Between The Realms

Part II

Before Dean and Delphine could turn around, three days passed, and it was time for their midnight rendezvous. They were as ready as they could be.

Once night fell, they were anxious as they forced themselves to pretend to go to sleep. That night they wished their parents a heartfelt goodnight with an I love you thrown in there for good effect.

At midnight both Delphine and Dean's sky phones buzzed, and it was time to go. Dean threw his overstuffed backpack over his shoulders and wished they could have traveled during daylight hours.

Delphine and Dean traveled wordlessly down their street, and only then they spoke. They double-checked that they plugged in the right address as they made their way to Dewey Machen's house. Dean's eyes swiveled all around as they walked over the floating sidewalk.

When they reached Mr. Machen's shed, he breathed a sigh of relief, a little prematurely though I may add.

"You must be Dean and Delphine," Mr. Machen's wrinkly and fuzzy face smiled.

Dean hands Dewey their forged waivers, and he helps the twins secure their jet-chute's on. Mr. Machen created a jet pack plus parachute combination, which is used for travel. I think it's pretty neat, and it seems Dean and Delphine think so too.

About five minutes later, the group is ready to take off into the stratosphere.

As they are flying through the crisp air, it was easy for Dean to forget his worries. Just as he decided that his initial reaction was too staunch, something well unexpected happened.

"Dean, where did you go?" Delphine calls

"What do you mean, I'm right here," Dean says, confusion lacing his words. This wasn't a time to act cute. "Delphine?" Dean demands after a minute of silence passed

"It seems the side effects kicked in," Mr. Machen states

"What does that mean?" Dean managed through gritted teeth

"Well, if you bothered to read the waiver," and at this junction, Dean mentally smacked himself, "you would have seen that I wrote that sometimes people's bodies have an adverse reaction to the jet-chute's and their bodies react in a variety of interesting ways. But don't worry, the side effects wear off once we reach the earth realm."

"Is Delphine's side effect that she can't speak?" Dean needed to know

"It does indeed seem that way."

"Okay, Delphine." Dean said loudly, "I'm flying to the right of Mr. Machen when you face us head-on. Please come here and hold on to my back." Then Dean screamed.

"What happened?" Dewey Machen asked worriedly

"I can't see."

"You need to relax, Dean. I know it's hard to do, but you must. People can have more than one side effect if their body is under stress."

"Well, thanks for the heads up."

"Sorry," Mr. Machen muttered.

Dean was able to relax slightly when he felt his sister's arms wrap around his shoulders. "Delphine, because I can't see, I'm going to need you to guide me. Please swipe up on my back for going higher and down for lower. Tap my right shoulder if I need to turn right and my left shoulder for a left turn." Dean wasn't sure if there were hurdles in the sky, but he needed a way for Delphine to communicate to him if he needed to maneuver around something. Or maybe even someone.

Dean lost track of time. All he focused on was his breathing and waiting for Delphine's signals. He was very thankful when he felt the refreshing tingle as they broke the barrier between the realms.

Shortly after that, Dewey Machen took their jet-chutes. "Remember to walk around until the side effects wear off. It shouldn't be long now. See you next time." And with that, Mr. Machen plunged back into the sky realm. Delphine wondered how many trips he takes back and forth between the domains.

"Okay," Dean said, "first we should find a place to stay and then a place to eat."

The odd pair made their way towards a motel. They couldn't afford much as they only had their scraped together allowances and some minimal earnings. Dean and Delphine took a long way, and by the time they reached the Motel, Dean was back to his usual self. Delphine still couldn't talk.

Dean texted Mr. Machen and asked how long a side effect can last. Mr. Machen wrote that it could take anywhere between 15 minutes and 4 hours.

It was then Dean decided they had to find another way home. Maybe they could leave on the 6 am shift on the sky tram.

Dean booked himself and his sister a room on the first floor of the motel. Things ran very similarly to what he was used to in the sky realm, except everything on earth was a lot more tied down.