Another journal

You can find all the sections here.

The trailer park was deserted again, everyone at work or school. Emily kicked through fallen leaves to the arbour, smoking one of her aunt’s cigarettes.

Charred, with the withered remains of flowers clinging to it, the latticed arch looked like an abandoned roadside memorial. Which, Emily mused, it pretty much was. She walked around it, wondering if it was active as a jump point already. Looking around self-consciously, Emily stuck an arm through. It vanished up to the elbow. Swallowing hard, she jerked back. Her hand tingled.

Before she could think of all the very good reasons not to, Emily leaned forward, lightly bracing herself against the arbour and plunged her head and shoulders into the Sidhe. Her eyes blurred as though she were keeping them open underwater, then the monastic halls of the Institute popped into sharp focus. Emily gasped in surprise, startling a trio of chattering shadows walking by.

“Excuse me?” Emily tried to keep her voice casual, like she existed mid-jump all the time. “Could you get me the hare? And quickly?” The shadows flickered out as she added, “and bring a mirror!” Emily hoped they were off to find the hare and not just to go gossip about the weird thing they just encountered. Emily figured she looked strange enough as a head jutting out of nothingness to unsettle even a Sidhe resident.

While she waited, Emily gathered her thoughts. She’d done this without a plan, but she was able to scratch something together before she heard the pattering steps of the hare’s arrival. He was sprinting at coursing speed, his assistant flying behind with a mirror.

“Goodness, child, what are you doing?” He was out of breath, tiny pink tongue lolling. “Do you have my film?”

“Not yet, but I’m figuring it out. Right now I’m checking doorways. I don’t want to come through all the way because of the time difference. How long has it been since I left?”

“Only a day, but I’ve been on pins and needles the entire time. What you engineered for your route back is elegant, such inspiration!” He groomed his whiskers as he composed himself. “What did you want the mirror for?”

Emily shifted, her balance was a little precarious and she was anxious not to fall headlong back into the Sidhe. “Could you check if this jump is two-way?”
Muttering, the hare took the mirror from his assistant and examined the wall Emily’s head was sticking out of. “No such luck.”

Emily flared her nostrils angrily as she sighed. “How about the one in my room? That still works?”

“Yes.” The hare nodded eagerly. “I’ve even fixed the broken pieces of that desk in place so a stray step doesn’t disrupt whatever accidental portal aspects exist. You’ve a way here and way back, they’re just not the same.”

“Good.” Emily smiled down at the hare. “I’ve got some things to wrap up, like getting you your film, but soon enough the court will come traipsing through. I don’t know why the jump terminates here I hope it doesn’t disrupt anything.”

The hare’s teeth showed in an unfriendly smile. “Oh, I’m sure we can make them feel welcome.”

Emily tried not to think of what his plans might be and began to withdraw, but stopped and abruptly leaned forward again in worry.

“You read the contract. If the children of the court decide to return, can they? Legally?”

The hare thought carefully before replying.

“The contract was for the traitors, so not technically. As far as the Sidhe is concerned, these children don’t exist. They may be Folk by blood but they were born in the mundane world. To gain full rights they’d have to be sponsored.”

Emily thought quickly. “Could the Institute do that?”

“I don’t know why we would.”

“Because you owe me.” Emily’s eyes narrowed. “In exchange for the film I am getting you and ready access to more if need be, you will sponsor these seven children so they’ve full rights as Folk to come and go from the Sidhe as they will.”

Settled back on his haunches, the hare nodded solemnly. “I do so agree.” His nose twitched with a friendlier smile as he added, “you’re learning, Amelia.”

Emily stuck her tongue out at him as she pulled herself back into the mundane world.

Mirrored from Journal of a Something or Other.