Oliver no longer exists.

This is the first thought he has after Avie leads him through the Fold and into her realm. There is not much to see during this supposed journey.  The world around him blurs.  For a moment everything seems to rush by, the way he imagines things would look from a speeding train.  Then the distortion clears.  Images come into sharp focus and he is no longer where he had been. 

In a single step he has crossed into a whole new world.

She closes the Fold behind them. They are in a small clearing within a stand of towering firs and cedars.  Through a gap in the trees, he can make out a large rectangular building with many windows and a line of tiny balconies on the second floor.  This must be Avie's hotel, and if it is, he figures, Avie has succeeded in bringing him to her realm.  Which means, for all intents and purposes, there is no longer an Oliver Teide, picker and migrant laborer, existing in his home reality.  This insight causes him to sway on his feet.  He takes deep breaths until the lightheadedness recedes.  Avie holds his hand and gazes at him with large worried eyes.

"I'm fine."  He squeezes her hand as soon as he realizes she's waiting for some sign of reassurance from him.  "It's just...a little overwhelming, is all."

Avie bites her lip and takes a step forward so that she's directly in front of him.  "I know, Oliver.  Trust me, I do.  Let's take a minute." She leads him to a bench situated on the lawn in back of the hotel and they both sit down, their hands still clasped between them.  They rest in silence for a few moments.  Oliver listens to the birds calling from the branches of the evergreens.  They sound just like the birds at home. 

This thought calms him.  The worlds really aren't so different.  They both have birds and trees and people.  The sun follows the same pattern every day.  If he shuts his eyes, he can convince himself that there aren't two worlds or the countless realms Avie claims there to be.  They are all the same thing:  Existence—Reality—Life.

After a little while, Avie breaks their silence.  "Better?"

Oliver nods.

"Good."  She stands up and pulls him to his feet. "It's almost time for the night manager to arrive.  We should catch Marcella in her office before then so that I can introduce you to her."

They walk around to the front of the hotel.  A small glass structure with a sign reading "Reception" is tacked on to the edge of the larger building.  Oliver tugs at the door handle to open it for Avie.  She places her hand over his to stop him. 

"Remember," she whispers, "I know you from school.  You just graduated and your family's moved out of town, but you want to stay.  You need a job and a place to live.  Got it?"

They've gone over this several times.  He gets it.

The next thing he knows, he's hugging Marcella. Remember not to stick out your hand.  We don't shake hands here, Oliver.  She'll think you're being rude.  Avie's words come back to him.  He plays his role as best he can.

"One of Avie's friends from school, huh?"  Marcella pulls away and walks back behind her desk.

"Yes, ma'am."  Avie narrows her eyes and shakes her head slightly.  He's forgotten that honorifics such as ma'am and sir are seldom used here, though Avie says they were common in the past.  Marcella doesn't seem to mind his archaic language usage, however.  If anything, she seems flattered.

"Well, you're polite, aren't you?"  She stacks some papers and tosses them into a bin.  "What can I do for you Oliver, friend of Avie's?"

Avie does the explaining for him.  In the end, Marcella sighs and hands Oliver the key to a room on the second floor.  "Don't expect a free ride.  Be here tomorrow at 7 am sharp so I can put you to work."

***

Avie's heart skips a beat.  Her plan is working.  It's working!  She brought Oliver to her home and Marcella has bought their story, despite the fact that Oliver doesn't quite sound like he's from Cascadia.  If Marcella ever asks, maybe they can tell her that Oliver immigrated here when he was younger.

Convincing Marcella is a big hurdle.  She was a Caller, after all.  It was her job to keep other realm trespassers out.  Even if she denied this profession and trespassed in another realm herself, Marcella still knows how to test for other realm matter.  She could get a hold of one of those devices the authorities use, if she ever became suspicious.  Avie doesn't want to think of what would happen then.

Avie shows Oliver up the stairs next to the pop and ice machine and down the hall to room 217.  Fingers shaking, he takes his key with its diamond shaped red rubber key chain and twists it into the lock.  The door falls open to reveal an unremarkable and grossly outdated room.  Wood paneling covers all of the walls from floor to ceiling. Watercolors in thin brass frames depict pastel scenes of beaches and sailing vessels.  A maroon and purple bedspread clashes against the restrained tone of the paintings.

Oliver's jaw drops.

"I'm sorry, I know it's not much." Avie hovers in the doorway as Oliver begins to circle the room.  He picks up a remote for the television and then throws it onto the bed as though it's given him a shock.

"Not much!"  He moves farther into the room.  After a moment's fumbling, he figures out how to flip on the light.  He blinks in its brightness.  "Avie, is this really all for me?"

His eyes slide to the bathroom.  Avie rushes over, fearing the shock of indoor plumbing might cause him to faint.  He laughs as she steadies him, her hand on his shoulder.  "It's all for you.  I'd give you more if I could, Oliver."

He turns and wraps her in his arms.  "What more could I want, Avie?  I've got you, don't I?"

A/N: It's finally happened--Oliver has journeyed through the Fold and is now living in Avie's realm.  What do you think of his first impressions of his new world?  Do you think they successfully fooled Marcella?

Thanks kindly for all of your continued support. I'm glad you're still with me and (hopefully) still enjoying the story! 

Today's dedication is well deserved. @thirlyjesminda (Sarah) was the winner of my gold cyber star in the last chapter because she was the first to guess the link to Unseen.  Yay Sarah!  Sarah is also an award-winning writer.  How do I know this?  Because she won October's Unseen Flash Fiction contest!  I'll link to her winning entry in the comments thread.