The next day May wakes up early. The whole house is quiet. May silently creeps downstairs to have some breakfast. But on her way down the stairs, she can smell scrambled eggs. Someone is awake too. May thinks it is Erica, but when she gets into the kitchen, her mother is standing at the stove. She hears May come in and turns her head to May.

"Good morning, Maria. Did you sleep well?" May nods.

"Yes, mother. Good morning."

"Are you hungry? Would you like to have some scrambled egg?"

May nods and goes to make some hot chocolate for herself. Erica appears in the doorway, smiling.

"Good morning. I had a wonderful rest."

"Would you like to have a hot chocolate?" May turns to Erica.

"Yes, please." Erica sits down.

May makes the two hot chocolates, then seats herself on the opposite side of Erica. Their mother brings them breakfast. A few minutes later Victoria appears. She sits down beside May. During the breakfast, they talk about what they are planning to do today.

After May finishes her breakfast, she asks her mother, if she can go to the hut. Her mother nods and May leaves the table and goes through the back door to the hut. She opens the door with the big, gold key, with she has carefully threaded to a chain and is wearing around her neck, before she takes it off. After unlocking the door, she puts the key back around her neck. Then she goes in.

She goes to the back of the hut, to the chest and opens it. Then she takes out the book, which she has carefully put on top of the things in the chest. She has put her dad's note inside. Then she takes a seat at the desk and opens the book. On the first page it says in bald, black letters. "The new world". May turns over the page. She starts reading.

Dear Maria,

Now that you are sixteen, it is time for you to know what really happened to me and why there is a new world.

First of all, you must learn that you are not a normal human being. Actually, you are what the new world calls a seeress. You have powers, which help you to get through the world I am stuck in. You just have to learn to control and to trust the powers that flow within you. Of course, this book is going to be your guidance, until you reach your destiny. Then you have used your powers well and they will stay with you for the rest of your life. For it is the only thing that can help you. My book might guide you, but that is all it can do. Once you've reached the stage, where you have to rely on your powers alone to save you and the rest of the new world, you've come to know, the book will be of no use anymore. I wish you luck.

Love Dad

May turns the page and sees wild drawings of people, working with their powers. On the top of the page says "Seer and Seeress". May studies the people well. She looks at every little tiny thing, even the facial expressions on each person's face. Mostly she sees power flowing through the bodies, making them feel safe and strong.

Then she closes the book and tucks it into her jacket pocket. Then she closes the chest and locks the door.

She walks back to the back door of the house and disappears into her room, where she pulls the book back out of her jacket pocket and lies on the bed. She begins to read again.

Dear Maria,

It is time for you to start with your first lesson. The first lesson will be you getting to know your powers. You will also meet a friend of yours, who will be by your side for ever. This friend is not a person, but an animal. It is a spirit animal, because it doesn't exist in the world you are in at the minute, but in the world I am stuck in, it is as lively as ever. Each spirit animal has its own powers, which are bound with the powers of each seer or seeress.

For the first lesson I want you to go to your stepmother. She will be able to help you get through to the other world as a replacement for me. I wish you luck.

Love Dad

May closes the book and puts it into her drawer beside the bed. Then she runs down the stairs to find her mum. She is sitting in the kitchen. May starts talking, all excited.

"Dad said I am ready for my first lesson."

Her mother looks at her with loving eyes.

"Well, then there's no time to lose", she smiles. "First of all, I will have to make you a cup of something."

She goes to the cupboard at the right end of the kitchen and gets out two jars with some kind of herbs in them.

"This drink will allow you to go deep down inside you and find your powers and your spirit animal."

She hands May the drink and tells her to drink it up. Once May has finished, she closes her eyes. Then she sees black.

* * * * *

Suddenly she awakes in a field, in the middle of the woods. She stands up and looks around. She hesitates for a minute, not knowing what exactly to do. Then she hears a voice talking to her. It is calling her name, over and over again. She looks around but cannot see anyone. Then the voice warns her, that something is coming. May gets scared and does not know what to do. Just as she sees the bushes in front of her move, she hears the voice telling her to concentrate and focus only on herself. May does as the voice tells her to do. She feels power flowing through her. It makes her feel strong, just like the people in her dad's book. A gust of wind blows against her and she turns to the side to see a fox standing beside her and using its powers just like May is doing. He is beautiful and has long red fur. His eyes are a sparkling blue colour. He looks at her from the corner of his eye and May knows she has found her spirit animal.

* * * * *

May wakes up again and her mother is looking at her.

"And, did you get to try out your powers?"

"Yes, it was amazing. It's like something I've never felt before. I felt so strong."

"Good, good. That means you've used your powers well and right. Now to your spirit animal."

She walks over to the stove and gets out a big pot, which she fills up with water and places onto the stove. Then she places a stone into it and chucks in a few herbs. It starts to bubble and May's mother tells May to put her hand into the bubbling water. May does as she is told and pulls the stone out of the water. The stone has formed itself into a fox.

"Your spirit animal is the fox. Wonderful", her mother says excitedly.

"Why? What does it mean", May looks puzzled.

"The fox is a rain spirit and stands for courage, cunning, cleverness, wisdom and protection from evil. The red in the fox's fur is representative of a solar emblem. Therefore, the symbol of the fox is passion, desire and intensity. All of which comes back to you. You are exactly like a fox." She looks at May her eyes shining.

"How do you know about all of this", May asks surprised.

"Because I am a feeler. My spirit animal is an eagle. He stands for skill, protection, guardianship, freedom, power and determination. He is very similar to your spirit animal, which means that we have quite a bit of a bond between our powers. You have an even stronger bond with your father though, because his spirit animal is the wolf. One thing you may never forget though is, not to talk to anyone about the new world you have come to know a bit about and never mention your spirit animal to a person. If you do, your spirit animal will lose its powers and die. We wouldn't want that to happen, ok."

"Yes, mother. But what if I tell it to somebody, who is only half person?"

"What do you mean only half person", her mother looks at her, waiting for an answer.

"Well, you see Sidhean...", May starts, before her mother interrupts her.

"You mean that boy you are friends with?"

"Yes, mother. Anyway, he has a secret, which you have to promise never to tell anyone."

"I promise. You can trust me, I'm your mother."

"Ok. Well, you see he's half person, half ghost. Only at night he turns into a ghost. Am I allowed to tell him?"

"I am not sure, to be quite honest. I would have to research that. But now it's late and you've had a very hard day. I think it is time for you to go to bed. We can research it in the morning. Good night, Maria." "Good night, mother. And thank you."

With that May leaves the room and goes to bed. She places the book carefully under her pillow and falls asleep. That night May dreams of her spirit animal, the fox, and her, finding her dad together.