The Other Side of Me

Chapter Eight: The Other Side of Me

In my room, I stare at the worn leather book, brushing my thumb over the small engraving of the SPC symbol.

I'm going to Earth.

I have read the journal several times by now, the pages all labeled and categorized. It explains almost everything about this new world. The history, the culture, and the diversity of the humans living on it. I have learned the names of the different continents, countries, and even the major cities of the world.

I remember the words Mr. Polic told me. You have to fit in this new world like you have been there your whole life. In order to convince other people that you belong, you need to convince yourself that you belong.

I have learned not only about the humans, but the animals as well. Here on Darkani, all we have are cats, fish, and the occasional butterfly. But on earth, there are billions of species living on the land and in the water. I learned that the animal in my dream is called a deer, specifically a female deer which is called a doe. I don't believe I have ever seen one, so seeing it in my dream makes me question the life I had before living on Darkani. Corinne told me that I was a few days old when I was given to her, but can I really remember the little memories I had on Earth?

I hear a knock at my door. The door opens and Michael puts his head through the crack.

"Hey, Bella." He says in a quiet voice.

I look away from him. "Hey Michael."

"Can I come in?"

I shrug. "Sure."

He comes into the room and silently closes the door. He joins me on my bed, but doesn't violate my personal space. He fold his hands and I look up at him.

"Sometimes, I believe that this is all just a dream and I'll wake up at any minute," I say as I look back at the journal, "But this isn't a dream, is it?"

He shakes his head. "Sadly, this is not a dream." He smiles. "But this is a pretty awesome plot for a book." he says, taking the journal softly from my hands.

I laugh and he puts his hand around my shoulder, looking at the worn cover of the journal. "Bella. This is only the beginning. There will be so much more waiting for you when you get there, and a book full of facts isn't the only thing you will need."

"Well it's all I got." I reply. "I wish I had more to go by."

Michael looks away and then looks back at me. "Maybe you have another source to go by."

"What is it?"

He smiles. "You're looking at it."

I gasp and look at him. "You're part of the Society?"

"Ever since I arrived on Darkani." He replies. "I haven't been here for a while, but my knowledge of Earth is far more accurate than of those who don't have the greatest memory." He starts poking his head. "When we come here, we remember things but some of our memories are forever taken from us."

I take the book from Michael's hands and open to a page that I had marked with a small torn piece of paper. On the page, a picture of the country called the United States of America looks back up at my interested eyes. "Do you remember where you were from? Ms. Tanya said that the majority of the SPC is from this country."

He looks at the map and then points to the middle of the map. "South Dakota. Big state, but not that many people."

"They said they are going to send me to a small location. They won't tell me where it is, though."

Michael laughs. "Or they don't know where they are sending you. The portal brought you here, but we don't know where you came from."

I stare at the map. "Great. I'm just going to end up in the middle of nowhere."