Elements of the world began to render themselves in front of Alex as the shock subsided and the tears dried. His cheeks were itchy and dried snot crusted his nose and upper lip. He didn’t know how long it had been exactly but the dimmer light shining through the windows gave him a hint. Not quite a sunset, but there was still less light painting the modest house than before. A few hours maybe?

Echoes of a comforting song played in Alex’s head. It washed in and out like a tide on the shore of his subconscious. Perhaps it was that very song that kept him tethered to reality. What kept his mind from drifting into the emptiness of his brain’s infinity. 

Alex didn’t know exactly what the lyrics were, only a vague idea of the message they conveyed, as the words he heard were not a language he recognized. A language  different even than the one the woman had spoken before. This language was softer and breathier, using whispered huffs and lacking any kind of plosive. It almost sounded like it was made to be sung. Like it wouldn’t work if spoken. It had a musical quality to it like no language he could name.

Alex took a few deep breaths, drew his hand across his drenched forehead, then flicked the sweat away with reckless abandonment. With every ounce of strength he attempted to stand but he was met with a barrage of pins and needles poking and pricking at his legs, scolding him for even daring to try to pick himself up. 

It was lucky enough then that he had a kind stranger to act as a crutch.

The woman wrapped Alex’s arm around the back of her neck and gently pulled him up to a standing position, “Let me know when you are ready,” she said.

Several minutes passed silently by and as the blood began to return to Alex’s legs, his vision cleared and his mind came back to land.

“I’m ready,” the linguist said in a raspy voice he didn’t recognize, though not really sure of what he was ready for.

The woman pressed a gentle hand to Alex’s back, guiding him through the house and into a bedroom. A soft sheet was draped over his shoulders and a gentle delicate nudge persuaded him to take a seat on the large bed in the center of the room. The clean, white bedding and big cotton candy-like pillow resting at the head of the mattress gave a starile, safe environment for Alex to gather his thoughts and collect the pieces of his shattered worldview.

How much didn’t he know? How much didn’t the rest of the world-his world know?

Alex swallowed hard and looked around the room. A large window behind the bed let the afternoon light pour into the space which was almost completely empty, save for an ornate, darkly colored wooden desk and chair by the doorway. A stack of papers rested atop the desk about six centimeters high and directly beside it a glass bottle of a clear blue liquid that reminded Alex of Gatorade or Windex. There was something else to it though: it was luminescent, cooperating with the fractaled shape of the bottle to project stunning shapes of light onto the surface of the desk.

More magic? Alex made the assumption that it had to be related to magic in some way. He wondered how much of this new world was similar to the works of fiction he had read. Were there dragons? Elves? Orcs? The chances were realistically next to impossible. Those works took inspiration from cultures that developed on Earth-by human imagination. Whatever this world was, it was completely independent of his world. Though at this point, Alex couldn’t be one-hundred percent sure about anything.

The woman returned to the room with a pitcher of water in one hand, along with a tall glass in the other and a wet rag draped over the same wrist. She poured the water from the pitcher into the glass until it was only centimeters from the brim, then extended her arm to Alex.

“Wipe your face and rehydrate,” she said.

“Thank you,” Alex replied, taking the cup and rag. He placed the cold rag on his eyes, letting the cool wetness of it sooth his puffy, irritated eyes. An itching sensation drew his attention to his nose and Alex moved the rag to it and blew. He sniffled and then coughed.

“Drink,” the woman told him.

Alex put the glass to his lips and its contents vanished in seconds. He was mildly surprised by how thirsty he was. The woman had noticed it too because when Alex returned the glass to her, she poured more water and handed it back to him.

“More,” she commanded him.

Alex wasn’t about to decline the offer and quickly emptied it. He had no idea water could taste so good, and he knew that even if he weren’t so parched he would still think the same. It was so clean and pure that it felt like silk going down his dry throat. 

The woman gave Alex a warm smile, “I will be right back.”

Alex nodded and the woman left.

Alex peered out the window into the vacant street. He moved his eyes along the road, absorbing the unusual sight of the large trees sprouting along its edges. Their trunks were a dark shade of blue with corkscrewing bark, making them look almost like enormous ropes of licorice candy. Leaves swayed in the gentle breeze creating a liquid-like illusion and giving animation to foliage.

The leaves didn’t move in the way Alex thought they should have. It wasn’t something he could quite put his finger on. He didn’t have time to contemplate it though, as the woman had returned to the room.

In her hands was a familiar tan shirt: the one she’d given him with the pants. “Here, put this on,” she said as she handed it to Alex. 

It was softer than he expected. Clearly not cotton or wool, Alex could tell by its texture, high elasticity, and light weight. No, it felt more like high-end swimwear than everyday clothing. He would even have bet money on it being waterproof based on it’s slightly waxy feel. 

Alex cautiously put it on and braced himself for another light show. He was relieved (and slightly disappointed) when it didn’t perform any magic spectacle.

“So this one doesn’t do anything weird?”

The woman shook her head, “No.”

“It’s just a normal shirt?”

The woman nodded.

“Can I ask you a question?”

The woman nodded again, “Anything.”

“What’s in that bottle over there?” Alex pointed to the mysterious blue liquid on the desk.

“You do not know?” the woman asked, sounding genuinely surprised by the question. “That is effect source.”

“What’s ‘effect source’?”

The woman gave Alex a soft smile, “You are not from this world, are you?”