House is sparkling – a refraction of one’s face could be seen clearly on every cupboard in a house; every corner is cleared from tiny shreds of dust. Linda is slowly finishing up by polishing little sculptures placed on the coffee table for a decoration.

Few hours later, the moon appeared on a starry sky. Quinn family got up to their terrace to enjoy some beautiful warming summer night. Linda barely allowed her children to go outside as they recently had a bath, even though they were are dried up now. Sitting at the terrace, gazing at the stars, they considered themselves lucky to be able to enjoy such view. Most lucky may be just the two of them, Linda and Edgar who were never able to see a clear sky in the New York City where they grew up in. From these moments they realized they made a good choice moving here.

As parents they try to teach their children to enjoy small things in life and to cherish what nature gives them. They knew David, Daniel and Callie are going to grow up to be clever enough to see that things happen for a reason. It seemed as if they rushed to teach them such things despite them being so young to only care about having fun.

Star gazing was interrupted the moment a fast, shiny black car parked its way on the street in front of their house. Young woman stepped out of the car. Spotting the family on the terrace glaring at her, she greeted them with a gentle smile. One more person got out of the car – it was an older man with gray beard. He locked the car door as he approached the Quinn household. Opening the gate, he let the young woman enter first.

“Get the children in the house,” Linda demanded from her husband. Daniel saw the worried look in his mother’s eyes – something he rarely got a chance to see. As their father hurried them up in their room, they knew something bad must be happening. Going up the stairs, he let them all into the boys’ room. Callie didn't share room with them and whenever she would enter, Daniel would get angry. But this time, they all felt safer staying close to each other.

“Why don't you guys find something to do in here now?” said Edgar smiling from an open door. He didn’t seem as worried as Linda was, but he was also acting a bit off.

“But dad, who are they?” asked David, curious about the mysterious people.

“They are some old friends of your mom and me,” said Edgar with a small hesitation. Unusual tone in his voice made them realize they probably weren't such good friends.

“Now, don't come down until we tell you, okay?” he told them as he was closing the door of their room. David, Daniel and Callie carefully listened to their father’s steps as he got down the stairs. They didn't do anything for about fifteen minutes, expecting their parents to come back soon, or at least one of them, when Daniel opened the door ajar.

“Let's go,” he said.

“But dad told us to stay here,” said David reasonably.

“Oh come on, I want to see who those people are.”

Callie went after her older brother for the same reason he was going for. David, however, anxiously went after them in hope of pulling them back, but before he knew it, he went down the stairs with them.

“Just be quiet,” whispered Daniel warily trough the hallway leading to the living room where his parents and unknown people settled. Callie cautiously stood behind him trying to overhear something from behind the door. David agitated, didn't bother to hear anything. Everything was muted anyway.

“Let’s get back or else we’ll get caught,” he said pulling his brother’s sleeve when at that very moment they heard steps getting closer to the door.

“They’re coming,” Daniel pulled Callie’s hand and hurrying went up back to their room. It was kind of exciting, they thought. Escaping the moment like that. David didn’t share the same way of thinking. It was a shame nothing could be overheard. The mission was a fail but at least they tried.

Afterwards, Linda and Edgar entered the children’s room finding them in the most ‘casual’ way. Daniel lifted his head from an open book he pretended to read; David removed his headphones while Callie closed the browser she presented to use. Yes, that seems about right. Except...

“Everything good over here?” asked Edgar approaching Daniel’s bed on which he was sitting on.

“Yes. Why wouldn't it be?” answered Daniel in hope they couldn’t hear his heart beating as fast as they rushed up the stairs.

“Because you’re holding a book upside down,” said Edgar knowing his children’s moves when they are hiding something. “And the fact that you’re holding a book in general isn’t normal. You don’t read much of books Dan. Forgot?” Edgar took the book from his son’s hands. “And what’s this? World War II? Really?”

“And you over here...” Linda now approached David’s bed on which he was laying. “Listening to music without plugging in the earphones? Since when did the technology get so advanced in this house?”

Daniel’s heart was beating even faster now. He knew his mother’s worried look never meant disobeying her order. Although, his ‘protector’ instinct overruled on this one knowing these people are not just some random guests. It’s not like he could have done anything by being there with them. But even less by being stuck in this room the whole time.

David and Callie went along with being covered. They were more curious and obvious that they didn’t even care. Even in this moment, it seemed as if Callie would make up a joke about being more professional than the boys, but instead she decided to keep it quiet as their parents exchanged looks. Were they upset?

“I am really sorry... I can’t do this,” said Linda turning her head away from the children. She was addressing to Edgar because children definitely didn’t understand why she looked as if she was about to cry. It was very common to her fragile personality but very rare because there were not many situations that happen that are followed by tears. Edgar went after her, just as the kids got up in concern for their mother. They wanted to go after them but David pulled them back this time.

“Get away Dave!” shouted Daniel.

“Wait,” David stopped his brother in a second. The silence in the room, made voices outside the door easily heard.

“I can’t Ed– I just can’t let them do that!” cried Linda.

“It’s going to be alright. There is nothing we can do about it, so the best thing is, to just support them...”

After a minute, Edgar went back to the boys’ room.

“Umm... were you guys listening just now?” No one replied anything, because it’s not like he needed a confirmative answer. Instead, he just approached the only girl in the room, taking her hand.

“Callie, sweetie,” he made a small pause as if he wasn’t sure what to tell her, “those people downstairs are here to talk to you.”

“Me? Why me?” she asked intrigued. “Did I do something?”

“No, nothing. Do not worry... I really can’t tell much. But I promise they are not dangerous people.”

Callie trusted him with all her might, so she went along. The boys naturally followed her. Edgar knew he couldn’t stop them. He didn’t know who was more interested in what is happening. Somehow, it was like he, himself, didn’t know what to expect.

Boys stopped in front of the kitchen. They spotted their mother sitting at the dining table, alone. Daniel knew she would pick any quiet room to clean her thoughts away in stressful situations, as appeared, this one is. He wouldn’t let her be by herself like that, so both he and David decided to make her company.

Edgar got inside the living room with Callie. Gray man and a blonde woman got up. Why anyone would get up from their seats to greet a kid, Callie wondered.

“Hello,” she greeted them with a handshake.

“Hi there,” said the blonde woman. “So you’re the Callie I heard so much about. I’m Stephanie and this is Jonathan. It’s so great to finally meet you.” She seemed honest, excited and a bit nervous, unlike Jonathan who just sat there causally, without any expression to be noticed. It’s like it was his usual hour.

Callie gave a slight nod, filled with curiously and confusion for not knowing what the reason she is needed for is.

“Calea,” Jonathan began, “I don’t want this sudden visit to scare you or anything.”

“I'm not scared,” she said rather unexpected. However, it’s been a long time since someone has addressed her with her full name. “Should I be?” now turned to Edgar expecting a negative answer, but all she got was a slight head shake.

“Mr. Jonathan here,” Stephanie started explaining after a minute, “he knew your parents.” Callie couldn’t deny she was even more captivated now. At one second she did wonder if she should be ashamed she thought Stephanie was referring to Linda and Edgar as she spoke of her parents. Linda never believed of what was told to her so she decided not to tell Callie anything about it, who surprisingly, respected that.

“Yes. I worked alongside them and we were good friends. We understood each other very well. In fact, your mother, before you were born, signed the transferring sphere– I don’t expect you to be familiar with this team... You heard of Vacael right?” asked Jonathan. He was not so good with wording his thoughts. Perhaps that’s how he showed his tension.

Callie nodded to Edgar’s surprise. Vacael was a commonly used word in conversations, but rather concerning a child would know about it. What does she do on that computer, he questioned himself.

“So you must be familiar with its purpose,” Jonathan began, handing Callie some kind of a document that was laying on the table in front of them, next to three white folders.

“Yes. Vacael exists as another world for people like you, and less fortunate who are approached with luck,” she said, starting to read the paper in her hands. Her head was slowly moving to the right as she read the first line. And then back, and so forth.

Stephanie couldn’t help but find this as an odd child’s behavior in front of strangers. Callie didn’t appear timid whatsoever. Stephanie was more than fascinated how a nine–year–old was reading a formally constructed piece of paper. Could she find this interesting? And what is up with an old man appointing a child with something like that?

“There is an uneven space between ‘being’ and ‘transferred’,” after about a minute of silence Callie spoke her mind, which wasn’t strange to her personality anymore.

“So,” she said right after another thirty seconds, “I’m being transferred?” she made a little pause, “To Vacael?”

Jonathan nodded without a word. I guess he expected more questions to be asked. He didn’t know what to add. Callie didn't say anything, paper said it all. She didn’t feel like crying, but she turned to Edgar expecting something – anything, but he didn’t know what to do either, just like Stephanie, who was undoubtedly very much new to this.