Inside Gracie's room it was bright. And the source of the brightness, a lantern on Gracie's bedside table. Just one lantern that brightened the whole room. The lantern wasn't too bright that made it difficult looking at it but bright enough to light the whole room.
A window from which the dark sky outside the cottage could be seen. Even though the rain was no more the dark clouds were still present outside ready and threatening to rain at any moment.
The curtains blocked most of the view outside, of what could've been seen. Though the small opening didn't hide anything and the dark clouds were barely visible due to the damp glasses of the windows.
Akeno stepped inside, the room was warmer than what was downstairs and in the dark hallway. Gracie behind her lightly closed the door.
Akeno: She noticed the lantern on Gracie's bedside table. The whole room was lit by that lantern, she blinked. And looked around the room then back at the lantern.
[Woh, that's bright.]
She again blinked and took a step closer.
Gracie: She sat on the edge of her bed, "Akeno" She called out as her right hand sat on the space beside her.
"Hey, come sit beside me."
Akeno: She slowly turned her gaze to look at Gracie with Akeno's eyes widened when she heard what she just said. Her mouth opened a bit in disbelief.
Her breath blocked.
[What did she just say?]
She coughed. Both her hands flung to her mouth covering over her lips.
A moment later.
"Ah, what?"
Gracie: She tilts her head, leans back on the bed and sighs.
"I said, come sit beside me. I… I wanna talk."
Akeno: She hurriedly sat beside Gracie, to her right side. Her back was a bit slouched and leg long stretched out forward. Her hand held together and finger twitching as she awaited what Gracie was about to say.
Her gaze was down at the floor but she could feel Gracie's gaze on her.
"Um, Gracie."
She didn't look up to her.
Gracie: "Yes?"
Akeno: "You wanted to. Talk about something—?"
Gracie: She frantically nods.
"Oh yes, yes. There's something."
She huffs out air and breathes in.
"I… I've already said that more than twice. I think. Maybe not. I cannot recall."
She bit her lip.
"So the thing is. We assumed that… You're not from this world."
Akeno: Hearing that her eyes widen even more.
"Huh!?"
This was the loudest she had ever heard.
"Wha—"
Gracie: She raised up her hands between herself and Akeno as a defense. Leaning back further and her right leg shooting up to come and rest on the edge of the bed she got even more defensive.
"Listen" She pronounced calmly.
"I warned you that it'll sound weird. But trust me and let me explain."
…
Another silence. Gracie cups her neck and sighs, averting her eyes from Akeno.
Akeno: She was still stunned by Gracie saying that she was from another world. She gulps.
"Explain"
Gracie: She looks up at the ceiling and clinched her fingers to form a fist.
"Okay so. Did you find anything strange when you came here? Akeno?"
Akeno: [Strange… Like what…? The birds, and the rabbit from earlier?]
Gracie: "Like something you never saw before? Anything."
Akeno: "Oh, t–there was a bird and a rabbit. That I had never seen before."
Gracie: She shakes her head then her gaze again meets Akeno's. There was a sense of dim brightness in her eyes that Akeno hadn't seen before.
"Yeah yeah. Didn't you find that strange…? I mean… Never mind, you already consider them strange."
She scratched her head.
"So, the thing is. Uh." She brought her index finger to her mouth and bit her finger then leaned further back on the bed and tilts her head back.
"Why can't I say it properly? I practiced saying it." She muttered under her breath in a low voice but… Akeno heard it.
Akeno: Her eyes were still on Gracie.
[Is it really that difficult to say…? I'm… Really not from this world? But how?]
"What is it? Say it?" Her voice was soft.
Gracie: Even though Akeno didn't show any signs of anger Gracie's next words came out of pure instinct.
"Hey, don't be mad. It's all weird, I… I too went through it. Please be patient."
Akeno: She was stunned by what Gracie just said.
[Huh? 'I too'?]
She gulps as she shifts closer to Gracie. Without her noticing Akeno clinched her teeth as she met eyes with Gracie.
"Hey, what do you mean by 'I too'? What is it? I don't understand what's going on and you're not even saying anything." Her voice was sharper than before.
…
"Say something!"
Gracie: She flinched.
Akeno: She slides closer, her hand moving in the bed sheet and her fingers clinching on the sheets getting the bed messy.
"G–Gracie. What is it that you mean, I'm not from this w–world?" her breath tightened.
"Say something. Weren't you the one who wanted to talk? Aren't you gonna say anything else?" She raised her voice.
Gracie's body got more tense as a response to the sudden change in reaction of Akeno.
…
Akeno finally noticed the expression on Gracie's face that she didn't have this morning. She looked very vulnerable and in trouble. Akeno loosened up as her eyes wandered over Gracie.
[Huh? What did I just do?]
Gracie: She forcefully coughed and looked down at the floor.
"Listen Akeno. I… I'm not from this world. Neither are you. I think. I'm still unsure of how I came here, how I… got transported."
She cups her neck and closes her eyes.
"I really don't know. It's been two years since then and I'm still here."
…
…
…
Moments later she finally reopens her eyes and turns to Akeno. Their gaze met.
Akeno: She was frozen in place and stunned at hearing what Gracie just said.
"W–wait, isn't there a way back to—to my home?"
Gracie: "Not that I know of. And I would've tried it if there was any. There ain't any that I found."
Akeno: "So… There's no way out?" To which Gracie shook her head and muttered something, 'That's what I just said.'
…
[... Wait, then that'll mean I can't reunite with my… Mom?]
She clinched her fist tighter.
[... Ma…]