Concern swept over Connie's face as the group stepped outside the house. Freedom bumbled his way through the front door, making a lot more noise than necessary. Luckily, Darcy grabbed hold of the door before it could slam shut. As she closed the door quietly, she noticed there was a deathly calm everywhere. Connie wrinkled her nose as if she could smell the unsettling silence in the air. Freedom jogged down the porch stairs and into the front yard.
"Y-y-you guys coming, or-r-r w-what?" he asked.
"Sshhh, you silly dog," hushed the Wise Old Woman.
Darcy shot an irritated glance at Freedom. He shrugged, or at least gave a dog's attempt at a shrug. Together, they walked down the sidewalk staring in every direction at the neighborhood. There was nobody in sight.
"What happened to all the people?" whispered Darcy.
Freedom lifted his snout to answer but Constance quickly put her hand in his face. Then she pointed ahead to the street corner. A strange silvery mist crept across the city block. It slowly moved towards them.
"What is that?" the Wise Old Woman wondered as her skin trembled at the sight of the all-engulfing mist.
“Darcyyy…. Is that you? Please…” A voice whispered from a distance.
Darcy stopped dead in her tracks. She knew that voice. It was very familiar.
“Oh my goodness,” Darcy exclaimed.
“What’s wrong, child?” asked Constance.
Visibly shaken, Darcy lifted her hand out as if to gesture at the direction of the voice.
“W-what i-is it?” questioned Freedom.
He nuzzled himself against Darcy’s skinny blue jeans. Darcy was too much in shock to notice.
Darcy asked them, “You guys didn’t hear that?”
“Hear what, Darcy?” said Constance.
“Ohhh Darcyyy… I know you are there… I can see you… Please,” whispered that same voice, only it was louder this time.
“That! That voice! Did you hear it??” Darcy gestured again with a wild look in her eye.
Connie and Freedom looked at each other with bewilderment. They both shrugged at Darcy.
“I didn’t hear a thing, child. It is quiet as the grave out here,” the old woman responded.
“Y-y-eahh, I c-could h-h-hear a p-p-in d-dr-r-op,” mentioned Freedom.
“Well, I heard it. It’s calling out to me. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard her voice,” Darcy calmly stated.
Suddenly, it was there, loud and clear, right inside Darcy’s head. “Darcy. It’s me. I need you!”
Her brain screamed in agony. System overload. Darcy doubled over. The Wise Old Woman reached her hand out to catch Darcy. Freedom tried to break her fall. It was too late. Darcy crumpled to the ground like somebody tossing a trash bag out on the street curb.
“Hello.”
Darcy blinked. She could not believe her eyes. Carissa stood in front of her. But where was this place? There was darkness all around. A white cobblestone surface was beneath her feet and it glittered spectacularly, as if light reflected off it. Then she realized it. The light was emanating from their bodies. They were glowing.
“Darcy, it’s me. Carissa.”
“Carissa! What’s happening to me?”
“I need your help, Darcy. I’m in trouble.”
Gloom was written on Carissa’s face. There was a sullen timbre in her voice. Darcy hesitated.
“Please, save me…” Carissa extended her hand to Darcy.
Darcy curiously peered at Carissa. Then she panicked. She turned around and started running. Her eyes shifted to and fro, desperately trying to find a way out of this nightmare.
“We used to be best friends,” Carissa declared.
Darcy ran with all her might. She glided through the darkness like a gazelle escaping its predator. She reached her hands out, grasping at the infinite blackness that surrounded her. Then she stopped to catch her breath.
“It’s no use, Darcy. You can’t run away from here,” said Carissa.
Darcy spun around. She came face to face with her former bestie. Sweat poured down her brow and stung her eyes. Then she took a deep breath.
“Tell me what is going on here, Carissa,” Darcy demanded.
“I will tell you everything you wish to know, so long as you agree to help me.”
Darcy groaned with displeasure. “How can I help you when I don’t even know what’s happening?!? Aaaahhhhh!!! I just want to scream!”
“Please do. Get it all out, Darcy.”
So she did. She gathered every ounce of her inner being and let it all out. Darcy screamed as loud as she could. It was the shriek of her soul. Carissa smiled with amusement. Then she handed Darcy a small white cloth. Darcy snatched the cloth and wiped the sweat from her face.
“Okay, Carissa. I’ll help you. Just tell me what’s going on.”
Carissa nodded, “Okay, let’s start from the beginning.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
“Darcy, when you woke up this morning you noticed everything was a bit off.”
“That’s the understatement of the century,” interjected Darcy.
Carissa put her hand up. “Please, if I may.”
Darcy quieted herself, sending Carissa an apologetic look.
“The world as you know it is gone. You woke up in the Weird. It’s a variation of the world you know and love, but make no mistake, it’s not that world. This is the Weird. The world you come from is the Normal. I can tell you want to get back to the Normal, but I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”
Darcy sheepishly raised her hand.
“Go ahead, ask away,” said Carissa.
“How do I get back to the Normal? I’ve had enough of the Weird. I don’t like it. And what’s this place? How are we standing here on glitter-bombed pavement surrounded by nothingness, talking to each other like this is normal, when clearly, this is far from normal??” spouted Darcy.
“You still have that fire, I see. That’s good. Don’t ever lose that.”
“JUST ANSWER ME!!” Darcy shouted right in her face.
“Okay, okay, geez. This is my dream. I have the ability to draw people in and communicate with them inside my dream. I think it’s like some sort of dream telepathy. Anyways, I brought you here so you could save me. I know you want to get back to the Normal, but I think the key to that is helping me first."
“Oh, really? How so?”
“I’m trapped. I’m locked in my brother’s closet. I’ve tried everything I can think of to escape, but I can’t break the door open.”
“How did that happen?”
“Well, you know how it gets between me and Emerson. We fight all the time, only this time he became really angry. He shoved me in here and locked the door. I’ve been in here all day and I haven’t eaten.”
“Where’s your mom?”
“She’s not here. I’ve tried calling out to her. I’m afraid I’ve lost my voice calling out for somebody, anybody. I must’ve passed out. Then I started dreaming…”
“So then why did you bring me here? Why didn’t you ESP your mom instead?”
“It doesn’t work like that,” quipped Carissa.
“Oh, of course not,” Darcy retorted.
“My subconscious must’ve been thinking about you, so that’s why you were brought here. That’s the best I can explain it.”
“Okay, so I help you get out of Emerson’s closet. Then what? How does that help me get back to the Normal?”
Carissa’s eyes lit up. “Then we stop your sister from destroying everything. I know where she’s getting her powers.”
Darcy took a step back. “Wait, how do you know about Jolene? How do you know all this if you’ve been locked in your closet all day?”
Carissa grinned. “I’ve been traveling in my dreams. I’ve been able to see what’s going on. Trust me, Darcy. I’ve been doing my homework. While I haven’t quite discovered how to get back to the Normal, I do know that stopping your sister is key. If we don’t stop her, then we will be forever stuck here in the Weird. You can bet your bottom dollar on that.”
Darcy felt like half of her mind was frustrated while the other half was defeated.
“This has gone way beyond crazy. I’m struggling with all this, Carissa. I don’t know what to do.”
“Just save me, Darcy. Then we’ll figure out the rest, just like old times….”
Pain seared through Darcy’s brain. She put her hands on her head and yanked at her own hair to stop the hurt. Then, she felt something wet and sticky on her forehead. She blinked. She blinked again. Freedom licked her forehead, trying to wake her. The Wise Old Woman looked down at her. Darcy shot up to her feet.
“Yuckkkk! Freedom!” Darcy exclaimed. She wiped the dog slobber from her face.
“W-w-w-elll we l-lost y-y-you f-for a mi-n-n-ute,” he explained.
“Are you alright, my dear?” asked Constance as she helped steady Darcy.
“Yes, I’m fine. I guess I was dreaming for a moment.”
“Dreaming? Just like that? My dear, you fainted,” stated Constance.
“Connie. Freedom. I know what we have to do,” smiled Darcy.
They both leaned closer to hear what Darcy had to say next.
“Just follow me, guys!” Darcy chirped.
ns 172.70.127.129da2
and then Add to home screen.