Is this really Will's world?
Could it really be true? Had Lyra really imagined herself into Will's world? She was full of anguished joy that she might be going to see her beloved Will again.
There was still one thing that she had to worry about. She had no daemon. She was still apart from her beautiful Pantalaimon. And although, witch-like, she could live away from her daemon and he could live away from her it was a terrible strain and she knew that sooner or later she would die if she did not get herself back together with him.
Right now, she had even more worries. She was stranded in a strange world she knew not where with no money, no spare clothes and not even a toothbrush. Where was she going to sleep? Where was she going to get food to eat?
"Are you all right, dear?" A friendly voice suddenly broke in on her reverie.
Lyra looked up. A dark-haired young woman of about twenty-seven was looking at her inquiringly.
"I don't know," she said ignorantly.
"You do look dazed," said the young woman. "Come down to the commissary with me and have a malted milk."
They walked past the buildings to the commissary. They got milk and crackers from the counter and the young woman paid. They sat down. Lyra drank the malted milk thirstily and ate the crackers greedily.
"Ok, sweetie," said the young woman, briskly. "Let's do the introductions. I'm Elsa Manchester, and I'm a production assistant here at Megalopolis Pictures. That's me. Now it's your turn."
"I'm Lyra Silvertongue," Lyra replied.
"What a pretty name!" gushed Elsa, eagerly.
"Thank you. It was given to me by a bear. Please, where are we?"
Elsa looked at Lyra more closely. "I guess you're more dazed and confused than I thought. Though, there are plenty of dazed and confused people around here. All right, we're in the commissary of Megalopolis Pictures, which is in Burbank, which is part of Greater Los Angeles, which is in California, which is in the United States, which is on Earth, which orbits a small unregarded yellow sun in the unfashionable western spiral arm of the galaxy. Lyra, I don't think you're in Kansas any more."
"I don't know Kansas. I want to be in Brytain."
"A Brit, eh? I thought you talked funny." Elsa sat quietly for a while. Then:
"Do you have any relatives or friends here?" she asked.
Lyra thought for a moment. "Only you," she said trustingly.
"I must be crazy to say what I'm going to say now," said Elsa. "Look, I'm at the end of my shift and I live only half an hour away. Do you want to stop over at my place?"
Lyra looked at Elsa. If only she had the alethiometer! Then she would be able to tell if Elsa had wicked intentions towards her. There was no choice, though.
"Thank you, Elsa. You're very kind," was all she said.
Oooh! I like Elsa! Has Lyra found a new friend?
