The puzzle

Jessica hurries to the table I was seated in with a worried expression. 

'I don't think we're on earth' I speak first before she could even get seated. 

'Yes I found the same facts although its the same calender year' 

'Where are we, if not on earth?' I ask again. 

'I suggest that this is a parallel universe. We might have entered it when we touched the silver wall in the tunnel.' 

'So the tunnel is a portal?' I find myself speaking again.

'Yes, seems like it' Says Jessica puzzled. 

'Do you have dome cash on you? i'm hungry'

'Let's buy something but its not much. Just a little of my savings' 

'Thank you Jessica. Once we're energized let's decide on our schedule.'

We order the least priced food on the menu and decide to leave the restaurant with a bottle of water and some packed snacks for the night ahead. It's half past six in the evening when we leave the restaurant. 

'Laura, where are we going to spend the night?' 

'I have no idea. Maybe lets walk along the pathway and look if there is a cheap residence' I suggest.

We walk a couple minutes with no idea of our destination and arrive at a board titled 'FREE RESIDENCE' with a slogan 'we aim to serve 365/24'

'Jessica, let's check this place out. Look's hopeful' I say and she nods. We walk in and are greeted with a smile by a handsome receptionist. 

'Greetings Sir, What is this place about?' Speaks Jessica.

' Greetings my dear visitors. This is a home for desperate citizens. We also provide them with a promising job oppertunity when they are willing enough but as most of our residents are elderly we can only rely on our little creative art that they do or the funds that our beloved Princess provides.' speaks Mr. Lauzen White, a man in his mid thirties and his would be a british accent on earth.

'Is it necessarily to make an initial contribution to stay here?' I ask.

'It depends on the incoming individual, if they can employ themselves then its not necessarily. Only if they can't contribute to our residence will they have to bring in a small token of contribution' Mr. White speaks patiently pausing after each word.

'We'd like to stay here. Is it convenient?' asks Jessica.

'Definitely my visitors. We welcome you wholeheartedly. How long would you like to stay for and can I see your cards?' 

'Two days, for now and what do you mean by cards?' I ask.

'Very well. the identity card issued by the justice' he furrows his eyes hoping we understand. 

'Oh no, we dropped it on our way here due to a robbery and we will issue for a new only early tomorrow' cleverly says Jessica. 

'In that case, I would have to check with the manager here. Please give me a moment. You can be seated' he gestures us to a seat near the entrance door before making a call. 

We hear him speak ' Sir, its a situation' .... 'Yes sir, they don't have their cards' .... '2 young girls, sir' .... 'Are you sure sir?' .... 'Alright, I’ll inform them' .... 'Thank you sir.' he drops down the telephone and looks up to us with a cheer of happiness. 

'You can stay here but please make sure to apply for your cards, tomorrow.' 

'This is great news and definitely' We squeal simultaneously.

'Please fill this form and we are ready to go' 

We fill in our name, age, educational qualification, official residence (we leave it blank) and few other personal details. Mr. White looks up to protest about the unfilled blanks when we hand over the forms but let it be and accepts it with a smile. 

We are guided into a hallway where we see many elderly playing games and occasionally look up to us and say 'Hi, little ones.' A little further into the residence we notice little children being merry and playing among themselves. 

'This is an accomodation for the young and old?' I ask.

'Yes, actually an accomodation for any and everyone. Irrespective if the race, origin, gender, colour and appearance. The only thing that is terribly not encouraged here is an evil mindset' explains Mr. White 'Feel yourself at home' saying so he opens the door that held a number plate 107 to an unoccupied room with two beds. 

'Thank you' says Jessica before closing the door behind us. 

The room is painted with greenish blue and occasional flowery patterns. Its spacious enough for a free residence. It has a sofy mattress and a rectangular bedside table connecting our beds, that held a flask, glasses and a bowl of chocolates. 

'You sure they aren't pulling any tricks here? This place is nothing like what I imagined.' speaks Jessica examining the window curtains. 

'We don't have an option. We need to figure this place out and get back to Earth as soon as possible' I say.

'Why are you in a hurry, Laura? No one will look for us anyway and this place is an oppertunity to start over. To live a new life. It's a blessing don't you think?' 

'Jessica, are you nuts. We don't belong here, we never did. How long can we stay at this free residence? Irrespective of who would ans wouldn't search for us, we need to get back to where we belong' I try to speak some sense into her. 

'Whatever, let's talk when we wake up.' she grabs a bar of chocolate and consumes it and has some water before saying ' Good night! ' and cover herself with the quilt. 

All I could say was ' Good night ' and switch the light off.

It's been more than half an hour and I can't find any sleep. I toss and turn numerous times unsuccessfully. I sit up and decide to take a stroll out and learn more about this place. 

I walk down the corridor and stairs and realize everyone was fast asleep. There was no one in the living room, nor in the other areas where I found residents earlier. 

'Kiddo, what are you doing here so late at night?' asks a granny sitting on the couch beside the window knitting a violet sweeter. 

'Hello Grandma, I'm unable to sleep. So I came out for a while. Shouldn't you be asleep? 

'Oh my dear one, what is troubling you at such an hour? As for me, I have a short time left on this planet so shouldn't I live to the fullest? she questions with a smile.

'Grandma Liza, I open my mouth to speak, but stop as I have no clue what to talk about. I have never been consoled by an elderly person so I don't know saying what would help cheer grandma. 

'Tell me about yourself dear child. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be staying with your family?' 

'I don't have a family grandma. I was raised in an orphanage and was ill treated there.' 

'Heavens which orphanage is that? The princess needs to know. She would definitely bring that management to ashes' speaks grandma in a fury.

'I doubt if you or the princess will know about the orphanage, its very remote and I escaped from there so it doesn't matter now.' I say with a relief. Just the thought of 'Zeon orphanage' brings my spirits down.

'Oh my little child. What a heavy burden you carry. The heavens will guide you. Be brave and restart your life dear one.' these words of grandma reminds me of what Jessica spoke before heading to bed. 

'Grandma, tell me about the princess. I haven't hear much about her' 

'Well my child, the princess is a kind and loving lady. She rules the day with righteousness and loyalty to the throne. You should definitely meet her. You might be friends someday' says grandma.

'Does the princess rule the country?' 

'Definitely not, the day princess rules the entire kingdom that has many countries under it.' explains grandma yawning.

'Alright grandma. Let me help you to your room. Its really late' 

'Thank you little one.' I help grandma to her room located at the west corner room number 037. I help her get laid down and bid her good night. 

Back in the room, I wonder if its right to restart our lives here or it would be wrong. Why are we hear anyway? Does that mean many people have travelled between universes earlier? Or does it lats only few selected individuals pass through? I feel more and more confused and drift into sleep.

'Wake up, my beauty' I hear Jessica. 'It's time to find our life here and I definitely don't want to delay' she continues. 

I open my eyes slightly and notice she wore a different outfit, a blue jean and V-neck red t-shirt and a denim jacket and was enjoying the flavour of a candy.

'Hey' I say and complete it with a yawn.

'I got some spare clothes for you as well. Hop on and let's begin our first day on this planet. 'I’ll be downstairs' saying so, she closes the door behind her.

I freshen up and get dressed into a black jean and a leaf printed shirt. I put my hair in a pony tail and have some water before heading downstairs. 

I get morning wishing from many children who are busy helping the elder residents of the place. I find grandma Liza and have a brief talk before finding Jessica playing chess with a grandpa and 3 kids cheering for them. I hear Jessica speak as I walk closer to them 'Oh yes, my friend is a wonderful person. I met her just a day ago and I'm already amazed by her' 

'I wonder who is your dear friend' says grandpa Jacob.

'You'll meet her in a while but she had a sad past and my heart reaches out to her. She's my 1st true friend and I don't want to hurt her' she speaks. 

'Hey everyone.' I say as I go closer pretending I never heard their conversation.

'This is Laura, grandpa the one I spoke about just now' introduces Jessica.

'Hello my child. You have a very fond friend here.' says grandpa with a laugh ' and on that note, let me call it checkmate. You go enjoy the day with your friend' says grandpa. 

'Grandpa, alright. Bye ' Says Jessica before pulling my hand and talking me to the fining table. ' Lets have some food and decide our day' she says and I nod. 

'I hear another grandma named Finny tell a story about a forest a group of kids on the table.

'Grandma Finny, id the forest real?' I ask.

'Yes dear. It certainly is' says grandma before continuing with her story. 

'Jessica, maybe lets visit the forest first, and look up if we can find the tunnel' I say and Jessica agrees. We do as we planned after breakfast, we get the forests location and walk to its trees. 

'Is this the entrance?' I question.

'Seems like it is' Jessica says. 'We have to enter this branch coverd entrance' Saying so she tries her luck and so do I. After repeated attempts of separating the branches from each other we finally make it past the entrance. Its all clear and appears like a normal forest now, apart from the entrance.

'Lets start searching' Jessica suggests and I agree and say 'Lets stay together.' 

We walk far and wide into the forest searching for a tunnel but we could hardly find anything close to that. 'Let's take a break' I say and we get seated on a rock and have some water and biscuits that we packed from the residence. Before we could empty a packet of junk food, we hear a howl coming from a cave. 

'What is that?' asks Jessica.

'I'm not sure. Maybe we should pack up and leave' I suggest and hurry. We get our bags packed and hear another howl, closer this time. We stand and hurry to leave. 

'Stop. You can't escape us' We hear it in our mind. I look to Jessica if she said those words but she looks just as puzzled as me. 

'Who was that?' she questions and I nod my head horizontally and shrug my shoulder.

In less than a minute, we are approached by some animal, large in numbers; surrounding us from all the directions. 

'What animal is that?' I ask.

'I can't see clearly due to the fog their footsteps cause.' Replies Jessica. 

'Its us. You heard me speak' we hear the words again in our mind.