The Way Back Home's

The Other Side

In the room, Farrell sees a bruise on his sister's arm. Not good news, of course. But Farrell was quite grateful that his sister had only minor injuries. No bones cracked or broken. He couldn't imagine anything worse happening to his sister. Milo must have felt the same anxiety. Unasked, Milo asks for some warm tea for Libby. Libby herself is still traumatized. He just kept quiet from now on without daring to say anything.

“Hey, Toto missed you.” Milo takes the stuffed rabbit out of bed and brings it to Libby.

Libby grabbed the doll from her brother in silence. He sat on the sofa while Farrell was compressing his arm.

“What's it like to still hurt?” Milo asked again, hoping his sister would make a sound. Libby shook her head without saying anything. “Is there anything you want? Cake or chocolate maple bar, maybe? Farrell still has some. Yes ‘kan?”

Farrell nodded. “I'll get it if you want,” he told Libby. “But not for you. Your voice is still hoarse,” he said again to Milo. Farrell thinks Milo will protest. Instead, Milo did not react to anything. It seems they're still focused on Libby.

“Do not see me continue,” protest Libby after a while. “I'm okay now.”

Milo smiled broadly. “So, what do you want to do now? Play with Toto or sleep? Sleep always brightens the day, don't you think? We can take a nap without worrying about PR here.”

“That sounds like a great idea.”

Libby went to bed, immersed herself with Toto, falling asleep quickly. Seeing him, Milo felt sleepy.

“About following?” ask Farrell.

Milo. “That sounds like a great idea. Hahaha... Come on, nap.”.

Farrell just sighed. He stood up and, when Milo thought he was going to bed, Farrell went to the door.

Milo frowned, “Hey, where are you going, Farrell? Lunch not yet finished.”

“Actually something is strange here.” Farrell was wearing the scarf he had taken off earlier.

“Example? The sound of wolf howls and snowstorms?” Milo recalled again on the article he read before going to Eden’s Lodge.

“Not. I found a large dining room on the back side of the inn and many people there but it was quiet here. Christo kicked me out of there and even told me to come home this morning. And then, Denise, she told us to look for something she didn't even mention by name. Strangely, you and Libby immediately complied. You guys are like... like... hypnotized?”

Milo chuckles. “Pnotized? Just be right! I don't feel hypnotized—”

“That's exactly it,” says Farrell. He remembered when his sister protested at the look on his face at breakfast. More precisely, Farrell put on such a face because he felt something bad was happening. Like at the moment. “It's precisely because you don't feel anything, it's dangerous. You yourself forgot when I asked.”

“Oh, probably because I ate too much chocolate.”

Farrell snorted amusedly and shook his head. “Good reason, Milo. I'm going to see uncle and ask him.”

“On large dining room or about looking for something?”

“Everything. Not just that. If I remember, the dining room was a little weird, too. I was there when we were supposed to have dinner, but it was early in the morning. At first I thought uncle put a TV screen in his window. Then, there are also hover plates and eyeball soup—”

“Cleaning plate?” Milo. “You must be dreaming. I think you are now under the influence of hypnosis.”

Milo folded his hands, a little doubt with his brother's statement. “Then why don't we go there again? If Christo dares to expel us, just report it to uncle. He must have forgotten who he was dealing with. Our last name is also Eden, you know.” A smile formed on his face.

Farrell couldn't resist, but he smiled like his brother.

　

　

Farrell guided Milo up to the third floor. For some reason, his instincts were vigilant. His eyes looked around as if they did not want anyone to see them there. When they make sure everything is safe, they stand at the door. Farrell didn't know what he expected when he opened it. Everything looks normal in the interior except the dim atmosphere in the hallway especially after the door is closed.

“So that's his strange door and this hallway to the dining room?” Milo opened the conversation.

“The dining room is below us. Wait here a minute.” Farrell asks her to wait until the painting moves.

Milo was wide-eyed as the painting moved smoothly. “This is amazing. I can even hear the sound and feel the wind from here. Like magic alone!”

The magic? The word sounded familiar in Farrell's ears. He chose not to discuss it and asked to step up again. They arrived at the balcony with stairs at each end. From there they could see out through the tall window. Dark, of course. The crescent moon rises from behind the clouds. The light cannot light around. Only able to show a little form of snow below.

“Wow! As I remember it was ten in the morning.. Or eleven.. Why is it dark here?”.

“I told you earlier.” Milo asked exactly as Farrell had in his head. “This place is like the opposite of the other side of the inn.” Farrell is awakened by his own words. “William said that Eden’s Lodge was built to fit the other side. What does this side of the building mean? What exactly is this place?”

Milo shrug. “Entahlah. Come down.”

Farrell and Milo went down the stairs. They looked inside the dining room on the right side. The room is empty. There are only a few customers. The closest customers to them were two bearded men enjoying a beer. Floating beer bottles fill the glass as the glass content decreases.

“OK. Not a floating plate but a bottle?” Milo.

One of the men heard Milo's words and threw a big smile at him, almost like a grin. “You're new here? Floating magic has been around for hundreds of years, son!”

“Magic? I think he's drunk,” Milo whispered.

“Drunk or not, no one can explain that.” Farrell turned his head towards the long counter table. Milo next to him was gawking. Plates, glasses, spoons, forks, cutlery compose themselves. Some were piled up on the table, some went into the closet behind the counter.

“Do you think we're sleeping?” ask Milo.

“Sleep and dream the same?” reply Farrell. “Looks like no.”

From the reflection of the cupboard glass behind the counter, Farrell finds trouble coming to them. He could see Christo walking quickly from behind. Farrell turned around. Christo was walking to him. Incidentally, he could ask her. Christo opened his mouth to speak but Farrell was faster.

“What is this place? This side of the inn is like another world.”