Chapter 3- Whirligig of fun...
If anyone had asked the girls afterwards what it had felt like, they probably would not have been able to explain well, despite their good English skills. However, what they probably would have said was that it was like being pulled in two directions while spinning faster than the speed of light down a very large vortex whilst having no clue where they were going. After what felt like forever, but was realistically only two minutes, they came to their destination. Or rather, one of them.
Whatever they were expecting, it was definitely not this. It was a never- ending white space, which extended as far as the eye could see. The two girls stood alone, not speaking for a moment. After they had had caught their breath, and regained their senses, they spoke, because, company was, after all, all that they now had.
"Es..."
"Where the hell are we?"
"My thoughts exactly."
The two girls edged closer to each other, linking arms, and looking around for any signs of...well...anything.
"Is this heaven?" asked Jenna dreamily.
Estriel turned to her and raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, okay, it was tacky, but I felt it needed to be said," remarked Jenna.
"Welcome to the Halfway House. My name is Dean, question, comment or complaint?" came a monotone voice behind them, making them jump about a foot in the air, spin around and face their companion.
The thing facing them was a transparent form of a man about ten years their senior.
"Um..." began Jenna. "Who are you, where are we, why are we here, how do we get out of here..."
"Question, comment or complaint?" He repeated.
"Where are we?" asked Estriel.
"Quest..."
"Okay, we get it!" exclaimed Jenna.
"Jenna! Don't speak to the nice man-ghost like that..." smiled Estriel nervously.
"Sorry..." Jenna smiled sarcastically, and raised both eyebrows politely.
"Hello Dean, our first question is- where are we?" Estriel spoke slowly as if to a child. Dean's eye's brightened and he answered.
"The answer to your question is- Limbo. Next Question, comment or complaint?"
Jenna leapt in.
"Our second question is- what is limbo?"
"Limbo is a state in between."
Emma nudged Jenna.
"Hey, I know this, Limbo's like a state between life and death!"
They stared at each other in horror as the point hit.
"Dean, I really like you...Our third question is- which way do we go for life?"
Dean shook his head sorrowfully.
"I am sorry, but that door is shut for the moment. You must choose an alternative."
The girls eyes widened.
"Dean...Are we dead?"
Jenna's voice trembled slightly, and Es watched Dean anxiously for his response.
"No. You have a different purpose."
Es took charge.
"Dean, what is our purpose?"
Thinking for a moment, Dean cocked his head to one side, and his eyes went distant. "You must visit my superior, Raphael. He wishes to speak with you."
Immediately, Jenna and Es saw a pathway, lined in yellow stones that glowed in the dim greyness.
"Please take the path. Raphael will meet you at the end." Looking puzzled and apprehensive, they did so.
"Hey Jen..."
"Yeah?"
"Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road, follow the, follow the...OW! There was no need for that."
A few minutes later, the path stopped. They looked around them, into the blinding whiteness, looking for a sign of Raphael, whoever he may be.
"Es?" whispered Jenna, unsure why she felt a need to speak so quietly. "Who do you think Raph...?"
She never got to finish that question, because a large sphere of energy that looked strangely like the one which had appeared in their bathroom emerged before them.
Something came out of it, and the portal closed.
The girls stood in awe at this magnificent being in front of them. Without realising it, they were staring at it, mouths slightly open, amazed at its beauty and grace. Long silver hair flowed into shining white robes and shifted in the slight glow that surrounded the celestial figure. Bright blue eyes stared clearly out of a face so beautiful it made them want to cry. The figure moved forwards. They watched its mouth open and move elegantly and definedly, until they realised, with a shock, that it was speaking to them.
"Hello...Hello...Salut....hola....guten tag..."
Jenna jerked back to life.
"Hi! Sorry!"
A look of slight impatience passed over the lovely face like a wisp of cloud past the sun.
"Hail, mortals. I am Raphael."
"Hail, O shiny one!" said Estriel, rather pleased with her sharp wit.
Janna grinned nervously.
"ShinING, Estriel, shinING..."
"I have come to guide you in your quest."
"Mission, journey, thing," murmured Jenna, quoting Pippin.
Estriel chuckled before noticing that Raphael was looking less than amused at their jokes.
"So, Raphael, what can you do to help us, then?" asked Estriel.
"Help? I am not here to help, I am here to guide and inform."
"Oh..." said Jenna.
"Right..." commented Estriel.
"You seem slightly afraid..."
"Afraid!"
"We're not scared, are you calling us girls?!"
"You are indeed of female form," said Raphael, and the girls couldn't help but smirk at his literal interpretation. "Let me transport us to a more comfortable environment." And with a swipe of his hand, they were in a relaxing, comfortable, inviting... Cave.
"Raphael, it's very dark in here..." said Estriel.
"Where are we?!" asked Jenna.
"Is this not a calming atmosphere?" he asked innocently.
"NO!" shrieked the girls as a loud roar came from the back of the cave.
"Okay, perhaps I can do better," said the angel.
And with another swipe of the hand, they were in a...bedroom.
"Raphael!" said Jenna, scandalised. "Too relaxed! Too relaxed!" shrieked Estriel frantically, backing away.
"Could we possibly go somewhere else?" suggested Jenna.
"Okay," shrugged the Angel. "Think of somewhere that you both find relaxing, and I will recreate it from your thoughts."
The girls thought.
A minute later, they were sitting on a sunny beach, with the wind in their hair, and the waves lapping at their toes.
"As fun as this inter-environmental hopping is, can we actually get to the point now.
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?"
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