So the butterfly spread the flight over her head going out from the window.
--Zandi, are you awake?--The mother called -- come to give me a hand for lunch --
--Yes, mom,-- the girl replied, going downstairs.
-- Help me to clean the salad, as further the pasta you eat only that, my dear vegetarian, -- the mother said with a smile holding her a tray with vegetables
--Mom, I wanted to ask you, which is the use of the old door that we have in the attic? And why is it there?--
--To tell the truth, that door is there since we bought this house, and it is there. Your father does not have time to arrange the attic and so it is there. Why have you interest in an object so old?-- Linda asked.
--No anything, I went up to the attic to keep some old things and I noticed it, but nothing that, just curiosity - -
Meanwhile, it was 13:00, they set only for them because Paul was not at home because his work sometimes forced him to stay out for the whole day, he had to go and look at an old picture to be able to insert in his shop, he was an antiquary.
Between a chat and another, between one course and another, it was 15:00 and they hear someone knocking at the door.
-- Mother, I'm going to open, I think that it should be Anna, we have to go to the centre together. She want to buy a jacket for this winter and she want my opinion --
--But it is not soon for the opening of the shops, they usually open at 4:00 pm -- Linda said ironically.
--Yes, it is true, but we must also have time to eat a nice ice-cream -- Zandi answered opening the door.
--Good morning, Linda, -- Anna saind coming in.
-- Good morning, come on, sit down and take a sweetie waiting for Zandi to get ready to go out --
Zandi went to her room to prepare herself.
-- Tell me what happened today at school between Zandi and Prof Maltieri.
--Yes Linda, it was nonsense, I do not know the reason but Zandi throw the science book on the ground with a scream, the prof, that already does not frown at us from the time of the puddle, had a nice and good excuse to throw her out. But I do not know why she behaved like that, boh!, anyway I'll talk to Zandi --
--I do not know...-- Linda replied
- She behaves in a strange way since a couple of days, maybe it is the age, however, we will see in the next days --
--Let's go, Anna – she greeted her mother with a kiss.
While they were on the road, Anna asked to her friend:
--Have you done that strange dream of your childhood, that of water and of the mirror? Tell me well, maybe I can help you to understand it --
--No, I dreamed a strange door, but nothing to do with that dream of the mirror in the water. I do them and I do them again but I cannot understand what they want to tell me, and I tell you the truth, the dram of the water makes me a bit 'more fear, but it is not the case to tell it – Zandi replied.
--I insist, you're my friend, so starts...--
Zandi continued:
-- In the dream I find myself immersed in the sea, but I do not miss the air, when suddenly I see my image reflected like in a mirror, but on the other side I am as small as when my memories begin with Linda and Paolo, then suddenly a strange figure divides us from above, and then I wake up.... We do not think about it anymore. Here there is the ice cream shop, let's go in. --" she concluded by de-dramatizing.
They entered ordering a big ice cream for each other, for Zandi strawberry and berries and Anna dark chocolate and vanilla, with so much cream over. When they finished eating it between a smudge and the other it was 16:00, they cleaned their hands and mouth because they seemed to make up with ice cream.
-- Let's go, the shop is open, before someone take the jacket I had seen, you know it was the last one,-- Anna said.
They got in. As soon as they entered came in, Zandi had a strange feeling, she had never been there, that store had just opened with a new management, however she followed her friend who tried her favourite garment with the shop-assistant.
--Do you like it?-- Anna asked.
- You're very nice, it's good for you, and then it's not very expensive --
Zandi, however, was a prey to a strange sensation, if someone called her, fear whispers. So she left her friend with the shop assistant and she went to the origin of the sounds. When she entered in a department with furs, the sounds made deafening, sounds of help, she corked her ears running out, coming out she gestured to Anna that they would see each other later, explaining after the incident.
Her friend could not follow her because she was finishing the negotiations for the jacket with the shop assistant.
It was after 7:30 pm, the waves crashed on the rock, under the sun that was about to set, there was serenity, we could hear only the steps of a man who was going to the top of this rock, when he arrived on his words were:
-- I knew I would have found her, my baby --
--Oh Papa, you are here,--Zandi answered, getting up and hugging him.
--I arrived home from work with the van still loaded with goods, when I found mom and Anna busy to talk. After they explanation, I told them I knew where I could find you, I said them to be quiet, so I immediately ran here -- and they both sat to watch the sunset.
-- What is it that worries you, my little, still here bad dreams?- -
-- No, dad, it's not just those, I cannot explain, but do not worry, it's a moment I think it will pass --
--Ok but if these days are not going well, do you promise to talk about it to find a solution together? -- Paolo concluded.
--Okay, I promise you! - she answered by resting her little head on his shoulder.
So they both went home, during the voyage, Zandi asked what he had bought in the van, seeing packaged pictures; Paul replied that they were old paintings that he had at a good price as the value they had.
They arrived at home, Linda hugging Zandi.
-- You have made me very worried, both to me and also to Anna who was here waiting for you, she left a little while ago, -- the mother said.
-- I’m sorry, mum, I will not do it anymore, forgive me,--the girl replied.
– Zandi help me to download these paintings while your mother is preparing our dinner--
-- Certainly, dad --
And first the smaller pictures came down, one at a time very carefully, then they both took a big picture but they could not see the painting because it was covered by a dark sheet.
--Be careful, my baby, because the canvas is very old and it crumbles if you make them whisk – Paul warned.
Zandi was busy checking that the edges of the painting did not touch the walls, when her eyes attracted by the shirt, on the chest we can see two immobile lights, she did not want make the other understand something because that day a lot of thing had already happened, so she continued not caring of that episode.
As soon as they had finished unloading all the objects they entered the house where there was a good scent that increased in Zandi and in her father still more hungry, and after having washed their hands they sat down at the table watching TV. It transmitted a documentary who talked about the pollution done by the man, and while she was eating her strictly vegetarian dinner made of vegetables, bread and fruit she exclaimed:
-- It is not right that nature is so polluted, especially for such useless purposes, but they do not realize that we are only doing harm to nature and to ourselves...--
--You are right, my baby, someone should do something – Paul exclaimed.
--Yes but the person who should be vigilant, make his own personal interests letting everything run. Unfortunately the good people are kept too far from these situations, on our own we must do all the possible to protect everything around us, earth, nature and our home. We are like drops in the sea but if the drops are so many they can make up the sea... -- her mother replied and continuing after a few minutes of pause -- By the way, changing the subject, It is 22:00, tomorrow you have to go to school, I must also come so I will say something to Miss Maltieri –
-- Yes, mom, I brush my teeth and I go to bed, goodnight--
- Good night and sweet dreams – her parents answered.
TEMPORAL SPACE JOURNEY
She went into her room to go to sleep, it was a particular room because she had created it to her liking: she had put down a kind of thick green carpet simulating small grass, she then added on it some colourful cardboard flowers simulating a lawn, this lawn continued on the paintings on the walls on which trees and flowers were painted, the upper part of the walls was a blue colour like the sky, with some small cloud, its window was circular representing the sun, it was like being outdoors, the night was fantastic because as the light went out there were so many little phosphorescent dots that lit up simulating the stars and a bigger one round simulating the moon. It was a show of realism. she had done everything with her hands, except for the circular window that had been built by the blacksmith of the village.
She put on her bed like every night thinking about tomorrow, looking to the simulated sky, she turned off the light. In the darkness she saw in the background in front of her, among the many lights, another light turn on. She fixed there her glance because it would have not turned on, it was a phosphorescent object like the others, so it had to behave like the others. She turned on the light and everything seemed as usual, she turned off the light again but she turned it on a second later: something had caught her attention.
She jumped out of bed going toward the wall in front of her, she remembers of having painted a butterfly with her mother, and now it was not there anymore... Her glance froze thinking that the same morning a butterfly had leaned on her hand as soon as she woke up.
She remember well it was the same drawn, but how was it possible?
what was happening?
Suddenly the light turned off... she closed her eyes for a few seconds then before she opened them again a wind shook her hair. She opened them again: everything was real, the trees, the lawn, she was not frightened, she saw again the light lit up, she went to meet this light and as she went along it became more intense, this light came from a hole on the trunk of a tree, when she arrived she was amazed: it came precisely from a lock in a door on a tree. It was the same door of the attic!
Zandi knew how to open it but she was undecided whether to do it or not. Then she did not know how to go back and at this point she decided to continue, perhaps she would had have some answers about the strange things seen in the last days or about her two nightmares that tormented her night. So she took the pendant from her chest with the brown lit up stone placing it gently on the handle, the door opened a few centimetres, she opened it even more, everything was made of light, she was attracted by it, she immersed herself inside and the door closed.
When she opened her eyes she saw only darkness, she could not make out anything, not even a slight hint of light. she tried to move in the dark but with wonder even this gesture was prevented. Incredible, she could not move a muscle, she was motionless in the dark, she did not know what to do. She could barely hear a voice from the darkness, it was an imperceptible murmur, it was a cry of a man a few meters away from her.
But she could not see anything.
She decided to shake vigorously to be able to get rid of that immobility. With immense amazement she saw that this agitation made her able to see light showing a light like some veins, more she moved and more those cracks of light were enlarged, after a while a bit of darkness moved away from her face, she could finally see, she was esteemed and incredulous at what she could see from that crack. She thought to be in a statue with her shape, placed on an altar in a kind of church lit by a myriad of candles, in front of her an old man praying crying, the old gentleman had not noticed anything yet, he could barely scan some words, it was a prayer addressing to her, asking for grace not for him but for a person very dear to him.
Zandi continued to shake off that sort of skin made of a kind of chalk, with a powerful tug she brought down the upper part that covered her. At that point the man placed in front of her with a prostration glance, saw pieces of statue plummet in front of his knees. He raised his eyes seeing the girl shaking off more plaster and asking him for help. The man opened wide his eyes in a mix of fear and amazement, after a few seconds, started to scream running away, in the heat of escape he flew several times to the ground, but carelessly he continued his flight to get out of that place.
As soon as he was completely free, she slipped on the ground from the four steps on which she was, she got on all fours raising her head and rolling up, she turned around, there was nobody. It was a kind of sanctuary, perhaps someone knew where she was. She thought in what way she had arrived there, she began to wander around trying to understand something, when innumerable voices presumably directed towards that place approached from the bottom of the sanctuary near the entrance. Immediately she hid behind the altar with a short run, remaining hidden she could see the centre of the room through a small crack. Unexpectedly she saw the main door opening, hundreds of people of all kinds and ages went in, half of them were armed with torches and from the upper part of the door we could see that there was night outside. In front of the crowd there was the old man escaped by fear. When they arrived near the altar, the old man showed the statue’s crocks on the ground, waving his hand.
--You can see, the woman came out of the statue taking life, Look Look! -- The old man started.
A well dressed man came out of the crowd, he stood in front of him exclaiming:
-- Are you sure about what you're telling us, Mosi? Are you drunk as usual and you're looking for an excuse to get rid of the sacrilege you've committed? Surely you dropped the statue and now you want to escape from the penalty. Where is the girl you're quoting? I do not see anyone – He ended turning to the crowd.
The old man, taking some crocks, exclaimed:
--You have to believe me, I'm not drunk, believe me, Nassor, and you all too. I repeat, I was here praying under the statue, and she appeared answering to my prayers, believe me --
But the crowd expressed itself only with an incomprehensible murmur, Nassor ended it climbing the four steps next to the pedestal where the statue stood, he turned towards the crowd, and opening his arms he pronounced:
--Silence! I said Silence! - and the crowd became dumb.
--It 'clear that the old Mosi has told a lie, even if we can understand his despair caused by the disaster happened to his daughter, we cannot ignore this serious act of destroying the statue of our beloved deity. So as your tribe chief I ask you all, people of the Zebenjo tribe: do you believe in Mosi’s words? who believes in him raises his hand, who instead believes that this is a ruse to exculpate immense sacrilege that he has committed keep it down --
Nobody raised his hand, the crowd approached Mosi who at the same time knelt on the ground with a low incredulous face, unknowing why no one believed in his truth. The crowd began to shout at him phrases like:
-- Ashamed! Now you will unleash the revenge of our dynamism caused by your affront --
- You are a drunk! How could you done a similar thing! --
-- You deserve exemplary punishment --
-- Doing so, you destroy our hopes –
All these phrases were shouted as they approached to the poor old man, when he was surrounded by people, Nassor interrupted the crowd: