‘It’s been a few weeks since I got here and I have learned that this place… is not Earth, like at all. My parents have been speaking to me in some language that I had never even heard of, which is surprising to me because back on Earth, I was a flippin’ polyglot! Anyway, I’ve picked up on a few words and can translate some sentences with high difficulty.’ 

“Aron, sel mo [up] nata.” 

‘Oh yeah, I figured out that my name is Aron. I didn’t really like it at first after having my old name for over 40 years, but it’s grown on me. I miss my wife and kids, but I don’t think I’m waking up from this dream any time soon…I just wish I hadn’t gotten shot.’

“Aron, nata [please] sel mo.”

‘Does she want me to stand? I can’t do that, can I? Not right now anyway. I’ll try I guess.’ 

Aron, surprisingly, stands up with ease and stumbles around a little bit before falling back on his butt. He looks up at his parents with a wide smile on his face.

‘Wait what? Is the walking period earlier than on Earth? This is actually insane.’

Aron’s mom looks at him in awe and then his father repeatedly. 

“Froise val hau? Ter [he] sella [just] sol mo!” Both of his parents stare at him in awe and love. 

“I love you son.” His father says excitedly. 

‘Oh, did I just do something that isn’t normal for kids my age? Frick. I guess I can use my legs all the time now, though.’ 

One month later, Aron, formerly President Vander, was walking in his crib when he noticed something strange. 

‘Why is an entire side of the crib missing? What if I fall? Gosh, my parents really don’t care about me, do they?’ A sly grin appears on his face. ‘Mischief time. After all, gotta fight the boredom somehow. Mwahahaha. Evil laugh, yeah!’ He climbs down to the floor. He slowly walks over to a bookshelf, each step wobbly, but better than the last, and looks up. ‘Books? Let’s see.’ He reaches up to grab a book and struggles to get it open. The book was dusty and worn and the title was unreadable. Once his small fingers open the book, he puts it across his lap and attempts to read the squiggles of the letters. He taps the book to try and make sense of it and breathes in slowly. ‘WHY WOULD I THINK THIS WOULD WORK, STUPID VAN… ARON.’ 

Suddenly, his mother’s voice shoots around the corner and Aron jumps. “Aron, foso [where] are you? Ah, roto swa crib.” She chuckles lightly with her white teeth glistening in the candlelight. She grabs him and the book, putting the book back on the shelf where it was. “Aron, you know you can’t do that” She smiles slightly. “But, I’ll make a lobeck– just this once. You’re really smart, y’know.” She sighs and looks at the book Aron was holding. “You wanna know how to pord?” She asked, pointing to another book she got and drawing straight lines quickly on it with her fingers.

‘I dunno what that word means, so I’ll just nod my head I guess.’ Aron nods slowly and his mother takes him to the edge of the candle-lit room. She says some sort of chant, and walks back to her room with him in her arms. Aron looks back at his room and sees purple translucent tiles slowly fall down to the ground and he stares at them in awe before they disappear. 

‘Does this world have magic?!’