Nana's story

Each time it all came back to this gate. Was it that important apart from travelling to and fro the worlds? It all sounded so confusing to me and I knew someone who could make things clearer. Nana.

Maybe there was something like video call on Bhuvar as well. In fact, there should be aneven better mode of communication given that it was much advanced. I would wait for Dave to be free, then I would enquire. I was starting to feel excited like those people before they start a new video game.

'When wold they be finally done with their meal?' I asked the screens with frustration. I coud see that Dave's plate was empty. He had steepled his fingers under his chin and was leaning forward, with his elbows taking the support of the table. He was smiling at something Estena had said. She was moving her fork all over the plate and then from time to time, would pick a very small morsel which she would direct to her mouth.

'It's so obvious that you're buying time,' I said to the screen.

After 15 minutes, Estena no longer had any excuse to hold Dave with her and she hobbled to the door with a grimace of pain, as an invitation for Dave to come and help her. And of course, being the gentleman that he was, he had to help her. I wanted to feel bad, but I couldn't. How could I hate the very aspects of his character that had endeared him to me?

Dave merely left her in front of the door and made the pretext that he had some work to catch up in the office. As soon as he turned to go, I caught the deceived look on Estena's face, but it was soon replaced by speculation. As soon as she was sure that Dave was downstairs, she took the stairs at a run and went to the second floor. What was she up to?

She went to the study and started touching the spine of the books and I had the feeling that she was looking for someting specific?

'Like what you see?' a voice said by my side and I almost jumped out of my skin.

'Why do you come so silently?' I complained.

'It's a good way to surprise both friend and foe when they least expect it,' he said pragmatically.

I gazed at him in curiosity and pointing at the screen, I asked, 'What is she then? Friend or foe?'

He turned to look at Estena who was still looking through the rows of books and merely raised his right eyebrow.

'That's all as reaction?' I asked him. He merely shrugged and said, 'She's looking for a book to read.'

'Yeah, you should haveseen her sprint to fetch a book as soonasyou left,' I replied wryly.

We both watched Estena look throughout half the books before she finally gave up and ran back to her room. I kept looking at Dave's expressions but his face was completely blank and I could not guess what he was thinking.

'Can you show me how to video call Nana? There is that facility on Bhuvar, right?'

As reply, he merely punched ina few numbers on his phone and gave it to me.

'Do I have to restrict the call to less than one minute this time as well?'

'No, take as much time as you want,' he said before giving me some privacy to talk to Nana.

Nana picked up the call and the image quality was so good that it felt as if he was standing in front of me.

'Ash, what a surprise! You're back on Bhuvar?'

'Yes, I came yesterday. It's the holidays right now on earth.' I could feel the uncomfortable question coming as to why I wasn't staying over at Nana's, so I quickly counter attacked with questions of my own.

'Nana, can you explain why there so much fuss about the passageways?'

He took a deep breath and said, 'It's a long story. But to simplify it, there are some people who want to acquire more power and wealth and to do so they are capable of anything. Last time, a group of Vetala and werewolves managed to used the passageway and come to Bhuvar. Your Nani and Dave's mother managed to stop them from being successful in their plans and while some of the culprits died, others escapedto Earth.'

That part caught my interest and with some trepidation I asked, 'Do you know who are those who managed to escape.' Could Mr Freere be part of that group?

'Your Nani and Dave's mother were the only ones who saw them. We have no way to identify them. But why all this interest in this?'

I didn't feel at ease sharing this on the phone, so I promised to tell him everything on my next visit and the sweet old man didn't insist.

'But there are lockets as well, right?'

'Yes, but it can only be used by one person or two at the most.' I then thought of Mr Freere. If he could travel to andfrom Earth it was obvious that he had a means to do so, a locket maybe. So why this interest in the passageway? Nana indirectly answered that question when he added,

'There are very few lockets, you know. There are what we call transient badges too.'

That was the first time I was hearing something like that. I hadn't even seen it in Nani's diary.

'What are these Nana?'

'They are just like your locket, but you can use them only a limited number of times. They can be in the form of rings, chains, or other objects made from semi-precious stones.'

I finlly ended the call after fifteen minutes. I felt my thoughts crowding in my head, I was just trying to understand the events happening, but I could not find a link between them. I was even starting to feel trapped in this office and I felt my shoulders stiff with tension.

What I needed right then to put my ideas in order was a nice soak. I looked at Estena safe in her room and thought that it would be a good idea. I slippedout of the office and ran to my bedroom, taking care not to make too much noise on opening and closing the door. I then took my bathrobe and went to the bathroom. As soon as I opened the door, I felt a bolt of heat go through me and my eyes opened wide in shock.