“Did you use it to write ‘Top Ten Favorite Numbers’ list?” Shane inquired teasingly, as she returned to the living room.

“It happened several years ago when I wanted to become a serious journalist and write the Great American Novel but ended up as the ‘Top Ten’ lists girl and vaginal rejuvenation specialist for the ‘L.A. Magazine’,” Alice answered with a smile, not offended by her friends’ teasing. “I collected tons of information on the numbers 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12.”

“Why those particular numbers?” Bette asked, nodding her thanks to Shane who refreshed her coffee.

“Because since the ancient times they all had various spiritual and scientific meanings. Take, for example, number 3, the symbol of trinity. It can be interpreted in many different ways. Past, present and future…spirit, mind and body…beginning, middle and the end…you see what I mean? It also stands for everything that is solid, entire and complete. I think number 3 is very important in time travel and the portal functioning. I think when Clarice opened the portal for the first time and traveled to the future, she started the chain of events and changes.”

“You know, the number three is also a mystical number featured in many fairytales, like three wishes or three guesses,” Shane added.

“Very good, Shane,” Alice said with an authority of a teacher, as if she really was the Yoda. “Professor Kroll deduced that the portal opens up every three months but we know that before I went through it, the portal functioned once a week. Maybe when Clarice used the portal the first time, the time shifted from one to three and is now opens every three months.”

“But for how long will it stay open?” Shane asked the question that was on everyone’s mind.

“I’m not entirely sure but here’s my theory about this. If we agree that each time travel journey must complete the circle or the cycle, then it’s a fair assumption that someone went into the future after 1875 and reopened the portal. Since the portal’s point of origin is in the past, I think I was the one who completed the cycle by going into the past in July of last year,” Alice said pensively.