Laura.
“Okay.” Fnally, Saskia gave in. “But you must understand that making a slight change in your past will probably make a big impact in your present. So you better think about it a lot of times before doing anything. Are we clear?”
“Yes, yes!”
I threw myself toward Saskia and gave her a big warm hug.
“Thank you so much, Saskia. I had never been this happy since the time I was lowered to this rank. And I will be forever grateful to you, Sas. You were always the very best.”
Saskia chuckled as she tapped my back.
“Let’s get down to business. I will prepare for the ritual.”
I released Saskia and let her do her thing. But one thing I noticed about her while preparing was her worries still evident in her face.
I didn’t know what could probably go wrong in doing this when we were going backward, to the time when I wasn’t born yet. How come I would hurt myself then?
Ugh! Too much worry will never help me. I need to stick with my plans. I will go back and change my faith.
“Come here, Laura. It’s almost done.”
A black hole suddenly emerged in front of Saskia as I walked beside her.
She suddenly grabbed my hands and squeezed them gently.
“Remember this, Laura. Don’t change anything if you don’t feel like it. Sometimes you have to listen to your gut feeling, not only with what your mind tells you to do.”
I nodded at her. I don’t know but I have this feeling that even from this very moment, she was trying to warn me not to do this anymore.
But I had this intense need to change what I had.
This time, I would listen to my head, not to the worry that was starting to build inside me.
“And also, this is a timed portal. Your time ticks quickly when you go to the past. You were traveling twenty years ago, so you only have twenty hours there. Please accomplish whatever you need to accomplish. Enter the portal when it appears in front of you regardless of what you are doing. Or else, you will be trapped there. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I noted everything in my head.”
Saskia hugged me tightly again. ‘Take care, Luna.’
I didn’t know if I just misheard it but I was running out of time, I needed to go now.
“Thank you for everything, Sas. I will be back, safe and sound.”
And just like that, Saskia disappeared in front of me…
Instantly, the place looked a bit different. I was certain I am still at Saskia’s house but there were some changes in the interior.
The bedroom door suddenly opened and Saskia came out of it. She still looks the same way, minus the surprised look on her face.
“You…” she whispered in shock.
“Sas… how did you come out from there? You are just here in front of me.”
Surprised turns to confusion. “Who are you? Why are you in my house?”
It was my turn to get confused. “What do you mean? You just let me in—” The realization struck me like lightning.
Does this mean I am already in the past?
Excitement quickly enveloped me.
This was it! This was really it!
I quickly turned to Saskia and hugged her tightly.
“Wait, who are you?”
I beamed at her. She still looked stunning even before. She truly stopped aging when she reached the adult stage.
“I am your future friend, Saskia,” she excitedly said while letting her go.
Saskia seemed lost in her thoughts. I decided to explain as quickly as possible. I have limited time to explain since I only have twenty hours here.
“You help me go back to the past to fix things.”
Saskia’s eyes grew wide but she quickly gathered herself together.
“So, I did it again?” she breathed in surprise and worry.
Did it again?
“It’s not yet a century since the last time I created it…”
I quickly understood what she meant. Didn’t she just tell me that she already made a portal before? Probably that was what she was talking about.
“At what time did I do it?”
“Twenty years from now, you will create a timed portal for me.”
Saskia gave me an intense look.
“A timed portal… So, you only have twenty hours to accomplish your task here.”
“Yeah, and I better go now.”
I quickly rose to my feet. “See you when I see you, Saskia.”
I didn’t give my friend a chance to ask more. I knew she was confused but she would soon figure out what was going on.
For now, I must stick to my plan.
As soon as I came out of Saskia’s house, I realized it was day here. I still have time to find Mom.
I quickly followed the trail back to Remus Pack. It was the same place but it looked different. Tall trees that I didn’t recognize were on my way. But I was certain I was taking the right way.
Since there were guards at the entrance, I decided to change route and find my luck at the secret hole from the back wall of the community. I actually discovered it when I was four. And I used to sneak with it whenever I wanted to visit Saskia.
I wasn’t sure when it was created but I needed to gamble on the chance or I didn’t know how I was going to enter Remus Pack.
And it seems luck was on my side, it was already there!
Though the hole was small and it had some irons to block it.
Oh, maybe I could do something to widen it a little more.
I used all my strength to twist the irons so I could pass through it. It was still narrow but I guess I could fit myself in it.
I tried it and didn’t mind the scratches that the edges gave me. As long as I can enter, it will be fine.
Be patient, Laura… I kept on reminding myself as I crawled.
And once I successfully got myself out of the hole, no words could explain how happy I felt.
I couldn’t believe this! I still fit in that little hole!
Soon, I realized it was exactly how it looked when I first found the hole.
So… did this mean I was the one who created it for my four-year old future self?
I could not help but throw my head back.
Ridiculous! I couldn’t believe this!