Sofia fell back on the sand staring wide-eyed at the massive purple and yellow creature. 

“Y-you can talk??”

“It would appear so,” the dog replied. 

It can talk, and it’s sarcastic? 

“B-but… h-how?” she stammered.

“In my world, all creatures can speak if they desire,” said Harton with a sort of pained chuckle. “All beings have intelligence. We just don’t always wish to put it on display.”

Sofia continued to stare at the strange dog, dumbstruck.

“I should thank you for your help,” Harton continued. “Who knows how long I would have been in that mess if you hadn’t come along.”

“Y-you’re welcome,” Sofia replied.

Harton moved to sit up and stretch. “Once I’ve rested, I’ll figure out how to get back.”

“Back? Back where?” Sofia asked.

“To Lyfay,” replied Harton. “You may know it as the land of the faire folk.”

“Faire fol… you mean, like fairies? Dwarves? Elves?” Sofia was in disbelief. How could that be true? They can’t possibly be real. And yet here is this talking, strange-colored creature…

“Elves, mostly,” replied Harton, “but not in the way you may be imagining.”

What does that mean? Sofia wondered. She was curious, but had more burning questions at the tip of her tongue.

“H-Harton, is it? Erm, if you’re from this Lyfay, how did you end up here? And like this?”

Harton turned his full attention to her, “The Ymplerim.” 

His eyes turned dark with anger. “Evil creatures that attack without warning and have the ability to cross between my world and this one.”

The empty cans of dog food on the sand caught his eyes, then he returned his intense gaze to Sofia. “Don’t give the Ymplerim a foothold.” Confused, Sofia quickly picked up the cans and placed them in a bag by her pack. Harton continued his story.

“My scouting party was attacked. I was trying to defend a colleague from an Ymplerim when another one flanked me and did what you have seen here.” He looked down at his wounded leg. “I remember being bitten or… struck. It’s hard to tell. I was unable to move, but felt my body suddenly pulled at an intense speed. The next thing I knew, I was in this ocean.”

He turned his gaze now to the sea. “I thought I had met my end, until you found me last night. You saved my life.”

Sofia, who had been listening attentively, suddenly became shy, “Well, I guess I was just in the right place at the right time. But we really should get you seen by a vet or someone. I was just doing my best with what I had, but a medical professional would better know how to handle your wounds.”

“A medical professional…” Harton repeated aloud. “You mean a master healer? I know just the person, in Lyfay…” Sighing, he flopped back onto the sand in such a way that made Sofia think that he really was no different than a regular dog. 

“Besides,” he continued. “Didn’t you say it would probably be best for others not to see me? Given your reaction, I’m assuming there are no Dlam in your world.”

“Dlam?”

“My kind.”

“Oh, yeah, no. There are definitely no Dlam in this world!” Sofia waved her arms emphatically. 

“If only I could find the gate…”

Sofia raised her eyebrows. “Wait, a gate? What about a gate?”

“There are gates that allow travel between Lyfay and this world. They appear across the globe, and our people will sometimes cross over to be updated on current affairs of this world—especially in your dealings with the Ymplerim.”

“Dealing with the Ymp… but I’ve never heard of these creatures until now. What dealings do we have with…?” Sofia stopped herself, “You know what, never mind. We should be focusing on getting you medical attention. It seems the best thing would be to get you back to Lyfay, but how?”

Harton’s eyes were suddenly drawn to Sofia’s backpack. “Is your bag…glowing?”

Sofia turned to see the soft glow emanating from her pack. She reached inside and pulled out the earrings. Instead of dimming, they began to shine even brighter as she held them in her hands.

The dog’s eyes widened in amazement. “Where did you get those earrings? Have you… have you met someone before from Lyfay?” 

“I-I…,” stuttered Sofia.

Suddenly Sofia remembered the little boy in her dreams. His face was still hidden, but she could suddenly see what he had placed in her hands. He had given her these earrings. 

“At the gate between earth and sea,” she repeated the now familiar words, “you’ll always be able to find me.”

Harton’s ears perked up at her words. A bright orange light suddenly appeared across the beach.

Sofia and Harton turned toward the light, straining to see its source. Behind them was an enormous rock formation in the shape of an arch. The sun, which had just started climbing higher in the sky, was now shining full force through the archway, making it look like an entrance, a door, or…

“A gate!” Harton exclaimed. “That is a gate! Quick, look to see where the light is leading.”

Sofia turned again to follow the path of the beam and saw that the light went straight to the stunning white cliffs, now highlighted in orange. It’s…it’s real! It’s really real!

“Let’s move before the light changes direction,” said Harton, gingerly standing and limping towards the water to walk on firmer sand. He turned when he realized Sofia wasn’t following him. “Come on, we have to hurry!”

“Wait, wha… n-now wait a minute! You want me to come with you to the land of the faire folk? But, how will I get back? I have a job and responsibilities, I can’t just disapp…” Sofia suddenly remembered she had been put on mandatory holiday for an entire month.

“Just bring me to the gate. I don’t think I can get there myself in this condition. Please!”

Harton’s disturbingly human expression moved Sofia to agree. “All right, but just to the gate.”

She placed the earrings in her jeans’s pocket, grabbed her bag, and joined the Dlam in following the light towards the white cliffs.