My Eyes: Part V

(Story begins here.)

``As the great pacifist Axolotl might say, you are in the Spectral plane,'' Uncle San said. ``Sort of,'' he added a short while later.

I looked at him confusedly, the questions swirling through my addled brain. The whole place did seem to feel sort of in-betweeny, the kind of inexplicable neither here nor there sort of feeling. The general location where I was in still fit what I had known about the place for the most part, with the only unnerving thing being the non-response of Shumei. But Spectral plane?

``No doubt you are confused over the one thing that means no sense to you,'' Uncle San said, seemingly having read my thoughts.

``What is the Spectral plane,'' I stated in a matter-of-fact manner.

``Indeed, `what is the Spectral plane','' Uncle San said. ``I will explain to you soon enough, but first, we need to get you back to the Material plane completely. It is not safe to be at the Spectral plane if one is not prepared at all.''

Once more Uncle San stepped up to me. However, instead of putting his hand on my head, he grabbed hold of my arms and gave me a great tug. For a moment, I felt as though I was being wrenched violently through something that I couldn't actually see but could easily felt. There was a strange disorienting feeling that passed quickly and I found myself standing in the shop. Instead of merely seeming normal, things actually felt normal. Over in the corner, Shumei was looking at me like before, except she looked more alive, and her eyes were filled with concern. Our eyes met, and I had to quickly look away, for some reason.

Uncle San was still standing behind the counter as I looked about me to verify my surroundings. Yep, it all seemed to be normal as far as I could tell. Satisfied, I walked up towards the counter and looked at Uncle San dead in the eye.

``So, I'm back in the Material plane?'' I asked in a tentative sort of way, remembering vaguely something that was said soem time back.

``Yes. And truthfully,'' Uncle San said, ``you never really left the Material plane, not wholly.''

``I don't understand you,'' I replied. ``You promised an explanation.''

``Yes yes, that's right. I do owe you an explanation.''

Uncle San heaved a sigh and straightened himself a little. I could hear some of the joints in his back popping.

``Let's take a seat first. The explanation is rather long.''

(Story continues here.)