CREDITS TO STORYJUMPER

Charlotte was working in her lab, mixing several chemicals to test her latest experiment. She rarely went outside to entertain herself, to go out for walk or even spend time with her family. Some called her a scientist. A mad scientist. What others would find gross, she found it exciting. Charlotte wanted to become a scientist when she grew up. Or more like she was a scientist already. She had once created a mixture that made her able to understand the language of the wolves. Another concoction of hers could make birds invisible for a temporary moment. But of course, she wasn’t going to share that. Unlike most people, Charlotte didn’t want to do this to become popular, not for the fame or money but for the joy she could get from it. 

This new experiment was going to give animals and humans the ability to soar high above in the sky. Without any wings. She was going to make herself lighter, and that would allow her to fly. Suddenly, the door swung open startling her. “Dinner’s ready” announced her brother. She got to her feet, went to her brother and slammed the door shut in his face. She had warned her family that if they ever set foot in her room, she would turn them into insects. And that was true. She had a creation that she made when she was 6 that could turn a human into spiders and moths. 

She added the last ingredient, thyme. The potion started to turn in a shade of green slowly. Charlotte watched the flower dissolving leisurely in the shimmering green. She stirred it a bit.  She poured the mixture steadily into a small container and taking one quick glance at it, she downed the contents of the glass in a quick go. She waited for a few seconds for the effects to appear but she was still stuck to the ground and she couldn’t find a possible way to levitate in the air. Then, without warning, she was transported somewhere else.

She peered around but nobody was in sight. The whole area was black and white with a few sparks of grey flying in between here and there. It was like all of the colours had been drained out of life. Charlotte glanced at herself and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she was still full of colours. She squeezed her eyes shut. It almost hurt her eyes to see only in black and white. She wondered how she had gotten here. Then it hit her. When her brother had come inside the room, she had forgotten to put the sunflower. She didn’t have any ingredients to go back. So, she took the decision to rest in one of the queer houses that stood beside her. 

When she entered, she shut the door and bolted it tightly. Charlotte didn’t want any intruders stepping inside. The house was small, there was nothing special or grand about it. She went to the kitchen to find something to eat. What awaited  her was not food instead a raging fire that was spreading quickly. She snatched a jug from a shelf behind her and poured some water over the fire. As she was doing so, her hand  went through the fire. She quickly withdrew her hand but right when she was about to pour water over it, she saw her hand was completely fine : there were no burns on her hand at all!

But she was sure that she had seen her hand going through the fire. She took the jug and sprinkled the remaining water onto the fire. Charlotte went to a corner and pondered on what had happened up till now. It was just too confusing! Not putting the dandelion leaf shouldn’t have made her fire-proof. She needed a break. She decided to venture outside for a while. 

Exploring outside was very normal, there were trees, plants, cars and houses. Nothing that was out of the ordinary. Except for the fact that everything was black and white. And that there were no humans or animals in sight. Then, from the corner of her eye, Charlotte spotted a dog and then, started chasing it. Suddenly, she tripped, but got up. She glanced around and right when she was about to head back, she saw the dog’s head peering at her.