THE MOMENT
"Huh," the utterance slipped out without intention. Darcy had decided to take a more proactive approach to her health and she was jogging in the park that morning for the first time ever. She'd been to the park plenty of times but never for her own health. She knew the layout decently well, and it came as a surprise when she saw someone who looked like a high school student make his way through a dense shrub along one wall. Normally, she wouldn't have given it a second thought. She was young once and she knew all about skipping school, though she couldn't say she'd never hidden in the park. Except, he wasn't even the third person she'd seen veer off the park path and into the shrubbery. She'd been at the park for a while, and by now, there seemed to be enough people hiding behind the bushes to be throwing a rave. She was interested enough to take a peek.
The next time she passed the area she slowed down and listened. There were no chattering whispers or pumping music. All she heard were the normal sounds of nature in the morning.
"I'm an adult now...," she giggled to herself as she made the decision to intrude. She took in a breath and pushed through the bushes the same way she'd seen everyone else do it. It was easier than she expected, but she was focused on 'catching' the students.
"HEY YOU KI-. Huh," she found a surprisingly large clearing between the hedge and the brick wall surrounding the park, and not only that, there was a large black spot, painted perfectly on the wall. It looked like an egg-shaped hole, completely devoid of light. She tried to reach into the hole and was surprised to feel the bricks of the wall. The, she was startled when a voice spoke up behind her.
"Hi.. can I help you?" Darcy whirled around to find a young teenager wearing a crisp white suit and she had bright blue hair. Darcy looked past the girl to be sure. The hedgewall was high enough to hide her and the black mark. And, the teenager had a backpack with her. Darcy wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but she was quick enough to tie things together and take on the responsible role of an adult.
"What is this?" she turned to knock on the black bricks, then she gestured at the girl's backpack. "Where are you going, and why aren't you in school?" The girl laughed and smiled.
"It's a portal to a magical world, and I'm not in school because there's a stranger in my way. My name's Liberty," she added. Darcy tilted her head at Liberty, then looked back at the black bricks. She thought for a moment, then nodded and stepped out of the way. Either the girl was telling a lie, or she was telling the truth, and Darcy was curious about which one it was.
"Sorry, I didn't realize...," she apologized and Liberty smiled.
"No sweat, I'm not late or anything. See ya," she waved and walked forward, into the black hole.
"WAIT!" Darcy asked and immediately tried to push her hand through the portal. Liberty was already half inside; but, she hit her fingers hard on the brick. "OW!"
"What are you doing?" Liberty asked while maintaining her friendly smile.
"HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT!?" Darcy asked. She didn't mean to raise her voice; but, the confusion was starting to stress her out.
"What?" Liberty asked. She stepped out of the portal again just because she was concerned Darcy might need help of some kind.
"How are you walking through the bricks?" she reached forward and poked the solid wall again to illustrate her issue.
"It's an entrance...," Liberty shrugged with her own confused expression.
"Why can't I enter it?" she asked.
"Ohhh," Liberty giggled. "That's what's confusing you? Here," she reached into her backpack and pulled out a transparent glass card to offer it to Darcy.
"What's this?" she accepted it and the time appeared on the glass like smartphone display.
"It's called a node," Liberty said. "You can use it to travel to magical worlds, and a lot more. You should definitely learn how to use it," she added.
"So... with this I can enter it?" Darcy tried pushing the card against the bricks and met resistance.
"No," Liberty shook her head. "YOU...," she pointed directly at Darcy. "...can't use this entrance or go to this world. But, the node will teach you how to make your own to another world."
"What? Why not?" It seemed like an arbitrary decision to exclude her. Liberty smiled, waved, then walked into the black hole to disappear. She left Darcy with an answer that satisfied her curiosity in a way; but, it still left her puzzled.
"Because you don't go to my school."