A Special Mission
© Elliot Richard Dorfman
Fourteen-year-old Shane Conley was a sickly boy who rarely ventured far from his Upstate New York house. There was one exception. A few times a year, he went with his parents and older sister, Anne, to visit his Grandmother Clara in Rockland, Maine. She lived in a charming White Cape Cod house that was walking distance to the ocean. Clara seemed to favor Shane. His father laughingly said they were like two peas in a pod.
Clara's life had been very happy until Phil, her husband suddenly disappeared a year ago. At first everyone thought it was a case of foil play because Phil would have never taken off and left Clara alone like that. However, the police found no such kind of evidence nor any other traces where he may have gone. It was as if he disappeared from the face of the earth. Clara still clung to the hope that her husband would return someday.
One breezy summer afternoon, the family was relaxing on the patio in Maine when Clara asked Shane to go into the house and bring a shawl that was hanging on a chair in her second floor bedroom.
When Shane entered her room, he was surprised to see a strange pretty woman with bradded gray hair and light-blue eyes sitting on the window seat.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Tosha, "she said with one of the gentlest voices he had ever heard. "I'll bet you're Shane. Your grandmother has told me a lot about you. She really adores you. "
"We're very close," Shane replied. The youngster could smell the odor of her strong, sweet perfume.
Shane hadn't eaten much lunch that day and he was hungry. His stomach growled.
Obviously Tosha heard it, because she smiled and asked him if he wanted something to eat.
Sort of bashful, he told her he could wait until dinner time.
"There's no reason to do that," she cheerfully said and clapped her hands.
From absolutely nowhere a small table appeared with a cheese burger, french fries and a larger Coke,
"How did you do that?" he asked with wonderment.
"Oh, it's too complicated for you to understand," she replied. " Sit down and eat."
Shane ate with gusto. After finishing, Tosha waved her hand and the glass table disappeared.
"Is everything all right up there?" Clara shouted from downstairs.
"What's taking so long, Shane?"
"That's Grandma. I've got to go, Tosha," he said. "Thanks for the food. It was great. Hope to see you again."
Tosha smiled. "Oh, we will. Goodbye for now."
Shane went downstairs and met his grandmother who was impatiently waiting for him. She looked disappointed.
"After all the time you were upstairs, didn't you bring me my shawl?" .
"Sorry about that, Grandma. I was talking with Tosha in your bedroom and forgot. I didn't know you had someone else visiting you. When did she get here?"
Clara became a little nervous. "Not too long ago. So, you met Tosha."
"Yes, she was sitting on the window seat in your room."
"Did she scare you?"
"No, not really. She seems very nice, but there's something weird about her.When Tosha saw I was hungry, she clapped her hands and suddenly a table appeared with some of my favorite foods. Is she some kind of magician, Grandma?"
Clara took a big breath. "Shane, youou might find this hard to believe, but Tosha is from a parallel universe. There are many things that people can do in her world which would be considered magic by us."
Shane said nothing for a moment, then laughed. "You're joking, right?" "She's not really from a parallel universe. You're making the whole thing up, right?"
"Oh, no.It's true," his grandmother said with a perfectly serious face."How else can you explan how the food appeared?"
"But why is she here?" the teenager asked.
Clara shrugged. " I don't know. All she has told me so far is that she is here on some kind of special mission that involves you and me."
"Why us? Will the rest of the family meet her?"
"I don't think so.Tosha is not interested in them. I advice that we not mention her to them. Okay?"
"All right Grandma, if you think that's best, but I can't wait to find out how we are involved in her mission."
The two returned to the patio.
***The next day's weather looked stormy. Clara and her grandson were not feeling too well, so they remianed at home while the rest of the family went shopping. Clara made some hot chocolate for Shane and herself. They sat in the kitchen quietly looking out of the window as it started to rain while Rusty, Clara's big old orange cat, sat contentedly near them.
Just as they were finishing their chocolate, Tosha walked in. "Sorry you two aren't feeling well. Does this happen often?"
Clara sadly nodded. "For me, it started happening a few years ago, but Shane has been ill for his entire life. We've gone to many doctors, but there's not much they can do for either of us, so we just grin and bare it."
"That confirms what one of my friends told me," Tosha said softly.
"Does someone from your world knows about Grandma and me?"asked Shane, curiously.
"Oh, yes, someone who recently lived on earth. He's very concerned about you two."
Clara's voice shook with emotion. "You're talking about Phil, aren't you?"
Tosha eyes twinkled, "Yes, I'm talking about your husband, Phil."
"But why hasn't Grandpa come home?" Shane asked angrily. "Doesn't he know how sad he's made Grandma by leaving?"
"Oh, there's a good reason why your grandfather hasn't returned. Calm down and have another cup of chocolate." After a few minutes she began her explanation.
***
Tosha's story
About two years ago, I was cleaning my basement, when I tripped and fell against one of my walls. Somehow there was some kind of invisable opening and I crossed over to your basement with a thud.
Phil was at his work table and turned around when he heard the noise. Of course I was totally confused, not knowing what had occured or where I was. Panicking, I quickly got up and backed away. Again I went through the wall and back into my basement.
Being a scientist, and inquisitive by nature, I wanted to know what had happened. Obviously there must have been some kind of wormhole that took me from my house to yours. After regaining my composure, I decided to see if it was still there.So I leaned against the wall and was back in your basement.
Phil was standing in front of me, astonished. "What's going on and who are you?" he managed to stutter out.
"I'm Tosha Zesar, "I replied, "Incredible as it may seem, somehow, I have somehow been transported to your basement after going through some kind of wormhole that is in our basement walls"
Phil looked stunned. "If I wouldn't have actually seen it, I would have thought that absolutely ridiculous. Just where do you come from?"
"From Ralos, North Sector," I answered him
Phil looked at me, puzzled. " I never heard of such a place."
"That's surprising," I responded. " It's one of the most well known sectors in the region, and just where am I?"
"Rockland, Maine," he said. "You've obviously heard of the state of Maine, haven't you?"
"State of Maine? No."
Phil chuckled. "Next thing you'll be telling me you never heard of the United States, or planet earth, or the Milk Way galaxy!"
I nodded. "That's right. I haven't."
Phil let out a whistle. " I wish my wife was here to witness this, but she visiting a neighbor. Let's go up into my kitchen and have a cup of coffee. I need something to steady my nerves while we discuss this situation. As a scientist, I'm interested in figuring out exaclty what's going on. It reminds me of some kind of science fiction story. "
I became excited. "You're a scientist? That's a coincidence. So am I."
I didn't know what he meat by coffee, but kept quiet and followed him upstairs. Everything there looked extremely old fashioned and offbeat.
When he served the coffee, I knew it as gramlos. Suddenly it hit me. Could the wormhole in the wall have taken me to a parallel universe, a place where things were similar, but with lots of variations, too? The more we talked, the more I began to feel my premise was accurate. I was absolutely positive after he showed me around the house and grounds.
Phil didn't seem convinced when I told him. "I would personally have to see a bit of your world, Tosha, to know what you are saying is true."
" But aren't you a little hesitant to cross over?" I asked him.
"Not really, " he answered. "Nothing bad seems to have happened to you. I'll just take a little look, then we'll take it from there."
Returning to the basement, he went through the wormhole in the wall and crossed over with me. I showed him my house and the area surrounding it. Since my world is much more advanced than yours, he was greatly impressed.
After a while, he was ready to return home, so we made plans to meet the next day. Then came the trouble. While I could go back and forth from one world to another, something in Phil's molecular structure prevented him from going back through the hole. He had no choice but to stay and adjust to my world.
The poor man remianed downhearted because he constantly worried about the poor health of you two. When he learned that my doctors could cure almost all illnesses, he begged me to cross over again and escort both of you to my world.
Of course, I cannot force you to come, that must be your own personal decision. But you must remember, once you're there, you won't be able to leave. Please decide quickly because I've discovered the worm hole that connects our two worlds is beginning to shrink. I fear it won't last long.
***
Shane and Grandma Clara looked at each other. The story seemed so far fetched. Outside the wind had picked up and there was a clash of thunder followed by flashes of lightning.
"I hope the family stays in the shopping mall until this bad weather clears," Clara worriedly said.
Tosha stared out of the window for a moment, then turned. "Well, what have you decided?"
"It's not a hard choice for me," Clara answered. "I want to be with my Phil again."
Shane shook his head. " While I want to get better, I'm not willing to leave my parents or sister. They'll be devastated if I leave."
Tosha eyes filled with tears. She walked over to Shane and put her hands on his shoulders. "Shane, I have the power to see things at a distance and when I was looking out of the window before, I saw your parents' car turn over on a slick curve that was a few miles from here. "
Trembling, Shane rose. "How bad are they hurt?"
Tosha sighed. " I'm afraid none of them will be coming back, so I think it best if you come with us."
Clara took a hold of Shane. The two wept and took each other around. Tosha stepped aside and waited patiently until the sobbing subsided.
"I don't want to sound cruel, but we must get going. If you have a few personal items you want to take, go and get them now. We will have everything you need when you cross over."
There was another rumble of thunder and Rusty came running in from another room.
"Can we please take Rusty?" asked Shane, worried about the cat, even in his deep sorrow. "We don't want to leave him all alone."
"Of course we can," Tosha answered, giving the boy a kiss on the forehead.
Fifteen minutes later, they were in Tosha's world where Phil was anxiously waiting for them. By night fall, the wormhole in the wall was completely gone.
Elliot Richard Dorfman taught in the New York City School System for more than three decades, as well as giving private vocal and piano lessons. He founded Suma Play Productions, Inc., and was artistic director of the American Youth Repertory Company, Off Broadway. After retiring, he moved with his family from the borough of Brooklyn to Johnstown, New York. Among his successful former students are American tenor, Daniel Rodriguez, and character actress, Kelly Wolf. Mr. Dorfman, a former member of the NY Dramatist Guild and Associated Music teachers League, has appeared and written for radio and television. His plays (dramas and musicals) have been presented on the professional stage, schools and centers. Thirty-nine recent short stories have or will be published in the following magazines: Delivered Twisted Dreams , Bewildering Stories , Golden Visions , Static Movement ,NVH , The Tiny Globule ,Perpetual, Black Petals , Blood Moon Rising , Demonic Tome, Short Story Library Magazine. Poems have appeared in Falling Star, Orange Room Review, Debris, and Golden Visions, Coffee Cramp eZine. Mr Dorfman's story, "Perfect For Each Other" was voted by the readers of Golden Visions Magazine as the best story in the April-May-June issue.