GWA35E

**START**

**The White Wizard.**

Roy appeared in the middle of a place that resembled an airport terminal. Around him a countless number of ethereal silhouettes with human features moved to and fro. To his bewilderment they passed him with complete indifference. All of them were moving towards an immense portal at a considerable distance. They were entering it, within a glowing light, which, however, was not blinding. It was the same as the one that had so attracted him, and again the boy felt the emanations of peace and goodness coming from it. As well as a very powerful energy. Again he had the desire to follow the figures and step into the light. But again he was stopped, and this time by a different voice from the one that had guided him before.

- Your time has not yet come, you must not go in, wait there.

The voice was warm and kind, and the boy felt that it possessed great strength. Much greater even than that of his previous interlocutor.

- Well, will I have to stay here for a long time? - Roy, who now had the feeling of earthly impatience again asked, but it did not last long. -

- I was looking forward to seeing you in person! - This time the voice that had guided him before answered, sounding very close to him. - And now you can see me too.

The man turned to where he thought the voice was coming from, but saw nothing. But as he turned again, in front of him stood a tall, thin old man with a long white beard, a kindly face and indigo blue eyes, dressed in a robe of the same immaculate, radiant hue.

- At last we see each other's faces. - The apparition smiled - you don't know how much I have longed for this moment. I am Landar, the white wizard. - He introduced himself in a temperate tone, fixing the boy with a fatherly gaze. -

- Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. - Roy responded, and after his first impression of being in front of some kind of saint, he smiled ironically with an angry look of reproach. – So, it was you who put all those nightmares through.

- No, I didn't send you any nightmares, those were your memories. Rather, those of the demon Armageddon when it was struggling to come out from inside you. Once you destroyed him those nightmares disappeared.

- And then what happened to my other dreams? - the boy asked, uncomprehending. -

- Those dreams of faraway places and wonderful landscapes, those I did send you. And others that were really part of your own memory. - Landar acknowledged and waved his hands at him, adding. - "Now you must follow me. - He said, starting to walk towards that white and immense horizon. -

However, Roy was astonished and more intrigued than ever, and he soon began to harass his guide with all sorts of questions.

- Wait a minute, what palaces were those? Where did I come from? What does it mean?

Landar, though, gave a condescending smile and simply replied patiently without pausing.

- You cannot know yet. But when the time comes, I assure you, all will be revealed.

The boy resigned himself to the answer, which he found more than a little tiresome. It was reminiscent of the sex questions he asked as a child and the answers his patient parents gave him. By saying. "You're still too young to understand. That settled things. Anyway, he would have to leave it alone for the moment, but at least something could be said to him by this kind of prophet. And Roy, following him in his leisurely walk, insisted with another question.

- Well, but at least answer me one thing. - I thought I understood before that this is Heaven, wasn't it?

- It's a bit more complicated, but you could call it that. Let's say the prelude to Eternity. - The wizard clarified. - The place we're in now is a transit station.

- Great! - Roy exclaimed really glad to be there and that his "peccadilloes" with women had not been taken into account and added with mock solemnity. - You see, Mr. Magician, I always wanted to know something, something that has tormented me since my earliest childhood, and I think you can tell me.

- What is it? - His interlocutor wanted to know, pausing for a moment and scrutinising him with those wise eyes. -

- Is Elvis around? - he asked point-blank with his typical impudence. - Surely everyone is curious to know!

- Stop asking silly questions! - the wizard scolded him, now wearing an expression of patient reprobation, identical to the one a parent would adopt with any tiresome child, and adding more sternly. - You have more important things to think about. And a lot of homework to do.

- One more thing. - The boy said now with a smile and a more acknowledged tone to add. Seriously on this occasion. -Thank you so much for letting me see my parents again.

            The wizard returned a faint smile and gave him a slight nod. Then he walked on, and Roy followed him submissively, looking in all directions. It was beginning to seem monotonous, but at last they came to a golden door, with a finely carved frame. It was strange, for there seemed to be no walls surrounding it, and the young man could, in fact, walk past it and continue walking through the white vastness. He could even walk around the back of the door and find nothing but the back of the door.

- This is a joke, isn't it? - he asked aloud.

          But Landar didn't answer, with a gesture of his hands he motioned for him to come closer and the wizard opened it (the boy couldn't figure out how or with what, for there was no key slot or latch).

- Follow me, boy! - the old man commanded. -

             And the astonished Roy nodded and followed him, they both entered and the door closed behind them...

On Earth, April had fled without looking back. Still, she tried to find her sister Paige and her niece. Eventually, feeling defeated and crushed by the lack of success, she returned to her parents' house. There, both were stunned when the girl wanted to fill them in on what had happened.

- But my child! - Her incredulous mother commented. - You can't be serious.

-We understand that seeing Paige again has upset you so much, what I can't understand are these stories about demons and supernatural beings.

- I've seen them myself! And the Justicieras saved me! -  The girl told them. - But I was afraid. Surely those monsters were looking for Paige. That's why she ran away, and I have to find her.

Her parents looked at each other with a strange expression, but April's mother immediately smiled at her daughter and said.

- Of course, honey! We'll do whatever it takes to find her. Don't worry, but you have to rest.

Although the young girl gave them a distrustful look. Pointing an accusing finger at her father, she demanded, full of indignation.

-Tell me the truth. Did you do something to Paige?

- Did I do something to Paige, honey? What do you mean?

-You know. - The girl sobbed. - You... you abused her...

Her father and his wife looked at each other in horror, and he shook his head in denial. Many of his already greying hairs stood out against the rest of his brown hair, which he nervously brushed back as he responded with a conciliatory tone.

-I never did anything bad to Paige. I always loved her very much, but because she was my daughter. Like you, you're the same, April.

- Why are you talking about her in the past tense? Is she not anymore? - the girl replied sharply. -

-Please, darling. - Her frightened mother asked her. - You need to rest, take a bath, have some dinner and I promise we'll look for...Paige. Believe me, she's wrong, your father never did anything. And as soon as we can find her and get everything straightened out, we'll get back together. You'd like that, wouldn't you?

That made April look at her with both astonishment and hope. Now she asked in a more optimistic tone.

- Really, Mom? You promise?

-Of course I do, honey. - She smiled and opened her arms wide. -

- That's great! We'll be a family again. - She said enthusiastically, adding to the astonishment of her parents. - And, besides, you'll be delighted to know that you are grandparents.

- Grandparents? What do you mean, by calling us grandparents? - her astonished and alarmed father wanted to know. -

-No, not me," - the girl laughed, unveiling them. - It's Paige, she's had a baby. It's a beautiful girl, her name is Marla. She's a beautiful brunette girl like her.

Her parents could hardly hide the impact that those words had had on them, they looked at each other in amazement and fear.

-Of course, my child. I will be happy to receive them here, and to help them. - Her father said in a conciliatory tone. -

-Come on, darling, come with me. - Her mother asked affectionately, giving her a hug. -

The young girl let herself be wrapped in the warmth of her mother's arms and meekly allowed to be carried into the bathroom. She was exhausted, a nice warm bath and sleep was what she needed. Her father meanwhile took the opportunity to go to another room. There he picked up the phone and dialled a number, a few moments later someone answered and he said.

- Dr. Newton? Yes, my daughter is back. Yes, she's worse, much worse...she's having these fantasies again.  She is talking about Paige. Yeah, that sister of hers who died in that accident. Her medication? I don't know, I don't think she was on it in college. Sure, please, bring me some of those pills... I'll tell you the rest as soon as I'm able to come and check her out...

       After hanging up, the man sighed and put his hands to his face, struggling not to cry. His poor daughter had relapsed in the worst way. Despite believing it was all over as soon as she was diagnosed and medicated, April was back to her old self and full of hope, they sent her to this university. Her daughter gladly accepted. She wanted to study law, to be a lawyer, that was her dream since she was a little girl. Then that terrible accident happened. But everything seemed to be behind her. At first the girl even wrote to them regularly and sent them photos of Golden, of her friends and told them that she was even a cheerleader. She added that Paige would have loved that, as her late sister was a great dancer. But suddenly they lost touch with her. In her last letters, however, she warned them that it would take a while to write.

-It was almost two years. - The father lamented. - And we didn't want to go there so as not to remind her of her bad experiences, and her trauma. She only came to visit us a couple of times and we thought she was fine. We made a mistake. - He sighed now, wiping away some tears. -

             And meanwhile, at the Malinde sisters' flat, the girls met with their sisters to tell them about their jobs. Petz was overjoyed, but Karaberasu only congratulated them in a forcibly cordial way. Once back in the flat, she left them on the pretext of tidying up her room and went into her bedroom. It had been more than a month since the rape and she was very worried. Despite what she wanted to say, she was still not over the trauma. However, in the face of the seriousness of the situation they had to face, she had kept quiet without saying anything again, maintaining an artificial strength of character. It would have been inappropriate to complain since circumstances had demanded that everyone forget their sorrows and pain and work together. But now that things were calming down, she couldn't stop thinking about it, and to make matters worse, her period wasn't coming. She didn't want to think of anything strange or terrible, but her head was going into the most terrible ramblings. What if...? No, that was absurd and monstrous, no way! And she tried to put these ideas out of her mind. She even went so far as to buy a predictor to see what she could come up with, but she wasn't sure it would work, especially in view of what had happened to her. Maybe it would have been better to forget about it. But it was impossible to stop thinking about it and, overcome by anxiety, she looked in the phone book and dialled a number...

-It's absurd, but... I can't go on like this. - She said to herself as she waited for someone to answer. - I guess it's my nerves...

             But despite the events they all went through and their respective problems, Karaberasu's posture did not go unnoticed. Her younger sisters also found her strange and too distant and discussed it with Petz. Petz agreed with them, she had been observing it for some time now and understood why the younger ones asked her.

- What's wrong with Kalie? - Cooan asked. - She's been acting strange for weeks.

- I guess it's the strain of the fighting," - Petz surmised with a long sigh, sitting in a dining room chair and folding her hands in her lap, "- and that she hasn't gotten over the trauma of when she was captured.

- Yes," -  Beruche agreed. - That they're trying to sacrifice her must be very hard.

- Let's leave her alone, she'll get over it. - Cooan encouraged the others. - She's a very strong woman.

They agreed, hoping it would all work out in time. Then Bertie consulted her watch, alerting her little sister.

- We must go. If we want to start preparing the notes and the things, we'll need to teach the classes. There is a lot to do.

Cooan nodded and they both said goodbye to their big sister. Neither noticed that Karaberasu was hanging up the phone at that moment. She waited a few moments when she realised that the younger girls had left and walked out of her room in a tidy manner. Petz watched her, surprised but calmer. If her sister was dressed like that, with that cream suit and those matching shoes and handbag that she liked so much, and if she went over her red bow that tied her long, straight brown hair into a small, flirty bun, she looked even better.

- How beautiful you are! - She smiled at her expecting perhaps one of her sarcastic retorts. When they didn't come, she added. - Not like your old sister, right?

          But the questioned one did nothing of the sort or even replied to the joke. She even seemed to want to conceal an appearance of nervousness in her voice and her movements and answered, even though her interlocutor had not explicitly asked her.

- I'm going shopping in town. I haven't looked at an outfit in a long time. And my wardrobe is going to be as out of date as yours. - She added at last. –

       However, she did it in a forced way, as if she knew that her sister was waiting for some such comment to satisfy her.

- I'm coming with you. - Petz smiled without taking it into consideration, unlike on other occasions when she would have already been up in arms reprimanding her sister, and even added, as if apologising for this reproach to her wardrobe. -I haven't had much time for shopping lately either.

- If you don't mind," - Karaberasu replied with a strange dryness. - I'd like to go alone. - Her interlocutor looked at her in surprise at the tone, so out of place. But her sister smiled wanly, softening her features and voice to add conciliatorily. - Excuse me, but I have to take a little time with myself. -

Her older sister nodded and continued to look at her quizzically, but didn't object.

- Sure, have fun. And don't come back too late, hey! - she finally asked gently. -

Karaberasu affirmed not to worry about that and said goodbye, heading out into the street. But she wasn't going shopping. She took a taxi and went to see a doctor who had been recommended to her. She had made an appointment for that afternoon and was lucky that another patient had cancelled her appointment. Arriving at the door of the clinic building, she was tempted for a moment to leave. Courage deserted her, but she knew that if she didn't make sure, she would suffer the pain for a long time to come. She had to dare to find out whatever it was, and with that thought as her impetus she walked through the door and up some stairs. The surgery was on the first floor and she soon came to a door with a small bell which she pressed. A few moments later, a friendly-looking nurse in a white suit and bonnet opened the door and ushered her into a small adjoining room. The girl took a seat on a sofa arranged there with two other women and waited, leafing through some magazines. In fact, she was simply turning the pages, barely noticing them. The stillness and the expectant silence of the room made the atmosphere very dense and reminded her of something similar to waiting for the moment to go to the slaughterhouse. Like a lamb ready to be slaughtered. Better not to think about that again. She shook her head slightly, closing her eyes, as if the thought would fall from her mind. She took a deep breath, sighed a long sigh and tried to concentrate on some fashion or skin cream article. After all, it was her job.

-I must pull myself together. I'm sure it's all in my imagination. – She thought. -

            The minutes ticked by for almost an hour of waiting her turn, watching the people in front of her parade, but it was almost short when the nurse finally reappeared with a folder, read her name and invited her in. She was now inside a room tiled with white tiles and containing multiple medical instruments. This added to the anguish that was beginning to beat again in her heart.

- Please sit down here," - the helpful nurse asked, pointing to a recliner and continued. - Please remove your underwear and spread your legs. -

             Karaberasu obeyed, although she felt a little embarrassed, and put her feet on each support. Her interlocutor noticed her discomfort and said in a very kind and comforting tone.

- Calm down, this is quite normal - she smiled at Kalie with encouragement and understanding that really calmed her interlocutor down a lot and added. - The doctor will be right with you.

Now at least she sighed in relief, she felt so embarrassed and her doctor was a woman! She didn't even want to think what she would have felt if it had been a man. The nurse left the room and in her place entered a blonde woman with long curly hair and shell-rimmed glasses. She smiled at Kalie and introduced herself with the same friendliness as her companion.

- Hi, I'm Pamela Smith, your doctor, but call me Pam. I'm sure you'll be relieved that it's not a man attending to you, won't you," - she asked, smiling to break the ice as if she had guessed her patient's thoughts. -

- Yes, thank you," - Karaberasu smiled in turn, acknowledging her more casually. - "It would have been a bit awkward for me.

- Don't worry, we'll be done in a moment," - Pam encouraged her as she prepared her instruments and sterilised herself to ask. - Did you bring the urine sample?

         The patient nodded, pulling out a plastic bottle from inside her bag. Her interlocutor took it and carried it to a nearby table where she uncapped it with her gloved hands, pouring some into a sort of cardboard box. In the meantime, she commented jovially.

- Well, in a few minutes we'll come back to this sample. Now I'm going to give you a routine inspection. You don't mind if I call you by your first name, do you? Tell me if I'm hurting you.

          Her restless patient responded by shaking her head. The doctor finished acknowledging her at once, always with the utmost care and kindness, though as she put down the instruments she gave her a scrutinising glance and declared more seriously.

- I'm going to ask you some questions that you might find embarrassing," - she warned her sincerely, then argued with full justification that Kalie understood. - But it is important for me to know. So please answer me. And remember that this is confidential and that we are both women.

- All right," - Karaberasu sighed nervously but knowing she had to cooperate. - " You can ask me what you need to know.

- Are you married, do you have a boyfriend perhaps?

- I'm single,"-  Kalie declared, she had no problem with giving that answer, adding even with a slight smile. - And no strings attached.

- I have to take some blood,"-  Pam said, hurrying to calm her down. - Don't worry, it's just for a normal test.

She nodded and the doctor drew some. She poured a few drops into a vial and mixed it with some product. Then she turned her attention to the previous urine sample. She smiled at first, but then was puzzled by the colour of the cardboard, but regained her relaxed and jovial countenance and added.

- Don't worry, there is nothing here to worry about, at first glance there is no sign of disease. However, we'll do a test just as a precaution. Unless. - She took a few seconds to ask - "Have you had sex lately, you know what I mean a relationship? - Her interlocutor nodded, lowering her head. -

- Maybe a little over a month ago, I'm not sure. - She mused hurriedly after thinking it over, if that could be called a relationship. -

- Okay, that's it then, I'm done, get dressed - Pam asked her, showing the expression of someone who was finally clearing up a doubt that was actually obvious.

The girl did so and got up.

- What's the matter Pam, is something wrong with me?  - she asked impatiently. -

- No, there's nothing wrong with you," -  The doctor smiled, adding with a tinge of complicity. - The only thing you'll have to worry about is putting on a little weight. You're almost a month and a half along, congratulations," - she turned to put away her instruments and when she turned back to her patient, she had disappeared. - Karaberasu? - She called out to her, but she was no longer there. -

Going out into the corridor, Pam asked her nurse if she had seen the patient. She replied that she had run out of the room in agitation. The doctor was surprised, but quickly realised that she had been wrong to tell her in that way. The girl had no husband or boyfriend. And a child might not be exactly what she wanted at the moment. She sighed crestfallen, shrugged her shoulders and went back to her office as she had two more patients to see.

-Well, I hope she's doing well. She seemed like a nice girl. - She thought as she called the next one. -

Karaberasu ran through the streets in shock, her eyes covered with tears. The whole world was coming at her. At last she stopped running. Exhausted, she wandered aimlessly. She was now walking with a blank stare, oblivious to all that was going on around her. All she could think of was a plea.

- My God, my God! - Help me, I don't want to beget a monster! What will become of me? Where will I go? I don't want to involve my sisters in this. It would be too much for them. But I can't have evil inside me!

She ended up sitting on a park bench, barely paying attention to the people passing by, letting out her anguish in tears. Finally, shuffling her feet, she returned home in the evening. She went in and gently closed the door, and without a word went into her room. Beruche and Cooan were already in bed, for the next morning they had to get up early for school. The eldest sister was the only one still awake. She was worried because Karaberasu was very late even though she had promised to be back soon. But her sister was not well, that was obvious. Petz didn't know what to do. Nor did she want to wake the others without waiting a little longer. So when she noticed that her sister had arrived, she sighed with relief and went to the door of her room. She knocked on the door and asked worriedly.

- Kalie, are you all right? Have you had dinner yet?

- Yes, I'm fine. - She struggled to answer normally, barely controlling her spasms and the urge to cry. - I'm going to bed, I'm sleepy.

Petz walked away and soon returned with a tray of food. She knocked on the door and got no answer.

- May I come in? - She asked cautiously, but her sister still didn't answer, so she decided to enter carefully. -

Karaberasu was lying down and tucked up to her chin. Petz was again worried about her health.

-I'll get you some dinner. - Her older sister said, smiling to try to lighten the depressing mood - girl, where are you going? I was beginning to worry about you.

- I went for a walk after seeing some shops, I didn't decide to buy anything," - Kalie replied evasively, her voice trailing off. - So much pressure these days has gotten to me, I guess.

- You must pull yourself together,"- her interlocutor said, trying to cheer her up. - Look at Bertie and Cooan. They're doing very well. And you and I should follow their example. I want to get on with our work and live life and so should you, maybe we can even open a branch of our business here. When we make more money. - She smiled, asking for her sister's approval. - What do you think?

- Yes, it's a good idea. - Karaberasu mused, staring blankly at the tray, and added, barely able to hide her dejection. -Forgive me Petz, but I'm very tired, it's been a hard day.

- Don't you want any supper? - she offered solicitously, insisting gently. - This stew is very good.

- No thank you very much, I just want to sleep," - the girl answered with a very muffled voice. -

Petz was watching her more and more uneasily. Karaberasu was more than just a common depression, or so it seemed to her. It was not for nothing that she knew her almost as well as she knew herself. For a few moments she was silent and gathered her courage to offer.

- If you need to talk to me about something. Anything at all. If you have any problems, tell me and I'll try to help you with anything, okay?

           Her sister nodded, fighting the desperate desire to hug her and cry, confessing to her all the horrible situation she was in, but she held back.

- What's the point? - What else could Petz, or the rest of my sisters, do but suffer?

            Seeing her interlocutor's silence, she decided not to harass her any further. Perhaps it was as simple as that she should rest, and so she told her. Saying good night with a kiss on her forehead.

- Well then, see you tomorrow. Sleep well," - she wished her, leaving the room. -

- See you tomorrow, Petz," - Karaberasu who closed his eyes and let the tears escape, muttered. - She cried and moaned softly so that her sister wouldn't hear her. - My God, what am I going to do?

The next morning, Cooan and Beruche woke up excited to begin their work as teachers. After breakfast, washing and dressing, they said goodbye to Petz who was also leaving for work. Karaberasu was still asleep and none of them wanted to disturb her. So they went down to the street and boarded the bus. After a little more than half an hour they arrived at the school. Tom and Professor Harding were waiting for them.

- Good to see you," - their former teacher and now colleague greeted them. - Please follow me, I will introduce you to your future students.

- Come on, girls! - Tom encouraged them. - I've already met mine and I'm off to start the lessons.

- Good luck, Tommy! - Beruche as Cooan wished him and kissed him. -

Harding led them into a classroom full of screaming and laughing children playing with each other. With several claps of his hands and a few moments of patient entreaties, he shushed them into silence. Then he turned to the class, who were watching him expectantly.

- Children, these are your new teachers, they will teach you until the end of the school year. I expect you to obey them in all things and to be industrious. Agreed?

- Yes, Mr. Harding," - they replied in unison. -

- They are all yours, good luck. - He wished them both good luck and said goodbye. -

- Thank you, sir," - they both replied, as the teacher walked off down the long corridor before the class. -

The girls stared at the waiting children in curious silence. Finally, Cooan decided to break the ice.

- Hello boys and girls, good morning, my name is Cooan Malinde and I will be teaching you Language, Drawing and Geography.

- I am Beruche Malinde," - Bertie added - "and I will be teaching you Mathematics, Natural Science and History.

- The two of us together or in turns will take care of Physical Education and Handicrafts," - Cooan. Told them-

- You have the same surname," - A blond-haired, bespectacled boy asked shrewdly. - Are you two sisters?

- Yes, we are sisters," - Beruche admitted with a smile. - Very good, you are very observant. - She flattered him, adding amused. - So, so as not to confuse you, just call us by our first names. You can call me Miss Bertie.

- And me Miss Connie," - Cooan smiled, glad that this affectionate contraction of Roy's name was going to be so useful. -

- Who is the older of the two? - A little black girl with short curly hair, who also decided to ask intervened. -

- She is. - Cooan smiled, pointing to her sister. - But by just a little bit. - And he decided to turn the tables by addressing the boys in turn in a questioning tone. - Well, now it's your turn to introduce yourselves.

- Yes, stand up and say your names. That way, we'll get to know you all. - Bertie proposed jovially. -

The children introduced themselves one by one, four of them caught the eye of both of them, who summed up some of the clearest stereotypes they had studied in child behaviour psychology. A little blonde girl, Sharon, the shy and withdrawn one. Spencer, the classic nerd with glasses. Jason, the typical hooligan, with red hair and freckles to make it even more cliché. And Kevin, the witty and witty one. Beruche smiled faintly, imagining how Roy would have enjoyed being there if he had been able to share those moments with the children. The girl sighed longingly, but went back to concentrating on her work. Before she knew it, they were finishing their first class, which was just to get to know each other, and the children, always curious, bombarded the new teachers with questions.

- Where are you from? - A little dark-haired boy asked them. -

- We come from Japan," - Cooan responded. - But we're not from there either, we're of foreign origin. - The same thing she said to Tom when they first met him, she recalled wistfully, but went on to explain to the boy. - We came here a year ago to study.

- Do you have a boyfriend? - A short, fair-haired girl asked them somewhat mischievously. -

- Yes, well, I had. - Beruche said, lowering her head without being able to avoid a wave of sadness. -But not anymore...

- Did he leave you? - The same girl asked who, along with the others, was watching her in surprise at the change of tone. - Did he go somewhere?

- Yes, he went away, far away, he had to go on a long journey. - Bertie replied quietly, trying to remain as calm as possible. -

- Of course, my mother always says so. All men are the same! - The girl declared, perplexing the two adults. - And what about you? - she now questioned Cooan almost as if she were a prosecutor. - Do you have a boyfriend?

- Yes, - the girl smiled with an embarrassed look, she was certainly very advanced for her age - he's a very handsome boy, who works here too.

- Do you like astronomy? - Spencer asked them, probably bored with gossip topics for grown-ups. - Will you take us to see the planetarium? - he added hopefully, telling his teachers enthusiastically. - "I sometimes look at the stars through my father's telescope!

- We've seen them too, and very closely," – Beruche smiled, feeling better again at that thought. -

- We'll try to take you there, if you study hard," - Cooan promised. - To the planetarium, of course! - She smiled almost embarrassed as she realised how silly it was to make that nuance. -

- Will you be doing a lot of homework? - Jason wanted to know, evidently uneasy at the prospect. -I don't like them," - he declared with conviction, drawing a murmur of approval from the little ones. -

- Only as much as is necessary," - Beruche replied kindly. - If you work hard in class, there will be very few of them.

- Studying is boring! - Kevin said. - "I'd rather play.

- You remind me of a boy I used to know," - Bertie responded with a faint smile of longing. - He used to say the same thing as you, you know. - She added in a calmer, more resigned tone. - Sometimes you have to do things you don't like very much. But there's no other choice.

- Did he do them? - Kevin asked her curiously. -

- Yes, he did them, when he had to do them he always went all the way-  Beruche answered, muttering to herself in a quiet voice. -

            Luckily her sister tapped her on the arm to shake her out of her melancholy and she took over jovially.

- Well, now it's our turn to ask. Tell us what you each like to do and tell us a little about your parents.

So they spent the rest of the class time talking to all the children and they told them about their own lives. By the end of the day the girls had won them over. Only one girl didn't say anything. She stood in the corner of the classroom very quietly. It was Sharon, the shy little blonde. The class ended and the kids came out in a rush except for the last one. Cooan then approached the little girl who was trying to leave without attracting attention.

- Wait a little while, sweetie. - She asked her softly, kneeling down to be at her level. -

- Have I done something wrong? - The frightened-looking girl asked timidly. -

- No, don't worry, don't worry, baby," - Beruche reassured her affectionately and approached her. - We just want to ask you something.

- What's the matter, sweetheart? You've been very quiet during the lessons. - Cooan asked in a sweet voice, lovingly stroking her long blonde hair, to declare. - Do you know you have beautiful hair?  As I used to say to another girl as pretty as you a long time ago, hair is a woman's best adornment, so you must take good care of it.

The little girl didn't answer; she closed her mouth in a pitying attitude, not daring to say anything. Beruche took her lovingly in her arms and sat her down on a desk.

- Don't be afraid," - Bertie asked her with the utmost kindness. - We are here to help you and to be your friends, tell us, what about your parents, you have told us nothing about them.

- My parents are dead," - the little girl told them in a low, soft voice, leaving the girls frozen, even shuddering as they heard the child add in a tone full of fear. - The bad men in the hoods came home and killed them. But they didn't see me because I hid. Now I live with my aunt and uncle.

- Calm down, darling," - Beruche was able to reply, visibly shocked, her voice almost trembling when she heard that horror on the little girl's lips, but she managed to compose a laughing face and whispered softly. - Come on, we'll walk you to the bus, okay? - The little girl nodded slowly and let herself be taken by the hand. -

They took the little girl to the school bus, which had been waiting for a few minutes to leave. Beruche and Cooan apologised to the driver for the delay and left Sharon sitting in her place. They took their own bus and returned home. They met up with Tom to tell him what had happened and to exchange views on their first day as they had not been able to see him all day. Once they had gathered in Roy's flat, their friend listened to the little girl's story and declared thoughtfully.

- Poor child! That means that these cultists are already spreading panic in the city again. I have heard that in some of the suburbs there have been attacks on people and places that are very much in keeping with their style.

- Damn they, do that to a child! - Cooan said, truly indignant. - Next time, we Justicieras will be there to stop it!

- It's a change, isn't it? – Beruche declared with a reflective look and voice - from fighting demons we've gone from fighting demons to teaching children. How ironic, and to think that when we first came to Earth all we thought about was killing a child the age of our students. A poor child as Sharon, how awful! - She lamented bitterly. - I feel such shame and self-contempt just thinking about it! - She confessed. -

          She was clasping her hands together, lowering her head. Despite all that had happened and all that had changed, the thought still tormented her at times. Cooan nodded, driven by the same sense of guilt.

- That's all over now,"-  Tom encouraged them. - "Don't be so hard on yourselves, girls, you've more than made amends to the world for all the bad things you've done!

- Not quite yet, this time it's up to us to stop those evildoers from doing something similar or worse! I can understand the Sailors now! This is very hard, but we cannot and must not give up. - Bertie agreed with renewed determination. -

- It's true," - Cooan added. - It's as if fate is giving us a chance to right all the wrongs we've done in the past, or will do in the future, it's a mess! - She sighed, raising her arms to exclaim in a tone of disbelief. - To think that we are still almost a thousand years away from being born!

- Yes, but don't think about it anymore. All we have to worry about is that peace will finally come and we can live a normal life. - The boy sighed, thinking to himself as he glanced sideways at his chair. - Well, at least as normal as I can.

The two girls nodded hopefully and went on to discuss more pleasant things like their impressions of the classes and the things they could do in them. A few hundred miles away, in Philadelphia, Mr. Sinclair received Dr. Newton, a prestigious psychiatrist in the area. Fortunately, April was sleeping soundly now, having been given a pill that the doctor told them to dissolve in a glass of milk. They were then able to fill the doctor in on what their daughter had told them. After listening carefully, he put a hand to his chin to declare.

-It seems that she has been suffering from episodes of paranoid schizophrenia. This one clearly reflects positive symptoms of hallucinations and delusions.

-Sometimes it was a little difficult for her to speak. - April's frightened mother added. -

And from what you've told me, Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, your daughter presents a picture of delusions of persecution, self-reference with a religious component. At least in what she has told you about this supposed sect.

-Then our daughter is completely insane. - The dismayed woman sobbed. - She lives in another world.

-Not in the way you think. For her, other people's strange ideas or things will be as strange to her as hers are to us. But she is incapable of seeing what is happening to her. - The doctor replied. - Besides, these hallucinations baffle me, they are not only auditory, she maintains that she has been with her sister Paige. Right? Because that's also very strange, I can't put it down to a split personality disorder. Normally divergent personalities don't know each other.

-That's right. - The wistful father of that unhappy girl sighed. - Our youngest daughter died four years ago. She and April had an accident. They were riding in bike. April wanted to give her sister a ride, but she got lost and went out into the road. She ran into a car that couldn't stop in time and ran them over. - The shattered man groaned at the memory, barely remembering it. - Paige died instantly and April broke her legs. She was in the hospital for several days, in a coma. Finally, when she came out, and she asked for her sister....

-She couldn't accept that Paige had died. - The equally devastated mother revealed to him. - She became hysterical and then she wouldn't speak... For a couple of weeks, until doctors started to medicate her.

-I'm so sorry. My colleague Dr. Nicholls didn't pass that information on to me when he passed this case on to me. - The psychiatrist justified himself, then, adding in a professional tone, he lucubrated. - So maybe the tragic loss of her sister, coupled with her guilt complex, caused April's mind to fragment during the coma, and part of her then adopted Paige's personality. She might even impersonate her to others. People who didn't know her as April.

-And she speaks of our late daughter as her older sister, claiming that I abused her. - The now uncomfortable father commented. -

-That's a defence mechanism. - The doctor explained. - Your daughter April wants to think that Paige was older than her, that she was the more mature and adult one. That's how she gets rid of the guilt. Or at least the responsibility. She passes it on to you too, Mr. Sinclair. So Paige was the oldest, she was abused and she ran away from home. But she's not dead because of April's recklessness in taking her on that bike. That's what I think, that in her mind she's reversed the situation and has even gone so far as to not only adopt, but mix up the personalities of the two. What I don't understand, though, is this thing about she said you have a granddaughter. I think you should have your daughter medically examined. - He now advised them in a more concerned tone. - I must confess that I am astonished, I have never seen a similar case.

That didn't exactly cheer up the parents of the unfortunate girl. So they were talking to the doctor when the doorbell rang again. Mr. Sinclair went to answer it.

- Yes, who is there? -He asked, peering through the grate in the door. -

And he could see two young, tall, blonde and very attractive girls, accompanied by a very tall, sturdy boy. It was she who spoke.

-Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, we are classmates of your daughter April, from the university. We are looking for her. She walked out of there as if she was running away from something. We wanted to ask you if you've heard from her or if she's here.

At that moment the man opened the door, with a dismayed gesture he invited them in and the blonde girl introduced herself and her companion.

-Thank you very much, my name is Melanie Sanders, and this is my boyfriend, Malcolm Roberts. I'm your daughter's roommate.

-So you're Mel. - April's mother smiled slightly. -

She even sighed with relief that at least this girl was real. April had sent her pictures of both of them dressed as cheerleaders anyway. But she could have been a classmate without any dealings with her and serve only as an image to support a fabrication, another one of her poor daughter's! But fortunately that young woman was there and showing concern for April. So she added, very acknowledging and cordially. -

- My daughter was telling me about you in some of her letters, some time ago. She seemed to be very fond of you.

-And I am very fond of her, Mrs. Sinclair. - Melanie could say, almost on the point of tears. -

But it was the woman's husband who then intervened to tell them.

-Our daughter has come home, she sleeps now. She is well...

- Thank God! - Melanie sighed as she hugged Malcolm.

But her interlocutor didn't hold back, and added in a regretful tone.

-At least she seems to be physically fine, and we'd like to ask you to tell us everything you know. You see, I don't think there's any point in keeping it from you. April is very ill; she has a very serious condition. You both seem to be very fond of her, having gone to so much trouble to come and fetch her. So we will let you know what happens.

            And so they did, leaving the boys somewhere between perplexed and horrified. Melanie herself then noticed a detail that had gone unnoticed until that moment.

-That hair dye. April had a bottle of dye, but she never dyed her hair in front of me. It must have been one of those that washes out when you wash your head. - She commented astonished. -

-I'm afraid April has taken on her sister Paige's personality, or at least tried to recreate it. And all these fantasies of demons, possessions and strange cultists, are nothing more than a kind of unreal world she has built to support her delirium. – The father of April declared. -

-Yes, I agree with that. - The psychiatrist agreed, nodding slowly in agreement. - An expression of the evil and injustice she believes she has been subjected to. The demons might well represent her own sublimated sense of guilt. That way she could fight against it.

                 Melanie and Malcolm, though, looked at each other not knowing what to do. On the one hand, they wanted to say that these things were very real, but they feared that, in turn, they would be taken for fools. So when it was their turn to talk about what had happened at the university, they honestly didn't know where to start. Melanie could barely comment, trying to be as cautious as possible.

-The truth is that some very strange things have happened in New York. And we've all witnessed or been affected by them at one time or another. Perhaps April was more sensitive and that has taken a greater toll on her.

- But did she ever talk to you about a baby? - Mr. Sinclair wanted to know, ignoring the other thing. -

- A baby? - Roberts repeated with a surprised look on his face. - Not that I know of.

-Although last year she missed most of the term. - Melanie pointed out and remembered. - She told me she had to come and look after you, Mrs Sinclair, because you were in poor health.

-I've never been ill, not so that anyone had to come and look after me. - The questioner rebutted, and remarked in her turn,” - April came to see us almost a year ago. She was very happy, or at least that's what she wanted to convey to us, saying that she was very well at the University, that we shouldn't worry. She fooled us, we believed her and that's why we didn't go to Golden.

-It's not that she really fooled you. April really believed everything she was telling them. Her other side, Paige, was the one who did those other things. That's why your daughter needs to have a medical examination and we need to find out if this baby thing is just another one of her fantasies or if it could be real. - The psychiatrist said. -

-Doctor, are you suggesting that our daughter? - the alarmed father was able to say. -

-It is a possibility. - The questioner had to admit, to the horrified faces of the others. -

After a few moments in which no one knew what to say, it was Mrs. Sinclair who turned to the two young men in a grateful and apologetic-sounding tone to ask.

-You have been very considerate and we appreciate your concern for April, but we must ask you to leave us alone with her. Please, we need to get our daughter back and take care of her. I promise, after a while, we'll call you to let you know how it's going.

-Of course. - Roberts nodded, turning to his distraught girlfriend. - Right Mel?

-If I could at least see her for a moment. - She asked. -

-Of course. - The convalescent's father nodded. - She's asleep in her room, the doctor prescribed such a strong sleeping pill that she won't wake up.

And Melanie escorted her companion's mother into the room. Opening the door very slowly and almost in the dark, she saw her asleep. At least she looked rested and peaceful. After shedding a few tears for her, the visitor smiled.

-Thank you very much, madam. Take care of her! I'll give her my home number.

-Thank you and your boyfriend for taking such good care of my daughter. I'm glad to see that she's had good friends there.

-For us, Golden's classmates are almost like family. – Melanie assured him. -

And so she and Malcolm took their leave, and went off to pursue their own plans for the future. And while all this was going on Earth, in heaven, Roy was impatient for what he would see behind the door. But he was disappointed to find himself in another vast expanse of blank space. The wizard stood behind him, tapped him on the shoulder and said.

- I must leave you for now, in a little while someone will come and take care of you.

- Who is coming? - Roy asked intrigued. - And what do you mean, who will take care of me? - He ended up not liking that expression too much. - That sounds like the Godfather...

            And that sounded to him as if he was a Mafioso ready to be eliminated. Although if he was already dead, he didn't think anything else could happen to him. In spite of everything, you could never be sure of anything in this life, that's what his mother always told him.

- Nor, it seemed, did the other. - He added, looking ahead with a distrustful expression, but remembering the promise he had made to his parents, he affirmed decisively. - Don't worry, I'm ready for anything.

So, he turned to wait for an answer or some more precise clarification, but Landar was no longer there. After looking in all directions he gave up, there was no one around that vast expanse.

- This is magnificent! He leaves without saying goodbye and leaves me here speaking alone. - He said to himself with ironic mockery, raising his arms and dropping them in resigned thought. - Well, let's wait! Anyway, I have nothing else to do and I have plenty of free time. We'll see who's coming here now...

**START**

**The Beyond.**