Winters and the Beast

Ethan rolled over, sensing the dawn light through the window before he opened his eyes. He grasped the pillow, and then exhaled. Someone was talking.

Someone was talking to Rosemary. A woman's voice.

Ethan bolted up, staring over at the crib. A blond figure had been there, but now she disappeared. He glared at the empty space, then heard Rosemary giggle. Something was still speaking with her. He could sense it. Ethan's heart was in his chest, but he forced himself to calm. As he sat up, he closed his eyes, willing the other space to appear. The liminal space.

When he opened his eyes, the room looked mostly the same. But a haze was around the windows, and the blond figure speaking to Rosemary was present.

"Oh," she said, and he sighed in relief when the thin, wiry girl straightened and turned. It wasn't Miranda, as he'd feared.

"You are learning to use your powers." Her accent was so unplaceable. Almost like Miranda's. He squinted, staring into her blue eyes. Was that...who she reminded him of?

It was the girl from the cruise. Macaroni-donut-girl. His heart was still racing. "What are you doing here?" Grinding his teeth, he sarcastically added, "Don't tell me I called you here too."

"No," she said with an odd questioning tone, and pointed to his daughter. "She did."

Rosemary was sitting up by herself, reaching toward the other and babbling.

"She can do that?" His heart didn't slow down. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"A little," the blond admitted. She turned to face Ethan, leaning against a dresser in the room. She was dressed strangely again, but different than last time. He scanned her face. "Who are you?"

"A friend," she said in a guarded tone, and then Ethan interrupted whatever she was going to say next with, "How can I stop Rose from...being in this place?"

"You can't," she said with a note of sympathy. "You cannot control her consciousness. She is now a part of this place. In fact, she has more power than just about anyone I've seen. Such a bright, blinding light." The blond girl reached through the crib bars to give Rosemary a finger to grasp. "It is possible when she gets older, to maybe teach her to control it. When to move between worlds, how to. It's very likely that your powers are connected to hers. She transfers energy to you. So she may be why you are able to see me."

Ethan sighed. "Can Miranda find her? Like this. Here."

"Rose is like a beacon, she is very powerful," the friend admitted. "But Miranda would have to come into your world to take Rose away."

"Can...you come into my world?"

The girl smiled sadly. "No."

"So then...it's safe. Maybe."

"Maybe," she echoed. He wanted to ask her again who she was, but Ethan couldn't bring himself to, for some reason. It was as though while here, he shared parts of her consciousness. She could exert some control on him...which was terrifying really. But all she shielded was her identity. That wasn't so bad, if she was truly a friend.

They stared at each other for a moment, before she blinked several times at him and restarted, "Actually, while I am here...I have a favor to ask you."

"Okay," he said, with trepidation.

"Where your explosives hit the Mold. The heart of the megamycete. That place is...wrong somehow, here. I believe it is injured. You are going there today, yes?"