the dorm, and down the stairs, while trying to make as little noise as possible.

She didn't need to sneak out a back way. The big front doors always had their key in them. The teachers or dorm-mothers didn't lock the doors because they believed no child would want to go running around at night.

Silly, thought Emily, where there's adventure or boys, girls would always find a way.

Emily turned the key, let herself out and ran in the pitch black dark, only the stars to help her on her way near the hostel. She moved into the road and made her way down towards Kingstown trying to keep her thoughts on being brave.

Adventure, adventure, adventure went around in her head. I'm brave. It's dark, her thoughts continued.

Emily recalled what Elvis had repeated to her in their conversation. He'd said that it would help her when she needed to do things that required courage.

Elvis had stressed that thoughts were things, by which he meant that whatever you thought would be created in some form. It was confusing to Emily, but she was willing to use whatever would help to keep the fear away.

If you believed you were brave, you would be able to act.

If you believed you were scared, you'd hide under the bed.

If you thought that you could, you would.

If you thought that you couldn't, you wouldn't.

If every thought I have is real, how scary would that be? thought Emily.

There must be something to it though, her thoughts continued as she moved further into Kingstown. There had to be, otherwise how was she going to find what she was looking for? Emily wavered: she was crazy to go into Kingstown, to look for someone she didn't know, and a book she had no clue about, in the middle of the night after sneaking out of school.

I will find him. I will find it. I will find Josh, Emily started repeating, hoping what Elvis had said was true.

Still, while her mind said that, her body kept saying something else. With shaky legs and twitching fingers, Emily could feel the Shadows closing in on her.

The further she walked, the more her body took over and her mind flew with it. Every sound made her jump. She looked frantically around her in between the street lights that started leading her into town, walking faster between each one in the shadows and then slowing down with the light.

Something wasn't right. She knew, just knew, she was being led somewhere even if she didn't know the exact place. One minute what she was doing felt right and then the next she was terrified. Emily didn't know what to trust anymore, her head or her feelings, but she'd decided to start looking and needed to carry on. She might not be as bouncy as Sam, but she was going to try and be as brave. Sam had said it was an adventure and that was how she was going to look at it too.

Suddenly something moved to her right, on the road. She spun around and looked, but there was nothing there.

"Oh come on Em," she said aloud to herself, to break the scary silence, "enough now. Enough with your own crazy, wild imagination."

Then something real stepped out of the shadows and Emily squinted to get a better look. It was about the size of a man, a big man.

Emily moved more quickly to the next street light, "What do you want?" she asked breathlessly, "Who are you?"

She got no answer. The man retreated into the shadowed night again and Emily breathed a little sigh of relief.

Picking up speed as she left the street light behind her, she quickly stepped forward, willing herself to make the next light without seeing anything in the shadows. But there it was again.

There seemed to be more of him. A different man? A bigger man? The same man? Whatever it was, it moved closer. Were there others behind it or him? Emily wondered, sprinting to the next street light. Taking a gulping shallow breath, she stopped and willed her panicked thoughts to do the same.

"Come on Em," she said aloud to herself, "There is nothing there and even if there is it can't harm you."

Thoughts are things, sprung into her consciousness as she willed her ragged breath to slow down.

Thoughts are things.

Thoughts are things.

Thoughts are things. If there was ever a time to test this out, it's now! If she could somehow will or think them away like she may have made them appear that's what she'd do.

Trying hard to calm down, willing the shadows to be gone, Emily thought, you're smaller than you seem, stranger than you are and stupider than you think. Emily smiled at her mistake.

Bringing her thoughts back to herself, she said the right rhyme internally: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think, Emily May.

Taking a deep slow breath, knowing she was protected from shadows by the light, her thoughts wandered around. Do I really have the power to make things happen with thoughts?

It seemed crazy. Sure she understood that different people saw the world differently. Her Gran said it was called perception. She was clever enough to know that when she seemed down everything else seemed worse, but how could her thoughts make things happen?

What about when she was dreaming? Elephants didn't come charging out of the jungle and into her cubicle when she'd been on her midnight ramblings through Africa in her sleep.

That's what made this a little unbelievable. What she thought of didn't always come true or wasn't always there when she woke up.

But tonight, she really needed it to be true. She didn't really care if she'd made these man-people-things appear but she sure wanted them to disappear. She also needed to find Josh, soon.

Emily closed her eyes, gathered her thoughts and feelings together into a tight ball and believed.

"There are no Shadows. They cannot harm me. There are no Shadows. They don't exist," Emily repeated loudly while sending a little ball of want into the air.

The want was for Josh to find her because she had no idea how to find him. Emily repeated the want again and again as she took her next steps.

She knew that she'd have to brave it into the shadows again. Breathing deeply, Emily moved away from the light. The Shadows were still there, but seemed to be a little further away. Moving quickly to the next street light she closed her eyes again and consciously, word by word, repeated her want.

There is only Light, Josh will find me. There are no Shadows. They don't exist. Josh please find me.

Emily started doing this at every light, dashing quickly in between them. The shadow-men-beings were still there, but not as threatening to her now. Emily moved closer to Kingstown with each leap of faith. She could see the high buildings, some lights shining brightly, but most of the street was still in the shadows.

"Come on Josh, whoever you are, find me."

Emily had created a picture of Josh in her head. A wise old man, who would help her find the Book and the Scroll. A doddery, walking-stick-cane, wobbly old bearded Wiseman.

Emily moved through Kingstown, still seeing Shadows out the corner of her eye, seemingly a lot smaller and less man-like than others, but still there.

"I am safe," she smiled, knowing she was starting to get to grips with the fact that, thoughts are things and that believing makes things possible.

She could hear water flowing and splattering somewhere up ahead of her. It calmed her nerves. Aah, she thought, a fountain, an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Emily felt like she had traveled millions of miles to reach this little spot. As she dipped her hand into the fountain, hoping that the water was really clean enough to splash on her face, she heard a voice.

"Hiya Em. Been waiting for ya."

Emily would have shrieked except that the person that said her name was about half a head shorter than her, skinny, with a non-threatening, wide, white, gap-toothed grin the size of a small country.

"Who are you?" asked Emily, unnerved, "How do you know my name?"

"Don't rightly know. It's just been repeatin' in my head oftentimes since I was little. That and piktures of what ya looks like," said the spikey-haired boy.

"Then, not so long ago, I was tol' ya were coming to that fancy school up there. I saw ya the other day ya know?"

"Who are ya?" he asked, "And what makes ya so important?"

"Me, important? What are you talking about?" Emily asked, exasperated, shivering with anxiety.

"Well I'm guessing we'll have time to find out who ya is now, don'tcha think?" he said, looking around into the shadows, "but first, we need ta get ya safe. Too many prowling about ta'night. Come back in the day, Emily May."

Emily had never heard someone talk quite like this spikey-haired boy standing in front of her. Sometimes it was difficult to understand what he was saying as the big smile never moved from his face.

"Come back in the day? How can you say that? You don't know what I've been through to get here," said Emily shrewishly, not liking being pushed around by someone shorter and meaner than her.

"You don't know what I want or who I'm looking for or why I'm here, so how can you ask why I'm important or tell me to come back during the day," she yelled, becoming out of control.

"Don' matter," replied the boy, "They wanted me to find ya. Now I have. You're Emily May. An' you must come back in the day."

Emily tried one more time. "But I have to find Josh. I have to! Do you know where I can find him?" She scratched her neck, as her Eight itched.

"Ya found 'im," said the boy, sticking out his hand. Emily looked at the hand puzzled, but before she could ask any more questions, he continued, "Please ta meet ya. I'm Josh."

"You're Josh. You're Josh. You're Josh?" Emily repeated like a mad fool. "But I thought, I thought …"

"Though' what?" said Josh, smirking.

"I thought, nothing, I guess," she said, unsure how to tell this odd-talking boy that she thought she'd be looking for someone older and wiser.

"Ya better be goin' now!" Josh said, looking up and down the side streets around the fountain.

"I'll walk ya back to school. Ya got to come back in' the day ya hear. Ya can find me at the courthouse. Can ya remember that?" Josh said, as Emily stared at him wanting to tell him that she wasn't stupid, just flabbergasted.

"Ya not quite what I expected either ya know?" Josh said, as he walked Emily back through the streets of Kingstown to her hostel.

Emily was not sure what had just happened except that Josh had read her thoughts like Gran sometimes did. Not wanting to scare him away, deal with the Shadows by herself and knowing her time would come, Emily wisely didn't make a smart remark back.

Moving at a fast pace out of Kingstown and back to the hostel, Emily listened to Josh ramble on about himself, about who he was, how he was born, stories that whispered past her as her own thoughts took over.

She wasn't sure she liked this Josh the Shimmers had told her to find, still feeling like she'd been commanded by someone smaller than her.

He was just a kid. A street kid. What did he know?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Elvis popped through into the Auranian side of the Veil, his hair flying in ten different directions, his flapping arms and legs sending showers of sparks everywhere.

Pugly grabbed him with his suckered paws to slow him down. He held tightly, Elvis jiggled incessantly.

"Ow! Ow! Ow, cow, sow, how!" Elvis yelled swatting at his bum, which seemed to have fire glowing out of it.

"Put it out! Put it out! Put it out, scout, lout!" he gasped at Pugly.

Pugly, realising it wasn't a glow from the other side but a spark that had caught alight on Elvis' clothes, quickly dropped Elvis to the ground, turned him over and smacked him.

"Ow! Ow! Ow, now, pow!" yelled Elvis, looking at Pugly with murder in his eyes.

"You didn't have to hit that hard, card, lard. You didn't. That was hard, bard, scared. Ow." He held his bum protectively.

Pugly realised his panic had made him a little more boisterous than normal smiled, saying "Sorry Elvis. I've never had anyone aspirate before my very eyes before. Fireworks, wow. Did you see that?"

"Too busy swiping, lightening, wiping at my burning bum, sun of a gun. Huh? Huh?" mumbled Elvis looking frazzled and fired up. "Fireworks, quirks, smirks, ow, ow, who's got time when your own bum, scum, mum, is on fire, mire, liar?"

"Anyway," said Pugly, having waited patiently in anticipation, excitement getting the better of him, "what was it like? Tell, come on, and tell it all. Did you see what she looked like? So beautiful, so young. I thought she'd be older. I thought she'd be tougher. Did you see her pinch herself? Didn't you think that was strange?"

"Too busy saving my own hide, side, wide from big feet, meet, skeet, wasn't I, huh, huh? I was, I was, fuzz, buzz, cuz!"

Elvis, scared, remembered, something cold, hard and slithery had seen what Emily looked like. He'd felt him snooping around, that's why he'd left so quickly, to protect Emily even though their conversation wasn't quite finished. He'd wanted to stay longer, but when he'd felt that cold shiver down his back, he'd known it was time to go.

She'd been hidden from them for such a long time. Elvis wondered what the Snake had seen. It was not something he wanted to think about, but his thoughts seemed incapable of moving away from the picture of the snake in his head.

Pugly pulled Elvis' hair roughly.

"Hey, way, pay, play. What did you do that for, more, bore?" shouted Elvis.

"You were thinking of Him or somethingclose to him, Elvis," Pugly said, letting go of Elvis's hair.

"You were drifting off in your mind, deep to the dark. Are you sure you're okay? Are you all here?" Pugly questioned, while turning Elvis around in a circle and inspecting every bit of him that he could.

"Leave us alone, phone, moan," said Elvis, indignantly pushing Pugly's hands off him, "It's not proper for you, glue, sue, to have your hands, spands, lands all over me, see, free."

"Get off will, spill, fill, you, glue," said Elvis.

"Okay. Okay," shouted Pugly, too excited to be contained "but Spill. Talk. Tell me. What was it like actually being there? What was it like being on the other side?"

"It happened so fast on this side, like you weren't even gone," Pugly observed.

"Pop! Pop, in and out, with a quick show in between the pops," said Pugly, staring behind his eyes into his memory to what had happened. "What was it like there?"

Elvis, puffing out his chest, realising Pugly hadn't experienced what he had, felt proud. He felt good, as chosen as Pugly.

Wanting to savour the moment while remembering what the Elder had popped into his mind on his way back, Elvis said, "Why don't we go, flow, mow and sit near the sea, we, me, in the Cave, save, wave of the Dolphamums. Then I'll tell you, clue, flew."

Unable to contain himself any longer, Pugly jumped up, "The Dolphamums cave. Why do we need to be in the cave before you can say anything? Oh come on, Elvis, tell me."

But Elvis, still feeling the cold hard eyes of the slithering something on him, wouldn't budge. He'd heard the Elder's instruction and he wasn't going to say a thing until he was in the cave, safe and sound. Besides, he really was enjoying having one up on Pugly.

Pugly, knowing he wasn't going to get any more out of Elvis, sat down on his haunches, closed his big buggy eyes and said, "Okay, you win."

Pugly and Elvis smiled at each other and started walking while talking over each other, "sure glad you came back …nice to know I couldcome back, slack, whack."

They had been in the sacred grove in the forest of Avignail when Elvis had aspirated. The grove was protected by a surrounding ring of trees. Sparkles of light, shimmers of colour surrounded the grove day in and day out. It was the place they felt closest to the Elder and where their confidence was at its highest. While they had practiced to aspirate, sucking noises always present, from anywhere in Aurana, this still seemed to be their favorite place because they felt safest. There were also fewer interruptions and distractions. Concentrating was easier if you could close your eyes and not worry about what others thought when you appeared or disappeared.

Elvis had had a few false starts and close shaves when they'd practiced before. Elvis had ended up miles away from where he'd intended, but he'd learnt how to navigate to the exact place he wanted to be. Seeing the looks on some creature's faces when you appeared out of the ether in front of them was priceless.

Walking at Elvis's request, rather than flying, the Dolphamum's cave was more than a day's walk away. Down through the forest, following the river to the sea, Elvis and Pugly set off. While Pugly was champing at the bit to get to the cave and wanted to fly, every time he tried to get Elvis on his back, Elvis refused. It seemed they were walking there whether he liked it or not.

Pugly used the chance to calm down and look around. He loved each and every bit of Aurana, except for the dark, lapping at the edges moving closer and closer. He loved the beauty and the myriad of creatures that inhabited his world.

Aurana had always been a land in Balance until the Great War, but now many creatures that ended up in Avignail or Amarteen migrated towards the dark, towards the shadow lands, towards Attica. They migrated towards the places that had once been there, but now lived in the shadows. Pugly didn't know what happened to them once they disappeared, but he wasn't about to go and find out for himself. He was curious, not stupid.

He'd always found it interesting. He wasn't sure why those with colours that were dull migrated to the shadows, whether they felt out of place or if they just felt like they didn't belong. Perhaps to hide their true colours, he thought.

Elvis, unaware of Pugly's thoughts, seeing his already shining colour lighten, gave Pugly an odd look as he carried on walking.

The forests around Pugly and Elvis came alive as they travelled. Trees started swaying, leaves swished and tree-bark started gently softening. Inhabitants large and small peaked out of their spaces to see who was walking past. All shapes and sizes looked upon the two who shone and shimmered, their colours sending a signal to say, "We did it. We saw her. We spoke to her. She's coming. She's on her way."

They walked onwards with furry fun-tails running around their feet trying to trip them up and slow them down. They walked on, ignoring the owl-faced dew flops who shouted questions down to them. Lost in their own little world, Pugly and Elvis slowly made their way out of the forests.

Stopping for a drink in the river, the fish-tailed flowmers sang praise at them. The rivers were disappearing faster than the land and they were the first at risk of disappearing without really wanting to. They sang songs of victory, songs of prayer, and songs of joy to the two chosen.

Walking on, Pugly and Elvis entered the sand-filled dunes that reflected the sea. The young of the bug-a-lugs crawled out of their hidey-holes, scampered across their feet, bounced up and down in front of them shouting, "hey, hey, hey, she's coming, hey hey, ray ray ray she coming," while their parents tried to shush them up and get them out of the hero's way.

Elvis and Pugly smiled. Pugly started to understand why they had needed to walk to the cave. Linked energetically, victory for one became a victory for all, in Aurana.

Slowly they were getting the recognition they'd always longed for, becoming more than who they were always meant to be. Aurana had found hope. Slowly, Pugly and Elvis were acknowledged, their self-respect expanding with each note of song. The attention was a little unnerving and they weren't quite sure what to make of it.

They knew that it wasn't they alone that had done this. Everyone in Aurana had helped: with songs, with prayer, with need, with want, with perseverance. There were also many people on the other side of the Veil who had helped. The Elder had taught and lead them. The Eight were mystically there. The glory wasn't just theirs alone.

They tried to remember this while the crawly-scamps bowed down to them on their way through the dunes. The sea buckled and bent, waves crashing, foam spraying higher and higher the closer they approached, as if it was trying to anoint them in magical mist. Dolphamums skimmed the high waves, jumping and twirling in the air, squealing greetings, almost touching the flying fire-tails that flew down, their glittering behinds creating streaks of light.

Pugly and Elvis saw only the magic in the air around them as everyone celebrated the coming of her. Her name is Em, whispered in their thoughts, as they walked along. She's beautiful and strong they told others. And as always in Aurana when things were celebrated, out came a unified song. Soon all the creatures and beings of Aurana were singing, words transmitted intuitively, automatically:

Loved she is, she's finally come

Big and strong, she is the one

We await her, shining bright

Sending out our coloured light

Heroes, heroes, are we all

From the biggest to the small

Warrior mage, oh hear our song

For our world will soon be gone

Come to our land, come learn our way

Make us whole once more, we pray.

Elvis and Pugly, song fading a little behind them now, climbed the jagged rocks towards the Cave of the Dolphamums. The cave had been hand-carved centuries before and was known as a sacred place. No one could enter unless they'd been invited.

No one really knew who did the inviting except that they couldn't get through the entrance, until one day they could. Many creatures had laughed and tried, but had been stopped. Not by anything visible – they just found they could not take another step forward.

Pugly hoped that Elvis was right about being able to get into the cave. It had been a long day. A joyous day, but a long one, and he would be grateful for a soft seat.

I guess I'm not used to walking anymore, Pugly thought.

He'd forgotten how nice it was on the ground. It was good to fly, feeling free, but things whizzed past quickly. Pugly had enjoyed seeing all of Aurana united again. They'd been through difficult times over the last while. Some of the beings, dwellers, creatures, friends and family were fading, losing colour and belief. It felt good to sing and celebrate again.

Slowly Elvis and Pugly crawled over the uneven rocks, found the path and made their way to the entrance of the cave. Stepping forward, they entered as if there'd never been a barrier in place.

They knew the barrier was there. They had both tried on different occasions to enter the cave. Most children in Aurana had at some time or another. Neither of them could get in before. Clearly they had done something right because this time there was no stopping them.

"So Elvis…" Pugly said, looking around him for a soft pillow.

Please, please, please, went his thoughts, I want a soft pillow. And some food, he thought smiling. Something, in Pugly's mind, said, Your wish is my command, and then he spotted it.

Manifested just for him, in an instant – a soft pillow and some food.

Continuing on from earlier, Pugly asked, "So Elvis, what happened? Spill the beans. I think I've been patient enough."

Elvis, grabbing the other, much smaller, white, fluffy cushion that had appeared, wiggled down and was about to tell Pugly what it felt like on the other side when a strange noise interrupted them.

It seemed like it was coming from far back in the cave. It sounded like a boom-squeak-click. Boom, squeak-click. Boom, Boom, click.

Pugly immediately dived for Elvis, sure that some kind of monster was coming towards them. Elvis scurried out the way as fast as he could to avoid being mangled and squashed by his flying dog friend.

"Wait. Pugly. It's okay. Wait, bait, fate," belted out Elvis.

"The Elder, schmelder, said that the sound, bound, mound, found, is good, wood, food."

Pugly on his stomach, face flaps all pulled up beneath him making his eyes bigger than ever, said, "What?" as he skidded past Elvis.

"What do you mean good?" he continued, sliding into the side of the cave, face squashing up against the rock wall.

"What's good about thatsound?"

Elvis, jiggly and excited all over again said, '"It's her, mer, sir, her. It's Em!"

"This is where she'll cross over, dover, clover. This is where she will come, sun, one, fun into Aurana. We've just got to wait here, clear, mere, dear. The Elder told me, she, we, he …" he said, getting wrapped up in words.

"That's why we had to come here, schmere, clear, fear."

Pugly, one last question left in him after his long day, turned around, asking "Here? This is where she'll come over?" Then, in comprehension as if a thunderbolt had hit him, he finally understood why only those that were invitedwere allowed to enter.

The boom, boom, squeak, click, boom noise went off again, then stopped. Pugly sat up straight, ears back, eyes bugged wide, and looked towards the noise, waiting in anticipation, while Elvis flopped down onto his pillow again.

"How big is she?" Pugly asked Elvis, freaking out.

When he'd looked into the other side she hadn't seemed to be that big. Sometimes because of the speed-time difference, things seemed further away, but Pugly didn't expect Emily to be as big as this noise made out.

But the booming sound was made by something big.

Moving, squirming on his white pillow, trying to make a hollow with his body, Elvis said, "Calm down, frown, clown. She's not as big as you think, fink, gink. I'm not sure, lure, fur, if it's even her making the sound, found, mound."

"The Elder did say she would, could, should, come through here though."

"It's not going to happen just yet, set, get. Might as well take a nap, cat, snap," said Elvis, before promptly falling asleep.

Pugly stared at the sleeping half-pint. He couldn't believe the short-shot could be so calm.

And if she wasn't making that noise, who was? Pugly, having taught himself how to calm down, started breathing deeply, in and out, re-aligning his thoughts to the positive. He murmured, "You can fly. You can do lots of stuff. You are strong and brave."

Heart slowing, rubbing his colour spot and seeing that it was still white, Pugly sat down on his cushion, and continued staring at the door.

When, hours later, no more noise had come, Pugly finally resigned himself to the fact that she was going to come when it was time and not before.

"In time and on time," the Elder often said to Pugly when he became impatient. "In time and on time."

I hate it when she says that, thought Pugly, as he curled up and fell asleep himself, having forgotten in all the excitement that Elvis had told him nothing whatsoever of his meeting with Emily May on the other side of the Veil.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Emily lay back on her bed in her cubicle, arms behind her head, staring at Sam who was pacing with her usual energy.

"Aren't you even curious, Em?" Sam said, shaking the lock on the hatch.

"What do you think is behind here?"

Sam liked jiggling the bolt on the hatch to see if she could make it come loose. Her curiosity was unbounded and once she sunk her teeth into something she didn't let it go.

Sam couldn't wait to discover new things. These days she sought adventure no matter what the cost.

Emily rolled her eyes upward, and said "It's just a chimney, Sam. Think about where we are and where it is. We're over the kitchen, so the dumb-waiter-chimney just goes straight up past here. You heard what Cook said."

Sam, trying to sound mysterious said, "Well yes, but Em, why would you believe her when she's done nothing but try and keep us out of her kitchen?"

"Because I don't care what's in her kitchen or in that silly hole," replied Emily in frustration, "and since I can walk down the stairs without getting full of spiders, dirt or cobwebs why would I go down to the kitchen that way?"

Sam challenged Emily to open the lock of the hatch. She believed there was something more to it than just the dumb-waiter chimney, so was trying to entice Emily to join her in the adventure.

"Sometimes doing something out of the ordinary is verygood for us Em. Sometimes that's what makes us get out of our boring lives, our boring school and this boring hostel. Doesn't it make you feel alive, imagining living something different?"

Sam continued, eyes glassy, "Imagine Em! Imagine what we could find behind here?"

Emily wondered which one of them had the biggest imagination these days. It seemed like Sam was finally catching up with her in the crazy stakes.

"You can walk right out the front door." replied Emily in exasperation, "So why go to all the trouble of sneaking out via a hatch, out the kitchen when you know Cook's cat is always sneaking around there?"

Emily didn't like the spitting, fur-ball-hawking cat. She didn't rightly know why. She usually liked animals, any kind of animals: dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, fish, but this cat was something else.

Jiggling the lock one last time and then dropping it onto the metal hatch, Sam walked to Emily's bed and flopped down at her feet, "But Em, sometimes things that are right under our noses are where we should be looking. So what if we can walk straight out the door? Where's the fun in that? I'd rather find out what is behind here than just stay guessing."

Emily breathed out, knowing that Sam would never give up on this. "You always were the most curious out of the two of us, always getting us both into trouble. But we did have fun." Emily smiled at Sam while remembering the things they'd done that had driven her gran, Sam's folks and other friends crazy.

"How do you think we'll get it open then?" asked Emily.

"I don't know," replied Sam, "I'll find a way."

"Talking about curiosity though," Sam continued, "when are you going to tell me about your midnight walkabout? I remember you waking me up to say bye then forgot all about it as you were fast asleep in your bed when I woke up the next morning."

"Did you actually go anywhere or did you just want to prove to me that Morgan is the best snorer in the dorm? Sheez, she can be loud." Sam mumbled on.

Emily sat up, moved backwards to lean against the wall, and crossed her legs to give Sam some space on the bed to do the same.

"Well, remember I told you about Elvis visiting?" began Emily, not sure what reception she'd get from Sam this time.

Sam, still a little unbelieving since Emily was always off on one tangent or another, strung out the word "Sure."

Emily continued, not caring about the obvious disbelief on Sam's' face, "Remember he said that I needed to find the Book and Josh."

Sam slowly said "Sure" again.

Emily's cheeks glowed red and her heart raced. She remembered the shadows and light of that night and said, "Well, I found Josh."

Sam jolted, "No way! You said you didn't know who or what they were talking about."

Sam and Emily stared at each other, grinning like old friends sharing a secret.

"Yes way," said Emily.

"No way," said Sam, laughing.

"Yup," said Emily. "Or rather, he found me. It was a little scary and I remember thinking, 'Find me. Find me, Josh,' and he did."

"He walked right out of nowhere and said he'd been looking for me. For me! So all the time I was looking for him he knew where I'd be and where to find me," Emily rambled out in her excitement.

Sam rolled her eyes upwards.

"I know you think I'm crazy, Sam, but really I did meet him. Elvis washere and I did meet Josh."

Sam, hesitant then excited, said, "If you say so. So where's the book? Didn't you say that once you found Josh you'd find the Book?"

"I don't have it yet," Emily admitted, "He said it was too dangerous to be in the streets at night with the Shadows and what he called the Lost Ones. He said I needed to come back during the day."

"Right," said Sam stretching out her words and body, untangling her legs and putting her feet on the floor.

"My Eight's been really itchy," Emily said quickly, trying to find some believable evidence for Sam.

"Remember, I told you. It started itching and burning a little after Elvis came. Is it any redder?" Emily asked lifting up her plait and leaning forward.

Sam stood up, moved to see behind Emily's neck, lifted her thick hair and said, "It's about the same as last time. A little red, like a cow's brand. Ha, you're a branded cow, just like your pajamas."

Emily had a set of pajamas that she treasured. It depicted a sophisticated cow, standing up on its hind legs, with painted red lips and a handbag. The top was bright pink, and the pants were filled with a million little cows with handbags.

"It's maybe a little more red, but not much," said Sam, trying to squint at Emily's Eight to figure out how red it had been last time she'd looked.

Trying to convince Sam to come on her adventure for a change, Emily said, "I will be going back to town to meet Josh. You just wait and see. He said to meet him at the Courthouse. I may need your help, Sam. Please, just try and believe me this time. Just try."

Sam started to walk away. She said, "Listen, Em. You're my best friend and of course I'll help you, but until you've got that book or can show me Josh in real life don't expect me to believe you."

Sam, loud and sometimes obnoxious, was a skeptic at heart. Emily knew that it was this that made them a good team. She was often too believing while Sam was the voice of reason or science. Sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn't.

"Okay Sam. I know you need to see something before you'll believe it so I will find it and bring it back next time. Or at least I'll make sure you meet Josh," she said.

"I don't understand you, Sam," Emily continued, "You're always looking for adventure. You can't wait to open that lock and see what's behind the hatch, but in the same breath you don't believe in things you can't see or touch. You're going to have to start to believe in the unknown. Especially if you want to go on this adventure with me," Emily added, knowing she would find what Sam wanted and then Sam would have to believe her.

"Remember what I told you about the Shimmers? There and not there. Remember what I told you about the Shadows? Well, they were also there the other night. There and not there."

Sam rolled her eyes again, and took another step out the cubicle. Before Sam could disappear around the corner, Emily said, "Thoughts are things, Sam. Thoughts are things." You're going to have to believe more than your eyes if you want to see what I see. You're going to have to trust."

She flopped back on her pillow, arms behind her head, alone once more. Emily wondered how she was going to get out of hostel during the day with no one noticing that she was missing. Saturday was probably the best day. There was no school, and they were allowed out of hostel for a few hours. She didn't have a running meet this Saturday either. She'd just have to get Sam to lie about why she wasn't at breakfast and could leave really early on Saturday morning. That's it, decided Emily. Saturday it is.

Silently, since she was learning to trust her thoughts more and more, she sent her request into the air, "Josh. I'll see you Saturday. S.a.t.u.r.d.a.y. I'll come find the Courthouse."

Plan made, Emily picked up her book and carried on reading the fantasy story about a boy who was a magical wizard. It made her feel less alone when she knew there were others out there that also lived fairytale lives, even if they were only characters in a book. The difference was that Emily knew. In fact, she had always known things weren't as they seemed.

A wizard in a book was a pretend wizard, but there were things that had magic in them, things that were different to what people expected. Some people liked the mystery and actively sought it. Others were like skeptical Sam, and others, too scared to even start looking for the mysteries, let life pass them by.

People like Sam needed to see with their own eyes to believe. Emily had had too much happen to her in her short life to doubt. She wasn't always sure when she got a nudge or lick, but the words, the ones that she and her mom had both heard at different times, not even knowing each other, were real.

Josh was real.

The Book she had to find was real. She was sure.

It just had to be.

Emily ran down the streets into Kingstown, which was one of the roughest and toughest of towns. She needed to find Josh quickly.

She left the hostel early, just after the doors had been opened before the breakfast bell rang out. Walking at a leisurely pace initially, she had time to take in the town around her. She discovered that the beggars, vagrants and street people were like Shadows – there and not there. You only saw them if you knew they were there, if you cared to acknowledge them and knew how to look. Most people just ignored them. She'd been silly last time, allowing her thoughts to get out of hand, so they'd come a little too close. She knew they had been there, but she now knew it was in her power to control whether they were as scary as she thought. Daylight always seemed to bring clarity. Shadows weren't as scary when you could look them right in the eye and see that they weren't so threatening.

Our minds can sure play tricks on us, Emily thought.

Looking around as she walked, Emily become more aware of her surroundings as the buildings became higher. She kept her eyes open for the Courthouse. She remembered what he had looked like in the streetlights near the fountain. His wiry, spiky hair made him look taller, with attitude that followed him around, and he had an air of confidence that made him seem older than he was.

Josh had grown up on these mean streets. He'd been born outside the Courthouse, down the side of the alleyway in the corner, which had been staked and claimed by his parents when they both lost their jobs after the factory they'd worked at closed down. They'd found a hiding place and fought hard to keep it. They did their best to stay out of the other vagrants' way, so they were mostly left alone.

During Josh's ramblings as he walked Emily back to the hostel that first night, he told her that his mom would say, "Josh came into this world on a summer's day, all sunshine and light with his shock of straight-up black hair like he was ready for whatever the streets and the world would throw at him." Emily noticed that Josh sometimes spoke like someone else was telling his story. He had grown up hard, but with respect and love for those around him. He'd grown up fast in a hard, hard world.

"Josh, Josh, Josh," Emily repeated, willing her feet and mind to find him as she walked Kingstown's streets. She could feel the Shimmers more these days, since Elvis's visit, but the closer she got to Kingstown the further away they felt. The Shadows crept closer, Kingstown's tall buildings creating the perfect environment for them. "Josh, Josh, Josh," she breathed as she walked up to the first person she saw.

"Hello" Emily said, "Can you tell me where I can find the Courthouse?"

The person looked at her, spat onto the sidewalk and pointed up the road. A little boy, dirty and ragged, smiled playfully and tugged at her arm, saying "Got anything for me?" He pointed the same way, giggled and then let her arm go when Emily said, "No, sorry."

The tall buildings came alive as the early morning sun hit the top floors with their shiny windows. People started moving about behind the windows, opening curtains and blinds. Shimmers and Shadows, Shimmers and Shadows, went her unconscious thoughts.

Emily shivered, but carried on walking. Halfway down the street, she asked again, "Courthouse?" and was pointed in the same direction, so at least she knew she was heading the right way. Josh, Josh, Josh went Emily's feet. Shimmers and Shadows, Shimmers and Shadows, went Emily's mind.

Lost in unthinking, Emily was surprised to see that she had come to the end of the street. In front of her was a building twice the size of anything else around it. A little intimidating, but nothing to be worried about, Emily thought, feeling like a dwarf.

Slowly she walked all around the building looking for Josh and his parents. Josh had told her to look for a corner with a tree. She walked all the way around twice, but still hadn't found it. Suddenly, as she turned a corner, a little girl, all dirty and happy, shot out of what looked like a wall. As Emily walked closer to it, she realised that the wall wasn't as solid as it had seemed.

If you didn't know it was there, you sure wouldn't find it, thought Emily. She closed her eyes briefly. Shimmers, she said in her mind, is this the place?

Emily had started asking more direct questions after Elvis had appeared, when she felt she needed help or clarity. She used her name for them when she asked, starting to learn how the concept 'thoughts are things' worked. She didn't want the Shadows to come back with an answer instead.

Sure she could ask the question of Elvis specifically, since she now knew that he at least was real. But he'd talked about the Elder and Pugly too, some other dwellers and a whole heap of things, so Emily thought it best to just keep them lumped together under one title until she knew better. She still liked the word Shimmers.

When there was no answer, she assumed that she'd have to find it her own way. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the wall.

Looking around behind her once she'd stepped through, amazed that she hadn't hit a brick, she called out, "Hello, is anyone home? Hello? I'm looking for Josh?"

Feeling alone, Emily whispered cautiously, "Is anyonehere?" She walked a little further into the alley, and noticed how clean it seemed compared to the outside sidewalks of the courthouse. This was a place that was cared for.

"Hello?" Emily said again.

A whispering noise startled her, coming from halfway down the alley. A woman's voice saying softly, "Great Universe, Love of All, all that is, thank you for this bountiful day."

Emily walked towards the sound, softly repeating, "I'm looking for Josh, is anyone here?"

The woman's voice answered, "Here we are dear, under the tree."

Emily looked all over, but couldn't see anything remotely like a tree.

"Where?" asked Emily, turning in a full circle.

"Here," said the woman, as the brown bricks right in front of Emily parted like a curtain.

Emily walked forward, past the curtain-wall and looked up. There really was a tree. Green leaves covered a large area and so provided some shade for the tin roof of the dwelling nestled under it.

"I'm Josh's mom," she said, "but he's not here right now. He's gone foraging again. He does so love to be out and about. But I'm sure he knows you were coming so should be here shortly."

"Oh okay," replied Emily, turning around to leave.

"No, don't. It's not necessary. Please, sit and wait for him," said Josh's mom, while smiling a smile that Emily had only seen on the likes of Mamasita.

Emily felt safe for the first time in Kingstown seeing that smile. She took off her threadbare back-pack and put it on the ground. Looking for a place to sit, she spotted a hump of sand that had been molded into a semi-chair.

Josh's mom said, "I'm sorry we don't have something for you to eat right now, but I'm sure my men will be back any minute and we can then eat together. My name's Miriam, by the way."

Emily smiled, "Emily's the name, but most people just call me Em for short." Miriam laughed and said, "Well, Em for short, how do you know my Josh?"

Emily relaxed. Seeing the Shadows the other night had been terrifying. Up until this very moment she hadn't even known if she could trust Josh, let alone anyone else. But Miriam felt good and she was learning to trust all sorts of things she'd never bothered with before, like her feelings.

She sat down on the sand-chair and told Miriam about sneaking out of the hostel, how Josh had surprised her at the fountain, then frog-marched her back up the hill, and told her to come back in the day. She was tempted to tell Miriam about the Shimmers and Shadows, but wanted to feel her out a bit more before she blurted out her strange secret. She'd wait for Josh to come back and see how things went from there.

While they waited, Miriam chatted away, tidying up their hovel as she called it, making Emily comfortable. Emily listened with half an ear, allowing the tiredness that she had kept away for most of the week, to slowly creep in.

Emily hadn't been sleeping well since Elvis's visit, mostly because her neck itched and burnt all the time. She thought the snoring had been bad, but she could put ear plugs in to get rid of that.

She'd tried various creams and treatments on her Eight, but nothing seemed to make the itch go away, so she'd decided to live with it. But it made sleep difficult.

"There would be days," Miriam said, chatting away as if they were old friends, "where I wouldn't know where we'd get some food or water from, but somehow our great universe provides." On and on Miriam went, telling the tale of their lives. This must be where Josh gets his rambling from, Emilt thought sleepily.

I wonder what she means when she talks about the great universe, was her last thought before her eyes slowly shut and she slipped away from the world.

Whirls of music, strange sounds, faces flashing in and out of focus, rainbow colours dancing, the feel of sugary sweetness all around her.

Where am I? she wondered, trying to bring a sense of focus into the strange landscape in front of her, as she heard the haunting melody whispered softly around her.

Thoughts are things

As real as night

The Book will bring

You to the light

Listen carefully in your head

Then read the words and you'll be led

To our world and the Scroll of Seven

Uniting all of earth and heaven.

Recognising them from before, Emily was delighted to find that more words followed this time. Finally, I must be on the right track, Emily dreamed, as the words continued in the background.

You'll find the book and so much more

Behind the creepy-spooky door

Follow Josh, go where he goes

And soon you'll find our Ed the Nose

Emily woke slowly, stretched, wiped the drool off her chin and sat up. Josh's face was up close, right in front of her eyes.

"Eeek!" she screeched, flapping her arms as she tried to move backwards.

Josh scrambled back and laughed. Holding his stomach, rolling on the ground, Josh mumbled, "Ya funny drooling girl. Don't ya look funny!"

The strange boy rolling around in front of Emily exasperated her. She thought, What made me think I'd find someone wise to lead me?

She squared her shoulders, sat up straight and said, "Josh, you scared me. That's not okay. It's really just not okay."

Emily was about to storm off and find the book on her own. She desperately wanted to leave this silly boy in the dirt, but remembered the rest of the words she had just dreamed. Josh had to lead her to Ednose or something like that.

Miriam scolded, "Josh. Now be nice. Em is our guest and we always treat our guests with respect, don't we?"

Josh stopped rolling around on the floor, sat up and looked Emily directly in the eyes and said, "Sorry, Em, nice ta meet ya again. I didn't think ya would come so soon and here ya are with drool hanging off ya chin. So I had to laugh. Ya would have done the same."

Emily remembered how oddly Josh talked, almost like he came from a different place or time. She smiled. Crazy as this all was, it was good to be with him. She wasn't sure if she liked him yet, but he did make her feel like he was one of the good guys. Just like Miriam, his mom.

"Okay, Josh," Emily said, lightening up, "but next time I get to box your ears if you so much as smile at me while I'm sleeping."

Miriam leant over Emily curiously, asking, "What's that at the base of your neck, just under your hair Em? I noticed it while you were sleeping." Emily straightened her hair unconsciously and said too quickly, "Oh, nothing." Miriam wouldn't let her brush it aside. "It seems to me there's something a little sore and red. Let me help you, Em."

Before Emily could protest any more, Miriam put her hand on her neck. She closed her eyes and immediately felt her Eight first get really hot, then strangely cool down. Emily glanced up, surprised, touched her Eight and realised it felt much better. Before she could ask any questions Miriam laughingly said, "I promise we won't tell anyone about your drooling or what's on your neck, but I'd still love to know what it is. When you feel you can trust me, trust us."

Emily thought as quickly as she could. Josh made her feel good and his mom did too, otherwise how could she fall asleep so quickly just after meeting them? Emily decided to trust them, believing that enough laughs had happened for the day, so she wouldn't be ridiculed.

"It's my Eight," she said, doubling over so her hands touched her feet and showing them her neck.

"I've had it since I was born. My gran told me that I've always had it. When I was young I thought it made me special. Nowadays, I think it's just a pain because all it's been doing is burning. It's been hurting more and more and I haven't been able to get much sleep. Sorry I fell asleep on you." Curiosity getting the better of her, she looked at Miriam and asked, "How did you know?"

Miriam smiled a secret smile, went to Emily, gave her a big hug unexpectedly, then moved away mumbling, "All is not as it seems. Oh Emily, all is not as it seems. How exciting!"

Emily didn't know what she was talking about, as her eyes followed Miriam's retreating back.

Josh tugged at her sleeve to get her attention.

Emily wasn't sure whether to carry on with the story and tell him about the Shimmers. She and Josh had vaguely chatted about the Shadows the other night, since it had come up in conversation. Or rather, Josh had rambled on as she had listened.

She had to tell Josh if he was going to take her to the Book and maybe he would understand since he had a mom who talked to things that weren't there. If Josh's mom spoke to beings that Emily couldn't see, maybe Josh would believe her crazy story. She could do without another Sam on her hands.

Besides, extra words had come today. Emily stored the words in her head. She was good at memorising, clever and inventive her teachers said, so didn't need to write the words down if there weren't too many of them.

Still, she didn't know what the words meant yet, and had no idea where to find this Ednose that Josh was to lead her to.

Josh grabbed Emily to get her attention. He suggested they take a walk through Kingstown. Emily knew that Josh had been sent to her to help her because of Elvis and because he knew who she was.

She decided to follow him, as he'd led her to whatever it was Shimmers were talking about. Maybe she wouldn't have to tell him her whole life story.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Kingstown opened like a flower, welcoming Emily and Josh as they walked the sidestreets. This was a different town to the one that Emily had seen on the scary night.

Perhaps it was because she was finally with people in this crazy town that made her feel safe. Perhaps it was because things didn't appear as they seemed. Emily wondered if this was what Miriam meant when she said all is not as it seems. She'd seen walls that weren't really walls and shadows that might have been street people. It's almost like seeing the Shimmers, Emily pondered. She wondered why a picture of that ugly beaked-monkey-thing suddenly came into her mind.

She walked confidently next to Josh who was jabbering away, "Ya gotta look hard, Em, especially where there are lots of people all crowded together in one place."

Emily stopped, put her hand up and said, "Sorry, Josh, I was in my head there for a moment. What do you mean I've really got to look hard? For what?"

Josh carried on about how beautywas always there, how things could seem really awful, but that there was always something that made things better.

"It's like my mom says, all is not what is seems," said Josh. "Sometimes ya just gotta trust someone to help ya look."

Emily knew that this was her chance. It was like the other night when Josh made that off-hand comment about her not being what he'd expected either. It seemed he could read her thoughts and was expecting her to tell him something about where they should be going or what they should be looking for.

This was the opening she had been waiting for, but she still nervously said, "Josh, if you promise not to laugh at me or think I'm really daft, I'll tell you about myself. I don't know yet why I'm important, like you seem to think, but I do know this is where I need to be. And I guess you're supposed to help me?"

Josh took Emily's hand, as she looked up in surprise at where they were. He'd guided her to the fountain where they'd first met. It seemed like a good place to start again, a place where things could be said but not overheard, as the water from the fountain drowned out a lot of sound.

Sitting on the wall, Emily told Josh about the story of her birth, her life, her gran, Sam, growing up at the beach, the nudges, licks and finally the words about the book. Then she told Josh about the words she'd heard most recently about him and Ednose.

Josh listened patiently, but at Emily's last word he could no longer contain himself.

"Ednose. Ednose!" Josh burst out.

He'd been holding his breath the whole time she'd spoken. It had been the first time he'd been able to do that, but he knew it was important to listen. Now he also knew exactly what he had to do and where to go. While he was more tuned in than most to the world Miriam called her Universe, there were still things that were hidden from him. "Come Em," Josh said laughing, grabbing Emily's hand. "I know oo Ednose is. I know exactly oo Ed's nose is."

"Always so excited," Emily said, "What is it with you?"

She frowned at Josh, but let him lead her away from the fountain, "What do you mean you know where to go? Do you know where the Book is?" she said, jumping out of her skin, "Do you really know?"

"Nah Em, I don't knows about ya book," said Josh. Emily deflated. Then Josh continued, "But I do knows someone who might."

Emily's heart started beating faster, not because Josh was now hurrying her along, but because she might finally be able to find the Book or the Scroll the Shimmers kept singing about in her head.

Josh ran down the street, not letting go of Emily's hand, even though she seemed to want to tug it away. "Where are you taking me?" yelled Emily. "Just come," said Josh excitedly, "Come wiff me."

Typical boy, thought Emily in frustration, never telling me stuff and thinking that he knows it all. But I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I just wish he'd slow down and explain.

Running, jumping over piles of smelly bedding that had been left on the sidewalks, Emily was really glad that she'd worn her best trainers, even if they did have a hole in the side where the seam had split. Feeling uncomfortably close, she snatched her hand out of Josh's grasp, but kept running alongside him.

They ran straight down the first street among tall buildings then turned a corner. They suddenly entered a different universe, an older world. The buildings became double-storey at most, some only having a single ground floor, and those looked more like shops. Some of the shops had been boarded up but looked like they were still in use.

Do people live here? Emily wondered silently. "Yup," said Josh, neither of them noticing that Emily hadn't spoken a word and he'd answered her thoughts.

Emily slowed down as she tried to catch up with all the sights and sounds around her. They moved further down the street. Josh, now a little ahead of her, stopped running and waited for her to catch up to him. "Where are we?" asked Emily, looking around curiously. Josh, his spiky hair standing electric-shock straight, alive eyes sparkling, said, "The Old Quarter. This is where Ed lives."

Ed. Who is Ed? wondered Emily.

"Ednose. From ya words that ya told me ya heard," answered Josh, reading her thoughts again.

Emily was overwhelmed by the sights and sounds around her, and still didn't notice that Josh was answering her questions without her having said a word aloud. Questions surrounded her. "What is this place? Who lives here?" she said aloud. "Why is it so different? Why does this feel so different from two streets away?" Emily thought silently.

Emily's insatiable curiosity always got the better of her brain and tongue. She couldn't ask the questions quickly enough. Josh grinned, knowing that Emily would soon catch on to what he was doing if he answered all of her questions, even those not voiced.

"The Old Quarter's where magic is," shouted Josh.

"What? What do you mean?" Emily said in awe, awash with strange smells, colours and sounds.

The Old Quarter had been there for as long as anyone could remember. A long time before the bigger buildings had grabbed all the sunlight and space, before people lived on the streets. Many thought time itself had started in the district.

Emily walked slowly forward with Josh. On her left was a sign that said Maria's Hair Salon on the door. She glanced through the door and saw lots of mirrors on the wall with chairs in front of them. A woman she assumed was Maria waved, then moved through the screen curtain into the back. Emily didn't see any customers in the salon because the rest of the front was boarded up with poster of beautiful girls with different colours, shades and shapes of haircuts.

Across the street to her right, a sign above the shop said Al's General Dealer. And Al sure did have everything, assuming Al still ran his shop, Emily thought.

Al's windows were filled with everthing imaginable. Small plastic toy cars, iron watering cans (although Em couldn't figure out how any of those would be sold since she'd seen so few plants in town), batteries of all sizes, cans of food, wool, clothes, shoes, sweets, rakes, lanterns and vegetables stacked on an outside trolley were as much as Emily could take in. The smell of bread wafted out into the street. It reminded Emily that she hadn't eaten that day and her stomach growled loudly.

"Come on Em," Josh urged, but Emily was still dumbstruck by the welcoming feel of the place.

Next to Maria's Hair Salon was a shop out of which loud but pleasantly warm, soulful music wafted. Pinks, reds, golds, burgundies, the warm colours of saris, bolts of material that shone and sparkled, long shawls with threads of silver blew softly into the sidewalk as Emily walked passed.

"Come on, Em," said Josh impatiently.

Emily shifted her gaze back to Josh, eyes wide with wonder and said, "I'm coming. I'm coming. Hold your hogs, Josh!"

Josh's laugh tinkled, "Hold me 'ogs! Em, ya sure are a strange one."As Emily caught up with Josh on the sidewalk they looked at each other and smiled, knowing that they were on the same wavelength.

"Here we are," Josh whispered, opening an old, creaky door.

Emily hesitated. The door was weatherbeaten and scratched. No glass or varnish, just a wooden door with a strange symbol on the front.

Josh opened it slowly. A stale vanilla smell came out.

"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Emily gagged, putting her hand in front of her nose.

"Ya'll get used to it," Josh said, "even get ta like it, I bet." Josh's eyes still twinkled like there was a secret he wasn't telling, so Emily let him take her hand as he led her into the shop.

While the inside felt welcoming, there was something ancient about it. Emily breathed in, felt around for her feelings, and sent a quick thought to the Shimmers again.

"Is it okay to go in here?"

No answer. Emily realised it was more difficult to 'speak' to the Shimmers in town and maybe that's why Josh had to lead her here.

Suddenly, sweetly, whispers of "trust Josh, trust Josh," came to her as Emily felt the Shimmers respond. Confused about when they would or wouldn't talk to her, Emily looked around. In the true City, with all its Shadows and tall buildings, they didn't respond. In the Old Quarter, it seemed she could feel whispers of them.

Emily wondered if it was because she was moving into the place behind the creepy door that they'd sent her to. She moved further in, saw that it wasn't like any of the other shops on the street. If she hadn't guessed it before with the creepy-spooky door, she would have now. Outside it had looked like any other shop, but inside it was huge.

It looked like an old castle. Chandeliers hung from the ceilings, candles were lit in nooks and crannies and books were crammed in every available space. There were pottery fairies, gnomes, mice and heaven knows what in all the other spaces where there weren't books.

Unicorns, goblins, angels, mermaids and dragons stood on chairs and counter tops, all mixed up. Birds and bats, owls and eagles, rats and snakes lay on the floor and sat on spikes all around the room.

"Ed! Ed! Where ya at?" Josh hollered.

Emily felt her knees shaking. No sure what to expect, she imagined that a horrible, old, bent-backed man would appear.

"Here we are Joshie love," tinkled a female voice from the back of the shop. Barreling through the tunnel of books, not at all wary that any would topple over, a sight to behold, came Ed.

Or rather, Edwina.

Big, busty and billowing in her pink and gold kaftan, Edwina enveloped Josh like a bear swallowing a mouse. Josh literally disappeared behind the curtain of pink arms, while the sweetest smell wafted forward to greet Emily.

"And who be this then?" Edwina asked, letting Josh stand on his own two feet again.

"This be Em," Josh said, pointing his finger at Emily.

"She's the one, ya know, the one," Josh said, his eye winking at Edwina. "The one looking for a book," Josh laughed, "and I knew ya'd be the one oo could help her."

Josh and Edwina seemed to speak in the same strange accent that Emily wasn't used to. The only vaguely strange accent that Emily had heard before had come from Mamasita.

Turning to Emily, Josh said, "Em, meet Ed. Ed, meet Em." and laughed at the expression on Emily's face.

Emily stared at Edwina, unable to tear her gaze away. She put her hand out blindly, unsure if she would be able to reach the outstretched hand of the woman in front of her, because in between them was the longest, sharpest nose Emily had ever seen.

"Em? Oh Em, Em! The Book," said Edwina, glancing at Josh teasingly, comprehending.

Emily could have kicked Josh at about that point. She was tempted to run out the door, screaming. Edwina seemed nice enough, but how dare he not say anything about Edwina's nose beforehand? For a moment Emily wondered if she was seeing incorrectly and needed to get her eyes tested. But sure enough, every time she blinked, there it was: long and sharp, just like a swordfish. Emily shook her head, remembering it was impolite to stare.

Edwina continued, "Oh how fantabulous. Tell me lovie, Joshie, where did ya find her?"

Look at the look on her face, Emily thought, as Edwina moved her head from side to side showing off her profile purposefully. She knows I'm staring, realised Emily, unable to look away.

Edwina smiled. She was used to people staring. It was part of her allure. If people stared at something different it often stopped their chattering. Then they were able to catch their next thought consciously. The fact that she was pointed at, followed by, "Did you see that?" didn't bother Edwina at all.

Emily was grateful when Josh winked at her, then at Edwina and blurted out, "We're lookin for the Book, Ed, do ya have it?"

Josh has lost his marbles, thought Emily.

Did Josh really think that Edwina was just going to walk to a pile of books and find the specific book that belongedto her, in amongst the thousands that lay around, pick it out and say, "Ere you go dearie. It's been waitin' for ya?"

Emily looked at all the books around her and thought, "We'll never find it in here!" A hand grabbed hers. Josh. "Come on Em, Edwina, Ednose, let's us find what's we're here for," he said, laughing hysterically.

Emily gave him a dirty look. Didn't he know that people had feelings, that he shouldn't laugh or tease things like Edwina's nose, even if it was mentioned in her dreams?

Edwina, however, was laughing as hard as Josh. Emily managed to look past the flowing pink kaftan and the long nose and see the clear, turquoise blue eyes that were sparkling in delight. Blue eyes that could see things that shouldn't be seen, eyes that looked right through you, eyes that said, "I know your secret and it's safe with me."

"So ya Em, are ya? Been waiting for ya," said Edwina

"You're kidding right?" cried Emily, looking towards Josh. "No way, this is getting way too freaky, even for me," she said, laughing with them when she realised what she'd said.

In the castle that was a bookstore, with a pink fat lady with the longest nose ever, things were definitely not all that they seemed.

The see-through blues eyes held her attention and led her along. "Why don't we go to the back and sit ya down," Edwina said.

"Ya can trust me girl. Me 'n Josh goes a long way back and if ya trust him then ya can trust me," she said in her strange accent.

It's not a question of trust, Emily thought, feeling her way around the bookstore, but of finding the book.

"Em, Em," Josh was saying, standing in front of her now. "It'll be okay, really, it'll be alright. Ed'll find it, no worries."

Emily looked into the black pools of Josh's eyes. She saw Josh. Ed. Josh. She checked her feelings again and knew they would find the book somehow. She felt she was in the right place, with the right people. She was clearly getting used to the unknown and the bizarre quite quickly.

Emily looked around at all the paraphernalia that packed the huge space, finding order in the chaos. Things weren't lying where they fell; they were actually placed in spaces needing them. The owl was lit up with a spotlight. The dragon had a candle next to its foot. The fairy sat in some purple-hued half-light. Plants and creepers dripped and hung near the walls. Even though it had an old, musty smell, the place was cared for.

A bell tinkled as Josh moved through to the back. Disappearing in a wide swirl, Edwina followed him into the room. Emily followed. She swept aside the curtain made of tiny crystals and silver symbols she didn't understand, and moved towards the round table. It was covered with a violet cloth and had a pyramid and huge crystal ball on it. Emily shivered, feeling uncertain.

It all seemed unreal. All is not as it seems, whispered through Emily's head. And these words became her mantra in the quiet, as she waited for Edwina and Josh to finish making tea.

Whispering to each other, heads close, Edwina said to Josh, "Well done lad. How did ya know to bring her to me?"

Josh, eyes sparkling said, "She 'eard the word Ednose an' when Em said Ednose…" the two of them pealed with laugher then Josh carried on, "there's only one person it could be. When she spoke about a book, that confirmed it."

"An' besides ya always said …" he continued, shrugging his sholders with insight. "She also told me about a Scroll so I figured ya were sure to have that too." Josh said, curiously. "Aah," whispered Edwina, "but I dinna know where ya Scroll is." Josh's face fell. "But I do know this be the Beginning," said Edwina, comforting him, "I can 'elp 'er on her way. Thanks be to ya boy, thanks be to ya."

Earlier that day a voice had talked to Edwina. Edwina listened to voices, as the voices needed to be heard. People said she was batty. They walked past Ed in the streets and circled their fingers around their ears to signal her madness, never looking her in the eyes because of her long nose. Almost as if they were too ashamed or scared. Worried she would put a spell on them.

Edwina didn't care what other people thought of her. She knew who she was and was comfortable in her own skin. Edwina knew her path and what to do when told. Edwina listened when the voices came and didn't care what others said of her. Edwina had her books, her humour and loved it when the children came to visit her. They knew she would laugh with them.

She was also lucky that her erstwhile, long-lost love had left her enough to live on so she didn't need to sell any of her old or new books. "Blessed I am," was Edwina's mantra, "Blessed indeed."

When the tea was made, Edwina and Josh sat at the table with Emily.

"So whats ya name then lovely?" asked Edwina, already having heard it, but giving Emily the chance to say it herself.

"Emily. Emily May…" she whispered, trailing off, remembering what Elvis had said.

Edwina relaxed and said, "Ya a fast learner dearie. Glad ya never told me it all. But ya can write it all down for me if ya'd like." Edwina continued, "Remember to ne'er say ya name in full girl. Never! At least not to one such as me or they will hear ya and come for ya. That little short-stock seemed to teach ya well in such a short space of time then?"

"How did you know about Elvis?" Emily said, followed by, "and what do you mean one such as you? Who, or what, are you?" Emily struggled to take it all in.

Edwina's mood suddenly became somber. "Elvis said lots of things, very quickly. What do you mean they will come for me? Who will come for me?" Emily asked. Edwina sat up straighter, "All the explainin's for later. For now know ya canna and shouldna say yer full name. Em's fine. Emily's fine. Even Emily May or Emily Harrison. But ne'er, ever say it all together to us."

Looking at Emily's fearful eyes, Edwina put her pudgy hand over Emily's saying, "An' ya reckon that Book be what ya be lookin' for, then?" "Yes ma'am," said Emily, thinking that she needed to call Edwina something and Ed wasn't fitting. "How came ya by the knowledge of The Scroll?" quizzed Edwina, "Why don't ya tell me fer ya'self, rather than this here boy telling me his tales." Edwina smiled as she clipped Josh on the ear playfully. "E's always tellin' me stories, ones I like mind ya, but I'd rather hear it from ya then. Okay love?"

And so, for the second time in one day, lapping up her tea and grabbing as many biscuits as was polite to quiet her rumbling tummy, Emily told her story to a stranger.

When she'd finished, Edwina said, "Hearing voices ain't always easy, lovely, but ya seem to have done good. If ya learn to trust em and take em ats their word, which I see ya doing your best at already, ya'll be just fine."

"So how do you know that I'm that one you've been told about?" Emily asked Edwina, realisation dawning, knowing that she'd been expected.

"For one because the voices told me an' I never doubts them and fer two, because of ya mark," said Edwina, heaving her bulk off the chair. "My mark?" exclaimed Emily, knowing that Edwina hadn't been able to see anywhere near the back of her neck since she had walked in her shop. "Well, ya do have one don't ya lovely? Looking like a number eight with a circle round it?" Edwina said, scaring Emily with her knowledge.

"Um, yes but," said Emily, flummoxed, "how do you know?"

Edwina walked around the table, helped Emily to her feet, laughing, and said, "Because sometimes ya just know, ya know? Would ya show it to me, then? Do ya mind, lovely, as I'd love to see it again?"

Again? wondered Emily. Edwina smiled, her clear eyes meeting Emily's. Emily leaned forward, flicked her long ponytail off the top of her neck and showed Edwina her Eight.

"There it is, true as day," said Edwina, "Wouldn't ya know it. Can I touch it?"

"Sure," said Emily, "it doesn't hurt or anything, at least most of the time. It's been itching and red lately but Miriam, Josh's Mom, did something that helped the burn."

"Aah, Miriam…" said Edwina, going nowhere with the statement.

"So, do you have the Book?" Emily asked, getting them back on track, flipping her hair back into place. "You did say you have something for me? That you've been waiting for me?"

"Yup, sure as daylight I heard 'em. What do ya call em, Shimmers, yup that's it, sounds about right. I 'eard 'em say she's coming. She's coming, she's finally coming."

"They told me to fetch that 'ole book for ya," Edwina continued on, not noticing the strange looks Emily couldn't help giving her. "Doesn't look like much ta me, but they said it'd mean the world to ya." Edwina finished as she turned around, swept through the curtain, and into the front of the shop.

"Ole' book? Old book?" asked Emily, looking questioningly at Josh, "Is that what she means, Josh? I sometimes find her difficult to understand. Is she fetching The Book, my book?" Josh shrugged his shoulders and said, "I dunno. I guess. Ya the one with the voices and know-how. Ya the one with the mark-thingie, the eight-circle-thingamabob." Josh rapped out jealously, leaning sideways and peering through the curtain.

Edwina swished back through the curtain, plunked what looked like a normal book on the table and said, "Here ya go then, lovie." Emily peered at the book. It looked like a normal story book. The front cover had a picture of a young girl, head hanging down sitting on her haunches. Emily looked closer, trying to read the words.

She read them aloud so everyone could hear.

"You are a warrior, beautiful in your strength." The rest of the words faded away as colours appeared, shining brightly all around her. Picking the book up, bringing it closer to her eyes, Emily saw a very small eight symbol in the right hand corner of the book. The symbol looked exactly like her Eight.

As Emily's words disappeared, Josh and Edwina sat silently watching her.

It wasn't what she saw anymore but what she felt that made all the difference. The tingling started in the middle of her stomach. "It's because I'm hungry," she thought, hopefully, "just hunger." The feeling began to grow, the tingling became warm. The warmth became a pleasant heat. She couldn't explain it.

Emily sat silently, just feeling it. Feeling what she could only call 'a connection' with the book. The book looked normal, but every bone, every hair, every cell in her body, said that it wasn't. Looking away from the picture and the eight, she found the title of the book. She stared but couldn't believe it.

She looked up at Edwina, then down at the book cover again. She looked up at Josh, then down at the title one last time. In big black, bold letters it said, Emily and the Battle of the Veil.

Without thinking, and feeling irrationaly scared, said to Edwina, "Are you sure this is for me? Emily May Harrison? I don't want to do Battle?" Then, shocked by Edwina's outburst of "Don't!" her voice trailed off. Realising what she'd done, Emily continued, "Oh frig. My name, I said my whole name! And what's this about the Battle of the Veil? There's going to be a battle?" she said, looking up into Edwina's piercing blue eyes.

"I'm going to have to fight?" were the last words she said before fainting dead away.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Emily woke up on a lumpy sofa, wondering where she was and how she had got there. Sitting alongside her, holding a cold cloth to her forehead with a look of pure terror on his face, was Josh.

"Em, em, are ya okay?" Josh asked, "Can ya speak? Can ya see? Em, em…" Josh rallied.

"Yes, you fruitcake," she said, taking the wet cloth off her head and sitting up.

She remembered where she was, what she'd said and what she had seen. Her name on her Book.

Ignoring the fact that she'd said her full name, since there was nothing she could do to take it back, heart racing, and scary excitement flooding back in, Emily said, "Josh. The Book with my name on it. Josh, this is for real."

They both laughed at her gabbling. Sanity restored, Josh moved to sit next to her on the couch as Emily sat up straight.

"I reckon ya been looking for it, so here it is, ya Book. Ya know that's how things work Em. Ask and ya shall receive, my ma always says."

Emily tailed away saying, "Yes Josh, I guess it does work that way. I'm still trying to get used to things that I think about coming my way. I don't know what exactly I'm supposed to do with this book but since it has my name on it, I guess I …"

"I reckon the easiest would fer ya to just read it, don't ya think?" said Josh, in his usual know-it-all-voice. They both laughed again. "I'll leave ya to it," he continued, pointing at the book lying on the table in front of her. "I'll be out back with Ed. Ya holler when ya need to and I'll be right here. But I think ya can do it alone since I don't much like reading," Josh laughed. "I'm hoping ya'll tell me what it's all about since ya can't keep a good secret." Josh teased, leaving Emily behind on the sofa as he moved away.

Emily looked at the Book. Emily and the Battle of the Veil. I'm not sure I'm ready for a Battle, thought Emily. What do they mean Veil? Is this the Veil that Elvis spoke about briefly?

Emily opened her Book. The words on the page sang, glinted and came alive.

In all the worlds there can be only one

Who can act on our words, melodies and song

Today, appearing, words read on this page

We salute you oh blessed one, our saviour Mage.

Words will come as they are needed

We ask you simply that they be heeded

When they arrive, in whatever form

Trust yourself, for you now are sworn

Know only this, in accepting this quest

Your life will be challenged but also blessed

With things only imagined, not real, before

All power creates when you heed the call.

There'll be no signposts to light the way

Remember your path, is all we can say

Rules will be there for you to follow

Be also humble or you'll soon be swallowed!

This book will guide you from today

Find the scroll and you'll find the way

Return to me when you are lost

And we'll walk together no matter the cost

To create a future of integration

Filled with characters of all combinations

Together we'll be, both foe and friend

Together in worlds, our time we'll spend.

Now close these pages, say goodnight

We'll be here next time, shining bright

Good day, dear one, from those above

Around and about you, we send great love.

Emily quickly closed her book.

Then opened it. The words were still there. She closed the book again, then opened it, all the while looking for more.

She flipped over to the next page but it was blank. So was the next one, and the next and the next.

"Okay, Shimmers?"said Emily aloud, disappointed. She thought her book would tell her exactly what to do when from then onwards. "What's going on? Huh, huh?" she asked the air, imitating Elvis unknowingly.

"Okay already. I get it, I think?" she continued, her nose scrunching up in thought. "You're only going to give me more when I'm ready, is that it? Thanks, great help you are. It would be much easier if you just spelt it all out once and for all, you know," said Emily, frustrated.

Thinking there was maybe more, Emily quickly opened her book again, just in case, to see if there was some answer. More words appeared slowly on the page as she read, letter by letter.

We led you here, didn't we?

We've waited so long for you to see!

It seems like there was someone listening in, even if their answer was a little sarcastic. Before she could ask anything further, new words shimmered up.

It will all become clear

When you find us near.

Look out for the space

At your sleeping place

The writing stopped. Emily asked questions in her head but nothing else appeared, no matter how hard she concentrated. She slumped back on the couch and read the words over and over, trying to figure out what they meant. Suddenly it became clear. Excitedly, to no one in particular, Emily stood up and said, "I must go tell Sam."

Her thoughts ran free: "Sam, you were right. Oh, aren't you going to get me for this one. I'm sure you are right. You must be right. Something is definitely behind the hatch!"

Hearing the commotion, Edwina appeared from the back.

"So can ya show me ya book of words now?" asked Edwina. "Sure," said Emily, smiling at the largest, kindest, pink, sword nosed person she was ever going to meet. Edwina opened the book and said, "I still canna see anything. I must admit I had a wee peek earlier an' thought I saw somefink run sideways but I guess I were wrong. I thought there'd be some words once ya had a look-see but I guess it's like they tol' me. It's for ya eyes only."

Josh glanced out the tiny kitchen window and saw the late-afternoon sun sinking. Coming through to the front of the bookstore, he said quickly, "Em, its gettin' dark. Best we be on our ways now." Emily got a fright, not realising how much time had flown. A whole day had gone past. How long had she been passed out on the couch?

Edwina turned around, once more enveloping Josh till he disappeared in her ample bosom and arms. Then she let him go and moved towards Emily. Emily stood still, not sure what was expected of her while Edwina enveloped her, murmuring, "Brave warrior, oh how exciting. It's begun."

When Edwina let go, Emily took take a deep breath.

Scared and tingling, excited and frightened by the afternoon's events, Emily tentatively said, "Thanks Ed. Edwina. Ednose. Thanks. How long…?"

Without having a chance to finish her question, Josh whisked her out the door into the fading light. Sneakers squeaking as they ran out of the Old Quarter, Josh pulled Emily faster and faster as the lights went down.

Emily, clutching her book tightly, gave the old bookstore a last glance, thinking, Who would have believed that such a place existed? Or such a person? Running up the hill, away from town, Josh still dragging her by the hand, she became lost in thoughts of The Book, The Book, I've got the book. And now I know where to look.

Almost up the hill to her hostel, Emily giggled to herself. I sound like the Shimmers now. Saying everything in rhymes and rhythm. Seeing Josh glance at her questioningly, Emily started singing it out loud, feeling energised, because she had her proof for Sam.

Waving Josh goodbye, Emily sang, "The Book. The Book. I've got the book. And now I know where to look."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Rupert's eyes focused as he shivered back into reality. The reality he tried hard to avoid.

He often found himself staring off into space, not really thinking, not really all there these days. He didn't like how he felt once his eyes refocused into the now, the present, his reality.

His mom had said a shiver like that felt like someone had walked over your grave. He wished he'd had the opportunity to say to her that she was right. He wasn't quite dead, yet it felt like someone was walking around on his grave and he didn't know how to stop it.

Rupert looked around his surroundings. Spidery chandeliers and tattered corner lamps barely brightened up the room. Old flower-patterned couches filled with lumps, cushions spewing out cotton threads – none were comfortable anymore. Armchairs, once proud in leather finery, had thrown stuffing all over the floor, and more stuffing peeped through their elbows. Tables, once shining with polish, stood burned with old cigarette butts and stained with neglect.

The Lennox had once been a proud place. Like me, thought Rupert. Once it had been a hotel of distinction. People had come from far and wide to spend a night at the Lennox. Then it changed hands. A rich-beyond-rich gambling man took it over and made it even more popular. Shining extravaganzas, chorus girls, loud music and lights became the norm and slowly, without the man even noticing, a shadowy element crept in, his own excess and competitive nature becoming his constant companion. The people who frequented the hotel became rougher and the girls became more painted and lustful.

The man wasn't sure when he'd lost his wife and daughter. One day when he looked up from the roulette table they just weren't there anymore. I've sure come down in life, Rupert thought.

Now, even the thugs had disappeared, realising that the money that had flowed in in bucket loads had trickled to an end. Rupert had been selling off furniture to keep himself alive, so the rooms to rent were slowly becoming bare.

Like my life, thought Rupert. Nothing left and nothing to do but wait for time to pass.

Finally, something had come to pass.

His staring off into the distance wasn't always a waste of time. Sometimes he got great ideas about how to earn some quick money. Rupert used to be a thinking man who weighed all the pros and cons, but he didn't do that anymore. When his head said go, even as his gut said no, he went unquestioningly. He went, regardless of the shiver. Rupert wasn't sure if the shiver was from fear or just a warning. Either way he ignored it. He had something to do now and it just had to be done.

Rupert stood up, his body hurting from years of killing it slowly with whatever illicit substances he could find. Bits of nonsense were always popping into his head these days. He noticed them more now that the lights, music and noise that had been part of the Lennox before weren't around to distract him. Most of the words that rambled around in the big dark space of his mind flew past, but every now and then he caught one.

He opened the guest bathroom tap and splashed handfuls of water over his red, veined eyes and bulbous nose, staring darkly into the mirror and flashing back to the earlier sights and sounds that had come with the shiver.

The Old Quarter. Smells and sounds surrounding smaller buildings. A door. He must go and wait outside that door.

Now, Rupert, came the urgent command in his head.

Shaking himself properly awake, he looked away from his lost eyes, wiped his hands on his pants since all the towels had been sold, and walked out. A minute later, or what felt like a minute, he was outside the door he'd seen in his dreams, in the Old Quarter.

How did I get here so fast? Rupert thought, lazily leaning against the brickwork of Al's General Dealer, allowing time to dissapear.

Rupert felt like he was losing time more and more often these days. He'd start out at one place and before he knew it he was at a completely different place without knowing how he'd got there, like when he had a blackout from drinking too much.

Suddenly the door he was meant to watch shot open.

A voice in his head commanded, "Follow them."

A boy and girl, both no more than thirteen years old, ran past him so fast they didn't even notice him. Moving behind them, as fast as he could, Rupert followed them up a hill to a school hostel. He heard the girl shouting something about a Book, while laughing at the boy.

Oh, how he wished for those carefree days. The days where getting excited about the simplest of things made you laugh.

His eyes followed the girl as she entered the school grounds. Rupert hung back in the shadows, knowing he'd seem suspicious if he followed them all the way in. To his surprise the boy didn't go in but said a hurried goodbye at the door. The boy then ran back the way he'd come, looking back at Rupert as he sped by. Rupert knew he'd been seen. He'd need to be more careful next time.

Waiting for more commandments but hearing none, Rupert lit a cigarette and ambled back to the hotel that had once been his biggest dream.

Silenkis slithered away from the Circles of Influence. It was getting easier and easier to send thought-forms to Rupert. That was good and bad. Good because it didn't take much to get Rupert moving these days, but bad because if he pushed too hard he'd have another bumbling dummy on his hands. Once his Lost Ones became zombies, they weren't much use to him, because they forgot how to be human.

When Silenkis needed things done on the the other side of the Veil he chose someone who hadn't fully succumbed to the rhythm of the night, as he preferred to call his special kind of madness. Those he influenced often needed to interact with real people who weren't aware of any external influences. Silenkis found zombies weren't articulate. They looked like lost idiots, so they weren't much use to him once they'd passed into that zone.

Silenkis didn't have much time for people or things that didn't listen to him. He had important things to do and very little time to do them in. He had lived a long time, but opportunities only came around every so often.

Silenkis sank down heavily on the dusty ground of his cave and curled up as much as his wide hooded head would allow. Even soothsaying snakes needed to get some rest.

Working with Rupert made him very tired. In fact, working with any new susceptible person was tiring. Silenkis had been watching Rupert for a long time. He'd started using him about a year before to do smaller things, testing him out, seeing how good he was at carrying out orders, seeing how good he was at hearing his internal voices.

The lower Rupert sank, the more he hated who he was or what he'd become, the easier it was for Silenkis to control him. And since this was going to be one of the most important assignments, he needed someone who still had some brains, but could ignore his feelings. Rupert was perfect.

Silenkis started snoring. He only snored when he stayed in his cave for long periods. The dust got into his open nostrils and caked up the back of his throat. Even though he mostly stayed indoors, things had been far too exciting of late to stop for fresh air.

Just before Silenkis drifted off, he smiled smugly.

"I've caught you, Emily May Harrison. I've got you now."

Tomorrow, Silenkis breathed in loudly.

Tomorrow, Rupert must do it, he schemed as his snores took over.

Rupert woke up in his grubby bed. Another night gone, another night where he'd drowned his sorrows and forgotten his choices in the bottom of a bottle.

Shaking his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from his eyes, Rupert sat up and promptly lost himself as his feet hit the ground. A pounding headache always helped him forget. The boom-boom-boom was what focused him on the pictures swarming around his head. Another day, another task lay ahead, or rather half a day, since he'd slept till mid-morning. It was a sin, his mother had said, wasting a whole day in sleep.

Refocusing as much as his head would allow, Rupert stumbled into the shower. A proud man still, he felt that cleanliness was next to godliness. Another thing his mom used to say to him, making sure that he washed every inch of his body.

Drying off, wondering why he was thinking about his mother, he put on his day-old clothes. Having a clean body was one thing; clothes were another. They weren't as easy to clean as his body since the washing machines had been sold. Rupert had learned to live with day-old, smelly clothes. He couldn't smell them so didn't think anyone else would, and was past the point of caring.

Rupert made his way up the hill carrying The Lennox's tools in a bag at his side. Blindly putting one foot in front of the other, he ended up at the front door of the hostel. Gathering himself together, he cracked his knuckles into a fist and knocked.

The door opened.

A sneaky grey fat cat pushed past him and almost tripped him up. He was still shaky from the night before.

"Good day Ma'am," said Rupert, "I've come to fix the plumbing." Cook looked the bedraggled gentleman up and down. He was clean, but had definitely seen better days.

"I'm not sure what you're on about?" she replied.

"Um, I've come to fix the plumbing. You reported a leak?" responded Rupert, looking like an innocent school boy, "Apparently there's a tap in the top left bathroom that's sprung a leak and needs fixing?"

"Or I can go, if you know nothing about it, no worries," Rupert added as he turned around, trying not to show his desperation. Rupert had become a good actor over the last year.

Cook knew that she'd be hauled over the coals if something wasn't fixed when it had to be, so grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving.

Leaving a smudge of oil on his overall as she let go, a deeply distressed sigh of importance escaping her lips, she pointed inwards, saying, "No, no, come in. The girls are all in school. I'm busy cooking so you're going to have to find it yourself. Stairs are at the back."

"Hurry up, you hear, make sure you hurry up. The lunch is boiling," Cook shot off as she turned towards the kitchen. Rupert smiled, bowed his head in servitude saying, "No problem ma'am. I can find it, it'll be fixed in a jiffy and then I'll be out of your sweet hair." Cook glanced back at Rupert and fluffed her hair, wondering if there might be a gentlemen under all that smell after all.

Rupert's smile was quite enticing. Cook smiled coyly as she shooed him up the corridor, patting her greasy curls.

Rupert walked up the stairs, stopped and listened. The voice told him that each cubicle had a name on it. He was to find the one that said Emily May Harrison. Rupert looked left and right. He moved down one side, following his nose.

His mom had always said he should follow his nose. She'd said when you weren't sure where to go, something called intuition would lead you to where you needed to be. Rupert figured his nose had been blocked for a long time.

There were some days he missed his mom more than others. Some days he missed them all, his wife and daughter too. Most days he missed himself.

He preferred to drink to forget than to remember. Today felt like it should be one of those days.

Seeing all the girls beds neatly made, the sweet smell of them hanging in the air, Rupert remembered how his daughter had loved him. He wondered if he was doing the right thing by being here. He'd made so many stupid choices; or rather, they had been made for him while he was busy living life. Would he regret this one too?

"Focuss…ss…ss…Rupert." the voice in his head said again, "Focuss…ss…sss." Rupert snapped out of his stupor. His head was getting louder, he thought, and more insistent.

Rupert reached the end of one dorm wing and noticed an odd-looking hatch with a great big bolt and lock on it. Just as he was about to go and have a closer look, he spotted the name he was looking for. Emily May Harrison. There it was broad as daylight. Now what? Rupert thought.

Into his head came the sing-song from the girl yesterday "The book, the book, I've got the book." Rupert realised that the girl he trailed yesterday must be Emily and that he was now outside her cubicle. He had to look for a book of sorts.

With no idea what the book looked like, Rupert followed his nose or what he thought was his nose. He opened her cupboard and saw lots of clean, neatly stacked clothes, but no book. He looked under her bed. No book. He opened the pedestal next to her bed. Aah, jackpot he thought.

Taking out the books he read the various titles on them.

Mad Mary and her Night in Shining Armour.

The Dark is Dangerous.

Rupert had to laugh at that one. He felt like that sometimes.

Rupert sifted through them but none stood out. It has to be here, Rupert thought, his head becoming painful. He knew he was looking for a book, and since these were the only ones there, it had to be among them.

Taking each book in his hands, Rupert flipped them open onto their spines and rifled through the pages thinking, I know you're here, where are you, I know you're here, where are you, in a childishly mad sing-song melody.

Weird that, thought Rupert, as he remembered the girl also humming while running yesterday. Rupert let his thoughts go in whatever direction they wanted to.

He picked up a book called Emily and The Battle of the Veil.

Funny, he thought, got the same name as her, then realised as soon as he flipped it open that it must be the one he needed to take. No words, Rupert mumbled as his booming headache took over. Why would we need the one with no words? he questioned silently.

Putting the other books back the way they'd been, Rupert stood up and walked out the cubicle, book stowed in his tool bag. His hand trailed a little behind his body, touching the wall, Emily's now closed cupboard and over the hatch.

"Ouch!" Rupert yelled as he felt a spark of electricity on the tip of his trailing hand.

Ignoring the tremor in his left eye, and sucking his finger where it had burned, he moved down the stairs and corridor. "It's done. I'm going now," Rupert yelled down the corridor in the direction of the kitchen, wondering what was being cooked that smelled like dead fish. "Let yourself out then, dearie," Cook's voice called back. Rupert did exactly that, happy to be out of the confining walls.

Glancing around, he couldn't see the fat cat anywhere, but still felt like he had to tread lightly. Something was worrying him. His left eye had an annoying tick. He had the book. He'd walked in and out without any bother so why was his eye ticking? Was it warning him that something wasn't quite right? Just as he was about to ask, the voice in his head shouted, "Look out!"

Josh waited for Emily to come out of class. It had been a late night and a long morning.

Edwina had whispered to him yesterday, just before he'd left her shop, that he'd need to be on the lookout for someone tall, dark and weatherbeaten. Josh had laughed and told Edwina that it sounded like a description of just about every person that lived on the streets. Edwina had shushed him, scaring him with her look of determined terror, and said that he needed to be vigilant.

That's why he'd hurried Emily up the hill so fast.

He could have pummeled her when, with no care in the world, singing out loud, she'd mentioned her book. Didn't she know that there were things and people that were listening to her every word? Didn't she care about herself, or about him for that matter? She'd sung outloud, not a care in the world, "The book. The book, I know where to look. The book, the book I know where to look."

Girls could be so stupid sometimes, Josh thought.

On his way back, Josh had spotted the tall, dark, weatherbeaten man. He had waited, watching from one of his hiding places, but the man had simply turned and left.

Josh had stayed to watch over Emily, only taking a break once when he had to go to the loo. Then in the morning, in broad daylight, the same man sailed out of the hostel, like he'd done nothing wrong. Stupid bladder, Josh thought, having missed the man's entrance into the hostel.

Josh couldn't see the book but he knew, just like he knew other stuff, that the book had been stolen by this man that looked like a plumber and smelled of stale cigarette smoke.

He'd tailed him a little way back to town, calling to his friends to come and help him as he did.

Together, they had jumped the man. Josh had grabbed the man's tool bag and taken the book back.

He didn't tell his street friends why he needed it, and he didn't have to, since they helped each other out from time to time. It didn't matter to them why he wanted it.

Josh was glad that his friends had been there to share the look on the man's face.

Standing in front of the high school, Josh replayed the morning in his head, putting his hand in front of his yawning mouth.

Hurry up already, Josh thought, waiting for the bell that signaled school was over for the day to ring.

The bell rang.

A rush of girls came at him so fast he felt insanely intimidated. He thought he'd never spot Emily in the crowd. Luckily for him, he didn't need to, as Emily found him. She ran towards Josh, concern on her face, and stopped just in front of him on the school steps.

"Josh, are you okay? You look worried. What's wrong?"

"Ya're what's wrong Em," said Josh, tired and irritated, "Singing out loud last night fer all the world. Telling everyone about ya book yesterday. It got stolen this morning. Ya should be more careful." The words came out of Josh's mouth in such a rush that Emily stepped back to avoid the full blast of his awful night breath.

"What is wrong with you?" said Emily, not understanding, as Josh led her out of the muddle of girls to the side, all the while explaining what had happened.

After hearing the story, Emily took her book from Josh and clutched it tightly to her chest. Kissing Josh lightly on his cheek, she said, "Thanks Josh, you always seem to be saving my bacon, or in this case, my book."

Josh calmed down and turned back to town. "Just be more careful okay?" he said, smiling shyly. His red cheeks acknowledged Emily's kiss. "See ya," he said, and was gone.

Emily realised she'd kissed Josh in front of the entire school. She blushed too, thinking, Hm, perhaps he's not so bad. Was he there the whole night watching over me? She blushed some more. She slowly walked back to the hostel, via the school grounds, past the running track. Her head was swimming with words – then fright.

My book was stolen from my locker. He was in my cubicle, she realised.

I really have to find a better hiding place for it. Maybe Sam can help? Emily thought as she walked into the hostel fingernails digging into her book without her noticing.

Emily had shown Sam the book last night. Just after study period she'd taken it out of her pedestal next to her bed. Sam looked at it, opened it and said, "What's so special about this book? It doesn't even have words in it."

So Emily told her the whole story.

Sam hadn't expected Emily to find the book, let alone have such an adventure. She'd told Emily that she'd loved to have seen Ed's nose but was still glad that she'd been able to help with the adventure by making sure that no one missed Emily during the day.

Coming back into the present, Emily thought she'd have to tell Sam about the man trying to steal the book.

Shuddering one last time, and looking around her cubicle, Emily felt violated. Even though things were as they should be, she still felt vulnerable knowing that some stranger had been scratching around in her belongings. Better not tell Sam, or anyone else; besides, then I'd have to explain everything and that will be impossible. I'll sound like a liar.

The last thing Emily wanted or needed was for hysterical cooks, teachers or girls to be around her right now. Dumping her school bag on her bed, she sat down and opened her book. She read her words again.

In all the worlds there can be only one

Who can ACT on our words, melodies and song

Today, appearing, words read on this page

We salute you oh blessed one, our saviour Mage.

Words will come as they are needed

We ask you simply that they be heeded

When they arrive, in whatever form

Trust yourself, for you now are sworn

Know only this, in accepting this quest

Your life will be challenged but also blessed

With things only imagined, not real, before

All power creates when you heed the call.

There'll be no signposts to light the way

Remember your path, is all we can say

Rules will be there for you to follow

Be also humble or you'll soon be swallowed!

This book will guide you from today

Find the scroll and you'll find the way

Return to me when you are lost

And we'll walk together no matter the cost

To create a future of integration

Filled with characters of all combinations

Together we'll be, both foe and friend

Together in worlds, our time we'll spend.

Now close these pages, say goodnight

We'll be here next time, shining bright

Good day, dear one, from those above

Around and about you, we send great love.

She loved that no one else could see the words. Even Sam couldn't see the words. Sam was still skeptical about the book and in her usual style had said, "Seeing is believing, Em."

Emily read herwords, A saviour Mage. What was a Mage?

It seemed liked no one else could read the words. At least she hoped not, otherwise the man who had stolen her book would be back. If Edwina couldn't read them, surely no one else could? Emily clung to that, too scared to contemplate the alternative.

Emily searched for a better hiding place for her book. She'd thought that having it among all her other storybooks would be the best place, but clearly it hadn't been. She moved clothes aside, took out drawers and opened cupboards. She tested the floorboards under her bed and managed to peel away the one closest to the corner, since the nails had rusted from damp running off the walls over the years. Slipping the book into a spare pillowcase, she squeezed it into the space and replaced the floorboard. Taking one last look before going down for supper, Emily knew that tonight had to be the night. She couldn't, and didn't want to, put it off any longer. Especially now that others seemed to know about the book and whatever else it was pointing to.

The book reminded her that all was not as it seemed. For the first time in her life she had some proof that she was hearing and seeing things that were as real as the world around her.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

A hush began to descend as the hostel girls settled in for the night.

Just before lights out, Emily softly called, "Sam, Sam, come here." She heard ger friend talking down the passage and tried again.

"Sam, Sam, come quickly!" Sam couldn't resist an urgent call. Her ears were attuned to listen for excitement. "What, Em?" Sam said breathlessly, as she ran into the cubicle.

"Tonight's the night," said Emily.

"What night?" asked Sam innocently, as Emily rolled her eyes, playing the fool. "Stop holding out, I've got better things to do," Sam said, busy as always. "The night," said Emily, pausing for effect. "The night we open the hatch."

Sam plonked herself down on Emily's bed, finally giving Emily her undivided attention. "You mean I finally get to see what's behind curtain number three? I mean the hatch," Sam said laughing, "How do you think we're going to get it open?"

Emily's face fell. She hadn't thought of that. Sam had pulled on the lock a few times before but they'd never been able to open it. Sam looked at Emily's crestfallen face and said with her usual optimism and laughter, "I'm sure we'll find a way. Maybe that book of yours with no words will find words and tell us." Not a bad idea, thought Emily.

"Okay, Sam, I'll set my clock to bleep softly at eleven-ish. That way we can make sure everyone's sleeping when we give it a try. In the meantime, I'll check the book."

Sam laughed. She moved into her own cubicle as the lights-out bell rang, saying, "If you can get me awake and ifyou really think that book of yours is going to tell us how to open this stupid hatch…" Looking for mystery and adventure, Sam still didn't see that it was right under her nose. She still believed that spiders and cobwebs were all they'd probably find. But Emily knew better.

She slipped silently under her bed, pulled up the floorboard, shook out the pillowcase and grabbed her book just before it fell to the ground. She still felt the warmth, the connection to it, every time she held it. And her Eight still itched. Every day it itched more, and when she looked at the same symbol on the corner of her book, her Eight seemed to get a little hotter.

Weird, she thought.

She closed her eyes, sending a little prayer, a thought-form, into the air. "Please tell us how to open the hatch if it's the right place?" she asked the Shimmers. She opened her eyes, feeling her way to an answer she desperately wanted. There it was, she smiled, starting to trust her thoughts, or the Shimmers, to answer:

Twist two to the left

One to the right

Step away and wait for the light

Closing and hiding the book, Emily slipped under her covers, too excited to sleep. She drifted in what she called no-man's land, somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, thinking arbitrary thoughts.

Elvis – I wonder how old he is?

I wonder if I'll meet Pugly, my helper, like Elvis said?

How will I get past the Veil? I wonder what the Veil is?

I wonder if it will puff and spritz like it did when Elvis appeared?

A buzz went off in Emily's ear and she was instantly awake. Silently moving her bedcovers aside, she sneaked across her cubicle into Sam's and shook Sam awake. "Come Sam, it's time." Sam, unusually, awoke quite quickly. "Okay, okay, I'm awake," said Sam, pushing Emily's hand off her shoulder.

Fully awake, rubbing her eyes, and looking out the window at the full moon, Sam said, "So, have you figured out how we're going to open it yet?" "Yup," said Emily, dragging Sam across to the hatch "Watch and learn – or rather, watch and believe."

Emily pulled her cubicle curtains closed. Since there were no doors between her and any of the other girls' sleeping places in the dorm, she hoped that whatever was going to happen would be quiet. At least there was a door at the end of the dorm that would keep the teachers from hearing anything. Blessings, thought Emily, feeling like she was catching someone else's thoughts.

"You try first, Sam," she said, wanting Sam to realise that the hatch was still locked tight and that what she was about to do wasn't dumb luck but magical. Sam pulled and twisted but nothing happened. "Friggen waste of time. I'm going back to bed," Sam said turning around. Emily grabbed her arm.

"Stand next to me. Watch exactly what I do. The Book told me how," said Emily, smiling at Sam as she twisted two to the left and one to the right.

Emily stepped back, holding on to Sam's elbow.

Sam looked quizzically at Emily, saying, in her spookiest voice, "Nothing's happen...n...n...ing." "Wait," said Emily, trusting the words in her book while straining her eyes in the dark for movement.

A little click sounded out.

Sam and Emily looked at each other, grinned and stared at the hatch again. A tiny sliver of light appeared along the edge, between the top and bottom part of the hatch.

"Sam, can you see it? Can you see it, the light?" whispered Emily. Sam, eyes fixated on the light, shook her head in disbelief, saying, "I see it Em. I can't believe it, but I see it." Emily grabbed the top hatch and pulled upwards. The two halves separated.

The light dimmed slightly as it shone on a bigger area. Emily opened her cubicle curtains a sliver, listened silently, checking to make sure that no one else had woken up. Sam just stood there, her mouth hanging open, moving the lock around trying to see how Emily could have opened it when she couldn't.

Sam looked up, left the lock alone and stood in front of the hatch. Sticking her head in, she looked around, down, left, right and up, and then said, "Guess there's nothing here then Em. Just dusty old spidery walls and some kind of a tray thing, although I'm not sure where the light's coming from?"

"I guess this is what used to move the food between floors. I wonder if it will take our weight?" Sam said, about to step onto the tray.

Emily grabbed Sam as her foot dangled over the edge, "Wait. Wait. Can't you see it? The light's changed? And how do you know it will take your weight, let alone both of ours?" "I'm not that fat," said Sam, offended.

Sam always tried things out before Emily could. A little caution helped Emily, but Sam was as fearless as always. Stepping on to the tray, holding on to Emily's outstretched hand in case the tray plummeted to the ground floor, Sam looked around again. "Sure, I can see a small change in the colour, but that's it. What else is supposed to be here?" Sam said.

"I don't know," replied Emily, wondering what she was supposed to discover.

"Oh come on Em, surely you should have some idea if you think this is the place."

"Maybe I need to be right inside like you before I'll see something?" Emily wondered aloud, "You've got to admit that the light is strange, though, Sam. And since you also see it, it's not just my imagination."

Sam stepped out, her hand dusting the cobwebs off her shoulder where she'd touched the back wall, saying, "Well, there's not enough space for both of us, that's for sure, so your turn."

Emily followed Sam's lead bravely. She stepped in without holding Sam's hand, knowing that the ground wouldn't come rushing up to meet her since she weighed less than Sam.

Something moved. Quickly.

A whoosh surrounded her as she lost all her bearings. Sam faded away into a fine red mist. Looking frantically around her, Emily tried to maintain her balance. Stretching her arms out as far as she could on all sides, expecting to touch the bricks of the hatch, she felt nothing.

Taking a deep calming breath, she felt like she was a little above ground level, if there even was a ground. Whatever was underneath her feet was, spongy. The red mist surrounded her as Emily heard, "Think Em, think!"

"Hello?" she said, "Elvis? Someone? Anyone?"

A voice she recognised from the melodies, sounding of sugar and smelling like chocolate, rang in her ears. "Welcome Emily. Welcome. We have been waiting for you. Welcome home."

Emily wasn't sure what the voice meant when it said 'home' since swirling red mist wasn't all that welcoming and home was something she'd left behind. She looked for Sam, couldn't find her, but felt she was in the right place. She relaxed as the voice held her in what felt like a mother's love.

"Read, Emily. Read right and read true. Read all the way through," the voice said, as the fine mist parted and words appeared one after the other as if someone was writing them in space.

First, to start, you must know thought

Then take care not to get caught;

Seeing world's most times concealed

Desire creates what is revealed

Restored, slowly, in plain sight

Imagination then takes flight

Linked to feeling; heed this clue

As once discovered, all comes true

The only limit's in the mind

Forgotten secret depths you'll find

Go with the flow, in and out

Leave behind you every doubt

Then, with time, the Dead will out

Healing, healing all will shout

Resurrected, an old prayer

From the earth's intent to care

Time, once slow, will run much faster

As you learn to be a Master

With fire burning in the night

So Creation comes to light

Within your faith you'll twist and turn

Your sense of place being where you'll learn

Within yourself is so much more

Relative to all that's been before

Once, together, we'll become

All you've searched for, not just one

Creating magic with each leap

All is shown for you to keep

The sugary voice continued as Emily tried to grasp and remember all of the words, "The Scroll of Seven once seen will lead you on your path. Each separate task we ask of you requires all your heart. Don't worry to remember it all, for each time you come it will be on the wall."

Emily, flabbergasted at what was happening around her, read the words of the Scroll over and over again. There was no way she'd remember all of this, so it was a good thing it would always be there.

Reading the first verse again, Emily tried to understand what was now expected of her.

First, to start, you must know thought

Then take care not to get caught;

Seeing world's most times concealed

Desire creates what is revealed

The red mist parted and the words disappeared. Emily realised that she was in a cave of sorts. She sent her thoughts out again, feeling around, understanding some of the first verse of the Scroll. She was beginning to know thought, was terrified of being caught, and, by the movement around her, guessed she was about to see something revealed? Her Eight was burning. Her tummy became a web of butterflies. Emily waited patiently, no idea whether to stand or to move.

The words had disappeared, but they still rang through her head. She didn't know what the last sentence meant exactly. As for the rest of the Scroll, she had no clue. Emily hated not being able to figure out what was going on right away. She knew she was clever enough if she had time. But there was too much happening now. She believed she'd figure it out and was learning patience, learning to do things one step at a time.

"Elvis, are you here?" Emily thought and then whispered it out loud. "Elvis, are you around? Found? Huh, huh?" said Emily, unconscious of the fact that she was sounding like him.

Out of the fading red mist came a jiggly, wiggly little body running at full speed, followed by a bulldog-looking animal about a hand taller, but a little more bulky. Emily got a fright at the two creatures pelting towards her. Stepping backwards in surprise, the red mist covered them up and she found herself back at the hatch. Her reason returned, and she grabbed Sam's hand.

"Did you see that Sam? Did you see them? Did you see anything?" she said in excitement and exasperation. "How long was I gone? What did you see?" Emily almost shouted.

Sam clutched Emily's hand tightly. Sam murmured in disbelief, "You faded into red mist, I think? Did the same happen to me when I was in there?" asked Sam, but before Emily could answer, continued, "You were gone, but quickly in and out, what happened?"

Sam stared at her friend, eyes wide.

Emily wondered if time was different because of the red mist. It had felt longer than a few seconds to her. It seemed like she was slower on this side compared to the other side. She could move and think better, more quickly, on the other side of the red mist. Weird, she thought, moving her arm up and down in what looked like a rainbow of arms, her eyes seemingly not adjusted to the slowed down speed.

She had to know more. She was about to step back in, when Sam grabbed her. "Oh no, you don't," Sam said shutting the hatch quickly, watching Emily whirling her arms about. Hanging on to Emily for dear life, Sam said, "First you tell me what happened, then you can disappear again. Why didn't it happen to me?"

"Wait," jumped Emily, finally moving at normal speed with normal vision, as Sam put the lock back on, "Wait. Elvis. Sam, wait." "You can go back tomorrow," Sam insisted, "but first things first. What happened? Where did you go? Spit it out. All of it."

Emily longed to go back immediately.

Fighting Sam's hold, but knowing that Sam wasn't about to let her go, she gave up squirming. Sitting defeated on her bed, Sam next to her, Emily told her about the words and Elvis running at her, her fright and stepping backwards.

It was late. Emily desperately wanted to go back. She felt like she had left a part of her behind. It had been another crazy night and Sam still clutched her tightly.

They knew how to open the hatch. She had found the Scroll! Emily wondered what Elvis and the other thing were thinking.

"She's gone, disappeared, gone, gone. Oh man. Gone," said Pugly, as he skidded to a halt next to Elvis. The booming noise had woken them.

Elvis had jumped up and run toward the sound like a crazy creature, with Pugly following close behind him, thinking that he was just as crazy to run towards his death – or whatever was making the loud sound. Nervous but excited, Elvis knew she was finally there. Pugly, barely awake and not sensing properly, got the slightest glimpse of a girl before she disappeared.

The Elder whispered quietly in the mist as Elvis and Pugly looked at each other, shoulders shrugged in questions, "In time and on time, little ones, in time and on time. She just got a fright, as you came into sight. She'll be back, you count on that."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Admonai's whole body shuddered.

Looking like a fat black pig, he walked around outside the Dark Caves in the desert sands. Uncontrollably, his body shuddered again.

His shape started shifting, changing into that of a Man. Beard long and matted, with scars on both cheeks underneath piercing blue-black eyes, Admonai looked up at the sky. The colours were changing. Black clouds that just hung there, never spending a drop of water, became red-rimmed.

"She's found a way through," he exclaimed loudly at the sand. "Something's happened to make her come before her time," he raged.

She's only expected much later. She's early, thought Admonai as he searched for the culprit.

Someone had done something stupid again. Someone had caused her to hurry. Admonai had a reasonably good idea of who that someone was. Enough, he thought, I've allowed him his Influence. No more. It is time to get rid of him. Silenkis' stupidity had caused time to shift forward. Admonai would have to work twice as quickly if he was to contain the Beginning of the End.

They weren't ready. Things were still in process and his power was still in its infancy compared to what it would be.

He would have to find a way to delay coming into direct contact with her.

Turning around, fierce in his determination and anger, Admonai yelled, "Silenkis!"

The cave walls cracked. Rivers of dirt ran down their sides.

Silenkis heard the walls echo with Admonai's anger and knew that he was as good as dead. Not only had he lost the book by sending the fool Rupert, he'd also been discovered.

How did Admonai know what he knew? Silenkis hadn't been able to figure that out yet. Looking quickly within and then outside the Circles of Influence, Silenkis saw what Admonai had seen. The cloud formations and colours had changed. All were tinged red. Silenkis was as unbelieving as Admonai.

It can't be, he thought. How had she come through so fast? What was so special about her that the normal rules didn't apply? It usually took a being years to master their thoughts, let alone find access to their side of the Veil. Silenkis knew that she'd heard and felt beings for a little while, but still – to master the use of thought so soon! It was amazing.

He knew the book would help, but not by how much. Silenkis knew that he should have sent one of his other minions to steal the book. He hadn't realised it was that important or that she was that good. With that thought, he had his defence against Admonai's rage.

Admonai stomped into Silenkis' underground hideaway, not worried about how he looked, not caring to be a rat, spider or frog. He stood there in all his anger. Tall, overbearing, raging, Admonai was a fearful sight

Silenkis' boneless body shook. He slithered lower, hood swaying, ears shuttering closed, head bowed. "I have s-s-seen it my Master. I have s-s-seen and known that s-s-she was coming early. That is-s-s-s why I tried to prevent it from happening." said Silenkis.

Admonai, not wishing to reveal the extent of his knowledge of all that is, raged, "What, Silenkis? What did you do? What did you do?"

Silenkis explained how he had sent Rupert to steal the book as he believed it was the key. He admitted that he'd failed. Admonai, enraged, clapped his hands. Thunder boomed, the walls shook, Silenkis's eardrums bled.

"You dared! You dared to approachherwithout my knowledge or commandment!"

Silenkis, eyes rolling around and around in each socket, unable to focus, stuttering even more than usual, said, "But I knew she was-s-s-s coming early, my Lord. There was-s-sn't time to advis-s-s-s-se you before action needed to be taken."

"Pleas-s-s-se, master, s-s-see my actions-s-s as-s-s trying to as-s-sis-s-t us-s-s, not harm u-s-s-s."

Admonai knew that this was not the entire truth but relented. He needed the Snake now. If she was coming early, Silenkis would have to be his first line of defence. Silenkis would need to fight and keep the Lost Ones in line.

His anger not exhausted, striking out again, Admonai raged through Silenkis' quarters, throwing everything within reach across the room. "I will tear down your Circles of Influence if you do not heed me, Silenkis. I will take away your Powers of Persuasion and I will leave you alone in this world, forever." Admonai promised. "Do not think that you can do things without me again. I will not allow it. I have left you alone for too long. Too long you have believed yourself to be more than I am. You are not." Admonai raged, crumbling the stalactites and stalagmites, sending the troglodytes screaming into hiding places.

"Have you not learnt that you belong to me? I am more powerful than you." Admonai raged on. "Do not tempt me Silenkis. Do not tempt me again. Forever is a long time," Admonai said, calming down into silent malice.

Silenkis sunk even lower. He didn't mind Admonai's rage. He'd become used to the destruction over the long years, but more frightening than rage, Admonai's silent malice was like fingernails scraping on a blackboard. He kept his promises. Forever was a long time, for Silenkis.

Admonai picked Silenkis' bleeding head up off the floor, looked deeply into his eyes and said, "Call Elgeba. Summon him now." Silenkis opened his seared mind and moved towards his Circles. Looking deep within them, he called Elgeba to his cave.

Silenkis knew that Admonai could do this, simply by thinking of Elgeba, but he was being tested for loyalty and responsiveness. He was more than happy to show Admonai his loyalty, at least until his latest failing was forgotten. His life was comfortable in his caverns with his troglodytes, jars and clay pots. More than that, he wanted to protect his access to the Lost Ones.

Knowing he could lose his Lost Ones made Silenkis nauseous, but that was nothing compared to the promise of Forever. Forever, with no Influence, no Persuasion, was too frightening to contemplate.

Elgeba, the scrawny, ugly, beaked-faced monkey, scrambled around the corner on all fours. "You called, S-s-silenkis?" Elgeba teased, sliding to a halt just in front of Admonai.

"Oh your Royal Highness, I didn't know that you were here too," Elgeba said, hating the fact that he was in the same room as Admonai. He tried to avoid him at all costs.

Elgeba focused on Admonai and saw the rage that still simmered deep below the surface. He remembered the last time he'd seen Admonai in his Man-form. He'd killed someone, someone Elgeba had started to like.

Elgeba, however, knew that he hadn't done anything wrong this time. He'd been careful. Elgeba assumed that if there was something or someone in the room that he didn't recognise, it was Admonai. That's why most of the underground desert creatures thought he'd become a little 'touched' since the beheading of his friend. He'd gone around saying "Good day your Royal Man-sir." to just about everyone.

Blinking into to the present, Elgeba exclaimed, "I haven't done anything wrong. I promise, oh Master of Masters. I've been good." Elgeba scrunched up into a little ball waiting for the blows to come. "Stand up Elgeba," boomed Admonai, "It is not what you have done, but what I want you to do."

Silenkis looked from Admonai to Elgeba. What does Admonai want the stupid beast to do? What can this ugly beast do that I can't? What made Elgeba better suited to the task, whatever it was, than him? Silenkis was not about to voice his dissatisfaction aloud. Forever, he thought, and shuddered.

"Elgeba. Listen carefully, very carefully," said Admonai in a tight whisper. "Do as I tell you and nothing more. Do you understand?" Admonai bent down and whispered something to Elgeba.

Silenkis didn't need to know what Admonai was planning. Silenkis was a coward. If he knew, he would run away. Admonai thought little of his once trusted, close friend.

What he was telling Elgeba would buy him time to continue his preparations, and perhaps save his life, if the order came from that interfering Elder.

Oh, Admonai knew about her. He'd always known about the Elder. She was a part of all that is. She had kept an eye on him since the first time he had challenged her. That's what made his preparations all the more difficult this time.

She had access, albeit limited, to his environment. He couldn't cloak himself, couldn't hide away, because each time he found a new way of doing it, she found a way through. Something bigger than both of them was clearly at work. The something, however, always seemed to be on her side, he thought angrily.

Looking around the cave, Admonai whispered to Elgeba, "I need you to aspirate again, but this time you will have to stay longer. I know that this could harm you, that you will be seen by them. We need to know what is in that Book." Elgeba's eyes grew wide with delight at the thought: he's sending me there with permission. He enjoyed the feeling of moving at ten times the speed of everything else on the other side. At least it had seemed that way when he'd watched the swing she was on, go up in an arc so slowly he thought it would take her hours to come back down.

Admonai continued, "You cannot take the book, Elgeba. It must seem like you were never there. Do you understand?" With unconditional malice, Admonai instructed, "You can only readwhat is in it. You must remember it word for word. You must find out where she is crossing over. Go now. Do not fail me this time. You know the price of failure, don't you?" Admonai sneered.

Admonai told Elgeba where to aspirate. Unbeknown to anyone else, he had watched the little wiggly, squiggly thing do it. Moments after the rip had occurred, Admonai had seen her too.

Silenkis still didn't know that Admonai had seen her.

She had said her name, silly girl. Admonai wondered why there was so much fuss around this one little girl. Barely grown, she seemed no threat at all.

But their sky had turned red.

She had something. He just hadn't found out what made her so special yet.

Admonai looked askance at Elgeba, remembering what he'd told him just before killing his friend. Elgeba had said so much about so little. Elgeba also didn't know how much Admonai knew. Admonai preferred to keep it that way. Sneaky, ugly monkey, thought Admonai, not telling me the whole truth. I must remember that he is more than he seems, thought Admonai.

Elgeba had a way, unknown to Admonai, of pinpointing the exact spot he wanted to aspirate through the Veil. Admonai would be watching Elgeba carefully to find out how he did it. What was it about this ugly, beaked-faced monkey that allowed him some kind of power over the Veil?

"Go, Elgeba, go now, and make sure you bring back every detail or I will carry out my threat." With a shudder, Elgeba remembered all the blood and left the room. There was no way he was going to show them how he managed to get to the exact spot he wanted to be, Elgeba thought, running out of the dusty, broken cave. That was a secret he wasn't ready to divulge – not even to someone he feared as much as Admonai.

Two seconds later, with a puff of smoke and a rip, Elgeba found himself in hercubicle.

Oh, the gloriousness of being so close to her things. Oh, the excitement of being on the other side, with permission. Oh, the joy of scratching through her clothes and smelling under her duvet.

Elgeba started searching for the Book.

Had a person, any person, like Cook, been there to see him, she would have seen a blur shooting past in the corner of her eye. Something that might have grabbed her attention intuitively, but on looking closer, she would have seen nothing. But no one was there to witness him. No one was around to see the ugly beak-faced monkey go through Emily's private cache.

Elgeba scratched through her books, her clothes, her bed linen, her papers, her shoes. He was about to give up, reasoning that Admonai was wrong about the Book. Maybe there was a Book but it wasn't in her cubicle? Maybe, maybe, maybe, went Elgeba's thoughts.

Elgeba moved towards the end of Emily's cubicle wondering if it wasn't hidden in the hatch-like compartment, but it was locked so even if it was in there he wouldn't be able to get it. Undoing locks weren't on Elgeba's list of talents, but still he held onto the lock longer than usual, unconscious of what was drawing him towards it.

Elgeba was nimble and quick. He could rip through the Veil to an exact point. He could think quickly and act even more quickly. But the solidity of things seemed to stop him short.

"Where are you?" he said, calling to the Book like it was a dog that would come running. "Where are you, little book?" Elgeba sniffed into the ethers. He was drawn towards the back of Emily's bed, away from the hatch. Most of the time Elgeba didn't know why he was doing things, he just did them. That's how he found himself lying under Emily's bed looking at the floorboards.

Again, he wondered aloud in a singsong voice, "Where are you, little book?" He found his hand on a rusted nail. Picking at it, he realised that the floorboard was loose. Excited, Elgeba prised open the floorboard and fished out something in a pillowcase. Dragging it out from under the bed, Elgeba quickly opened the pillowcase. He'd found it. He'd found her Book.

Looking closely, he saw her name on it on the front. Emily and the Battle of the Veil, with a strange symbol that looked like an eight. Elgeba lovingly stroked the book's cover, realising he'd been there for quite a while. He'd better read what was inside before he got seen.

But the book seemed to put him in a daze. A nice, warm daze, but still a daze. Shaking his head, he saw he'd been sitting there just stroking it. Somewhere he'd lost time or it had slowed down. Come on, thought Elgeba, remembering Admonai's look, finally opening the book.

Elgeba read the words about a Mage.

He didn't know that he was the first being to read words in the Book apart from Emily, and didn't know how powerful the messages were. He felt warm and loved as he sat there with the book in his lap. He never wanted to leave it ever again. He just wanted to sit there all day, every day, holding the Book. He wanted to be with it, forever and ever, reading the words over and over. Words that went:

Words on this page

Salute you Mage

Long have we waited,

Our need now sated.

We've found you at last

Back from the past.

Come under our wing

So you can once more sing

Out of darkness to light

Will you come when we fight

These words you'll heed

When we will most need

For you to come, as you must.

You've always belonged to us.

Admonai stood with Silenkis, tapping his foot in annoyance. The monkey was taking too long. Silenkis went to lie coiled up in a corner out of harm's way. Admonai started pacing, loud, heavy, stomping paces. Hands gesticulating, knocking pots and potions off shelves, Admonai mumbled to himself, "Too long, Elgeba. You're taking too long!"

Then he felt the silent breeze before he felt her.

The Elder was here, looking for him. She knew something was up. Admonai surrounded himself quickly in a dark misty fog and the breeze disappeared.

Admonai smiled silently as his plan swung into action. Shouting at the top of his lungs, he said, "Elgeba! You must come now," and started looking around for a creature that could help him get Elgeba's attention on the other side.

Elgeba barked as a fat, hairy, fish-smelling cat hissed at him. He jumped a metre into the air, dropped the Book and snapped out of his daze.

How long had he been sitting there? Admonai would be furious. Hissing back at the cat to get it out of the cubicle, Elgeba motored to the exact place he had aspirated.

He disappeared.

The smelly cat, whose hair had stood up at the sight of the ugly beast creature, glanced around, making sure there were no other strangers, then padded silently away.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The school mid-term break was just around the corner.

Only a few more days before Emily and Sam would be back at the seaside for some long, lazy days. Emily was getting excited, as she'd missed her gran and Mamasita. As crazy as her home was, it was still her home and always would be.

Sam had not left Emily alone since the Night of the Red Mist, as Sam now called it, always whoo-whooing mysteriously. The fact that Sam hadn't been able see anything that night made her even more determined to find out why she couldn't. Mystery was Sam's nemesis.

Sam hadn't let Emily go back into the hatch since then. So often Emily had wanted to tell Elvis she was sorry, that she missed them, that it really had been her but she knew she had to bide her time.

Cook's creepy, smelly cat seemed to be hanging around her cubicle more often. At night, she could smell it as it crept into the dorm for a look at goodness knows what. Emily became more cautious. The last thing they needed was to explain to Cook that her cat had gone missing or that they had anything to do with its now constant hissing and hair that stood upright. The cat had been behaving weirdly.

What if the cat ran into the hatch, or did something stupid when they had it open? What if it ran in and ate Elvis? There were too many things that could go wrong.

Emily and Sam were trying to find the right time to try it again. Emily didn't want to go in alone, even though she now knew more or less what to expect. Sam always gave her more confidence when she was around. Josh had done the same when she first met him on the streets. He might have been arrogant and talkative, but she still felt safer now that she knew he was around. Not that she was a scaredy cat, just more cautious than most.

Emily preferred to know what to expect and what to do. She didn't like surprises. That's why it had been so nice to find the Book, even if it just told her one step at a time. Josh's confidence and Sam's optimism really helped when things needed to happen and she had no idea how or what to do.

They'd decided they must do it tonight, before leaving at mid-term. They planned to wait until everyone was asleep. They would close the dorm doors, peep into everyone's cubicle, and make sure their windows were closed so that the cat couldn't sneak up on them. Then they would open the hatch for the second time.

Emily had looked at her Book a few times over the past week to check if there were any more instructions, but there weren't any. She didn't know how to communicate directly with Elvis, so she wanted desperately to see them before leaving for the holiday.

Without further instructions, she could only assume that going back in was what she needed to do. She really hoped Sam would see something more than just her disappearing into red mist.

Emily's alarm went off at eleven o'clock sharp.

Sam was difficult to wake, as always. The excitement of the first time had been and gone, so she struggled to sit up. After five minutes of pushing and prodding, Emily went by herself to close the dorm doors and check that everyone's windows were shut.

Back in her cubicle, she twisted the lock, two to the left, then one to the right. Sam, rubbing her eyes, came to stand next to Emily as the light started coming through the gap. Emily moved the two hatch sides apart and the light muted.

Sam turned her head as she heard a noise. The cat was meowing outside the door. Sam and Emily looked at each other silently, about to pull the hatch doors shut, but breathed easily when the meowing stopped.

Emily was grateful that Sam had kept her secrets to herself. Both of them had made some good friends over the last term. Sam had made more friends than her, with her outgoing personality, but both of them liked Sarah and Morgan. Sam had hooked up with the extended sporty crowd because she was so athletic and outgoing, while Emily had stuck to the running club. Kim and Savannah, two of Sam's other friends in hostel, were in a different dorm wing. Some of Sam's friends were day boarders, which meant they went home at night.

On more than one occasion, they were tempted to share their excitement with Sarah and Morgan, especially since the two only slept two cubicles away. But they knew that they'd be taking too much of a chance. Both Emily and Sam wondered if others apart from Emily would be able to see The Scroll or if it was just Sam that was excluded.

They eventually decided to have at least one more look before they roped in any others and opened up the world of mystery, or as Sam like to say in her whoo-whooing spooky voice, The Mysterious World of Emily May.

So here they were, hatch open, ready to attempt another entry. They'd decided that Emily would go first this time and see if Sam could follow. Taking a deep breath, Emily stepped into the dusty hatch and felt the spongy floor at her feet. The red mist surrounded her immediately. Sam had all but disappeared as the red mist closed around her. The Scroll words were there, like the last time. Emily started to read them.

First, to start, you must know thought

Then take care to not get caught;

Seeing world's most times concealed

Desire creates what is revealed

Feeling that things were familiar enough, she thought of Sam. She stepped back, the mist cleared and she was at the hatch doors. Goggle-eyed, Sam said, "What happened? Didn't you go this time?" Emily smiled, realising that time did change from one side to the other. She'd have to remember that things moved a lot slower when she came back. "I did go," she replied. "I saw the words but wanted to see if I could take you with me. Are you ready?"

Sam looked at the small hatch space and said, "How do you propose that we both fit in there? Neither of us are light-weights anymore."

Emily tried to explain that she couldn't touch the walls when the mist was there but decided to show Sam instead. Grabbing Sam in a big bear hug, they side-stepped in together, giggling.

The mist started rolling in then dissipated. Emily looked around and tried again. Closing her eyes she 'moved' them through the mist to the Scroll words. The red mist started and stopped again. Sam was frantically looking around. Emily and Sam stepped out into Emily's cubicle.

"I'm not sure why it's coming and going Sam," said Emily. "It must have something to do with both of us being there. Maybe only one of us can go at a time. Or we're clashing somehow?"

"Are you thinking about being there? Are you scared?" asked Emily, trying to figure out what was going on.

Sam deflated, saying, "I think I am a little petrified, Emily. Remember, you're used to odd things happening to you. I'm not."

"I know I always seem brave, but when it comes to things I can't touch or feel, I guess I'm intimidated. I must be stopping us somehow."

Knowing how much Emily wanted to go, Sam said, "Go, Em. At least we tried. And we know we're not so heavy that we'll go crashing into the kitchen. Go, I know it means a lot to you. I'll stay here and try and figure it out from this side." Emily smiled at her best friend, saying, "Are you sure? I know you were keen to discover this with me?" "Go. It's cool. See if you can find some answers from the jiggly freak on that side, then hurry back to me. Okay?"

Emily knew her friend worried when she disappeared, so she said, "I'll be fine. Don't worry. Elvis will come again, I'm sure." She quickly stepped inside the hatch before Sam changed her mind.

Slowly the mists parted, and the words inscribed in the air became visible, but Emily was too impatient to read them all this time, so she moved further into the cave.

Out of the corner of her eye, Emily saw Elvis wiggling and the creature that looked like a bulldog.

Pugly, she assumed.

Elvis's grin couldn't get any bigger if he tried, thought Pugly. In his typical style, Elvis was carrying on at the speed of light, faster even than Aurana's accelerated energy levels. "You see, you see, me, glee, I told you she'd be back, flack, slack. I told you it was her coming, loving, slumming," as he jumped onto Emily's thigh and scrambled up towards her shoulder.

Pugly was as excited, but tried to remain dignified. He had waited to meet her for so long that he felt he needed to kneel before her or something. And so he did. He bent his knee and ducked his head in front of Emily May.

Here she was – everything he'd heard about since he was six, everything he'd trained for, everything he'd been waiting for was standing right in front of him. He couldn't believe it. His excitement took hold of him. He felt himself following Elvis, jumping into her arms.

"Holy Moley!" exclaimed Emily, as the two creatures dive-bombed her. Had the dog bowed first, as if to a queen? She couldn't be sure as she was still acclimatising to everything moving so fast. She struggled to juggle both of them with only two hands.

Elvis, in constant movement, decided to sit on her shoulder near her ear just as she was about to drop the bulldog creature.

Hanging on to her stomach with his suckered paws, Emily's arms underneath his bum, the bulldog creature introduced himself.

"Hello Emily. I'm Pugly Poppinfoost. You've met Elvis. Good to finally meet you," he said, dipping his head in a semi-bow again. Elvis squirmed and laughed out loud. "Come on Pugly, she's cool, drool, fool. You don't need to be so formal, normal," which made Emily laugh. But she followed Pugly's lead, held him close and curtseyed back. She sensed that he was something special himself.

"I'm pleased to meet you too Pugly Poppinfoost. Elvis told me a little about you when we last met. I understand you are one of the more special dwellers? Or what I call a Shimmer?" Before Pugly could say a word, Elvis chattered on, "He's more than an ordinary dweller, speller, yeller, Em. He's your dweller, feller, heller. Don't you know,huh huh?"

Emily's head tilted to one side, trying to see Elvis as he jiggled on her shoulder. "My dweller? What do you mean, my dweller?" Pugly interrupted them both, taking command of the confusion. "Come Emily May, come sit, there is a lot we need to talk about and not a lot of time left." Pugly suckered his way off Emily's stomach, down her legs and onto the cave ground. "The Elder told us you were coming and where we were to meet you. Here you are. But we don't need to lose our manners," he continued, giving Elvis a scathing glance.

"Come, walk a little way, follow me, so we can sit down."

Emily took a step to follow Pugly and realised that her Eight was no longer burning. It had been a constant heated pain over the last few weeks and she was relieved to be rid of it.

She took her first step and almost fell.

The cave walls spun around her. Her disorientation slowly faded. Her surroundings attempted to settle down around her, or she tried to speed up to them. Only Elvis and Pugly were fully motionless but still fading in and out. After about a minute, as far as she could gauge time here, the cave stopped vibrating.

She followed Pugly down a small walkway, with Elvis chattering away on her shoulder, telling her all about Aurana and its creatures, as was his way. He told her about their journey here, about the hero's song and a barrier to the cave. Emily couldn't take it all in fast enough. She felt like her brain was flooding as as she walked around a corner and saw the calm, turquoise-blue sea sparkling before her.

A sea? Emily pondered, a sea? In the middle of town?

She smiled, realising that she wasn't in Kingstown and that all the rules had changed the minute she'd walked into and out of the red mist. She wanted to go to the water, she'd missed it so much, but Pugly stopped her.

He'd listened long and hard to the Elder's instructions while he'd been waiting these endless days for Emily to come back. The Elder had said that Emily couldn't go past the barrier. That it was still too dangerous.

"Emily," said Pugly tugging on her pajama pants bottom. Emily looked down and thought, I must remember that my clothes don't change. Meeting people or whatever creatures were on this side in pajamas wasn't exactly cool. "Em, stop," Pugly commanded, holding on to the bottom of her pajamas with his teeth, "You can't go to the sea yet. The Elder said that I must first teach you how to connect and shield your thoughts. We have to do it here in the cave behind the barrier. You must know how to control your thoughtscompletely before you step out into our world."

Elvis interrupted, "Because if you can't, aren't, darn't, you will call Him to us. And no one wants to do that, fat, splat."

"Who is this Him that you keep talking about?" asked Emily.

"That's a subject for later. Can we concentrate on what needs to be done now, rather?" Pugly looked beseechingly at Emily with the biggest, most concerned, brown popping-out eyes.

Sensing Pugly's thoughts in her mind not coming form his mouth, Emily discerned a difference between him and the rest of the Shimmers. Thinking, so that's how it feels, she said a silent, "Hello, Pugly." Pugly smiled shyly back, knowing that Emily could hear him. In her mind, he said, "Hey Em, it's nice finally to be with you." Emily bent down to pick him up. She sensed Elvis was feeling a little left out, and said aloud for his benefit, "Okay, teach me, Pugly, so that I can help you. Teach me as you have been taught."

Sensing first Pugly, then Elvis, Emily opened up to Aurana. It was the strangest feeling, like she had opened up and connected with everyone all at once, but individually, on the other side. She had felt them as her Shimmers, a collective, many of them, but now felt the mass of individuals. Love flooded her body, her soul, as she heard Elvis, Pugly and Aurana's thoughts. She felt and knew instantly everything both of them, all of them, had done to prepare for her arrival. There were no more secrets between them. None at all, as her life in detail: her birth, her mom, her dad, Gran, life at the sea and at boarding school, was there for them to heart-feel plainly. Pugly, guiding Emily, closed her down to feel only himself and Elvis.

"How did that happen?" wondered Emily, "I didn't do anything. I talked to Pugly in my head and felt where he was at. How did I feel them all?" Emily got her answer intuitively. Sending out her thoughts, feeling love, or something like it for Pugly, allowed the rest of Aurana to flood into her.

"How am I going to explain this to Sam?" Emily thought, trying to figure out how what had just happened, logically. Moving back into her brain, out of her heart, she disconnected. She shook her head.

Looking at Pugly for answers, Emily started understanding why she had to learn to control her thoughts. If she allowed herself to connect to every creature or being when she was feeling like that, it's no wonder she would get into trouble, especially if the people, creatures or dwellers didn't feel the same love.

She tried to find Pugly or Elvis in her head and failed. She said, "Did you feel that? Do you feel that, Pugly? Elvis? What happened?" "Yes, Em, we heart-felt you too," Pugly answered as Emily laughed and said, 'So that's what you call it, heart-felt?" Emily laughed at the word she'd heard so often, but which now had the right meaning, "Can I do it again? Now? Please! It felt so good!"

Pugly calmed Emily down with his hypnotic eyes, and said, "Em, we know that it feels super good. If you connect to the rightside, to the side that allows, not manipulates, it will always feel good. But you must learn to control it. It doesn't always feel like that if you aren't discerning and you connect to the wrong side."

"You must learn how to be strong so that it doesn't take over," said Pugly seriously.

"You need to manage it, not drown in it. Do you understand what I mean?"

Emily felt very vulnerable all of a sudden.

Her whole life – every word, feeling, and thought, good or bad – had been there for them to heart-feel. Nothing was hidden. "Pugs," said Emily, feeling like a little girl, scared and alone, "Did you really heart-feel all of me, every little bit, like I did you? What about all the bad things I've done or said or felt about anyone else or myself?"

Pugs, not sure he liked being called Pugs, uncurled his front arm-legs, climbed up on Emily and hugged her belly-button since that was as far as his arms would go around her body.

"It's okay Em, we know how you feel. The Elder told us and showed us how you would feel when it happened to you the first time. That's why we're going to stay here for a while. We love you. We'll teach you. Please don't feel bad."

The euphoria died slowly as Emily disconnected even more and became a separate entity again. She shook herself, wanting to connect more than anything because she'd never felt less alone in her life. For the first time ever, she'd felt a part of something bigger. She didn't know what or who it was, but it felt right, like she was home. Now she understood what the Elder meant when she'd said "Welcome Home."

Pugly watched all the emotions play across Emily's face, the joy, the wonder, the fear. Giving her another squeeze, he said, "We've got time, Emily. Slowly slowly catch the monkey." He laughed, realising how funny that phrase was. His laughter broke the strain between them. Pugly and Elvis, colours blaring, one white, one orange, continued to send love so that Emily would feel better.

"Em," said Pugly, "we'll teach you how to heart-feel, how to control it, but we also need you to do something for us. We need you to teach others on your side of the Veil what you are learning as well. We are going to need all their help to right the Balance. You will need them to help you in the days ahead."

"They will need to give you their unified thoughts," Pugly emphasised as Emily shook her head wondering how she was going to make it happen, in a world where people barely listened, let alone joined together in thought. Tugging at her pajama top to get her focused, Pugly said, "Em. Concentrate. You can see the words in the Book. You can reach us because you vibrate internally at the same speed as us. You are the first from your side that can do it. That's how important you are to us."

Emily, sensing the urgency in Pug's words, said, 'Vibrate, what do you mean by vibrate? Has this got something to do with my Eight getting hotter?" Pugly hung on to Emily's shirt with his squelchy pads as she moved to sit down. He told her how they had noticed she was different from the time she was in her Mom's womb. They had watched her carefully as she had grown fingers, then toes. They had surrounded her with light, with song, with love, as her brain developed. They had protected her, even though they couldn't protect her mother. And finally, they had been with her as she had been born into the higher frequency.

That was why she'd always imagined them, dreamed them, felt them, and heard them.

Pugly continued trying to explain as much as he could, watching Emily closely as he heart-felt her move through wonder, joy and sadness. "Josh and Edwina are in tune with us because of their circumstances and because they have long believed. But they don't vibrate at the same rate as we do. You are the first one who seems to be able to manage your vibration, even if unconsciously, with ease."

"But," he continued, "like Josh and Edwina, others canlearn to connect thoughts, and eventually even raise their own vibrations. Look at your Gran, she can read thoughts. Circumstances, lives of challenge or loss or hardship, can create a thought – the wanting to know if there is somethingmore – which creates a link to us and to the something bigger. And once you believe that something more exists, the next leap of faith is easy," Pugly said, pretending that it was the easiest thing in the world.

Emily's first task would be to teach whoever she felt was trustworthy enough and who she believed could do it, who could shift and share their thoughts. It seemed Gran was aware of her part in this, as were Edwina and Josh. Emily needed to teach those closest to her first.

Pugly carried on, "Your friends will be the ones at your side when the Battle starts, but even once it is over, Em, we will need you to find out who you are, and why you are connected with us. You will need to give what you learn to others so that you can expand yourself."

Pugly told Emily that her Book was a tool for her to use for her own future but also as an initial test. When others vibrated or connected with her thoughts at the right rate for the Battle, they would be able to read words in the Book.

"But," said Pugly, "part of what you need to learn now is how to protect yourself in the higher vibration."

"Protect myself from what?" said Emily, but Pugly ignored her, not wanting her thoughts to dwell there.

"The biggest, most difficult part will be to keep your thoughts and then feelings under control once you know them," Pugly said forcefully.

"You need to remember that your strength will come and go, until you are a master of your own space."

"We'll teach you how, Emily' Pugly continued, "Don't worry so much. We'll teach as much as you're ready to learn."

With too many questions swirling, Emily allowed Pugly into her mind to show her.

Time passed, with Pugly teaching, Emily practising and Elvis jumping up and down each time she got it right. The moon and sun changed places many times in Aurana before Emily mastered her thoughts as best she could.

Then it was time for her to go back, to find those she loved and trusted, those she believed capable or willing enough to read the words in the Book. Pugly stood up, gave Emily one last belly-button hug and said, "Em, remember to create a safe space first and then to teach them. Always make sure that you won't get caught first."

Emily hugged him back. Elvis, on her shoulder, kissed her earlobe, as she asked, "Caught by whom exactly?" but decided to drop that line of questioning when Pugly gave her the look just like her gran did.

Pugly said, "We've just taught you that your thoughts are things Em, and that where you focus them is what you attract. Do you really want to know the answer to that question?" Thinking at light speed, Emily said sheepishly, "Perhaps not."

"Be careful, Em, remember what it feels like to be heart-felt," Pugly continued.

"I know Pugs, I know. I'll be as gentle as I can. I won't forget what it feels like for all your thoughts and feelings to be felt and heard by someone else. Like you've been stripped bare, exciting and naked all at the same time. I'll do my best to make sure that it's more comfortable for my friends."

Pugly smiled broadly, still not loving the fact that he'd been called Pugs. He looked up at his pupil teasingly and said, "I know you will because you're the one, the warrior, the Mage." Then he bowed deeply in respect.

As they walked towards the back of the cave, Emily said, "I've been meaning to ask you about that, the warrior mage thing. What's that all about? I know you're preparing me for a fight, which I'd actually much rather pass on, but gather that's not an option. So what's a Mage?"

Pugly grinned, grabbed Elvis by his wormy hair, put him on his back, freeing Emily to go into the red mist, saying, "That's for me to know and you to find out." mischievously as he nudged and licked Emily's toes to get her to move away.

"Yuck, Pugs," said Emily, scrunching up her toes, "I'd rather we just heart-felt from now on if you need my attention on the other side. Okay? I will miss your sloppy tongue, but I'd prefer you kept it all to yourself," she laughed, moving backwards.

Emily thought of Sam, panicked about how long she'd been gone and zipped through the mist.

She didn't wonder when or how she would connect again, even though her heart and soul pulled at her silently, yearning for something, desiring it so much that she could burst apart in her want for it. As she stepped out of the hatch, she found Sam curled up in a little ball on the floor. Closing the hatch door quietly, she glanced at the clock next to her bed: four a.m.

She'd been gone for hours only, even though it had been days on the Auranian side. Emily looked at Sam sleeping so peacefully but uncomfortably. She started worrying. Pugly had talked about the Battle, but not what it was about. Every time Emily had asked, he'd said, "That's not for now. First you master your thoughts. First you teach others, then…" and side-stepped the issue.

Emily locked the hatch, woke Sam up and sleepwalked her into her bed, whispering, "Sam. It's begun. You will have a part in it. I need to teach you. I will teach you. Your need to know, to be a part of it, is so strong. You have more faith than anyone I know and will believe in time," Emily said. She wondered how she was going to get her friend to shift.

At least they'd both have proof when Sam could read the words in her Book.

"Sam, you can do this. I know you can," Emily continued, whispering thoughts into Sam's mind, knowing that her friend would need a lot of patience. "You'll have to trust me. I'll teach you. I can't wait to go back to Gran and tell her all about this."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

"Here's a good place to sit, out of the way," said Emily leading Sam towards a half-moon circle in the dunes.

It was nice to be back in her little seaside village of Paradise Beach. Gran had come to fetch them at midday the day before in Kingstown. Mamasita had stayed behind to make sure the special homecoming lunch was ready and waiting. They had both received a second enveloping hug from her when they climbed out the car at the beach.

Before Emily could say goodbye or make plans, Sam had disappeared around the corner on her way home to get her own hugs from her family. They were both so lucky, thought Emily, feeling like she could relax for the first time in ages.

It had been a busy year so far but she knew that things had only just started.

Over lunch, knowing she could, Emily had spilled all the beans to Gran. Gran had raised her eyebrows once or twice during the telling, but mostly smiled and nodded her head. Being Gran, she had volunteered to be wherever, doing whatever was needed, for her Em.

Looking at the waves, Emily felt relieved to have told someone who believed her about everything that had happened. Still not wanting to fight, but understanding that it was inevitable, Emily knew that she had to make sure people were on the same page – or more like, same thought!

Today, she and Sam were on their beach, further away from people swimming and running around, rocks jutting out in front of them into the sea. It was peaceful enough for the training to begin. Sam, as usual, was hopping about in excitement, saying, "Come on Em, let's go already. Let's do this." So Emily sat down on the sand cross-legged, and finally got Sam to do the same. Keeping Sam quietly settled for a long period was going to be the challenge.

"Okay Sam, just relax now, breathe in and out, in and out." Emily said. Sam just looked at Emily sideways and said, "You've got to be kidding me," but she wanted to know what Emily knew and saw more than anything so did her best to relax.

Sam found herself staring ahead over the rocks, breathing in and out as Emily had said. Listening to Emily's gentle tone, she started drifting off in her mind. With nothing really worrying her, nothing to think about, no school, no exams, no boyfriends, nothing, she sat in supposed silence.

Squinting, Sam was sure she could see some dolphins playing in the waves which relaxed her more. She had always loved the sea, and dolphins were the most special part of it.

Emily continued slowly, counting breaths in and out for them. She was watching Sam intently. She smiled when she caught Sam's thought about the dolphins.

Emily heart-felt Sam relaxing next to her.

She was getting good at feeling what others felt and understanding how they were connected. It didn't scare her anymore to look inside someone and feel everything that they were feeling. Most times people didn't know that she was doing it, like now, but she also didn't take advantage of her new-found ability.

Pugly had taught her well when he'd said, "Don't walk around heart-feeling everything, Em, or you will lose your way. But worse than that, it's not nice to invade other people's space. And they will feel you eventually. They will feel something is in their space and block you out."

Emily liked the idea that people could block her out if they wanted to. She'd worried initially that she would be stepping on sacred ground, but knowing that the control still rested with the individual person, creature or dweller she was heart-feeling, she realised she wouldn't intrude if they didn't want her to. Emily like the idea that she could only go as far as the other being would let her.

Just then, Sam, feeling dreamy, glanced at Emily and said "So what now?"

Emily smiled secretly and said, "Well, it's already begun, without you even knowing it." Before Sam could ask a question or protest, Emily continued, "Close your eyes and listen to the sea. Just be quiet for a while, Sam. Try and be quiet in your head too." Emily laughed knowing how Sam's thoughts bombarded this way and that at a thousand miles a second.

Emily watched inside Sam closely. "Just listen to my voice, Sam. Just listen to my words."

"Relax from your toes all the way up to your head."

"Listen to the waves, listen to the sea, in and out, in and out. Now can you see words in front of your eyes?"

Sam, almost asleep, said, "What words? It's just black behind my eyes since they'reclosed."

Emily tried again soothingly, "Okay, Sam, just relax, in and out, in and out."

Sam let go and fell asleep.

Emily sighed impatiently. This was going to take longer than she thought. She'd really have to work on her skills so that she didn't put people to sleep the first time she tried to teach them anything. She let Sam sleep on for a while as she watched the scene around her unfold. Emily's thoughts and feelings darted from one level to another, from one vibration to another, from Earth to Aurana. Freaky, she thought, still in awe of the ability to connect to wherever or whatever she made her mind up to connect to.

Shaking Sam awake after about ten minutes, she helped Sam sit up and said, "Come on Sam, let's try again." Sam, rubbing her eyes, said, "I had the weirdest thoughts, Em, things flashing here and there, so fast but I couldn't make them out. It seemed like light flashes behind my eyes."

Emily saw a slow understanding dawn on Sam's face.

"So that's what you mean? About seeing something behind your eyes? Please, please Em, let's try again now." said Sam, back in control and wanting more.

So Emily started them off again, breathing slowly and simply relaxing into the sounds around them. Sam closed her eyes while Emily heart-felt her. But Sam was too excited and couldn't seem to get her thoughts together, let alone lead them somewhere.

After ten frustrating minutes, Sam finally said, "No, Em, not working. I am seeing some kind of lightning like flashes but nothing else. What am I supposed to do?"

"You need to realise that you don't need to do anything at first Sam. I know that this is difficult for you because you always think you must be doing something to make things happen. And you can, but first you must just slow down. Let your mind wander. Don't follow your thoughts. Forget they are there. Soon they will come to you rather than the other way around."

Sam looked at her quizzically, "But I thought you said I need to know what my thoughts are?"

"Well, yes, but you've got to lose them first before you can find them," Emily explained, sounding mysterious but not meaning to. She wondered how she was going to put into words what couldn't be explained.

Sam stood up in a huff and said, "How am I supposed to know what to do when you talk like that? Enough. I'm going to go and enjoy some of my holiday," and walked away.

Emily followed close behind her, shouting at Sam's retreating figure, "I don't mean to be obscure Sam, but it's difficult to explain. Be in your heart not your head. Don't lose faith, Sam, you will understand, and when you do, you'll be amazed at how simple it is."

Looking back, Sam strode ahead. "Em, as much as I'd love to be, I'm not that simple." smiling at her joke, and went to play volleyball.

And so their holiday days continued. Sam and Emily would meet up each morning and go to 'their spot' at the beach. Emily would get Sam to relax, to breathe properly, to sit nicely rather than fall asleep and then try to get her to catch her thoughts. On many days, Sam would stomp off when Emily would laugh saying, "You've got it, you're nearly there, I can see you're nearly there."

One day, Sam was at the point of giving up "How can you see, Em? How do you know I'm about to get it?" Emily took out her Book. She didn't like bringing it to the beach since it could get full of sand but this was their spot and if Sam could see the words it would probably be here.

"Look Sam, look in the Book," said Emily.

Sam opened it up, saw nothing and said, "You said it's for your eyes only, Em, so what's the point?"

Emily smiled knowingly. "Not true, Sam. You'll see the words when you're ready to, when you've relaxed enough to let go." Sam closed the Book and said, "Well I think I've been trying really hard and I still can't see anything." And once more Emily had to say, "Just relax, it will come. Just trust. In time and on time."

Sam, stalking off, really hated the feeling of failure. She cursed the Book, the hatch and everything that it stood for, deciding it was ruining her holiday. "I'm good at things, damnit," she thought, "I can do anything I've ever put my mind to." Then, smiling to herself, she realised that that was probably what Emily meant when she said she was in her mind too much.

Sam decided then and there to stop thinking about all of this. It was time to relax, to have some fun, to stop trying so hard.

The next morning Emily and Sam met up again. Emily could see the difference in Sam. After days of tension, Sam seemed to be her old self. They'd spent some time playing the previous afternoon after Sam had announced that she wasn't going to try so hard anymore.

Not that she'd given up, just that whatever would be, would be.

Emily had the Book ready and waiting. She knew that today would be the day.

They started as usual, "Breath in and out, in and out, let the sounds of the sea surround you." Sam sank deeply into herself, letting go of everything, including hanging on to her words. In letting go, in not trying so hard, Sam finally landed up in a calm place.

Emily opened her Book, slowly, which was sitting next to Sam on the white dunes. She read her words again, the words that told her she was a mage. She wondered if the same words would appear for Sam. She assumed they would. Why would they be different?

Silently, Emily moved the Book into Sam's hands and whispered for her to open her eyes. As if coming out of a dream, eyelids drooping and eyes half-focused, Sam looked at the page in front of her.

Words appeared, one by one.

Sam looked up at Emily. Her eyes shone in delight, and she calmly turned her focus back to the Book. She didn't need to tell Emily that she was seeing words. Emily knew from the look on her face and the feeling of wonder that they both shared. Sam abruptly shoved Emily out of her thoughts.

Wondering why Sam had suddenly shut her out, Emily wasn't surewhatSam had read. Sam realised what she'd done and quickly opened the Book again, wondering if the same words would appear.

Emily took the Book back and read the words she could see on the page, asking, "Could you make out the words you read, because I could heart-feel you reading something. But you shut me out Why?"

Sam got a strange confused look on her face, but Emily couldn't get back 'into' her.

"I told you you could do it," Emily said hugging Sam, who hugged back just as fiercely.

"I did. I did it. Didn't I? I read words." said Sam rather flatly.

Emily thought Sam would have been more excited, but perhaps after the long time trying, it was just a relief.

A whole new world is about to open up for you Sam, thought Emily, knowing how wonderful and scary it was at the same time. The next step would be to teach her to connect.

But first, she wanted to just leave Sam in the awe of knowing that there was something out there that she didn't know had even existed before. Something that she might have believed in or wanted to believe in, but not really understood – until this moment, when it all came true.

Sam and Emily spent the last few days of their holiday doing whatever they pleased. They still spent each morning on the beach, breathing in and out. Sometimes, briefly, Emily saw Sam's smile falter, her enthusiasm wane. Emily would look at her searchingly in those moments, but knew not to ask Sam what was going on.

Sam would tell her when the time was right. Sam had always kept her own 'stuff' closed to most others and Emily didn't want to dive in uninvited either.

Still, every now and then, Emily would find Sam reading the Book with a strange expression on her face.

Sam knew where Emily kept the Book. She'd go to Emily's house to read the words that had appeared especially for her. Just before packing up to go to school, Sam went to Emily's house to read the words one last time. The words Emily had seen and read aloud on the beach:

Well done Sam, your faith has seen

Words on a page that once was clean

Learn all you can from your friend

Stand by her side, in strength, do send

All your thoughts positive in kind

Or destruction is what you will find.

Words of light that seemed to come from the Shimmer world and even with the last line mentioning destruction the words were mostly positive. Words that were very different from the ones that Sam saw. Sam kept hoping to see Emily's light, easy, happy words every time she had a look in the Book, but the words that she saw never changed:

Now that your eyes have seen

We'll try to be clear on what we mean

There'll be a death of someone near

You can't prevent it, let's be clear

What Emily sees, you cannot see

Until the battle's won, you'll be

Together in space, place and time

As she moves and fights in a strange mime.

Death will come, there's naught to mend

Except to be there for your friend

Positive, your thoughts attract

Or in the Void she will be trapped

Faith of ages, you' must wield

For in the Battle, you'll be her shield.

The wonder of seeing the words, the heart-feeling, still followed her every step, but the warning words scared Sam. She didn't like the idea of anyone dying, especially, maybe, her. She was also scared that Emily would be caught in the Void, whatever or where ever that was. But as the words had said, there was nothing she could do right now. The best thing she could do was stop worrying about her friend until the time came for her to do whatever it was she was needed to do.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Emily was really glad to be back at school. Although school hadn't always been her favorite place, it was nice to be with her friends.

And, of course, she was near the hatch again.

She and Sam had returned to the hostel around mid-afternoon, unpacked all their clothes and hung up their freshly laundered school uniforms.

Emily and Sam plonked down on their respective beds in their cubicles. The girls were deep in thought when Sarah and Morgan arrived. Amid hugs, greetings, shouts of joy and curiosity over who had done what in the holidays, Jessica was almost overlooked.

Jessica stood hesitantly at the door, unsure of what to do or where to go. Many of the beds in the cubicles hadn't been made yet because some the girls only arrived later in the day. Sam was always quick to welcome someone new into the dorm or group, but didn't this time.

Morgan turned around then and said, "Hey, who're you?" in her usual tactful way. Poor Jessica, put into the spotlight by Morgan, tried to stumble some words out in response. Morgan spoke over her, saying, "Aaaah, you must be the newbie."

It wasn't often that a new person arrived mid-year, especially in the hostel, so poor Jessica was doomed to be called newbie from then onwards.

Emily noticed that Sam hadn't gone forward, and wondered why. Sam was usually boisterous, full of life and optimism, but she'd been a little distracted for the last few days. Emily thought that she would change when she was back at hostel with their crazy friends, but it seemed like it would take something more than that. "Sam, what's with you?" Emily said. Sam gave her usual "What do you mean?" flashing a fake smile. Emily could feel that something wasn't right, but since reading the words Sam had effectively shut her out of her thoughts completely.

Oh well, thought Emily, if I haven't managed to get it out of her yet, I'm sure I will in time. She promptly forgot about it as she joined the shouting between the cubicles. Although she had been a little distant at the beginning of the year, she really did enjoy the normality of swapping stories. She had grown to like 'her' girls.

She wasn't sure about Jessica, though. Jessica seemed to have a fascination with her. Every time she turned around, Jessica was staring at her. Doesn't she know it's impolite to stare? thought Emily. She was about to voice it when Jessica saw her staring back and looked quickly away. Weirdly, her Eight was burning.

It must be because I'm close to the hatch again, Emily thought, having not had any feeling from it while on holiday. Or it means I need to go into Aurana soon.

Emily had learnt a lot, but she still wasn't quite sure what to do when. Every time she thought she'd figured it out, it wasn't as it all seemed. Just like Josh's mom had said, Emily smiled.

She sat back on her bed and grabbed her latest book, The Madness of the Muckrackers of Merryville. As she started reading, a thought popped into her head: tonight she needed to go into Aurana for more training. "What training?" her subconscious thoughts questioned, as Emily relaxed into her storybook.

She set her alarm clock as usual and woke up minutes before it went off at eleven. This was happening more and more often, like she was conscious of time somewhereinside her body. She opened her cubicle curtain and went to wake Sam. Sam sat up quickly. "Okay, Em, I'm awake," she said, as she breathed in a gulp of air.

"Come Sam, it's time for us to go. You've read the words – I'm sure you can come with me," whispered Emily, excited to show her good friend what Aurana looked like, or at least what the cave looked like.

Sam clambered out of bed, her teddy-bear pajamas rustling. She went to stand in front of the hatch with Emily. She'd been teased about her pajamas at the beginning of the year but didn't really care as they made her feel good. And more than anything, she now wanted to feel good. Besides, they weren't half as ridiculous as Emily's cow pajamas.

Twisting two to the left and one to the right, Emily opened the lock of the hatch. She jumped about a mile high as Sam grabbed her elbow unexpectedly. "Em, I'm sorry but I can't. I can't come with you. I don't feel ready. I just can't," Sam said panicking, "and you said in our training that the most important thing to do is to recognise what I'm thinking, feeling and act on it, for me."

Emily pried Sam's fingers loose, and held them in her hand. "Sam, what's going on? You've been really weird the last couple of days."

Sam breathed sharply, but calmed down a little now that the words were out. "I just can't Em. I can't tell you why except to say that it doesn't feel right. I'm scared, that's all. I'd much rather wait for you on this side. Okay?"

"But Sam, you saw the words. I'm sure it will be fine. There's really nothing to be scared of. It doesn't feel strange or anything when you step through."

Sam had a fierce look on her face and would not budge. There was just no way she was going into Aurana. She loved Emily, but didn't think going with her into the hatch was the right thing to do. Remembering the words meant for her in the Book, she silently said to herself, "No way am I going now. Not after those words. No way, José."

Emily relented and tried to lighten things up, "Okay Sam, I can see by the size of your huge gooey eyeballs that you're terrified. And you, the Queen of Mystery and Adventure, who would have thought?" Sam stuck out her tongue. Emily smiled at her friend, "Why don't you practice some more? Use calming breaths and realise that your thoughts are things a bit more. Remember that you can control them, not the other way around, which seems to be happening right now. Breathe in and out, in and out."

Sam wanted to pummel Emily. It was so easy for her – or at least it seemed to be. Everything was exciting and new. Emily had forgotten how scared she'd been when that ugly monkey thing had supposedly appeared near the library. She was desperate to keep positive thoughts in her mind, and started breathing more regularly.

Emily pried off the last of Sam's fingernails from her other elbow and said, "Ciao for now" before stepping into the hatch. The familiar red mist covered her, the first verse of the Scroll appearing as she heard the familiar pitter-patter of tiny feet.

"Hey Pugs, hey Elvis," said Emily smiling broadly, "Miss me?"

Pugly, eyeing Emily out in her cow pajamas, said, "Nice outfit. I didn't think it proper to mention it last time we saw you, but now that we're more acquainted, I thought I should. Where'd you get it?" and then laughed uproariously. Emily looked down at the huge smiling cow with lipstick and a handbag on the front of her shirt. Her white pajama pants were covered in a gazillion little cows looking exactly the same. Smiling sweetly, but with a sting in her voice, she said, "From my gran. Don't you like my clothes? I like my cows!"

At this point everyone started laughing because Elvis had fallen off Pugly's back, a jiggly-wiggly moving mass convulsing in mirth at her words. "You really are funny! Funny, sunny, honey," said Elvis while holding on to his stomach that you couldn't see behind the long hair and scrunched up body. Pugly, wiping the tears from his huge, bulbous eyes, ran up Emily's legs, grabbed her belly button, kissed the cow on the red lips and back-flipped off, as Emily tried to swat him away. Elvis, barely breathing, said, "Stop, stop, pop, cop, I can't take anymore, score, sore."

Pugly picked Elvis up off the floor and tried to steady him on his back. As they walked down the corridor to the main cave area, he said, "Thanks for the laugh, Em. Come, we need to go now. The Elder is expecting us and we have some travelling to do before we get there. We must leave."

Running towards the entrance of the cave after Pugly, Emily could barely voice her thoughts, "The Elder. I get to meet the Elder?" before she had to skid to a halt or trip over her bulldog and the wriggling mass on his back.

Pugly stopped dead. He bent his neck backwards to look into Emily's eyes and said, "Remember Em. Protect yourself. Keep yourself to yourself. We're going to leave the cave today and if you connect in with everyone in Aurana this time, you willbe overwhelmed."

"Then it will take us days to get you back to yourself," Elvis giggled.

Pugly looked at Elvis as if to say, hey, we need to get serious now, but Emily knew what Elvis meant.

Emily closed her eyes and focused her thoughts. She created an egg-shaped dome around her body. She strengthened it with thoughts of white light filling every inch. She surrounded it with silver, as she had been taught to do last time she had visited.

That done, she opened her eyes, and asked, "The Elder. I get to see the Elder. Where's the Elder?" Emily was past the point of being scared of the unknown. She now lived in the wonder of 'what is', rather than the fear of what could be. She could feel herself getting stronger and more confident each time something new was thrown at her and she handled it well. Since her birth, she'd been frightened of silly things. Emily liked a world where she could control what was happening to her.

She'd always been scared of the unknown – things that she didn't or couldn't understand. Now she just took them in her stride. There more she learnt about what was out there, the more she sent her thoughts out to create what she wanted and then just let go, the more she realised how much control she actually had.

Puffing out her chest and standing straighter, Emily felt like a warrior. She said "Let's go then. Lead on, Pugs."

Pugs frowned at the name. Emily was supposed to be a Queen, for goodness' sake. For years he had fantasised about her, thought of, for and about only her. He'd thought she would be regal, full of confidence and grown up. That she'd have a presence that inspired automatic respect from everyone. And all she really was, was ordinary. She hadn't lived up to any of his expectations.

She was much nicer though, he thought. While he'd given up his initial image of her, having put her on a pedestal, he was glad that they were able to be close, to understand each other and like each other as they did.

But it didn't mean he had to like the names she called him. He should tell her, he thought, before she called him something cute in front of his tribe. Good looking or not, he'd had enough ridicule to last a lifetime, Pugly thought, as he led Emily out the mouth of the cave.

As they walked through the barrier, Emily felt a rush of information, beings, creatures,something, flood all her senses, but quickly reinforced her will-space (or egg-dome as Pugs called it) and stabilised herself. I'm starting to understand how someone could go mad with all that floating around in oneself all at the same time, she thought.

She spread her hands wide and embraced the sea air. She saw the most unusual creatures dancing in the waves and said theatrically, "Lead on, Macbeth. Or Pugly. Whatever." A song started creeping into her, as she climbed over the sharp rocks. "Pugly?" she questioned, watching him standing still on top of a boulder, nose in the air, sniffing but not sniffing, more like he was sounding out the vibrations. "It's your song, our song, the song, long, gone, Emily. For us, must, bust. Isn't it cool, school, drool?" Elvis piped up.

Emily closed her eyes, floating away as the words reached her in a melody that tasted like kindness dripped into the richest, most abundant, soul-soothing chocolate she had ever imagined.

Loved she is, she's finally come

Big and strong, she is the one

We await her, shining bright

Sending out our coloured light

Heroes, heroes, are we all

From the biggest to the small

Warrior mage, oh hear our song

For our world will soon be gone

In our land, come learn our way

Make us whole once more, we pray.

Emily felt a tug on her toe.

Pugly had her big toe wedged in his month, teeth almost about to clamp down. "Ouch, oh no, you don't," she said, removing her foot speedily. "Don't you get lost now, Emily May," said Pugly, "We told you of our magic. Of how potent it can be and how lost you can get in it. You'll be of no use to anyone, least of all us, if you succumb."

"Let's move along now, wow, cow. Let's go, flow, glow," Elvis piped up feeling like he needed to add to the conversation, as he heeled Pugly in the ribs like a cowboy on his horse.

"Ow," said Pugly, "Stop that. It hurts."

Slowly, they made their way past the dolphamums, the bug-a-lugs, the flowmers, the fun-tails and dew-flops. Emily paused, slowing them down, each time she saw a new creature. The song rang through their souls and they stared in awe at each other. Emily noticed the different yet similar characteristics that all of them shared. Some she recognised, others were very different to anything she had seen before, but she felt the sameness inside of each one.

Once or twice she got a little nervous when the creatures that were bigger than her stomped past. It's not that they were insensitive to her being there, for they also stopped and stared. She was just intimidated by their size. Never having travelled far from home, Emily hadn't really seen things bigger than herself: like eleplants which had huge bodies, wide green ears and mossy tails. They really were a little scary in their largeness, thought Emily, as, humbled by her presence, showing respect for her, they bowed to each other.

Emily felt like they had travelled for days by the time they reached the waterfall above Avignail. It wasn't the time as much as the overwhelming inflow of new things. Pugly, hero and hated as he was in his village, couldn't pass up an opportunity to introduce her to his tribe. They decided to spend the night with his family.

They managed to make a quick covering from pine needles (or something similar to pine in Emily's world) and created a bed of moss (or what looked like moss, but was quite dry) under a tall tree. Emily was trying to remember everything that Pugly and Elvis taught her about their home, but realised that the only way she was going to keep some of it straight was to relate it back to what she knew already.

Emily was made very welcome in Pugly's tribe's homes, but it took quite something to squish her through their smaller doors, made to accommodate their own size. In the end, they decided that letting her sleep outside would be best for everyone.

The next morning, Emily woke refreshed to find Pugly and Elvis curled up by her side, giving warmth to her stomach. She smiled and stretched lazily, gently waking them up. Thoughts flooded into her as she instantly recognised where she was. She desperately wanted to connect with everyone in Aurana. She knew it would make her whole, more whole than she'd ever felt in her life, but knew that if she tried now she would harm herself and them.

Elvis, amazingly still for a change, smiled and rolled over, scrunching back into Pugly's bum and Emily's stomach where it seemed he had been all night. Emily thought it would be wise to wake them before things got too ugly or smelly. Having spent the time with these two amazing creatures, Emily realised that their relationship was definitely a love-hate one.

She was too excited to stay still any longer. She scooped Elvis into her hand and kissed his fuzzy body as he jiggled awake. It was difficult to catch a single body part in a kiss. "Hey Elvis," whispered Emily, "have you seen the Elder?"

Elvis whispered back loudly so that he woke Pugly. "Sure I've seen her, blur, fur. She's something else she is, kiss, miss. She feels like heaven, eleven, seven. You'll see, me, glee, wee," then dashed off into the forest to relieve his bladder.

Pugly was awake but not entirely happy. He didn't like morning people or creatures. Pugly liked being able to sleep in, not that he'd had much of a chance over the last year or so, with one thing or another on his mind, or the Elder getting him up to train for Emily. "Hmm," he thought. "I've got to get Em to the Elder today."

Pugly closed his eyes and connected with the web of all that is, searching for the Elder. Most of his tribe didn't know the Elder as a separate entity. While he and his tribe, or the other creatures of Aurana, stood out distinctly in the Web, so that it was easy to communicate and connect, she was able to hide within it. But she had taught him how to find her.

He searched for the Elder, found her and told her, "We are on our way, oh glorious one. We are on our way." He heard her response: "I know, brave one. I know," then scrunched up in delight, scratching his back with his suckers at the delicious feeling of her voice.

Pugly forgot that he didn't need to tell the Elder specifics that she already knew. He got embarrassed when he forgot this, because he felt stupid, even though The Elder never berated or teased him about it. Getting to his feet, he grabbed Elvis, who had just returned with a grin on his face, shoved him on his back, took Emily's pajama pants in his mouth, tugged and walked forward.

"Ooh, aren't you the moody one this morning," teased Emily, acting annoyingly ordinary. Pugly still had hopes of her being more than he expected, especially first thing in the morning when he'd woken from dreams of her doing the most wondrous things.

Ignoring her and his own expectations, Pugly said moodily, "Come, things to do, places to go," as he waved goodbye to his tribe and family, who had gathered in the village square to gawk at Emily once more. Pugly was suddenly glad that he wasn't the only one being stared at any more. He crumbled and gave Emily the smile that she had been looking for.

Walking in comfortable silence, Elvis pulled Pugly's hair, in payment for his rough treatment that morning. Pugly pretended he hadn't felt it because he knew he deserved it. He looked lovingly at Emily, who continued to stare at the beauty that was Aurana.

Within half a day they were out of the forests, having followed the river that ran through Avignail up into the mountains. Often Pugly wished Emily could fly or move faster. Walking was such slow going and he was starting to get anxious. Time was moving faster, almost like the battle was imminent and the other side was already preparing. He could feel the need for urgency, even while he tried to hide it from the others.

Silently, he sent a thought out to the Elder, beseeching her to teach Emily all she needed to know soon. He figured if he could be taught, anyone could, especially someone who vibrated at the same speed as an Auranian.

Emily heard the rushing water pounding on rocks below. Walking to the edge of the rock pool formed by years of water smacking and rushing into it, Emily stared aghast. Water rose up and up and up into the air, clinging to the side of a mountain, disappearing into the clouds. With a sigh, sore feet throbbing, Emily thought, "Oh no. Please don't tell me we now have to climb all the way up the side of that."

Pugly picked up her thoughts easily and answered aloud, "No Em, no climbing. We can just make ourselves comfortable here and she'll come." She was astounded by having her thoughts answered, but was getting used to it since Pugly did it more often these days, and sighed in relief.

The ground around the pool, past the rocky barrier holding the water in, was a lush, yummy green. "Almost good enough to eat," thought Emily, realising that not only was she tired, she was also hungry.

Pugly took out the bread that had been baked the evening before and handed a piece to Emily and Elvis. Cupping his padded hand and dipping it into the pool, he drank deeply from the fresh water and waved at the others to do the same. Pugly's tribe ate some really strange food, according to Emily. He'd seen Emily trying to eat it the night before, but she'd stuck mostly to the bread. He remembered her grinning at him when she'd been caught in the act.

That's why Pugly thought it wise to just bring more of the bread for their journey. Simple, basic, but it took away the hunger pains.

Emily drank her fill of the crystal clear water and ate her fill of the bread. She found a smooth rock, covered it with the moss-like stuff and lay down. Listening to the water cascading down over the mountain and into the pool, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Her Eight glowed bright red, but didn't itch. She couldn't see behind her, so she wasn't at all worried. Pugly and Elvis, lying down in front of Emily, saw a glow, which wasn't unusual in Aurana, so thought nothing of it.

Wake up, wake up, come out and play.

Wake up, wake up, to a whole new way.

Wake up, wake up, oh warrior mage,

Come out, come out, oh wise old sage.

Emily heard the whispers softly, warmly in her ear. Slowly her eyes opened to the vision before her. A vision that she found difficult to absorb in a single moment.

Try as she might, Emily realised she would never be able to explain the vision that was surrounding her.

Around her stood something see-through but solid, the light so dazzling it almost blinded her, except that the colour seeped into and not out of her eyes. Her entire body tingled with warm shivers, moving in waves up and down, the smells surrounding her, sending her senses reeling into overflowing rivers.

Emily felt compelled to move, to integrate, to let go into this mighty Elder, but before she could, the Elder took her in her arms and lovingly whispered in a voice that smelled like honey, "Welcome home Em. Welcome home."

Emily, comforted, consumed by internal joy, was swept up in a wave of such ecstasy. She thought she'd never come back down to earth or wherever she was.

The Elder put her down gently, folding her legs underneath her as she couldn't stand by herself. Then the Elder did the same to Pugly and Elvis.

All of them sat, out of shape with silly grins on their faces, staring up at this vision surrounding them, having left all reason behind. If anyone outside of the hugging circle saw them and couldn't see the Elder, Emily was sure that they be committed to a psychiatric ward since they stared blankly, mouths open with lopsided smiles.

The Elder decreased her loving rays and sang softly into the circle now formed by the four of them. She had placed each of them at a point on a compass. While the Elder had taken her position up in the South as was her custom, Pugly, Emily and Elvis were seated in North, East and West.

Pugly and Elvis had been through this before a few times, but always forgot what it felt like to be in the Elder's presence. If they had remembered, they'd never leave her side. She had an incredibly powerful presence. Even Pugly couldn't explain it, so when Emily had asked him the many questions along the way about the Elder, he'd simply shrugged and said, "You need to see-feel-hear for yourself."

The Elder's audience sat in reverence, vibrating at exactly the right frequency. She started the teaching.

A long while later, Emily found herself meshed with the Elder again, having been blessed with new knowledge that she absorbed easily. She also understood now why Sam hadn't come with her. All her questions to Pugly about what she needed to do, at least for the coming battle, had been answered.

Gravely, Emily May stood up and accepted the sword that The Elder handed to her.

Gently, lovingly enfolding Emily in her arms once more, the Elder sang:

Oh blessed one, our Saviour Mage

Freed from one sight , oh wise old Sage

Our worlds together, destiny entwined

Sword unsheathed, in battle you'll find

We bow to you, oh blessed one

Our lives are saved now that you've come

We'll be there through both thick and thin

Stand by your side as things begin

Look for us there, in battle, we pray

As we are there to light your way

Shimmers you've called us, so we are

There to protect you from afar.

The Elder asked them to close their eyes and sent out the healing vibration for all of Aurana. When Pugly, Elvis and Emily opened their eyes, she had disappeared into the all that is.

It would be another long walk back to the cave. The Elder had not taught Emily to jump, move or fly. So they were stuck with walking. Pugly was a little disappointed but knew The Elder's favorite saying: "In time and on time." Emily had received the training and knowledge she needed for now, and that was enough. Pugly had to appreciate the cleverness of the Elder. Emily was frightened enough without knowing about Admonai.

Glowing from the encounter, his thoughts racing after his own instructions from the Elder and somewhat scared too, Pugly hoisted an out-of-control Elvis onto his back. Elvis chattered away, bringing Pugly and Emily out of their courageous, terrified stupors, and sang, "Hey ho, po, mo. It's off to work we go, slow, grow, with a rumtum here, near, fear and a slumgum, scum, fun, there. Hey ho, po, mo."

They walked back the same way they came, so there weren't many new sights for Emily to take in. The song repeating around and about her flowed through her every nerve ending and calmed her. She had loved meeting these new creatures, but knowing what she now knew, she had a new appreciation for them. Even though she knew time was running out, she still made sure that she stopped at each new home and hovel, greeting and hugging them all.

Emily's thoughts focused intensely on the positive. She learned how powerful it could be to spread love, hope and light. She smiled, thinking, When Pugs told me that thoughts were powerful things, I had no idea what he meant. Who would have thought?

Pugly smiled shyly at his star pupil, even though he hadn't really been the teacher. He'd felt Emily's vibration drop as she started worrying. The full realisation of what she had learned hit her. She was responsible, entirely responsible, for the present and future of the Balance – Aurana's expansion or contraction – simply by how she thought, felt and acted. Positive or negative, her thoughts would affect the outcome of the Battle. Positive or negative, they would change the course of the world, hers and Aurana's, for they were inextricably linked.

They soon reached the entrance to the cave. With one last look back over Aurana, Emily knelt in respect and reverence for all the Auranians had done for her and for others. Still kneeling, feeling heart-warmed, she sent thoughts of love and strength to the dolphamums and fire-tailed flyers.

She sang a new song the Elder had taught her, one that had caught on slowly as they'd move through Aurana back to the cave:

Oh blessed one, our Saviour Mage

Freed from one sight, oh wise old Sage

Our worlds together, destiny entwined

Sword unsheathed, in battle you'll find

We bow to you, oh blessed one

Our lives are saved now that you've come

We'll be there through both thick and thin

Stand by your side as things begin

Look for us there, in battle, we pray

As we are there to light your way

Shimmers you've called us, so we are

There to protect you from afar.

Emily entered the cave, knelt down and grabbed Elvis by the scruff of his neck like he was a mouse. Yelping, his loose neck skin almost strangling him, Elvis mumbled under duress, "Yeah, bear, mare, love you too, mew, flew," as Emily kissed his entire face with her lips.

Setting him down gently, Emily turned to Pugly, sat cross-legged and opened her arms wide. Pugly ran into them, squishing his already flat nose onto her pajama cow's lipsticked lips as he had done before. "Oomph," said Pugly, expecting Emily to stop him before he ran into her stomach. Emily held him close and closed her eyes, merging with him. "Oh my Pugs," she said, "You've sacrificed so much for me. How grand you are, how awesomely wonderfully grand. See you soon on the other side."

The Elder had told her that she should only physically cross over from Earth into Aurana if it was absolutely necessary. So she was aware that this wasn't a goodbye, but she still felt like she was leaving the biggest part of her behind.

She put Pugly and Elvis down, stood up, turned away and walked through the mist before they could see the tears in her eyes.

Sam's eyes were wide as saucers. She was trembling from sitting in the same position all night next to the hatch, and jumped when Emily finally came striding through.

Sam looked closely at Emily.

Something was different, and it wasn't just the shining sword Emily had attached to her back.

"Em," squealed Sam, her nerves shattered, "You're back. You're okay. Oh thank heavens. You're okay. I'm okay, we're all okay," she chattered, while moving in circles like a dog chasing its own tail, to make sure everything was as it should be. Emily walked directly to her and said, "Missed you too. I know why you were scared. The Elder told me about you seeing different words in our book. We'll just have to make the best of it though, and try to keep everyone safe."

Emily's eyes dropped as if she was staring into a Void. "We know we won't be able to save everyone, but we can try, Sam. That's the best we can do." Sam hugged Emily, relieved of the burden of being the only one who knew someone close to them was going to die. She went back to bed.

Emily kept looking around her quizzically. She got into bed and opened her arms wide. Seeing both worlds at once was rather odd. Aurana was all around her now, no longer separate from her Earthly surroundings. The two had meshed.

Aurana, however, seemed to start about half an inch higher than the hostel's floor. The walls of her cubicle and the dorm meshed with the cave of Aurana. Further down, way past the dorm's passage and far beyond the hostel, she could see the sand dunes leading away to the forests, rivers and the villages she now knew were there. She couldn't see the whole of Aurana, just like she could not see her gran from where she was, but still she knew both of them were there. She could see them both, together, Emily realised.

Broad as daylight, all at once.

Aurana and Earth. The forests and Kingstown.

Together, one just half an inch higher than the other.

She heart-felt rather than heard the "Oomph" this time as Pugly, with wiggly Elvis on his back, shot into her arms, then turned around and around trying to get comfortable.

She lay on her side in her bed, holding her Auranian friends tightly, amazed and terrified at how a whole new world and way of being had opened up to her.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Elgeba twitched excitedly, bouncing around Silenkis and his Circles of Influence.

The time was coming near, he could feel it. Elgeba didn't know exactly what was coming, only that it was on its way. That's why he couldn't stop bouncing around with nervous energy and a strange feeling of joy.

"S-s-s-stop that you infernal monkey," Silenkis shouted, "How am I s-s-s-supposed to do anything with you around?" Silenkis was beyond frustration. Not only had Admonai found out about what he'd been doing, he had to have the silly monkey prancing around him all the time.

Elgeba had aspirated back from Emily's cubicle with the words from her Book ringing in his head. He had repeated them word for word to Admonai, knowing that Admonai would be able to spot any discrepancies. Admonai then ordered him to stay and watch over Silenkis.

Elgeba could hear the words reverberating through his every movement:

Words on this page

Salute you Mage

Long have we waited

Our need now sated.

We've found you at last

Back from the past.

Come under our wing

So you can once more sing

Out of darkness to light

Will you come when we fight

These words you'll heed

When we will most need

For you to come, as you must.

You've always belonged to us

Finally they had the confirmation they needed. Elgeba had been able to see words in her Book.

Admonai had known she was coming, had known the threat came from the Earth side of the Veil, but had wanted one last confirmation (and the fact that Elgeba could actually read the Book) was what Admonai wanted and needed most of all.

As Elgeba had said the words, Admonai had started to interpret them for himself. Striding around, chest lifted, head held up high, Man-form becoming larger with each breath he took, with each perceived victory, Admonai said, "So, the mage has arrived." Admonai plotted her and Silenkis' downfall, deep within the depths of his black mind.

Laughing and spitting, his arrogance filling the space within and outside Silenkis' rooms, he continued, "We've waited a long, long time. Wait till she knows what we've got waiting for her."

Elgeba and Silenkis looked at each other questioningly, then back at Admonai, but said nothing. It was better to just let him speak when he was ranting.

"Finally, we will come together so I can defeat her." Admonai breathed heavily as he grabbed Elgeba.

With an inch between their sour breaths, Admonai looked deep into Elgeba's terrified eyes and said "Well done oh scrawny one. You have outdone yourself this time."

Dropping Elgeba back to the ground, Admonai turned to Silenkis and said loudly, "I am watching you, Silenkis. Elgeba will remain in your presence from now onwards, until I say otherwise. Move quickly soothsayer, for the time has come. The start of the Battle draws near."

Admonai, delighted he had the opportunity to engage after such a long time, said the words that started the cave shaking and set the dark vibrations swirling upwards in a massive vortex. "Prepare for Battle, one and all! Prepare for Battle, let them fall. Prepare oh Elder, here we come. Ready or not, it is done," roared Admonai, like a hungry lion.

Silenkis and Elgeba dived for cover under the clay pots that were dotted around Silenkis' hideaway, not caring that the pots were as vulnerable as they were. Admonai, hands in the air pre-empting victory, marched heavily out the cave, roaring once more behind him to Silenkis.

"Prepare your Earth people or Lost Ones or whatever you call them, Silenkis. Prepare them now and prepare them well. I will return when the time is come. Make sure you are ready, Silenkis," said Admonai with a veiled threat.

Creeping out from under the pot as soon as Admonai had gone and the shuddering had calmed down, Silenkis remembered the last time the two sides had fought and lost.

The Eight had defeated Admonai and his Heathen, but each side had paid a great cost. What had once been a place of peace, of Balance, became divided.

Admonai wanted all of Aurana to live on his terms, within his darkened view. Only the strongest could survive, as very few things could live easily in those conditions. Nothing grew in darkness except that for which it was intended.

Silenkis shook his head. He was one of the luckier ones, if you could call him that. He didn't need much to survive, had learnt to shed his skin when it became unbearably dry, and stayed underground in the dark. But being under Admonai's rule wasn't pleasant.

Elgeba, ugly monkey that he was, had adapted physically, if not mentally, to survive, with a beak that could quickly snatch at the black bugs that made the caves their home. It was also why his ribs appeared on the outside. The more he stayed in the darkness, the more his physical appearance changed to accommodate Admonai's rule. Without him realising it, his outer form became a reflection of the darkness that had swallowed him whole.

Back in the cave, Elgeba was bouncing up and down. Now that Admonai had gone, the warmth which had been missing in his presence, crept back.

Silenkis realised the best he could do was ignore the ugly monkey, while he started moving hisLost Ones into position. Silenkis slithered across the room to the Circles of Influence and said the potent, persuasive words to get them moving:

In and Out, then round about

Seek out those, full of doubt

Start together, start right now

Move in circles, you know how

Find the weak-willed amongst men

Get me those so filled with sin

Find me those who will in time

With some influence become mine

Move in circles slow and fast

Get me those with sad bad pasts.

"Rupert," Silenkis called. "Rupert!" he fork-tongued. Silenkis liked using Rupert, mostly because there were no 'S's' in his name. Too bad he was fast becoming useless "Rupert," Silenkis called one last time as he pushed his will forward into the Influences, to wake Rupert up.

Rupert was dozing in his favourite chair at The Lennox when he suddenly felt the Need. Eyes opening slowly, Rupert looked around and saw the tattered couches and smoke-stained curtains through a haze of instructions going on in his head. It was like a machine gun was being fired.

Rupert didn't move. He sat there, listening but not listening, as he was told what to do to fill the Need.

A fight? Rupert thought, A fight? I'm a lover not a fighter, was Rupert's unconscious thought as the front door of the Lennox opened. What seemed like people started streaming in and heading towards him.

Rupert watched as they came through the door. Anger, boredom, frustration, abandonment and helplessness poured into the room with them. Feelings so dark, so dense, that Rupert wanted to run away. But he couldn't. He felt as helpless as they did. He knew that was why he was going to lead them through a Need that overtook them all, into a fight that was coming, whether they wanted to be a part of it or not.

Rupert had reached the point where he was willing to lead, to harm, others, just so that he could escape where he was. He had to do something to end this. He had to do something, anything, to get out of where he was. He was tired of the life he had been living and was willing to give anything to change it. He'd been existing fro the last few years, not living. He had no family. No friends. No love. No self respect. Nothing.

"End it!" the voice in his head said.

The Lost Ones stood around him, looking at him expectantly, questions in their eyes, but no heart left in their souls. Rupert, instructions taken, stood up and took their lost lives in his hands, as he moved out the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

When Emily returned from Aurana, she'd taken some time to adjust to seeing both worlds at once. For about a week she had said, "Oops," and "Sorry about that," stepping around things that didn't exist. Although Sam knew what had happened it was still weird to watch her friend looking, smiling and talking to things that weren't reallythere.

Although Sam believed now, having seen the Book and then the Sword that Emily had brought back, she couldn't see what Emily saw. Teachers, friends and enemies started looking at Emily like she needed to be committed.

Sam had finally convinced Emily that she was saying things aloud, that she was walking strangely and that she needed rather to say things in her head. She implored Emily to stop walking like a giraffe, and to look as normal as possible so that the staring stopped. Two days after Sam's last warning, Emily finally had the hang of the two different worlds, was acting as normally as possible, and found no one was looking anymore. Well, mostly no one.

Jessica was still caught staring often, fascinated with Emily.

Emily couldn't figure out why Jessica was so interested in her, since she didn't have the foggiest clue about anything that was happening. Sam had become even more cautious and aware of what was going on around them, feeling like she needed to be Emily's protector. She just couldn't get the idea of, 'someone near being dead,' out of her mind.

Emily had come back knowing everything that Sam had read and both verses now appeared in the Book to her. Emily could see the one she'd read and the one that Sam had read. Sam didn't like feeling that death was inevitable.

Emily had told Sam, on returning, that they would have to help others to see what they had seen, believe what they now believed. Together they'd decided that Morgan and Sarah were 'open' enough to be the first ones that could be trained. On an intuitive level they had clicked and since time was running out fast, they had to start somewhere.

Emily woke Sam up at her normal hour of eleven p.m.

Earlier in the day they'd told Morgan and Sarah about their plot to sneak into the kitchen to burn marshmallows in the fire of the old stove, which cook kept going most of the night into the early morning.

Both Sarah and Morgan had been up for it, so Emily woke Sam, and went to wake the other to keep things quiet, which wasn't always possible with over-excited giggling friends, Emily shushed as much as she dared, before opening the dorm door, which glided easily open until the last two inches.

Peeking her head out and looking around, Emily could see no movement. Not even the smelly cat seemed to be around. Emily turned to the others, and crooked her finger, calling them forward soundlessly. Across the passage, the red carpet kept their footsteps from making any noise, but on the stairs each step creaked and groaned as they made their way down. Emily, Sam, Morgan and Sarah finally breathed in when they made it all the way down to the ground floor without being discovered.

As they set off towards the kitchen, they thought they heard a squeak from the stairs above, but when they stopped to listen, everything was silent. Emily crept forward, Sam next to her, Morgan and Sarah following.

Grabbing the round door handle, twisting it at the same time as unbolting the lock, Emily opened Cook's kitchen door.

What a stupid place to have a bolt, Emily thought, surely it should be on the inside to keep us out, not the outside letting us in?

She moved across the brown water-patterned linoleum floor towards the stove. Standing in front of it, each one of them grabbed some heat, welcome at this time of year now that winter had come and was dragging on.

Morgan was the first to speak. "So where's the marshmallows?" she said.

Emily moved towards the pantry.

Once before, after school and before lunch, returning Cook's cantankerous cat because she wanted it gone from her sight, Emily had glanced around quickly to see if she could spot where the hatch was on this floor. She hadn't seen the hatch that time, but had found out where the pantry was.

Pointing Sam in the direction of the pantry, Emily told Morgan and Sarah to stay put while she walked around in the dim light looking for where she thought the hatch should be. Not that she needed, or wanted to get in or out anymore, she was just curious. She found it behind a large cupboard. Glancing between the wall and cupboard, Emily could see another bolt lock securing two metal plates. Curiosity fulfilled, Emily returned to the others, who were now happily burning their marshmallows black.

Emily glanced at Sam. Sam shrugged her shoulders as if to say, 'Do it already' and then quickly pulled her marshmallow out of the old wood stove and blew on it to stop it looking like a fireball.

Emily wasn't sure where, or how, to start.

"Um, guys, how are the marshmallows?" she said as she lost her nerve.

Sam cocked her head to one side, opened her eyes wide and pushed her head forward as if to say 'Come on. They're cool. Just do it already.'

Among answers of "this is awesome" and "really nice," Emily said again, "Um guys, there's something I need to tell you. We need your help."

Immediately she had their attention, Emily's Eight started burning. Feeling a little embarrassed by the grandiosity of her story, let alone that it seemed like a fairy tale, she continued regardless. She told them about her mom dying, her dad disappearing and her childhood licks in the dark. Sarah's jaw dropped lower and lower.

A noise startled them.

Looking around, and not seeing anything out of place, Emily carried on telling them about what had also happened since being at hostel. By the time she'd finished, Morgan's jaw was lower than Sarah's. They both sat there staring at her as if she was from outer space.

"That's it," said Emily quietly, "that's the whole story."

Morgan was the first to react.

"You're kidding right. This is all a ghost story like we sometimes tell around bonfires at night. Ha-ha you nearly had me."

Emily, knowing how important it was that they believed her, said, "Nope. Truth, I'm afraid. No matter how crazy this sounds it's not a fairytale." Then diving into the floppy bag she'd brought down from her cubicle, she revealed her Book.

"Nah," said Morgan, "that could be any old book."

Emily opened it, feeling stupid, and remembering that they wouldn't be able to see anything yet, so closed it.

"Okay then, what about this as proof?" Emily said, turning around lifting up her heavy plait. Shining red, itchy and burning, Emily's Eight stood out like a torch in the dim light.

Morgan and Sarah looked at each other then back at Emily's neck. Waving her fingers like a squid, Morgan moved her right index finger towards the shining symbol. Tentatively, she touched it.

"Booo!" said Emily.

Morgan, jumped in fright and said, "Ag, no man, Em. That's not cool. Can I touch it? Really? It's okay to touch? And no more Boo's."

Heartbeat slowing, Morgan leant forward and ran her finger over the raised symbol.

"This is just too weird," said Morgan, looking around for Sarah's hand so that she too could feel it. Sarah, however, was staring over Emily's head towards the kitchen door, lips moving with no sound coming out.

"Hey," shouted Morgan, jumping up and heading for the door, as she saw what Sarah saw.

Emily spun around but whatever had been there was gone.

A few seconds later they heard, "Gotcha", rather loudly, then footsteps heading back in their direction.

Emily held her breath, feeling around intuitively, listening quietly, and wondering if anyone else had woken up with Morgan's gotcha. Morgan, while brave and true, wasn't always the quietest, most sensitive person around.

When no unusual sounds were heard, except the breathing and the footsteps, Emily stood up to see what Morgan had caught. Stupid fat cat probably.

Except that it wasn't the cat.

It was Jessica.

Jessica, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights, was dragged into the room unceremoniously by Morgan.

"Newbie's been snooping," said Morgan aggressively.

"Come now, Morgan. Let her go," Sam said, back to being her nice, if not entirely optimistic, self.

"How much did you hear?" Emily asked quietly, cautiously wondering what would happen if her story got out.

"Everything," mumbled Jessica softly, staring at Emily in wide-eyed terror.

"Why are you spying on us?" Emily asked, becoming brave in Jessica's terror.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" she added, wanting to get an answer to the question that had plagued her since the beginning of term.

Jessica realised that Emily was as scared of her, so she slowly advanced forward, arms at her side.

Morgan, not quite sure that Jessica wasn't a threat, with Sam moving unobtrusively to stand almost in front of Emily, said, "Hold on. Say what you need to say from where you are."

Jessica stopped, folded her arms over her chest and clenched her hands under her armpits.

No longer as timid, Jessica straightened her back and said, "Josh. Josh told me about you."

"Josh?" asked Emily.

"And I'm not spying. I'm sorry about the staring. If you'll all just give me some space to explain, I'll tell you what I know about what's going on."

Calming down, with Sam protecting, Morgan on alert and Sarah still slack-jawed, they allowed Jessica to move in front of the warm stove.

Jessica started saying, "Josh ..." and then stopped, at a loss for words, like Emily had been earlier.

Breathing in deeply as if gathering courage, Jessica continued, "I've been looking for someone for a very long time."

"We, my mom and I, we've been living on the streets. Josh ..."

Frustrated, adrenalin still pumping, Morgan yelled, "Spit it out already."

Jessica, taking one more deep breath, let the whole story come tumbling out.

She had been born into a wealthy family. They had lived and partied in the grandest hotels. Jessica told the quieted girls, how her parents had been the 'toast of the town.' Everyone had wanted to be invited to their parties so that they could say "I've been to a Butlers Ball," Butler being their surname. She told them about the shining lamps, lush red carpets, where laughter bounced off the walls till the early hours of the morning. But after one misfortune then another they found themselves on the street.

Jessica told them about how her mom had removed her from her dad's presence. How their dad seemed to shrink more each day, to get lower, each time he tried to recoup some of his stock market losses in gambling. And how he'd finally just watched them walk out the door without once trying to stop them.

"Why do you want to find him then?" Morgan asked with a frown as the others shushed her to hear the rest of the story.

Jessica told them about meeting Josh on the street, about how they gravitated towards each other over time.

Emily wasn't so sure she like the idea of them 'gravitating' towards each other, feeling a little jealous.

Jessica told them how she had told Josh about her dad. She had gone back once to the same places she remembered, but hadn't found him. All she had seen was a sad, old man sitting on a chair in a corner, hat over his eyes as he slept. Besides, the man had a really strange smell around him that made her want to heave, so she'd left quickly and quietly.

"So what do you want with me?" asked Emily sharply, while the others shushed her too.

Jessica looked directly at Emily and said, "Josh told me about your dad also going missing."

Emily, twitching, thought, I'm going to box his ears next time I see him; that was private.

Jessica continued, unknowingly, "He said that you had some Power, some kind of something …."

Looking directly into Emily's eyes, she continued, "Some kind of special knowing; he found it hard to explain but said you might be able to help. Now I know who and what you are, since I overheard you telling them," Jess said pointing at the others, "but I'm not sure what you can do to help, Emily?"

Jessica's frown deepened as she tried to find links between her dad's and Emily's world.

Sam, always going to the simplest, most relevant question, butted in saying, "So how did you get to hostel if you're so poor then?"

"Oh," said Jessica, still lost in thought, "I went to one of my dad's old friends and told him if he didn't help me to come to school here, I'd tell on him. So he paid the school and here I am."

"Tell what on him?" blurted out Sarah emotionally.

"What do you mean?" said Morgan at the exact same time.

"Oh who cares," said Sam, exasperated, "There are bigger things at stake here now."

Sam's statement brought them all back down to earth, into the kitchen, in front of the stove that was fast becoming cold.

Emily, looking at Jessica, her face a range of emotions, saying, "I don't know how I can help, Jess, but I guess now that you've heard everything, you're going to have to be in on this regardless. Will you promise not to go and tell anyone what you heard tonight?"

"Do I have a choice?" said Jess, wiping a tear from her face.

"Josh said to find you and I trust him and of course I won't tell. Who would I tell? But I'm still not sure I should be doing whatever it is you are thinking of doing. I just need to find my dad."

Emily, thinking about Josh's involvement in this scenario, mumbled, "Why did Josh say to find me? He seems to know more about things than anyone else except for his mom, who goes around saying All is not as it seems."

Jessica smiled quietly up at Emily, regaining some of her former courage and said, "Yeah, they're a crazy bunch, but good."

Trying to slow Emily down, to stop her rambling, Jessica touched Emily's arm and said, "Em. What are you doing? What is it that you think I need to be in on?"

"Why, you're going to have to start training with us," Emily said.

"Say what? What training?" said Morgan as Sarah's jaw dropped for about the tenth time.

"Oh, didn't I get to that part?" Emily said sarcastically, smiling at Sam.

"I'm going to train you to master your thoughts," said Emily, in her woo-woo voice, wanting to lighten the mood that had taken over, realising that Josh, dear maddening, overbearing Josh, must have something up his sleeve. She decided to drop it until she could talk to him.

"But only if you're interested. Only if you believe," said Emily, continuing to sound mysterious.

"If not, you're going to have to leave the room now and just take my secret to the grave with you. You can't tell anyone. No one!"

"Anyway," Emily said smiling, "no one will believe you if you tell my story. You didn't believe me until I showed you my Eight."

"So who's in?" she asked.

'We are" yelled all four girls, having no idea what they had just signed up for.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

It was Saturday, which meant that they all had free time away from hostel.

The girls had yelled so loud that night in the kitchen that Emily had to hold her friends back from waking everyone up. Luckily no one in the hostel had woken up. Now Emily knew why Cook liked being at the end of the passage downstairs. She could scream and curdle to her hearts content without anyone hearing.

They had agreed that night that there'd been enough excitement and that they would get together on the first Saturday that they had free. When Saturday arrived, Emily knew that this would be the first of many training Saturdays. She'd lurched out of bed as soon as the sun had risen.

Impatient to get this all on the road, breakfast was gobbled up excitedly. Chattering amongst themselves with full mouths, they got a few odd looks, but ignored them. Others assumed they were excited because it was a Saturday and left them be.

As soon as the bell rung, saying, "Okay, it's time, out," they were the first four out the door. Emily had sent a message to Josh, telling him to meet them at Edwina's, still amazed at how things seemed to be falling in place.

She wondered if her 'thought' message had reached Josh. For two days in a row, she'd sent out into the ethers "Josh, meet us at Ednose. I'm bringing my friends for training." Sometimes, even though she did believe, she still wasn't sure that the message had reached its intended recipient. Not because she wasn't in tune, but because she knew Josh bounced in and out of the ethers.

The only way to make sure was to do it via snail mail, or rather street-people mail, as well. Emily had walked towards the front of the school at break-time, to give the letter to the first person who walked past that recognised the name Josh. She wasn't allowed to move far from the school or hostel during weekdays and with everything that was happening at the moment, she couldn't risk being put in detention.

So Emily waited and watched, holding the letter. Just as she was about to reach out to a little boy marching past, he had stopped directly in front of her and saluted, like he was in the army. Emily laughed and saluted back, but before she'd said anything, the curly haired, dark-skinned boy said, "Josh got your message ma'am."

Then turning half-circle facing away from Emily, the boy frog-marched for two meters then skipped away giggling. Emily stood there, letter gone from her hand, amazed at how thoughts became actions in the real world. She'd heard some of her friends' mothers talk about synchronicity and co-incidence, but hadn't been aware of what they'd meant. Now she knew better.

So, Josh had got the message and would be there at Ednose's. Emily hadn't told her friends anything about Edwina or her shop – weren't they in for a surprise?

Running down the hill towards Kingstown, they all got quieter and faster. Shadows seemed to be everywhere, even though it was daylight. Emily could see them massing in places at corners and down alleyways. Sam had grabbed her elbow once and said, "Can you see…" but trailed off when Emily had nodded her head in surprise. Sam could see more than she was letting on. The others got instinctively quieter as they felt something dark descend into their light and laughter.

Sam's eyes widened at Emily's nod, and she lost some of her confidence. Seeing words in the Book were one thing. Seeing these zombies was terrifying. Sam moved closer to Emily, looking for comfort and protection as they ran further down the hill. She wasn't sure she was ready for what was about to happen, but knew that Emily would be there. And she was really keen to meet Josh. Finally she'd get to see what the fuss was about.

Emily slowed down as soon as they got to the Old Quarter. The feeling of lightness that always came with it was a relief. She also wanted Morgan, Sam, Sarah and Jessica to breathe in the sights, sounds and colours like she had. It seemed like the Old Quarter never changed. The colourful saris and soul music calmed their nerves. Heads swivelling around, her friends didn't notice the spiky haired boy leaning against the ghoulish door.

"Hey Josh," said Emily smiling, then frowning, at her good friend and secret-teller. "Hey ya'self," said Josh, looking at the troupe of women descending on him. He'd known that Emily's friend would be with her today. He guessed he'd missed the 's' at the end of friend since in front of him stood four, not one. To his delight, he recognised one of them.

"Hey Jess. How ya doing?" he smiled, noticing her. "And ya must be Sam?" he stated, grabbing Sam's hand in a confident handshake. "I dunno who the rest of ya are," he said looking around at Sarah and Morgan, "but that's okay. Sure we'll get ta know each other well afore long," Josh said.

Sam's eyebrows almost met her hairline as she wondered how this odd-speaking, spiky-haired person had figured out who she was. What had Em told Josh about her? Probably as much as she knew about him. Scary, thought Sam, as she caught Josh staring at her with a huge grin on his face. "What?" thought Sam to herself, "Don't tell me he can see what I'm thinking? Nah, not possible."

Before anyone could say anything, Josh grabbed Emily in a bear hug and said, "So ya made it there, did ya? There and back, all the way without a scratch, into Aurana and met the Elder."

"What's she like? What's Aurana like? Come on, ya know ya can tell me anything," Josh said aloud.

"So," Emily thought, looking directly at Josh, still wrapped up in his hug, "you little sneak, telling Jess my secrets. How did you know about my visit?"

Josh's cheeks had the decency to shine red.

Extricating herself from his body hug, a little embarrassed, but pleased at the same time, Emily smiled and said, "Hi Josh. All in good time. I'm glad you got the message and it's nice to see you too."

She allowed herself to think about how hard Josh's body was before shutting him out quickly when she saw his look. Josh pushed open the door, teasing Emily aloud, "Remember, I know what you're thinking," and smiled as Emily reddened.

Taking the spotlight off her for the moment, he did a sweeping theatrical bow, said "This way, ladies," ushering them into Ed's shop-bookstore-castle.

Sam gawked, open-mouthed like the others had when they heard Emily's story. Her eyes took in as much as they could as they flooded with weird and wonderful images. Never before had a small shop turned into such a huge space. Never before had her eyes had to take in so much in such a short space of time. Never before had she seen such an array of junk. Her last thought: Never before have I seen such a nose, and then all thought stopped as her brain went into dysfunction.

Edwina stood before them, ship-wide, in turquoise taffeta, grinning her widest smile, then said, "Close ya mouths now ladies or ya will get a fly or goodness forbid, a spider, caught in it." Emily laughed with Edwina and Josh, on the other side of the surprise this time. She went into Edwina's huge arms for her hug. She immediately went red again when, engulfed by Edwina at the same time, she found her lips pressed squarely against Josh's.

Stop being so silly Emily, she thought. He's just a boy, for goodness sake, as she quickly extracted herself. Josh smiled at her in mischief but said nothing. "Jerk." she thought, opening her mind to Josh, then immediately closed it again as she had been taught to do by Pugly. I must remember to keep closed, even here, especially in Kingstown, Emily realised anxiously. For some reason, probably because she was still learning to control everything properly, her shielding seemed to wear off after some time. She hadn't figured out how long it stayed, or when it left, but when Emily felt her space was invaded, she just quickly covered herself in her egg-dome again.

Josh laughed and said, "Ain't ya gonna introduce ya mates then?"

Emily found her manners and said, "Morgan, Sarah, Jessica you know and Sam," as she pointed to each one of the stunned girls.

Edwina, swirling around in a circle, said "Welcome to ya fortress, ladies. Welcome to the Other side or at least one small part of the Other side."

Sam wasn't sure that she liked being anywhere near the Other side. It was kind of creepy but sweet and loving all at the same time.

And the size, shape and weight of this place!

Whatever am I in for now? Sam thought as she closed her month, pushed Morgan and Sarah to wake them up from their stupor and followed Emily, Josh and Edwina.

Jessica stood there, her eyes focused in the distance.

Sam turned around, realising there was one person missing, and went back to Jessica.

Nudging Jessica, standing directly in front of her, waving her hand in front of her eyes. Sam said, "Hello, anyone in there?"

Jessica snapped back to the present and went pale as the blood drained from her face. Trying to hide it, she smiled at Sam saying, "Sorry. I got lost there for a minute," then walked after the others as if nothing had happened.

She's a deep, dark one. I'd better watch out for her, thought Sam, remembering how Jessica had gate-crashed their party in the kitchen. So what if she told us her sob-story. So what if she's had a hard life.

But she knows Josh and Emily trusts Josh. More than trusts him, I think. Really likes him. And he's a looker.

Sam's thoughts continued rambling from one place to another, not realising that someone was listening in.

As Edwina walked towards the back of the shop-castle she said, "I've prepared the place fer ya, Em. The Shimmers said ya were comin."

Emily followed Edwina through a door on the right, behind the bookshelves, that she hadn't noticed before. It seemed like every time she was here she discovered new nooks and crannies. Emily put her Sword down next to the door.

She had found a round cardboard tube in the library one day and asked the librarian if she could take it. The librarian had told her that architectural plans or big posters were usually stored in these cylinders to transport them safely and that she was happy for Emily to have it since the posters were all tacked onto the walls. She accepted it gratefully as it was the perfect size to fit and hide a Sword from prying eyes.

Emily looked around. Physically, with normal sight, it was an empty hall, except for chandeliers hanging down from the ceilings and heavily decorated, red-cushioned chairs arranged in a circle around the outside near the walls. Visually, with Aurana overlaying it, it was something quite different.

Em glanced around in awe.

Pugly and Elvis had disappeared as Emily and her friends ran towards Edwina's through Kingstown this morning. It seemed like the Shadows were stronger in the main part of town, nearer the tall buildings. But her Auranians had appeared to her again as she turned the corner into the Old Quarter.

I think that's what must have distracted me and caused me to let my guard down, Emily pondered, knowing that even with all the training it wasn't easy to remember to clothe her thoughts and do everything all the time. I must remember to go easier on the others when I'm teaching them.

There's not enough time, popped into her head.

Pugly had started getting nervous and insistent over the last few days. "Okay, Pugs," Emily said trying to calm Pugly and herself down, "I know. Just take a load off for now okay? They've had less time than I've had to get used to all this stuff and now we're about the throw them into the deep end."

"What is this place?" asked Emily, looking around the hall.

Mimicking its physical counterpart to some extent, it was a huge space with a domed ceiling, but the similarity ended there. Columns at each corner supported the domed ceiling, but the energy inside each inch of it twisted and turned in alternate light and dark streaks of colour. One second a spot would be filled with light, all the colours that she had seen shining throughout Aurana. Then, without warning, a flash would erase all the beautiful pictures that had swirled there to be replaced with the ultimate darkness. The far end remained dark. No light seemed to penetrate that solid blackness.

"It's the Void," Pugly responded, "Look. Let me show you."

Pugly walked two steps into the swirling vortex, and suddenly the air cleared into a soft white for a few inches on each side of him. Around the white edges, colours started attaching themselves, collecting and forming the pictures that Emily had seen swirling there.

"How did you do that?" asked Emily in awed curiosity. "Did you do it or did it just happen?"

Emily had seen how each creature in Aurana spilled their colours around them in her last visit. When she had entered Aurana, the same purple that Pugly had originally seen glowing from Emily, when Elvis had first visited her, showed up in Aurana around her. In her training with the Elder she had progressed through the spectrum of the rainbow, but her energy had settled into a deep purple. Everything she now saw was tinged with her purple.

She had hoped to be pure white like Pugly, but the Elder had said to her, "In time and on time, little one." Emily loved the Elder, but really hated the cryptic clues she was often given.

Emily looked down to see Pugly chewing on her pants and nudging her forward. "Come on Em, gnu try," Pugly said with her pants in his month.

Emily was terrified and curious. She moved forward into the swirling mass. Purple spread around her, lighting her way forward. But darkness was all that remained at the edges. She stepped back, frowning. "Why didn't the other colours join mine like they did yours?" she asked Pugly. Pugly sighed, as if Emily hadn't learnt anything at all. "What have we been teaching you this whole time, Em. Thoughts are things. Remember? Things don't just happen. You are the one who's got to make them happen. It's your responsibility to call what you want to you."

"If you want something, you've got to wish for it, want it, more than anything. You've got to desire it more than anything else. You've got to want it like you never have before. And you have to believe it will come. Remember now?" Pugly continued. He then mumbled to himself, "Seems like the minute she's on her side of the Veil she loses all sense and becomes stupid. What are we going to do with her, Elder?"

Emily overheard him. "Okay, okay, you're right. I am standing right here and can hear you, you know. I try hard to remember to do everything but sometimes when something new happens – like seeing this – it doesn't always come to me immediately."

"But Em, it has to be automatic. You know that you're in great danger."

Recovering slightly, Emily straightened her shoulders, "You're right Pugly, of course. It's just that all of this is still so amazing to me. I can't believe I'm a warrior. It all seems a little unreal. I mean, ordinary me, seeing both worlds and now this."

"This is where the battle will be fought, Em. This is where you'll fight, so best you get used to it. And best you start training yourself and your friends to help you, very quickly."

Emily stepped forward again. Her purple bubble expanded exponentially in the Void. She called the colours, the characters of Aurana to her. They gladly attached in a swirl of colours around her.

She closed her eyes when a flash of white erupted into her purple bubble. Sneaking one eyelid, open she looked down at her toes to see Pugly there. "You can join me? In my bubble? I thought you could only attach to mine. And what's with the flash of light?" asked Emily, startled.

"I can join you, only me. I'm your chosen one and the Elder taught me differently, remember. That's why. And the flash is what happens when two colours melt together. Look around you now."

Emily turned in a circle. Her purple had become a pale violet-pink shade. The flash happened again, blinding her for a second, then her circle became purple again.

"I do wish you'd warn me when you're going to do that Pugs. It's not too nice on the eyes."

Stepping back, Emily disengaged from the swirling mass. "I think I have the hang of it now, Pugs. Shall we get the rest in here now?"

Edwina stood stock still. She squinted at the far side of the hall. "Whatever are ya two doing?" she asked. "I seen ya step back and forwards a few times and it seems to me that I can see some colours and flashes, but I canna make out nothing else."

Emily remembered then that she was still the only one that could see both worlds. "I'm sure you'll see more in time, Edwina," Emily said touching Edwina's shoulder gently. She knew that Edwina, more than anything, wanted to see what was going on, so great was her fascination with the unknown.

Walking past Edwina out the door, Emily gestured for her friends to come forward. They had all been hanging just outside the door, chatting with or rather listening to Josh ramble on about Edwina and her supposed bookstore.

"Right," Emily said, feeling braver, like the warrior she was supposed to be, "Are you all ready to start learning something new then?" To a chorus of Yes, Yay and one 'I think I know already', Emily moved them into the great hall.

"I need you to find the chair that calls to you," Emily said mysteriously. They started to fan out in different directions, feeling their way to the chair that felt best for them. Jessica, in a panic, said, "I'm not sure that any one of them is calling to me." Sam turned to Emily and said, "I'm also not sure which one. How do I know which ones the right one?"

Emily's giggles burst out of her. "Kidding. Just pick a chair, it doesn't matter which one!" Sam and Jessica glared at her, feeling a little silly. "Sorry," said Emily, grinning, "What does matter is that you are here, with me, with us. Not where you sit. I'm very grateful to all of you for believing in me, in this, in Aurana, when you can't feel or see anything yet."

"Shall we start?" Emily whispered, wanting to get things on their way as fast as possible, as she moved into the middle of the hall, and into the swirling lights. She wasn't entirely sure about the process, not having done it before. She led them the way she had taught Sam. "Close your eyes and breathe in and out, in and out." She closed her eyes too, finding it easier to concentrate on her thoughts without the swirling colours distracting her.

"Now I want you to pick a colour, the first colour that pops into your mind. It doesn't matter what colour you pick, so just pick one."

"Blue," yelled Sam aloud.

"Orange," yelled Morgan.

"Yellow," said Sarah.

"Velvet," said Josh.

Emily laughed. "Josh, that's not a colour."

The others joined in the laughter as Josh insisted, "Says who? Who said velvet's not a colour? It can be if I want it to be."

Emily smiled, unable to defy his logic. If thoughts were things and Josh wanted velvet to be a colour, rather than a texture, who was she to say any different?

"Okay, Josh, velvet you are, but you're making this a little more difficult for me, you know," said Emily. Josh mumbled back, "Wouldna be doin' my job properly if I wasn't."

"Okay, back to the training. Now who hasn't got a colour yet?" Emily said while searching her mind for who hadn't answered. "Jessica. Jessica, what's your colour?" she said, eyes still closed. "Um, um. I don't seem to be able to find a colour. It's just black," Jessica responded. "Oh, okay then," said Emily, "are you sure that you don't have any colour in mind at all? What about green?" "Green's good," said Jessica shakily.

Emily opened her eyes. Jessica seemed to be in a very strange place since they'd walked into Edwina's, all jittery and a little lost. She chanted "In and out, just breathe, relax, let go," and watched Jessica more closely. Suddenly Jessica jerked in her chair as if something had pulled at her. Her body sat stiff and straight but moving from side to side as if someone was holding and swaying her. A loud groan came out of her month as she stood up sharply, her eyes popping open in fright.

The others, lost in deep breathing and peace, deep in thought, hadn't heard the small groan.

Emily looked at Jessica. Moving out of the shield, quietly toward Jess, she said, "Jess. What's going on with you? What's happening?" then continued for everyone else's benefit, "In and out, in and out", as she took Jess's upper arm and moved her quietly to the door of the hall.

"If this is too much for you, it's okay. You don't have to be here. I'll understand if you want to go," Emily said. "But I must. I must," Jess said despairingly before realising what she'd said.

Jess looked into Emily's startled eyes and said, "I'm Sorry, Em. No, really. I'll be okay. This is all just a little weird. I'll be fine. Just let me try again. I'll be fine, you'll see."

Emily noted Jess's fake smile and said, "Okay, but if that happens again, I'm not going to let you carry on. You'll distract me and put the others off too." She tried to encourage Jess to relax. "We have to be careful, Jess. You need to be sure that you do want to be here. I know that this is new for each of you but we're in a safe place and we have to all learn quickly how to synctogether," Emily said, realising for the first time what they were trying to accomplish.

"We need to be together in thoughts and feelings. If anyone of us is distracted it could place us all in danger. Are you sure you can do this?" she asked Jess one last time.

Jess nodded her head, not entirely sure of what Emily meant by all of that, but made her way silently to her chair anyway. Sitting down on the red velvet pillow, she composed her hands in front of her, left held by right so that they looked like a doubled-up cup. She took a deep, deep breath in and out, then closed her eyes.

Emily moved back into the middle of the room, back into the shield and her purple surroundings. With a flash, Pugly joined her. "Now, Em. Call them to you now," Pugly said. Emily said the Elder's words in her head:

First to start you must know thought

Then take care to not get caught

Seeing world's most times concealed

Desire creates what is revealed.

The words of the first verse on the Scroll of Seven reverberated in her head. Colours started swirling around Emily, outside her purple field. Emily heard Pugly again, "Now Em. The Auranians have attached to you, they'll help, now call your friends to you too." Emily focused on the dots of colours in her closed vision, dots that were blue, orange, yellow, velvet, pink and a tiny pin point of green, then heard:

Come one, come all

To heed the call

We need you near

We need you here

Find your way

To Emily May

Think your thought

Do not get caught

Come one, come all

To heed this call.

Emily concentrated harder as blue, orange, yellow and pink expanded.

"Pink?" Emily questioned silently.

"Oh, Edwina!" Emily realised intuitively, not expecting her to be there, but delighted that she'd recognised her without needing to focus on her specifically.

Aah, thought Emily, making the connection, I don't need to recognise them individually, just allow them to be here which is what the call does, as long as they have focused on me, as long as they have allowed themselves to connect to me.'

Soon afterwards, velvet appeared too. More a sensing than a seeing, Emily realised, just as her world imploded.

This time it wasn't so much a flash as being able to see both worlds at once in what she could only term hyperspace. "Thank goodness I'm used to seeing both worlds together," Emily thought as she looked around her, feeling off beat, out of breath and super sensitive.

Something had shifted. Something was different.

And then she realised what. Everyone seemed to be on the same level. There wasn't a half inch difference between the worlds. The difference in the vibrations, and therefore, speeds, of the two worlds seemed to create the vastness of space along with the zinging in the air around her. Awesome, thought Emily, but now I'll have to get used to this.

A thin film of protection appeared around her. Her body was covered in new clothes. Emily thought, "Well I guess now I really do look the part of the warrior. Is this really necessary, Elder?" A soft response of, "Clothes maketh the man," along with a slight giggle, "This is to remind you of your warrior self, Emily. But I can take them away if you'd like. I just wanted you to remember what it feels like to be powerful."

Looking down at her body, Emily ran her hand down the clothes that had appeared on her magically. Soft and sheer material was bound by leather with arm bands and a breastplate made of a silvery-copper material. On her feet were leather thongs.

I do like it, even if it is a bit ancient and different. Thank you, Elder, she thought.

Pugly appeared in her vision, dragging something with his teeth, a cylinder, to be exact. "I think you may need this, Em," Pugly said handing over the sword she'd got from the Elder. "I thought this was just practice?" said Emily, "Why do I need it now?" "You need to feel how it feels at this vibration, Em," Pugly said, "It's different to when you feel it on your side. In the Togetherness, it's lighter."

Emily undid the cylinder and dropped it by mistake, making a loud clanging noise. Immediately colours detached, some reattached and others disappeared entirely. Looking around for the colours that seemed to be missing, Emily searched, "Sam. Are you here?" Sam's blue colour re-appeared in the Void. "What happened?" she said silently, questioning Sam's mind. "I heard a noise, got distracted," Sam said in return, without realising that she had answered Emily via her heart-feelings, intuitively linking her thoughts with Emily's.

Looking around her, Emily saw Sam and Josh still there, but now Sarah, Morgan and Jessica were nowhere to be seen. Then Jessica, alone, popped back in.

"What's going on Pugs?" she said, "Why are they all in and out like this?"

"Later. They'll come back when they're ready. Wield your sword, practice that for now," Pugly said earnestly.

Emily turned around, no longer focused on the colours surrounding her, having faith that her friends would be there when needed and faced the darkness in front of her. A solid black solid wall of darkness.

Remembering her training with the Elder, she swished her Sword around her head and into the darkness in front of her. It was lighter. Lighter than it had been when she'd just been in Aurana, and much lighter than it had been when she'd brought it back to the hostel and the dense Earth vibration.

More surprising, however, was the slice of light that shimmered where she had cut into the darkness, like a flame glowing. Passing where it had been, leaving behind a streak of fire, the sword sliced the darkness.

Emily, encouraged by Pugly, her teacher and friend, moved in silence, in the steps, parries and movements she learned in Aurana. Gaining strength and power from those that had heeded the call, Emily lost herself in the feelings of the moment and became the warrior mage so long foretold.

Imagining the things from her nightmares, the fear that seeped in with Shadows, the despair that turned to sadness, Emily side-stepped, twirled, ducked and merged with what was – and wasn't – there.

Suddenly, Pugly, once more at her feet, called strongly to Emily, and said, "Okay, enough for today. Come Em, well done. Enough, slow down, focus on me. Come back into yourself, into the moment. You need to get back to your friends."

Emily, snapping out of her trance, stepped out of the Void and lowered the now heavy sword to the ground.

"It's going to take some getting used to moving in and out of that space. It's not just the vibration. I seem to go into a deep, clear pool, knowing everything, together," Emily thought rubbing her eyes, feeling spaced out.

Sam and Josh still had their eyes closed but were rubbing them and stretching just like she was, as if they were all waking up.

Jessica hadn't moved.

Sarah and Morgan were staring at Emily, wide-eyed. "What?" said Emily, "Why are you looking at me like that?" Morgan, never at a loss for words, said, "Geez, Em. We didn't know you could do that." "What?" she said, not knowing what they were referring to. "Prance around with a sword like that," said Morgan. "Swishing and jumping. Jousting and stabbing. All that stuff," continued Morgan, as Sarah just nodded her head up and down in agreement.

"You could see what I was doing? I thought your eyes were supposed to be closed?" she questioned, feeling a little embarrassed and still light-headed. Sam piped up, "Saw what? What are you two talking about?" Josh, eyes now open, seeing the sword leaning against the door, moaned "I didn't see ya move at all."

Jessica still hadn't moved. She sat stiff as a board, arms folded, and hands together in her lap like she had at the start.

Emily looking at Pugly said, "What's with her?" but Pugly was running towards Jessica, fright visible in his poppy eyes. Emily ran after him as he pounced up onto Jessica's lap.

As frightened, not sure if it was or wasn't the right thing to do, Emily shook Jess hard, as Pugly bit Jessica's hand.

"Ow. No, don't. Please don't," Jessica yelled, eyes still closed, as she snatched her hand away.

"Stop it, please stop it," she continued while grabbing Emily's hands on her upper arms trying to pry them away.

Emily, holding on tight, still shaking Jess, screamed, "Open your eyes, Jess. Open them."

Jess immediately opened them in fright, as if something had released her. "What's wrong?" she said, trying to make herself into a small ball. "I'm here. They're open. Let go," she continued as her face paled for the second time in the hour.

Emily slowly released Jessica's arms and with Pugly still on her lap, looked deeply into her eyes. There was a sadness there that Emily couldn't believe she was seeing after what had just happened. A sorrow linked to fear, that Jess seemed to carry around in her every pore.

Blinking, Jess snapped at Emily's intrusion into her deepest thoughts, reorganised herself, brushed her skirt as if nothing untoward had happened and stood up.

"So what did I miss?" she said, innocently.

Sarah, Morgan and Josh, sitting shocked in their chairs looked away.

Edwina broke the ice by standing up and saying, "I guess I'll make us a cuppa tea then?" Edwina had long years of knowing when to leave well enough alone, and it seemed to be one of those times.

Realising that none of the others could see Pugly, or anything that had gone on in Aurana or the Void, Emily decided to fill in the gaps, even if she couldn't tell them what she had seen deep within Jessica.

"Come on everyone," she said, moving towards the door and into the larger bookstore. "Let's go and sit in Ed's kitchen. It's cosier. Let's go have some tea and I'll tell you what I can."

Everyone moved, as if waking from a slumber, except for Jessica who seemed to be glancing around her, as if she was checking for something. Emily and Sam noticed, but the others just moved ahead.

Feeling safe in Edwina's kitchen, Emily explained what she could see. She told them that the creatures of Aurana, and they themselves, appeared to her in the Void, as the colours they had chosen, when they thought of her and had attached to her purple bubble form.

Although she found it difficult to explain, Emily told them that she thought as soon as they went deeply into their unconscious, with thoughts of her, they (or are least some part of them) seemed to be with her and make her stronger. If something disturbed them, or they were suddenly more conscious, like when she'd dropped the sword, they seemed to detach from her again.

Josh piped up, "So ya did use the sword then? Really, ya did? And I didna seen it." Morgan shouted, "Of course she did, you moron. She was swinging it all over the place. Sarah and I saw it with our own eyes. It was quite something."

Emily carried on explaining that since thoughts were things, where their thoughts were – either with her or not – made a difference, because she had felt some of her power fade when Morgan and Sarah had withdrawn. "Sorry Em" piped up Morgan, "I'll focus better next time, but it was one hell of a show you put on."

"And I missed the lot of it," said Josh despondently, like a dog without a bone, used to being the one that was usually most observant.

"You really saw nothing Josh? Not this side or that side?" asked Emily.

"I don't know what sides ya talkin' about. It was just black, warm, with flashes but there was nothing I could see clearly," said Josh, wanting desperately to figure out which was cooler, being able to see things inside or seeing Emily fighting with a sword outside of himself.

Emily guessed that while they were attached to her, the more they let go and allowed their subconscious to 'handle' things, the more they would see with time? Perhaps when they felt more, or when she knew how to train them to see, not just think things, they'd be able to see Aurana as well?

So many questions swirled around each of them as they contemplated what they had just experienced.

"I wonder what Em sees?" Sam thought.

"I'd like to swish that sword about like that. I wonder if she'll let me?" thought Morgan.

"I wonder where we go when we blank out?" thought Sarah.

"I wonder if I'll be able to see her fighting with the sword next time?" thought Josh, "I must remember to come back here and see like Morgan did."

Emily was thinking, "How does the world change from here to there? Why was it just dark in front of me? What am I supposed to be fighting? All the Elder told me about was that it would be a man? And who's Silenkis? Pugly, have you got some explaining to do."

Jessica's thoughts tumbled about in a rush. Unobserved, Edwina watched her. Jessica prayed, "Please don't do this to me anymore. I can't do it. I'm scared. Please just leave me alone."

Many more training sessions would go on in Edwina's hall.

Sarah and Morgan learned to concentrate better.

Josh went in so deeply every time that he couldn't get out to watch Emily wield her sword. From time to time, others would join them like Josh's mom or people that Edwina said were 'believers'.

Jessica's sadness stalked her, but she never missed a session. Each time it was over, she seemed to be thinner and paler, like something was eating away at her from the inside.

And as for Pugly, he told Emily, oh so politely and calmly, on their last day of practice, that she would be on her own on the day of the Battle.

Emily protested bitterly, knowing that she would feel naked without him. He simply said that to help her, he would have to be somewhere else. Emily tried everything she could to convince Pugly to be with her. She was still terrified, even with all the practise they had put in. But all Pugly would tell her was that he (and Elvis, of course) had a mission of their own.

Scared out of her wits, but gaining strength and confidence with each training session, Emily still had no real answers about who she'd be fighting. She remembered the beaked-monkey creature she had seen so long ago at the swings. If that creature was anything to go by, Emily wasn't sure she could face what might be coming at her, without any warning, sometime in the near future.

"Always so cryptic," thought Emily

"In time and on time, I'll be there with you," popped into Emily's head in the sweetest chocolate voice.

Emily knew from her months of experience that she would get no more clues, no more dreams, no more visions of anything, until the Battle was upon her.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Silenkis wasn't watching.

Engrossed in his Circles of Influence, manipulating as many Lost Ones as he could, he didn't notice Elgeba sit down quietly with one of his soothsaying books, Spells Linking the Lands Between Time.

Elgeba was very bored but he knew better than to move from where Admonai said he must shivered at the thought of Admonai and quickly looked around. He hastily put the book down. The feeling of being watched was with him. Searching, eyes moving around the room, sitting still, Elgeba searched intuitively, heart-feeling for the eyes focused on him. Silenkis was still busy with his Circles.

Scanning the room, Elgeba looked closer at things than he had before. Pots of potions lay on shelves, glass bottles filled with vile stuff like eyeballs, while sour-smelling scents wafted out from more pots on the ground. Elgeba shivered again. What was it? Who was it? Who had him in his sights?

He noticed small movements happening everywhere around him.

What had seemed to be a quiet, uninhabited space was actually filled with all sorts of smaller crawly and snappy animals. Ugly, eyeless, white troglobites, thought Elgeba, feeling really smart using such a big word that he'd just read about in the Spells book.

Apparently, some spells could move what once was a creature with colours and form – creatures that lived above ground – to something creepy and crawly underground. In other words, spells could change magnificent tree-based walkers into ground scurrying troglodytes. The salamanders slithering around in the far corners, now white and eyeless, might once have been brown and green tree-dwellers.

Remind me to keep out of Silenkis' way, thought Elgeba, I don't want to be a pale, eyeless, slithering thing.

He felt exposed, threw a glance over his shoulder. Nothing there.

Small movements drew his eye towards the corner where Silenkis had put his makeshift bed. As his eyes focused closely, he realised it was a spider. Eight hairy legs, moving in a death-like dance. It looked like it wasn't sure where to put any of its legs and so tentatively touched each leg off the floor and started all over again. But it wasn't the creepy dance that made Elgeba stare. It was the eight eyes on the spider's head. Swivelling in round sockets, in eight different ways at once, it was like the all-seeing eye that appeared when Silenkis started the Circles of Influence.

Still feeling uneasy, he reached for the book again. At that moment, something made him look at the spider more closely. It was growing! He was sure of it. Suddenly, the spider was enormous, filling one side of the cave. Elgeba screeched in fright and woke Silenkis out of his trance.

"Infernal monkey, what is-s-s it now?" Silenkis yelled and then quickly bowed recognising Admonai somewhere in the disfigured eight-legged form.

"Mas-s-s-ter," said Silenkis, bowing deeply

"His Royal A?" muttered Elgeba, realising how fearsome and tricky Admonai truly could be.

Shifting shape to his Man form, which was much more threatening than the eight-eyed spider, Admonai walked forward to stare into the Circle of Influence.

"You are doing well? Silenkis?" he said, rapidly turning his gaze to Elgeba. "And you, monkey, I'm surprised you haven't created any chaos yet."

"What can we do for you, your Majesty?" asked Elgeba, sniffing and groveling at Admonai's feet.

"The Void has been activated. I can feel it. Someone has been there. In and out, for longer and longer periods. I thought it might have been you, you stupid, curious, ugly monkey since I told you never to go near it. But I can see you're still here. How truly amazing," Admonai continued sarcastically.

"Silenkis, what can you see?"

"My Lord, I was-s-s too busy with the Circles-s-s to notice anything untoward." Silenkis answered annoyed at the interruption. "There is s-s-still much to do if we are to prepare properly. Much s-s-shadow work to be done. Do you believe it is-s-s urgent to dis-s-scover who might have happened upon the Void or can I continue?"

"The Void is calling us, Silenkis. It does not matter who is calling, just that we will need to answer. I think we all know who it might be," said Admonai, looking beyond what was in the room. He prepared to march out the door. "Be careful of your tone, Silenkis. Your many talents will not always outweigh your usefulness to me. There are days when I wonder why I haven't got rid of you before. Finish what you must do, because soon we will face her."

"And as for you, you grovelling snot, make sure you stay out of the way." Admonai sniffed at Elgeba, sweeping past him out of the cave.

A Void? What Void? wondered Elgeba. If I'd known, I probably would have gone there. What's the void? More specifically, where's the void?

Silenkis and Elgeba looked at each other, then returned to their tasks.

Elgeba picked up Spells Linking the Lands Between Time unthinkingly. This one seemed to have a similar feeling to the Book that Emily had. For some reason it made him feel warm and fuzzy. Snuggling down, holding the book on his lap, Elgeba flipped it open to an arbitrary page wondering if he'd be able to see any words.

Boredom really was Elgeba's worst enemy. It made him do things without thinking. It made him lose his sensibility. It made him do things that he normally wouldn't. When he was bored, his curiosity came out. He didn't wonder so much as have an urgent need to get himself into trouble. As his thoughts kept humming, Void, what Void, where, Void, Elgeba read the words on the page. Elgeba knew that books that said Spells in the title meant that things could happen, but his head was everywhere but on what he shouldn't be doing at that moment.

Silenkis continued with his chants. Elgeba would never forget those words that Silenkis repeated for days. The only word that changed was when Silenkis specified someone's name. No wonder he was bored. Silenkis chanted:

Let me into your weak mind

Let me move on through your spine

From your head down to your toes

As your reasoning slowly goes

Give to me your bleeding heart

So you can get a new start

Belong to me now, live my laws

Let every cell now heed my calls.

Elgeba thought about the many names that Silenkis had uttered. He wondered idly whether Silenkis had once had friends and what had happened to them. He continued to read:

Limbo is where you will go

When you are not in the know

Far from something, in between

Wanting for things not all seen.

Time is what we'll give to you

When you wish for something new

Careful now, think what you want

For your wish, to you, we'll grant

And he promptly fell asleep.

A while later, feeling light and refreshed, Elgeba woke up. Stretching his arms up, eyes still closed, he bumped his fingers into something solid.

Jeez, he thought in his usually bright way, has the cave become smaller? Lazy, about to drift off again, he realised that he couldn't hear Silenkis's chanting anymore. So what? entered and exited his head. Elgeba's thoughts drifted this way and that while he gently woke up some more. He really didn't want to wake up.

Do I really need to? Why? Elgeba questioned as he felt a nudge. Visions flashed before him. Colours drifted. Greens and Browns and Blues. Colours, shapes and sizes he hadn't seen for a very, very long time. Elgeba was used to the dusty browns of the caves, the black of the clouds, and the shadowed grey that ruled the kingdom.

Elgeba smiled sweetly as he dreamed.

Glad the chanting's gone. S-s-silly S-s-silenkis, he thought, mimicking the stuck-up snake. He felt a harder nudge.

Naah. Go away, want to sleep some more, Elgeba said to whatever was nudging him.

The nudge became a kick.

"Ow," said Elgeba holding his shin.

"What's up with you kicking me, Silenkis?" asked Elgeba, finally opening his eyes.

He sat up in fright, stiff as a board, his back against the solid thing that he couldn't see because everything around his was a single colour of white. "Oh dear. Oh wow. Oh no. What now?"

He looked around to see if there was anything other than white, anything he could touch or feel other than the wall behind him. He shifted this way and that, feeling suspended in mid air. The only thing that told him he wasn't about to fall through whatever he was in or on, was the fact that he hadn't already.

White surrounded him on all sides. Elgeba stretched his arm out sideways to see if there was something solid to his left. Nope, fresh air, he thought as he stretched his other arm out to the right. Same here, his thoughts continued, stretching forwards.

The white was very disorienting, so he closed his eyes and felt above him. Nothing there either, his thoughts tumbled on. Am I in the Void? He shrank and mewled, "But I didn't do anything. I promise I didn't. All I did was read some book and fall asleep!" A spark ignited way back in his consciousness when he said the word 'book'. Realising he needed to make the best of a bad situation, he felt around some more and continued thinking. Nothing up, forward, left or right, something behind me and under my bum. I wonder how far this place stretches.

What is this place? he thought, about to panic. A voice answered, filling the space around him:

Words on this page

Salute you Mage

Long have we waited,

Our need now sated.

We've found you at last

Back from the past.

Come under our wing

So you can once more sing

Out of darkness to light

Will you come when we fight

These words you'll heed

When we will most need

For you to come, as you must.

You've always belonged to us

"Did you really believe that these words were meant for Emily, Elgeba?" the voice boomed through the space. "Do you not remember where you came from? Do you not remember who you are? Do you not know?"

Elgeba was too frightened to answer. He squished his eyes shut and simply shook his head. What have I got myself into this time?

"The words in the Book, Emily's book, are only seen by those that can see and for whom they have meaning. The words in the Book are for the person who reads them. Not for anyone else. You know that. Don't you?"

Elgeba opened his right eyelid a tiny slice and looked around him, trying to pinpoint where the voice might be coming from. Nope, his thoughts ran, still no one here, just little old naughty me. How did I get here? What did I do? His eyebrows lifted as he remembered reading the Spell.

Oh hell, he thought.

The voice responded, lightly laughing, "Not quite Elgeba, but close." It lifted slightly, becoming less of a boom and more of a hug. "What you have now, is time, Elgeba. We have granted you the gift of time undisturbed so that you may remember."

"We have granted you time, where there are no distractions, nothing to see, hear or feel except yourself. You will live with your thoughts, only your thoughts, until you remember who you are and make your choice. Only then will we allow you to return to us," the voice smiled.

Elgeba could feel the smile, but got more frightened.

Stay here, in limbo, only him, nothing else. This is hell.

Elgeba thought at light speed, I can't be alone.

"Please, please, what must I do? I can't stay here. I'll go mad," Elgeba pleaded.

"Who are you? Who is us? What am I supposed to remember?"

Smiling still, drifting away, the voice faded, "Remember who you are Mage. And when you are ready, one will come and you will know the words that we need you to say."

The Voice was gone. Silence descended. Deafening, total, unhinged silence.

'Wait!" yelled Elgeba into the nothingness.

'Wait. Please come back. What am I supposed to do? What?" Elgeba said his breathing becoming sharp and quick.

Nothing. Elgeba gave up shouting.

Time passed.

He sat alone as the voice had said he would. Thoughts swirled, mixed, flattened and screamed. Thoughts calmed, moved, disappeared and reappeared.

If there were walls, or at least if Elgeba could feel them, he would have been bouncing off them.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

Admonai was pacing. He'd known the Battle was looming, but hadn't expected it to start this soon.

The Elder had come to him in her form. In form. She had laid the challenge at his feet.

And all because of that stupid, hare-brained, ugly, festering, beak-faced monkey again. Admonai smiled and then frowned. He had wanted Elgeba to be noticed, but something else had gone on while the monkey had been on the other side. Things were happening that he had no knowledge of. He could feel the difference. He could feel that the monkey had disappeared from his landscape.

He knew he should have left the stupid monkey on the battlefield when the Great War had been fought. He knew he'd be more trouble than he was worth. He'd looked at the fat, pathetic thing lying there, all beaten and half-dead and thought that he'd be able to salvage and use him somehow. He'd never make that mistake again. The monkey was far too curious for his own good.

Damned monkey-rat, he thought as he moved towards Silenkis' cave. When he returns this time I will flay him alive, I will get rid of him once and for all. His usefulness is over, Admonai ranted internally.

Things had happened too quickly; even with all of Silenkis' and his own preparation, they had still happened too quickly. Admonai would not be able to take re-enforcements with him into the Void. He would have to rely on himself and Silenkis alone.

Admonai marched up to Silenkis, roughly shoving him out of his Persuasion trance. "You let that monkey escape," he yelled, "you stupid imbecile."

Silenkis jolted out of the Circle of Influences. One day, he thought. One day I'm going to chop your head off you incons-s-s-iderate brute, but said instead, "But we are nowhere near ready with the amount of Lost Ones-s-s that we will need, S-S-sire."

Realising what Admonai had said, he looked around to the corner where he'd last seen Elgeba.

"What do you mean he es-s-scaped? Es-s-s-caped where?" he asked.

"The dunce is in limbo," yelled Admonai, stomping hard, creating waves of anger, and not caring how many troglodytes he stood on.

"How?" Silenkis mumbled looking around.

"I don't know, you silly snake. But he is," said Admonai in disgust.

Silenkis looked into the corner wondering how Elgeba could have done it then saw the Spells of The Lands between Time lying next to the stack of his other spell books. Silenkis was particular about his things being in place. He was a perfectionist. He needed to be; with everything going on around him, he needed order. A book lying on its side, out of its place, meant someone had been snooping.

Knowing Admonai would blame him, even though it wasn't really his fault, Silenkis just shook his head in sympathy with Admonai and continued his original sentence.

"We have only a few Lost Ones-s-s-s on our s-s-side, my Lord."

"You know the Process-s-s-s of Indoctrination needs-s-s to be repeated for souls-s-s to go into Battle. Watchers-s-s take time to turn violent, not many are ready," said Silenkis, starting to cower in the face of Admonai's renewed rage.

"Whoever you have will haveto be enough. I trust that you are, yourself, ready? You, Silenkis, will be at my side," yelled Admonai.

Silenkis was surprised at that. Admonai usually went alone for the one-on-one combat. Silenkis didn't know how Admonai had managed to change the Rules of Encountering, or what Admonai was up to, but he wasn't looking forward to being a part of it. He was happy to be on the sidelines, manipulating others; not in the thick of things.

"Move!" said Admonai, shoving Silenkis before he could protest more. "We need to be at the Void now," Admonai said, marching out the cave.

Admonai reached the entrance to his underground home. Huge, red sandstone columns protected his fortress. Sand lay everywhere for kilometers. Silenkis followed, alone, behind him.

Silenkis had not seen the sun in days. In fact, it was way too long since he'd last moved out from his caves and his white skin soon burned pink from the rays starting to peek out from behind the black clouds. The fact that the rays even existed did not bode well for them because it meant power was shifting towards the side of Light. The Balance, once restored, might banish them forever.

Squinting up at the clouds, shedding his skin for the umpteenth time in as many minutes, Silenkis slithered along behind Admonai, getting excited about the battle that was going to happen.

Finally, his Lost Ones were going to be used. Emily May would be defeated.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

"Em. Emily. Emily May. Wake up," shouted Pugly, bouncing up and down on Emily's stomach, while she slept on in the cubicle.

"Hrmph, what?" Emily said, feeling queasy, waking up.

Pugly jumping around like that and her Eight suddenly on fire, Emily realised that something had happened when she least expected it to.

"Come Em. You've got to get the others up, cup, yup. Something's happened. Good for us, plus, fuss, not so good for them, ahem, phlegm," Elvis shouted while wiggling more than Emily had ever seen him do. It was almost impossible to keep sight of him when he was in this state.

"Wake your friends up, go to Edwina's. Now!" Pugly said.

"But it's the middle of the night," Emily responded, her shocked eyes wide, "in the week. We'll get into trouble," Emily said not quite sure what was going on.

"The Battle is beginning, thinning, winning. The fight is now, Emily May, say, pray. Now, holy cow," Elvis said, excitedly pulling on Pugly's ears. Elvis rode Pugly like a rodeo bull whenever he was excited – and sometimes, just because he felt like it.

"But we're not ready. We still need to train some more. We still haven't managed all to be there consistently," Emily said, scaring herself more than Pugly and Elvis ever had.

'No matter. No time, mind, find. Has to happen, smack 'em, flatten." Elvis said, at the same time Pugly said, "The Elder said we need to go now Em. I don't know why. I don't know everything. So come already."

"Okay, okay," said Emily, jumping out of bed, her cow pajamas lightening the mood as Elvis giggled at them uncontrollably. Emily didn't know if it was the picture or the fact that they had 'Groo-vy Moo-ver' written at the bottom.

Emily changed into a pair of jeans since she didn't want everyone in fits of laughter while she was battling it out, knowing that no one else saw her in her warrior garb except Pugly. She went to wake the others. She was glad that she'd left the sword at Edwina's as it would have slowed her down now.

She woke Sam, butterflies swirling around in her stomach. She realised that she was going to see what all this preparation had been for. Emily still had no idea whom or what she'd be fighting only that it was a He, which was bad enough. At least the Elder had told her that much the last time they'd practiced.

I wonder what he will look like? Emily thought, racing down the dorm into the toilets. She got sick while Sam woke the others. Jessica, as usual, was moaning in her sleep. It had become worse with each practice session, but since she wouldn't tell them what was going on, there was nothing they could do to help.

All of them were nervous sneaking out of hostel. They knew they'd get into trouble for bunking in the middle of the week, let alone in the middle of the night. As they moved through the door, excited and nervous, Emily thought, Great warrior I am. First sign of battle and I'm puking my guts out, but was distracted by Sam whispering, "Little help here please Em?"

Jessica stood, frozen in the door way. The more Sam pushed, the less Jess budged. Jess couldn't, or wouldn't, move a step.

Emily walked back to her and said, "Jess. It's okay. You don't need to come if you can't. It's my fight. It's okay, go back to bed," and nudged her back into the passage, trying to get her back into bed.

Suddenly Jess snapped awake, away from whatever had taken hold on her. Jess looked Emily squarely in the eyes for the first time in weeks, then said, "It's my fight too" and walked out into the night.

Emily and Sam looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and closed the door. They were getting used to the strange comments and moods from Jess.

The girls gathered courage the further they moved away from hostel. They grouped closely in shared excitement and adrenalin. They ran like the wind to Edwina's. Not one of them noticed the mass of men that came out of the Lennox Hotel. Walking like zombies, they appeared to be drunk – but at that time of night, no one was surprised to see drunk men, or women, since it had become the norm in Kingstown.

As Emily and her group reached the corner of the Old Quarter, Josh and Miriam appeared, also moving quite quickly.

"Hi Em, what's happenen?" shouted Josh, excitement dripping off him like heavy rain.

"Shush Josh," said his Mom.

Trying to talk softer but not succeeding, Josh grabbed Emily's hand saying, "So today be the day or rather ta'nights the night. Mom and I, we 'eard the Elder. She said best we be coming to Ed's urgently. Mom says we're all in for a fight."

Emily, not sharing Josh's joy at the opportunity for a fight, said "I guess," as they arrived at Edwina's creepy front door.

Just as Josh was about to push it open, it opened.

Edwina stood there in all her finery, with her long nose twitching, delight showing, saying, "Come, come lovies. No time to dilly-dally. The Shimmers told me ya was coming and that I had ta round up some of the believers. We're all ready for ya. Come, come in now." she said.

Grabbing Emily in a big bear hug, Edwina continued "We're all here for ya now, lovely. All here so don't ya be forgetting that when ya in that place there. Ya be strong now see. We knows ya can do it otherwise ya wouldna been chosen."

Edwina released her and handed Emily her sword.

"Now ya remember," Edwina continued, sounding like Emily's running coach before a big meet, "don't ya go having none of those doubts. You know ya be ready otherwise the Elder would never ha' allowed it ta happen now."

Emily looked at Edwina questioningly. Edwina had never talked about The Elder before. Seeing Emily's question in her eyes, Edwina responded, "Aye. I heard her. Clear as daylight, I did. How else do ya think I could have gotten everything ready so quick?"

"But I still can't see nothink in that there room," Edwina continued frustrated at her lack of visual ability while pushing Emily along, "Hurry now love, let's get this here show on the road then."

Emily, sword in hand, followed Edwina into the hall as if in a dream.

Sam, Josh, Morgan, Sarah, Jess and the believers, as Edwina called them, sat down in their usual places.

I wonder why we are such creatures of habit, always sitting in the same places, Emily thought, feeling something like impending doom. Edwina closed the Hall door without Emily asking, and her hero team, as Emily had come to call her friends in the practice sessions, slipped into their meditative state without her even saying 'in and out' once.

"Pugly," Emily thought, feeling like a little girl, "Pugs, are you there?" Emily remembered that he'd said they wouldn't be there because he had some other important 'mission.' Nice friend you are, she thought, getting the jitters. Leaving me in the lurch at the precise hour that I really need you. She was scared, so she got angry. It really wasn't fair that neither Pugly nor Elvis were there.

A sugary sweet voice lit up in her head saying, "I am here, little one. I am here. Do not think that we have deserted you in your finest hour for we have not. You will see. All is not as it seems."

More terrified than ever, Emily felt like pummeling the Elder, and would have, if she believed she could have.

Thinking, All is not as it seems, what the frig do you keep meaning by that? Why don't you come down here and fight Him then?

Emily's anger slowly dissipated as the realisation of what lay before her hit her in her solar plexus, almost doubling her up and sending her to the toilet again.

The voice continued, "You are ready, little one. Use your anger. Now is the right time for the Battle to begin. Pugly will be with you as soon as he can be. Remember, right time, right place, right space, it all happens as it should; we are with you." Then it faded away.

Feeling angry, sad, scared and righteous all at the same time, Emily looked around the hall at the people that had become her friends over the last year. At the friends who still believed in her enough to be at her side tonight.

It takes a special kind of person to believe in something when you can't see, smell or hear anything, thought Emily, sending her friends her grateful heart.

Gathering her courage, knowing that she could do this, knowing that she had to do this, Emily stepped into the Void.

Immediately the thoughts, colours and strength of her friends surrounded her as they had in the last few practice sessions. Her power increased as she heard, "You can do this; we believe in you; we love you; go for it; you're strong and brave; ya the man or is that the whoo-whoo-man?"

No guessing who that last one was from, thought Emily, smiling at the strength she always received heart-feeling Josh. He really had an incredible lightness, joy and fun about him that lifted her spirits.

Looking around her, the colours of herShimmers shone out and merged with the thoughts of her friends, attaching to her, brightening up the Void. A flash went off directly in front of her, in the darkest of spaces. Emily gasped, positioning her sword in front of her, thinking Oh my. Oh my. Oh my, trying to focus as she'd been taught.

The dark wavered, becoming a murky gray.

Emily screamed as the one thing that had terrified her from birth cam out of the shadows.

Her courage deserted her. She wanted to swing her sword but it felt too heavy. Loud noises behind her distracted her. I've got to get out. Now! She stepped backwards out of the Void, breathing too fast, disoriented.

She looked up at the people in the Hall, her sword hanging loosely at her side. Many had their eyes open, some were staring at her, but most of them faced the Hall door.

Something was banging loudly at Edwina's front door.

Edwina looked at Emily sideways and said "Now, now, lovely, I'll handle this. Y'all get back to what ya got ta do."

Emily silently screamed, I can't. You don't know what's in there! But Edwina just gave her the look. The look that, like Gran's, said, 'no argument now, it is as it is, so just get on with it'. She knew she'd have to face her worst nightmare. There was no going back.

She had trained for it. Her friends had trained with her. She couldn't let them down. She couldn't let Aurana down. She couldn't let herself down. Emily glanced around the room, looking into her friends' eyes. Sam smiled, waved her hand towards Emily, sharing, "Go on now. This is the adventure of a lifetime. Just do it."

Easy for you to say, thought Emily, knowing Sam hadn't yet learnt how to catch her thoughts. "You don't know what's waiting in there for me," she whispered to no one in particular.

Josh nodded solemnly as if he understood what she was facing. He'd lived on the streets and had probably faced worse things than her. That thought gave her courage. If Josh could do it, then so could she. Josh smiled, closed his eyes, and urged the others to do the same. Emily took one last look around her. The pounding on the door had become louder and she could hear shouting.

Not my problem, got enough on my plate, thought Emily, grabbing what little courage she had left as she stepped into the Void.

She didn't hear Jessica moan.

Immediately, the Snake struck out.

Emily moved the sword in front of her.

Striking and hissing in a strange language, the Snake shot towards Emily's head. Swinging her head to the left, narrowly avoiding the sharp teeth, Emily brought the sword up as a shield. The Snake smacked into the flat side of the sword and then swished itself backwards quickly, opened its hood wide and became half a metre taller in a split second.

Twirling the sword around her head, sucking in the encouraging thoughts around her, Emily stumbled. Surprised, dropping to her knees, head bent forward, she wondered what was going on. The Snake lashed, snapping back towards her.

Emily felt a burn in the middle of her back and saw something hurtling towards her out of the corner of her eye.

Josh tried to keep some of his thoughts with Emily as he heard Jessica moan more loudly. He knew something was about to happen and searched with his senses, but couldn't figure out what or where. He moved towards Jessica.

Jeez, she really is good with that sword, Josh thought, impressed, looking at Emily's manoeuvers for the first time. His thoughts were no longer in the Void as Jessica shot past him. "Stop her!" screamed a voice in Josh's head, but he was too late. Jessica hurtled straight towards Emily.

Emily couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Jessica? In the Void?

That wasn't possible. Was it?

Jess came at her as the Snake, split-tongue spitting, whipped forward with his great sharp fangs, knowing it was her or him. Jessica screamed like a banshee. "No, no, don't. No!" Emily stepped backwards as Jessica jumped at her, still shouting, "No. No more. No more!"

The Snake focused on Emily alone. He ignored Jessica. Lightning-fast, he struck out.

The creepy door to Edwina's sanctuary-castle broke in half. Edwina tried sending protection, thinking good thoughts, but nothing seemed to make any difference. It seemed like what was going to happen neededtohappen regardless of her trying.

Rupert led the Lost Ones into the shop. Miriam silently shut the Hall door to hide Emily from them.

"Where is she?" shouted Rupert.

"Where is she? We want her," shouted the Lost Ones, following like a pack of wolves after innocent sheep. They scurried around into all the nooks and crannies, crevices and shadows. They lifted their noses as if to smell herout. The Lost Ones searched.

"Where is she?" roared Rupert, brandishing a knife.

A crash came from behind the Hall door.

Pugly, Elvis and something as ugly as sin that looked like a beak-faced monkey crashed into the chandelier in the middle of the hall, just as Josh ran to stop Jessica. All of them landed in a tight bundle of hands, legs, jerking limbs and flailing fingers.

Entangled, Josh yelled, "What the …"

Pugly ignored the spiky-haired boy and hung on with his teeth to the beak-faced creature's scrawny rib. Elvis held the beak-faced monkey by his ears like a cowboy on a rodeo, saying "Say it, git, spit! Say it now, cow, wow."

The monkey-creature softened and smiled gloriously for the first time in what felt like a long, long time. He looked around him at these strange surroundings, knowing his chance had come. Being alone was not such a bad thing after all. He chanted what he had heard so many times before:

Let me into your weak mind

Let me move on through your spine

From your head down to your toes

As your reasoning slowly goes

Give to me your bleeding heart

So you can get a new start

Belong to me now, live my laws

Let every cell now heed my calls.

Jessica crashed into Emily, knocking her down. Emily's sword was trapped between them.

The Snake struck. Two curved, dripping fangs bit deeply into flesh.

The door of the Hall opened.

A man appeared. The beak-faced monkey repeated what he'd heard again and again in his white surroundings, where he had nothing to distract himself from but time itself.

Free you are, from friend and foe

Rupert, you may come and go

As you please, in your time

You are no longer one of mine.

Rupert came out of the fog he had been in, as Edwina slammed and locked the hall door shut behind him. He looked around in confusion. "Hope the rest have fun out there," Edwina laughed, knowing how things in her bookstore-castle didn't always appear as they seemed.

Rupert's eyes swept past the people who sat with closed eyes in the chairs, not caring who they were. He'd found her. Thank heavens. He'd found her. Then, oh please, oh please, oh please, his thoughts repeated, as he ran towards his daughter.

"Please let her be okay. Please!" he screamed out, "Please let her be alive. Please don't let me be too late. Please don't let it be too late for me to save both of us!"

Emily tried to ignore all the chaos, the screaming and shouting around her, She abandoned the last vestiges of anything small that remained within her and shoved Jessica out the way. She shot up, knocking the Snake under its chin with the top of her head.

She drove the sword into its neck, twisted it, and pulled.

Something behind the Snake, hidden in the Shadows, stepped forward. A Man, powerful, magical and fearless, shadowed and cloaked in darkness, frightening and fierce, moved towards them.

Emily readied her sword again. The Man advanced silently towards her. She could feel the malice surrounding every particle of him. Bending down to grab the dead Snake lying in front of him, he said threateningly, calmly, looking into her eyes, "You will pay for this, Emily May."

"It has begun, Emily May," he whispered as he moved back towards the shadows at the far end, "but it is in no way finished. I know who you are and this is the beginning of the end for you. It is not over," he said so malevolently that Emily shook within her core.

Jessica didn't move.

Feeling faint, Emily fell out of the Void.

A man was holding Jessica, sobbing.

Pugly, Elvis and the ugly monkey waved and disappeared.

All eyes moved questioningly to Emily.

Everyone in the Hall had seen the strange creatures: they had appeared not in the Void, but in the space between the two worlds.

The banging and shouting outside the Hall stopped, as feet started shuffling away behind it.

Rupert sobbed, "My daughter."

He clutched Jessica in his arms. "Jess, wake up, please wake up. Oh Edwina, what have I done?"

Edwina came up to the muddle, up to Rupert and Jessica. Shushing him caringly, she helped Rupert out of the Hall, Jessica's body hanging limply in his arms.

The Lost Ones faded into the night. The voice in their heads had faded when the sword struck the Snake. With the help of a monkey that had a beatific smile on its face when it said goodbye and vanished, Rupert was free.

Emily was shaken. "I think it's over, for now at least," she said cautiously. The room erupted into a hundred questions.

"Did you see that? Them? The dog, moving, monkey?" said Morgan unable to find all the words. "What were they?" asked Sarah, still scared. Excited whispers of, "I saw. It's real, it's really real," filled the hall as Josh's mom, having come back into the Hall after Edwina, gently moved the believers out towards the creepy front door, saying, "Thank you for being with us. Thank you."

"Is Jess really dead?" said Sam, coming up to Josh and Emily.

"It's not over," resounded in Emily's mind she sank down to the floor cross-legged, exhausted from the attack. Emily knew she had just faced her worst fear and lived. Snakes, real live little snakes, were definitely not going to scare her anymore. But, that Man…

Why did Jess come in between her and the Snake? How had she been able to come into the Void? Why had Jess saved her? She heard the Elder. "All is not as it seems. Remember this in the days ahead Emily May. You will need your faith to see you through, to help you understand. Use your thoughts to create what you want and to help all of you mend. Remember what we have taught you and thank you for giving us hope," said the Elder.

Emily was desperate to understand. She sagged into the deep nothingness in front of everyone, her Eight no longer shining.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Emily hugged her gran.

She was glad to be back in her seaside village of Paradise Beach with gulls flying around and smells wafting from honey-carts. Mostly she was glad to be away from the stares and questions.

It had been a tough couple of weeks before the end of year bell had rung. They had all been grounded. They had made a pact to say that Jessica wasn't with them on the night. So they couldn't tell anyone what had happened. Besides, no one would believe them.

What had happened to Jessica hung heavily on all of them, but mostly on Emily. When she'd asked after her, Edwina had just said she was with her father now and wouldn't say anything more. The school was still looking for Jess.

Emily hadn't beenallowed to see Josh, but some days she would see him hanging around the school gates and hostel. They spoke in their heads as best they could. Emily knew that Josh hurt with her, but that didn't always make it easier.

Jess had saved her life by jumping in front of her as the Snake had struck. She had closed down her thoughts after the fight, after she had slumped into a stupor. It hurt too much, and it made her feel too sad to think about what had happened. She heard Josh on the edge of her mind saying, "Ya have no idea do ya. It'll be a' right, you'll see. Look around ya Em. Look for the beauty. Ya'll see. All is not as it seems."

Emily was tired of hearing that.

Still Josh gave her hope, while Sam, Sarah and Morgan kept trying to pry all the details of the fight out of her. Emily tried to tell them what happened in the Void. When she spoke of the Snake, she saw by the expressions on their faces that she might as well make it up. And so, leaving many details out, she just told them about the Man who'd said her name and warned her that it wasn't over.

At least now, Sam, who had seen the words in the Book and her friends, who'd seen and swopped stories about Pugly, Elvis and the ugly monkey, believed in Aurana. They had seen with their own eyes the creatures that had appeared and disappeared. But the knowledge that she, or something, had made believers of out them didn't take away her feelings of responsibility, or the guilt that she hadn't done enough.

When Emily arrived home in Paradise Beach, Gran had taken her in her arms and said, "I know, my child. They told me about your friend. Jessica, was it?"

Emily burst into tears.

Gran always knew the right thing to say. "She's not gone, you know. We never are. The Shimmers came to me while you were away at school. They told me of things I didn't know before. I'll tell you too when the time is right, but for now just grieve, girl, grieve."

Emily didn't even question the wisdom of the words, too hurt and scared to care. It was at times like these that she missed her parents more than anything. When death surrounded her, reminded her, all she ached for was them.

Emily spent the first few days of her holiday trying to make sense of everything. She often opened her Book and read the words. The words that told her she was a saviour mage. She smiled bitterly. She hadn't been able to save Jessica, so what made her a saviour mage?

Thinking about the words that she had seen on the wall, the words of the Scroll of Seven, that she had seen through the red mist in the cave,

First, to start, you must know thought

Then take care to not get caught;

Seeing world's most times concealed

Desire creates what is revealed

Restored, slowly, in plain sight

Imagination then takes flight

Linked to feeling; heed this clue

As once discovered, all comes true

The only limit's in the mind

Forgotten secret depths you'll find

Go with the flow, in and out

Leave behind you every doubt

Then, with time, the Dead will out

Healing, healing all will shout

Resurrected, an old prayer

From the earth's intent to care

Time, once slow, will run much faster

As you learn to be a Master

With fire burning in the night

So Creation comes to light

Within your faith you'll twist and turn

Your sense of place being where you'll learn

Within yourself is so much more

Relative to all that's been before

Once, together, we'll become

All you've searched for, not just one

Creating magic with each leap

All is shown for you to keep

Emily knew that there was more to come.

The Man had said so himself. But she wasn't ready for more, not yet. Maybe she wouldn't be for a long time. She was tired of mysteries.

Emily tried hard to ignore Pugly and Elvis, wanting to sort out everything on her side of the Veil and ignore what was happening in Aurana. One day, she asked Pugly to tell The Elder that she needed to be alone for a while. She was happy if Pugly and Elvis still came to her every now and then, but she didn't want to see Aurana. She needed to spend time in her own world, alone, for a while.

Aurana was growing rapidly in front of her eyes each kilometer as they drove home from school. What had not been there before, now was. Darkness was fading, shadowed grays slowly disappearing, as the Auranians were allowed to expand once more. The Veil had thinned and the Auranians were slowly getting more space to grow, to express and to be.

It was all too much for Emily to take in. It was too busy, too hopeful, altogether just a little too much. She needed peace. So she'd asked Pugly to relay a message, not wanting to go into Aurana or find the the Elder from this side of the Veil. She might have helped Aurana, but she'd lost someone she considered a friend, someone who was a lot braver than she had been. She'd known someone would die, but that didn't take away the reality of loss.

The Elder came to Emily one night, in Paradise Beach.

Deep into the night, holding Emily gently on the edge of sleep, she said, "Your wish is my command, oh brave warrior. We have such love for you"

The song continued:

We understand your need for time,

To live only within your kind,

But do not stay away for long

For we still have need of your song

She kissed Emily softly and whispered, "All is not as it seems little one. All is not as it seems, remember this as you dream."

Emily's last dream thought from the Elder was, "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite. If they bite squeeze them tight, then they won't come back tomorrow night."

Emily heard giggling, as the words flowed on, "All is not as it seems, first, let go, then dream, dream, dream. When you're ready, come back to us, because we have a surprise for you."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Michelle Brooks has been writing for 10 long years, and has had poems, short stories and flash fiction published in various forms. Always expecting to write a serious self-help book with her psychological background and degree, along with her intense spiritual journey, she was pleasantly surprised when the Emily Series, as it is being called in South Africa, started pouring out onto the page. Innovative marketing – the Emily series being the first books on the mobile platform MXit – created a media storm, with reviews in Oprah Magazine, Fair Lady Afro-Optimists column, local newspapers and online sites ( .za). Along with great reviews (actual feedback from readers) in YOU Magazine, Teen Magazine and Bratz, this all lead up to an interview on the most loved Lifestyle TV programme, Top Billing.

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