I returned many times after that, and each time was easier. By the time I was eighteen, I could travel to The Other whenever I wished to, with great ease. After the frightening experience at the arena, I moved with great caution whenever I was there. I never went "traveling," as I called it,unless I was in a place where no one could see me.

I had also become somewhat of a thief. I spent many travels going to the same arena, taking whatever I wanted from the vendors there. I never took anything from any individuals, though it would have been simple to do so. I told myself that would have been stealing, and that the large table vendors knew and expected some loss to thievery. Somehow I rationalized it to myself that what I was doing was acceptable.

It was again at the arena where I spotted another traveler, and it was my caution which allowed me to see her first, before she saw me.

She was standing in the crowd, trying on different blouses at a stand, without any heed for other travelers who might see her. I guessed she was about seventeen. She was very attractive, and I feared for her safety, if the other men I had seen when I was younger should happen to come along. I spent about thirty minutes following her at a distance from stand to stand. She wandered the arena, singing a popular song to herself. After noticing that I could defend myself against her if she fought, I picked up a heavy iron dumbbell from a stand of fitness equipment and moved closer to her.

Unbelievable to me, I stopped about fifteen meters away from her, and she still hadn't seen me. "You should be more careful, you know," I said. She screamed.

She twirled around to face me, terror written on her face. "Who are you?" she screamed at me, "How did you find me? How did you get here?"

"Same as you, I would imagine," I said, "And calm down, I'm not gonna hurt you. There are people in The Other who would, though."

"The Other?"

"Where we are," I patiently answered. I had the feeling that this was all new to her. I felt like a long-time resident of The Other, and I felt suddenly superior.

"What do you mean where,'" she asked in an annoyed tone, "We're in the arena, of course."

"Then where are all these people?" I asked her, pointing to the frozen shoppers around us.

"In the arena, too," she replied, as if that was a satisfactory answer.

I gave her a patronizing smile. "That doesn't make any sense. We're obviously not in the same place as these people." I sighed, as if she was a child, "How long have you been coming here?"

She looked to the ceiling in thought. "About four years, what about you?"

"Five years," I answered, "My name's Candice."

"Amanda," she replied.

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