Temporal Exploring 101 - Branch Cut

V.15 Delusional

"This is so exciting!" Lizzie exclaimed. "I want to see that place, right away."

"I think it would better to wait until lunch break, at least," Nancy cautioned. "If nothing else, there is not enough time for us to have a look at it now. Third period is going to start just a few minutes from"

During first intermission, Mallory and I had told our friends – that is to say, those of them who were involved in the investigation of Ms Delmond's odd behavior – about the strange place the two of us had discovered last night.

"Are you guys certain that you didn't just lose your way in the darkness, though?" Erin asked.

"Even if we had, there is no place within walking distance of the school grounds that looks even remotely like what we saw," Mallory replied. "I have thoroughly explored the surrounding area, for reasons that need not concern us here."

I thought I had a fairly good idea what those reasons were. They were most likely related to Mallory's skills of organizing the clandestine delivery of booze for the frequent but illegal parties of students at our school.

"So have I," Natty added, "and I can confirm that there is nothing that fits the description Cathy and Mallory have given."

Nancy raised an eyebrow at that. She had made it her business to keep her friend out trouble with the police, in so far as that was possible. I had recently learned that before I got enrolled at St. Albert's Natty had been in the habit of stealing goods from Arlesten shops and selling them. Chances were that my roommate had stored some of the stolen stuff in the area surrounding the school.

"Do you figure that the place you guys stumbled upon could be Ms Delmond's destination when she walks in the park at night?" Erin asked.

"That would be the logical conclusion," Natty interjected, before either Mallory or myself had a chance to reply. "We know that she has been lurking around the spot where Cathy and Mal crossed over at least twice. It would be too much of a coincidence if it turned out that she happened to stop and linger there by accident."

"If so, I wonder what she intended to do there," Nancy mused.

"Did you and Mallory see any people, in that other place?" Liz asked.

"No, none at all."

"There were no houses or villages or roads, either," Mallory added. "Just lots and lots of trees. Of course, it was too dark already to see very far," she amended.

"What about that eerie crimson light you mentioned, though?" Erin asked.

At that point the bell rang, calling the students of St. Albert's to attend their classes.

"Let's meet during lunch break and then walk over to that spot," Nancy proposed.

The hours until lunch passed agonizingly slowly, but pass they did.

Lizzie was already waiting for the rest of us. We were all so excited that we even considered skipping lunch altogether, but in the end we decided against taking such a drastic course of action.

Strengthened by a healthy meal of mashed potatoes, cabbage and a piece of meat of unknown origin, we walked to the clearing on the edge of the park.

Mallory pointed to a small group of trees. "That is where we saw the glow-worm last night."

"Well, let's go and find out what is on the other side." Natty took the lead, brushing aside low-hanging twigs and small branches as she went.

We followed her, expectantly.