02. Sherona

I repeatedly revisit the moment my mom told me about my transmutation.

It was four years ago, at the time I was sixteen and it took mama a while to explain to me that I hadn't a birth defect per se. Just a genetic modification that allows me - more like forces me - to move through dimensional vortexes. My genetic material is altered in such a way that makes my body oversensitive to tiny fissures in the universe.

To say it in simple terms: Every time I pass one of these cracks in the universe I slip out of my world and into an alternate one.

So off I pop... so to speak. I don't actually pop anywhere; I slowly bleed through the seams of my world.

I was driving home and all was well, I was listening to soft, mellow music. But when I looked at the blank screen of my phone, I could see patches of my face turns invisible as it tingled, I saw my left eye begin to disappear first. I parked the car immediately, and very badly, if I may add.

I glanced worriedly at Jax, my heart heavy with guilt at leaving him like this again, but he was in deep sleep. My vision faded and I couldn't see anything and then the pain of the reformation started.

By the pain that was begining to radiate up my extremities I could tell I had just slipped out of my world I had slipped into an alternate reality. Once the pain faded, I attempted to shuffle my way to a sitting posture but the sound of chains hurt my head. Then the exhaustion from the little exertion sets in and I slip into an uncomfortable little snooze.

The last thing I remembered was driving home with my beau, Jaxon, but as soon as I passed the hospital the palpitations started. I parked in the parking lot, trying to fight my genes. But they're my genes; a body can't fight genetic material.

"Hello there, Liana." The voice was female, a soft drawl that reminded me of home, I probably would've liked it but her tone was so scathing as if she held some deep, personal grudge against me. That is strange because I've definitely never met her before.

How does she know my name? That pulled me out of the haze. I tried to sit up and this time succeeded.

"Who-?" I rasped but apparently she'd anticipated my question because she replied before I could ask.

"I'm Sherona. We summoned you here to help us." She sat sown on the mattress by my feet and I felt a shock at the face I was looking. "I know."

I felt like I was looking into a mirror. The same green eyes, same beauty spots, same nose and lips. Only circumstantial differences. She cracked a smile and I shuddered at how weird this moment felt. I felt a churning in my stomach.

"I'm going to throw up." She ignored my complaint and handed me a glass of water that I swallowed.

Her arm was covered in tattoos. She wore stained bandages all over but she looked so much stronger strong and more confident than me that I immediately felt two things; first, wonder at how she got that way all bruised and... brave. Second, how can I get like that because even though her hair was a curly mess and choppily cut she looked like a million bucks.

"What on earth help can you need of me?" I muttered feeling a bit biter with jealousy.

"We brought you here because I have a condition. I am going crazy." She said.

"That's comforting." I muttered. I never really grew out of using teenage sarcasm as a defence "What do you mean 'brought me here'? And why was I chained up before?"

"It's complicated. In short, I have the same genetic conditioning you have. Mario engineered a way to summon me back. The machine we used isn't perfected there was always a risk of you losing your mind. Restraining you was a precautionary measure." I like that she uses conditioning rather than transmutation. It sound more purposeful rather than like a terrible lab accident.

"Tell me you have a proper reason for bringing me here." I said, my chest hurt w ith the mere ida of having done this to Jax again, I couldn't even warn him.

"Miasma. It induces a form of Schizophrenia but spreads like Influenza. I'm infected so don't trust anyone. Apart from myself hence you were summoned. I caught it from my... friend Jaxon Mayers."

I felt a chill run down my back. "How can I help" A silent understanding passed between us. She understood my determination and liked it. I would do anything for Jax he has already done so much for me. I hate that he has been carrying me through life for the past two months.

"Jax pretended he was fine for the longest time. Then suddenly one night he got up, frantic. Yelling that I was an imposter. He couldn't recognise me because he remembered 16 year old me, the one without the tattoos and the bad ass hair, he gagged me and yanked me out of bed."

I took her hand, because I detected tears in her eyes or maybe because I was tearing up myself.

"He half carried me out of the house. My feet dragged across the ground. And he took me to the river. Where he slowly let me drown. But through some freak of nature adrenalin fight or flight craziness, I was able to slip from my world into another. When I returned to my own world the news was all over the place about this thing called Miasma. We know of the cure now though, a simple root brewed with hot water, over a period of time will cure anyone with the condition. It is working on me but I am not yet cleared to leave this crap hole of a hut."

I couldn't imagine what I would do if that happened to me. "What so you need me to do?"

"Just lure Jaxon to the barn across the bridge. We guestimate that you have ten here but only six seconds in your own world to find him and bring him to us before the universe corrects itself and you're snapped back to your world."

"Why can't" I got up, ready to do this, love can be a more powerful motivator than fear. "What if I catch the Miasma?" I asked.

"You can't. The Miasma virus won't recognize you as a host to infect. The infection only affects Vampires." She said the bared her teeth at me, showing the naturally occurring fangs.

"How the freaking hell?" I cowered away from her. This is wrong. In all the alternatives I've ever slipped into, I have never come across vampires.

"Relax. You are the last person I would bite. But Jaxon will love to sink his teeth into you." With that she grabbed me and threw me out the door. The second it shut I was upon it, screaming and hammering at it.

"Don't waste time. We don't know if Miasma can kill but we don't want to find out."

I banged against the door. "Let me in Sherona. We can find a better way."

"There isn't another way. Run." Her voice was cold and tight.

I heard the crunching of leaves in the cold evening air and I didn't bother to hang about and find out if it was something innocent or not. But the second I hit the dirt path heading from the hut to the bridge in the distance I figured out it wasn't anything innocent.

One tiny glance behind me and I could tell just by the build that Jaxon was after me. He was breathing heavy like sniffing for my scent.

He chased me all the way to the bridge, that's when my palpitations began and thought the ordeal was finally over. It wasn't. He lunged for me and tackled me straight to the ground, teeth bared and ready to rip me a new hole in my throat.

The pain was non-existent. Apparently adrenalin helps ease the transition. But I was screaming and crying and howling.

"Hey... hush. Quiet down. Everything is fine. It's all right." Jaxon's voice was clear, he knew about my condition, when I had reappeared a few feet away from the car he wordlessly he carried me back for the millionth time.

I could only think:

I'm so heavy, heavy in your arms.

Heavy, I'm so heavy in your arms.