The Land Behind the Mirror | ONC 2022

Chapter 18

"Are you saying a telepathic dinosaur has managed to achieve what the best of our scientists couldn't?" Deirdre asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Alba said a bit louder than necessary.

"Alright, but if that world is the way you describe it, why didn't you stay there? God knows I haven't been the best mother to you for years. I wouldn't have blamed you if you left me behind," Deirdre said with so much honesty that Alba couldn't help but stare at her in wonder.

For the first time in a long while, Deirdre didn't have a phone attached to her hand. Furthermore, she hadn't even touched any technology since Alba got home which must have been a personal record.

"Because I couldn't leave you behind. You are my mother, and this is my home," Alba said, confused by her mother's statement.

After all, she always insisted that Alba had to respect her because they were family. That they had to always stick together.

"Home is the people who love you and help you be your best self. For you, that person, your true family has always been Ana," Deirdre said with sadness in her voice. "Ever since we lost your father, I have lived in this fantasy world of games and technology, too afraid to face the painful reality. Your disappearance made me realize how much I love you and how my home was never these gadgets and material things. It was always you."

"I love you too, mom," Alba said, surprised.

Deirdre hadn't told her that in a very long time. That made it clear how much her mother had changed during her absence. She was glad to have back the loving mother of her childhood, but she couldn't help but wonder if the beautiful house she adored was actually her home.

Did she come back for the comfort of the familiar house? Or was it always about the hope of getting her mother back, her real mother, and not the technology-obsessed zombie she had been in the last few years?

"Mom, would you ever consider going back there with me?" Alba asked before she realized what she was doing.

She wasn't sure how or why, but she had started to like that other world more than she ever did the world outside her own home. There were no mean people ready to spread rumors about you without giving you the benefit of the doubt, no false friends to stab you in the back. Even though the world behind the land had its own dangers, now that she saw her world with different eyes, she realized it was far less dangerous than living in her world.

"You know as well as I that I haven't had an actual life here for years. If it means getting the chance to spend more time with you in a place you clearly love, I am ready to take the risk," Deirdre said.

"How do you know I love it?" Alba asked, confused as she wasn't sure she was making the right decision.

She just wanted her friend back.

"Because your eyes light up when you talk about it, even the scary bits," Deirdre said, gently stroking Alba's cheek. "So, where do we go? What do we do?"

"Follow me," Alba said before she had the chance to change her mind.

After all, this would be the biggest adventure she had ever set out on, and she was terrified. However, she realized that love and honesty were things that were starting to slowly evaporate from her world, and she needed those things like she needed the air to breathe. It made her realize why Ana stayed because she finally found what everyone craved, a loving community.

As they entered the attic, Alba hoped with all her might that they didn't close the portal already. What's more, she really hoped that with the newest adjustments, they wouldn't end up back in the T-Rex land but in the beautiful garden where she last saw her friends.

"Remember what I told you about Terrance?" Alba asked her mother as they stood in front of the mirror.

Deirdre nodded her head as a glint of fear shone through her eyes. It was clear that she would do anything for her daughter, but that didn't stop her from being petrified.

"If we come out in a forest, you just follow my lead and run," Alba said, thinking about the fastest way to reach Grandma Bertha in case of an emergency. "If it's a beautiful garden, you can relax and enjoy the view."

"Alright, let's go see those dinosaurs!" Deirdre said enthusiastically, although her shaking hands revealed her true sentiments.

Alba took her mother's hand into her own as they touched the rippling surface of the mirror together. Soon they were swallowed up even before Deirdre could start to wonder at the mirror's strange properties.

This time, luck was on their side as they found themselves in a beautiful garden. Yet, that didn't stop Deirdre from fainting when the enormous dinosaur approached them.

Ma'am, are you alright? Do you need assistance?

"She'll be fine. It is too big of a shock for her," Alba said, gently helping her mother up and onto the nearby chairs. "I don't think she actually believed me until we went through. Luckily, we didn't end up to where I first came, or I am not sure we would have made it."

"Alba! You are back!" Ana exclaimed, running towards her from inside the building.

She proceeded to give her another of her Herculean hugs, thrilled that her friend was back, that they would have some more time together.

"I finally realized that home is where family is, and this is why I have all my family here," Alba said, pointing at her mother's prone figure. "I went back, and everything looked so different, so much worse than I remembered it. It made me realize why you chose to stay. It made me hurry back because I was afraid it might be too late."

"I am so glad to hear that because I had this really cool idea about your house. Since you love the Victorian style, I thought we could combine that with..." Ana rattled on quickly, excited to share her idea with Alba.

"Slow down, Ana. First, let's go to your house and help my mother recover," Alba said, smiling at Ana.

"Right, right," Alba said, helping Deirdre up.

"Oh, and Julius, next time, please check your calculations or warn a person before they step into the transportation system, would you?" Alba said calmly.

The readings changed when they registered such a complex organic material such is a human. I do apologize, but it only happened once you touched the surface. There was nothing I could have done differently. How far off the mark were you?'

"A few houses away and a few weeks off, although I am not sure if that was about your door or the different times in the two worlds," Alba said. "Oh, and I recommend closing all the portals and all that. You were lucky that we were the ones who came through because you aren't ready for the bad guys of our world."

Julius looked at her for a few moments as if judging the truthfulness of her words.

Very well, then. Dereck shut it down.

"Sure," Dereck said, quickly typing away at his controls. "Does that mean we'll start working on my instant teleportation idea?"

Perhaps. There are still quite a few things we can make better in this world.

That was the last thing Alba heard as Ana, Deirdre, and her set off to Ana's house. It was partially crazy, but it was yet another adventure that she was happy to undertake.

The land behind the mirror had so much more to offer. Alba was looking forward to exploring it all with her best friend. More importantly, she was thrilled to have a home with all the people she loved the most, a home that inspired her and made her want to be so much more.

Heartforest showed her where her heart was all along and how to follow it.

THE END