“Thank you so much, again,” Mia said this in short bursts, as she hopped around trying to pull her other shoe on.

Gemma smiled at her old friend, “Seriously, it’s no problem.”

“Text me if anything comes up,” Mia said as she opened the door.

“I will,” Gemma raised her voice, “Drive safe!”

Gemma closed the door and turned. Mia’s daughter, Nellie, sat next to a couch and chewed on a colored block.

The impromptu babysitter sat down with her back against the foot of the couch. She ran a hand along Nellie's downy hair. The baby pulled the block from her mouth, a sheen of saliva glimmering, and offered it to Gemma with a serious expression.

“No thanks,” Gemma leaned away from the gooey object.

Unperturbed by the refusal, Nellie put the block down and grabbed a new one to slobber over.

Gemma watched for a moment, and then reached for her backpack. The sheet music was a new piece, one her teacher had pushed her to learn.

Her fingers tapped out the rhythm of the notes. When she hummed the music, Nellie joined her with a cute baby coo.

Gemma smiled and continued working through the measures.

Baby and sitter spent a while in calmness. The sweet zone of quiet contentment was burst when a foul odor wafted over to Gemma.

“Nice job. Let’s get you cleaned up,” Gemma put the sheet music down on the couch, and picked Nellie up.

Once Nellie had a fresh diaper, Gemma decided a snack would be in order. Nellie in her arms, she then buckled the baby into her high chair.

Inside the refrigerator a half empty jar of mashed fruits and vegetables sat on the middle shelf. Gemma grabbed it and a spoon from one of the drawers, and sat down next to Nellie.

“Almost forgot!’ Gemma picked up a bib and snapped its little piece of metal shut once the bib was around Nellie’s neck.

“There you go.”

Gemma fed Nellie each bite, taking painstaking care not to get Nellie’s face dirty, but to no avail. By the time the jar was finished there was a schmear on Nellie’s cheek and somehow, a dab of it on her forehead. With a sigh Gemma went to wipe Nellie’s face.

A hand swooped in to block her, but Gemma overpowered the baby and wiped her face clean.

“That wasn’t too bad was it?”

Nellie gave the cloth a hard glare.

“Ok, fine, it was horrible and unpleasant to have that cold wet thing on your face. I think a nap may be in order.”

After the shades were put down and the white noise machine put on, Gemma closed the door and went to raid Mia’s fridge for herself. An appealing container of what looked like fried rice called to her. She reheated a plateful and ate.

When she finished eating she cleaned up. Then she scrolled on her phone and vegetated a bit.

A muffled shriek let her know that Nellie finished her nap.

Gemma changed another diaper and held Nellie in front of her.

“Let’s get some fresh air.”

Gemma packed up the diaper bag, snacks, and managed to fit her backpack into the bottom of the stroller. She buckled Nellie into her seat and handed her a bottle of milk, and then maneuvered the stroller out the house.

The park was two streets away, grass covered, with a sand pit of terror and several pieces of climbing equipment and swings. They would avoid the sand pit and stay in the grassy areas, and make use of the mini slide and swing made for people Nellie’s size.

They reached a street. A car stopped at the sign, and Gemma nodded her thanks and crossed the street.

Halfway across, a sinking sensation jarred her with such totalness, there were no coherent thoughts in her head for a moment. Eyes squeezed shut, everything spinning, a small gasp made its way out of her mouth. Was she experiencing some sort of sudden medical emergency? The throb of her heart sped up.

But no. Nellie let out a screech, so she must have been feeling the same sensations.

The vertigo settled, and panic filled Gemma. Her surroundings felt humid and smelled earthy--this wasn’t the street she’d just been in the middle of crossing.

Her stomach clenched as she opened her eyes.

The first thing to register was green.

Leaf covered fronds and shrubbery, the sound of a sharp, staccato bird trill.

Somehow, from crossing the street on their way to the park, they’d ended up in a jungle.

Nellie was calm now that the strange sensations had abated. She was sucking on her bottle, unaware of where they were, and where they weren’t.

But Gemma swallowed back a gag as she read the filmy screen that appeared before her.

Hello, and welcome to Tralavar!

Integration into system complete. Apologies for any inconvenience felt.

It will take approximately three days to evaluate the information received about your person, Miss Gemma Dale, after which you will be able to choose a Class based upon your skills and history.

Stay safe until then

:)

System Administrator Wiley