The World That Had No Outside: II. The People on the Other Side

Elian followed the voices.

The path went around the pond, between two apple trees, and down towards a small wooden bridge. On the other side, three people were sitting at a table.

They had laid out a meal.

One of them was a man with a white beard. Another was a young woman, who was cutting bread. The third was a child, who had placed a small stone in the middle of the table.

They looked up as Elian approached.

"You're late," said the man.

"So I've been told."

The young woman smiled.

"Then you must be hungry."

Elian sat down.

There was a bowl of soup in front of her, a piece of bread, and a cup of water. She had not eaten since the previous morning, though she could not remember being hungry.

The child pushed the stone towards her.

"This is yours," he said.

Elian picked it up.

It was a small grey stone, smooth on one side and rough on the other. She turned it over.

"Where did you find it?"

"In your village."

Elian put it down.

"My village is gone."

The man with the white beard nodded.

"Yes."

"Where did it go?"

The man looked at the child.

The child looked at the stone.

The young woman poured more water into Elian's cup.

"Perhaps," she said, "you should tell us what happened."

Elian told them about the wall, the door, and the garden. She told them about the villagers who had disappeared. She told them about the woman with the basket.

When she had finished, the man with the white beard leaned back.

"That is a curious way to arrive."

"Is there another?"

"Oh, yes."

The child began to laugh.

The young woman looked at him.

"Don't."

The child stopped.

Elian looked towards the bridge.

"Can I go back?"

The man with the white beard pointed towards the far side of the pond.

"Of course."

Elian stood.

The bridge was still there. The path was still there. Beyond the apple trees, she could see the house.

But there was no garden.

There was no door.

There was no wall.

She turned back.

The three people were still sitting at the table.

The child had picked up the stone.

"Wait," Elian said.

The man with the white beard looked at her.

"What is it?"

"The stone."

The child held it out.

Elian took it.

The rough side was no longer rough.

She turned it over.

On the smooth side, someone had carved a small door.

She looked up.

The child was watching her.

"That's where we live," he said.

Elian looked towards the house.

The young woman was standing beside the table now.

"Would you like to see?"

Elian nodded.

They walked towards the house.

The man with the white beard remained seated.

The child followed them, carrying the stone.

At the door, the young woman stopped.

"Before you go in," she said, "there is something you should know."

Elian waited.

The young woman looked back towards the pond.

"Your village isn't the only place that has disappeared."

She opened the door.

Inside, Elian heard voices.

One of them was her own.