Page 26 of Simon Says

The cow-sized sheep.

The non-existent phone service.

He’d walked into another world, so similar to his own that the differences were practically subtle. His first reaction was a moment of panic. His second reaction, which was processed with lightning speed in the ultimate computer of his brain, was that Sorcha may have survived. He might dare to think that she probably survived. And, if so, where would she have gone?

The answer was conclusive and immediate. Edinburgh.

“Now let’s talk about how much it’s worth to you to have a sofa to sleep on tonight,” Angus said.

“Da. Will you quit? The human is stayin’ free of charge.” Turning to Simon, she said, “With the ferries, it’ll take over eight hours. So I’d like to start by seven.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“You know how to drive?”

“I do.”

“Good. You can help then.”

Simon helped withdishes. Angus went to bed soon after dinner, but Colleen stayed up a while and talked about the ring, all the stories people told about it and how none of them ever seemed to quite ring true. They both laughed at her pun.

She said goodnight to the dogs and retired.

The drive toEdinburgh was a revelation. So much was familiar and unchanged, but there were anomalies, like the cattle-sized sheep, that were a constant reminder he was no longer in his world. He had no idea where to begin looking for Sorcha, but thought that since the university had been her home, he might find her there.

He paid for petrol twice and lunch once. Said it was the least he could do. And asked Colleen to drop him at the university.

“I work at The Grooved Horn if you ever want to look me up,” she said.

He thanked her and waved goodbye before turning to stare at the campus grounds, wondering where to start. He finally decided on the administration building.

“Who teaches myths?” he asked.

“Well,” the woman said, “that would either be Literature or Classical Studies.”

“Classical Studies. Where would I find that?”

She gave him a map and directions to the office of the head of the department, which he found without issue. But no one was there. The door was closed and locked. A sign posted next to the door gave hours. According to the sign they should be open.

He stopped someone. “Excuse me. Isn’t this office supposed to be open?”

“No’ today,” he said, pointing to the sign. “Closed on Monday.”

“But today’s Tuesday.”

“No. Today’s Monday,” the fellow said.

“Thank you.”

Simon leaned against the wall. He and Rosie began the day before, which was Monday. He was sure of it. He’d spent the night, which meant today had to be Tuesday if sanity served him.

Looking around he could see that the halls were clearing out. Classes were over. Staff was going home.

He decided to get a hotel room and come back the next morning, but his curiosity about Black Swan Headquarters was compelling him to go there and check it out first.

It was an easy fifteen minute walk and, since he’d been in a car all day, the exercise was welcome. What he found there was not.

The Black Swan building belonged to Lloyds Banking Group. He didn’t know why that bothered him. It wasn’t his world and it began to dawn on him how hard it would have been for Sorcha if the exact same thing had happened to her.

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