"So how do you know the Bible?"
Leah demanded an answer. Somewhat aggressively, unbefitting to her usual demeanor.
"All in good time, young lady. All in good time", the Old Man answered without turning around, his back facing the girls as he waited for the kettle to boil over the kitchen range.
"Are you also from the Earth?"
Leah could not stop as Jean went around exploring the Old Man's living room, which was mostly covered with what seemed to be thousands of books. Although every wall in the house seemed to spot bookshelves, there simply wasn't enough space to house all of them, and piles of books rose like towers scattered around the entire living area. There were also various mechanical devices of all forms of strange shapes, their functions unclear. Some of them looked like animals or monsters, kind of very advanced mechanical toys for children, but there were also many contraptions that seemed to have been made just for the sake of experimenting and demonstrating one mechanical principle or another.
"This is pretty cool"
The impatient brunette turned to see what Jean was doing. The curious blond was holding a small round object, maybe a mechanical watch, but as Jean brought it to show Leah she immediately realized that this was no ordinary watch to show time of day, but a careful construction that showed revolution of celestial bodies, although they looked nothing like what Leah could recognize from the night skies that she used to adore back on Earth.
'This pretty much confirms we are on another planet altogether. Not in some kind of distant future or past…', Leah thought to herself.
"Are you interested in the stars?", the Old Man mused as he brought the kettle over and started to pour the hot boiling water into the tea cups he laid out on the messy table for the young ladies.
"I don't know much about them, but they sure do look pretty in this world", Jean replied, enthused.
"Ho, ho, ho. Sure they do. Indeed"
"So could you please tell me now how you know the Bible?", Leah asked one more time.
"Please take a seat first. I think we may need a long chat, don't you think so?", the Old Man gestured to Leah as it was not necessary for Jean who was already sat on an old creaking wooden chair looking all ready for a good story. At this point, Leah was so fixated in finding out any possible clues - or even better, links, that the Old Man might reveal between this world and the world they come from.
So she took her seat and stared at the Old Man with burning anticipation to hear the answers.
"I've used some of my best leaves, you know. You should try them first"
Leah realized that the quickest way to get him to start talking was probably just do as he said first, but upon taking a sip of the tea she had to admit it was some damn good tea indeed.
"This is… very nice", Leah let out.
The Old Man gave a wholesome smile and looked over at Jean, who wasn't drinking as she was still fascinated by the little device that showed the revolution of the stars.
"So, what do you know about the Bible, Sir?", Leah asked, now somewhat soothed by the warmth that the tea brought.
"What do YOU know about the Bible, young lady?"
'Pfft. If that's how you want to play, then so be it.', Leah thought.
"It's a book from OUR world. Story of creation, a story of enslavement and emancipation, the story of Jesus Christ the Son of God, his life and resurrection"
"Do you believe any of it?", the Old Man took a sip.
"No. But I'm familiar with it"
"Did you used to go to church?"
"Sunday schools, yes"
"When did you start to lose faith?"
"Does that matter? Now, may I ask some questions too?"
"Sure, go ahead, young lady"
"Do you have the Bible with you"
"No, I don't"
"Then how and where did you read it?
"I read it when I was in your world"
"You were in MY world?"
"Yes, indeed"
"WHOA-, you also got transmigrated?!", Jean finally joined in the conversation, excited.
"Is that what you call it? Transmigration?"
"Well, it's a popular genre in anime in my world", the blond shrugged.
"What is an anime?"
"Er, animations? You don't know them?"
"I know the meaning of animations, but what are you referring to now?"
"They are like moving pictures. Like movies, but with moving pictures"
"Movies?"
"Eh…? You've never heard of movies?"
"No, I'm afraid not"
'OK, he could be from any era before the 1900s then. But these mechanical devices he has here… they seem quite advanced. He must be from 18th or 19th century', Leah was trying to figure out the cryptic man.
"Which country are you from?", Leah inquired further.
"It's difficult to say. I'm a man with no nationality, after all"
"How is that even possible?"
"I was exiled from my own country.", the grin on the Old Man's face showed that this didn't trouble him much though.
"OK, fine then, where did you used to live?"
"I lived here and there"
"Could you be more specific, please?!", Leah finally lost her temper.
"Calm down, young lady. Please enjoy your tea"
Leah angrily gulped down the whole cup of tea, which luckily wasn't boiling hot anymore.
"OK, let me ask you this way then - where did you die?"
"I'm here though, aren't I? Could I say that I'm dead when I'm right here, alive?"
'Argghhh', Leah felt like pulling out her hair.
"What happened just before you got transferred here"
"It was a jolly good morning. I woke up before the sun rise. An inspiration took hold of me and I began to write. After some hours of writing, I decided to take a walk to get some fresh air…"
"Please keep it brief"
"I got ran over by a carriage", the Old Man shrugged.
"Hahahaha! You got hit by a carriage-kun! Not a truck-kun!", Jean burst out laughing.
"Is that the language of your people now?"
"So it's the death - an accidental death, that brought you here. Just like us… did you also see the Goddess?"
"Oh yeah, I sure did", the Old Man chuckled.
"Heh, what did you say to her? How did you insult her?", Jean asked this time.
"I didn't insult her."
"Did you call her an old hang? That's what I did"
"Jean, that's not something to be proud of…", Leah buried her face in her hands.
"Haha, you are a brave one", the Old Man liked it though.
"How did you end up pissing her off then? I suppose you did, and got sent here like us"
'Well, at least Jean admits why we got sent here now…'
"I called her an oppressor, a tyrant, a dictator, and that I refuse to bow down to her, that I was a freeman, dead or alive"
"That's bad ass, Old Man"
"What's that?"
"Please don't mind her, Sir. So basically you are also from our world.", Leah needed to steer the conversation back on track.
"Yes"
"Is there any way back?"
"Theories and speculations - maybe. But I do not have concrete knowledge or proof of how to get back"
"How long have you been living here?"
"Many, many years"
"Shouldn't you be dead by now?", Jean asked incredulously.
"That doesn't sound too nice, Jean"
"Sorry"
"It seems I was cursed with an extended life time for one reason or other", the Old Man took another sip of his tea.
"What are some of your theories on how we can get back?", Leah pressed on.
"It would be irresponsible for me to give you any false hope"
"Please, I'm really clutching at straws here"
"Why are you so desperate to leave this place?"
"Because I want to go home!"
"How about you, young lady?", the Old Man turned to Jean without answering Leah any further.
"Well, it would be nice to get back. I miss a few things from my world, obviously. But I'm also kinda having fun with all the new things here. I wouldn't mind sticking around for a while"
"I DO MIND!", Leah lost her temper once again.
"Aren't you a fiery one?", the Old Man grinned at Leah.
'What the hell…. I'm the fiery one now?'
"Please, if there is anything you know, please tell us now"
"Well, there is one logical theory for it"
This time, Jean also stopped messing about with the device in her hand and leaned forward to listen, maybe not so much for her desire to return home, but out of curiosity.
"The Goddess sent us here as a punishment, right?"
"Yes", two girls answered at the same time.
"We are sent here because supposedly living in this world is a punishment. It's a tough life out here"
"Yes"
"So what if… we made this world a better place?"
"Huh?", even Leah was confused by this sudden proposition.
"We make this place so good that staying here would be bliss. Wouldn't the Goddess then want to send us back?"
As Leah shook her head at the ridiculousness of the idea, Jean jumped up from her seat, clapped her hands, and pointed at the Old Man.
"Genius"