Portal to Another World

My hospital bracelet knocked against the bookshelf as I pulled out a book. I stood in the fantasy section of the closest bookstore to my home. The book was dark in color, and featured a hooded man holding a sword. The inside flap described a mage's quest for a lost artifact and an ancient prophecy. I squinted against the lights as I read.

I squinted against the lights as I read

I grew up loving fantasy. As a child, I wasn't allowed to watch TV and we didn't have a radio, but my mother often took me to bookstores, where I was allowed to buy as many books as I could carry. I read for entire days, and it was always fantasy. My mother often encouraged me to read something else and expand my horizons, but nothing interested me like fantasy.

I got lost in other worlds, with girls on daring adventures, girls who found portals to other worlds and rode unicorns into battle, girls who had magical powers and the strength of giants. How I longed to be one of them. I searched for portals, for any trace of magic, but found none. I think my mental health really began to decline when I came to terms with the fact magic is only in story books. But still, despite my adulthood, I kept a small hope buried in my heart that one day I would find a doorway to somewhere else, that the little child in me would be proven right, at long last.

I must admit it would be rather easy to abduct me. All someone would have to say is, "Quick! Come with me! The kingdom needs saving and you have a great destiny!"

I scanned the shelves. Normally, I could spend hours in a bookstore, but I was exhausted. I selected a few of the thickest tomes and went to check out.

As I drove home, I slowed to about half the speed limit, as I could only see a couple feet in front of me due to the fog. I must have had a great deal of luck on my side that day, as I did not see any cars the whole drive home.

Fog hid my condo complex and all other humans from sight. I didn't see or hear anyone as I made my way up to my unit. Relief hit me as soon as I stepped inside. Home is a fortress against the world. It's a place where I can control the environment, and lower the volume. I can feel at peace.

I dropped my bag of books and purse to the floor and kicked off my shoes.

The hydro garden on my counter seemed to thrive in my absence. There were various herbs and lavender ready for picking. All the goldfish in the tank looked fat and happy. I was able to automate their feeding, thanks to the code I got from my friend Aurora. Her whole house is automated, and I'm convinced she could write code for anything.

I went out to the balcony - through the living room with the green velvet couch that looked antique and all the bookcases that overflowed with books - and pulled my solar battery inside. The raised planter on the balcony also seemed to be doing fine, thanks again to the automated watering schedule I set up with the help of Aurora.

I went back inside and saw the cat on the counter. He was black, medium-haired with green eyes so bright they seemed to glow. The only part of him not black was the underside of his tail, which was gray. "Hello, Cat. How do you keep getting in?" I gave him a scratch under the chin.

How do you keep getting in?" I gave him a scratch under the chin

I needed a shower. The filth of places filled with strangers felt like it burrowed through my skin and into my bones.

It was the best shower I'd ever had. I washed away the grime of memories I wanted to forget. When I finished, I wiped the fog from the mirror and examined myself. My long dark hair was even darker while wet. My tan had faded to pale skin, my slim frame even slimmer since it had been so long since I could eat what I liked. The dark circles under my eyes surprised me. I thought people deemed, "healthy enough to re-join society," should also look healthy. My blue eyes were clear, though. Gone was the look of emptiness, replaced with eyes that had a spark of life. The only thing that remained constant was the tattoo that ran up the entire inside of my left arm.

I went into my bedroom. It had a large window, a king size bed with all-black bedding, a heap of pillows and a comforter that was all tangled up. I hadn't made it before leaving. The black accent wall facing the bed was covered in weapons. I'm a huge weapon lover. I collect them. Most of the collection consisted of swords and daggers of various sizes from all over the world (I inherited most of the collection from my grandparents), but there was also a bow and arrow set, blowgun and darts, spears, and video game weapon replicas.

I took my medication and sank into my bed without bothering to get dressed. After the nights spent sleeping on what felt like a mattress stuffed with cardboard, my bed felt like heaven. I think I must have fallen asleep right away. My body, sore and drained, couldn't resist the grip of sleep.

The cat jumped on me and I startled awake. I looked at the clock on my nightstand.

3:26 AM

The room should have been dark, but a light shone from somewhere. I looked around, thinking I'd left a light on. But the light came through the window. I forgot to close the blinds before going to bed.

It should have been dark outside. I rubbed my eyes. I thought my clock was wrong. I checked my phone.

3:27 AM

The cat ran over and jumped onto the windowsill. He looked down and out at something I couldn't see. I got up and went to the window. My condo overlooks the complex's pool.

But there was no pool.

What I saw instead was a forest. The trees appeared to be large and pine. My condo was on the fourth floor, with an upstairs bedroom area, and the trees were still taller than the bedroom window. There was still fog but, rather than darkness, there was a sunset. I saw pinks and oranges through the trees.

I froze. Tears came to my eyes. I thought I must be dreaming. I put my hand to the window. It was cold and solid and very real. I pulled the window open. Whatever that outside land was, it was completely silent, but there was a sweet smell of forest and fog.

I ran to my closet and pulled on a black sports bra, underwear, short black cotton shorts, and an oversized Rob Zombie tour t-shirt which was long enough to cover the shorts. Then, I went to the wall of weapons, took down one of the largest swords, and slung it across my back. I took a curved dagger with a bone handle and tucked it into the band of my shorts.

I grabbed my black cross-body satchel from inside my closet and threw my medication bottles inside. I also threw in earplugs, a sleep mask, and my toiletry kit, along with my phone and keys. From the kitchen, I took a couple bottles of water, nutrition bars, and cat food. I texted Aurora and asked her to check in on things if she didn't hear from me for a week.

I slid my black flip-flops on and ran out the front door. The cat slipped out behind me and I locked the condo door. The hallways of the building were open air, which meant they were exposed to the elements. It was dark outside. It was three-in-the-morning dark. Panic gripped me.

I bounded down the stairs, taking two at a time, the cat kept pace beside me. When we reached the bottom, we hurtled through the hall to the pool area.

The pool was there.

My heart sank. I reached the pool gate; there lay the pool, right where it was supposed to be. "No," I whispered. "No!" Tears fell from my eyes. "I was so close!" It felt like the cruelest trick. It must have been a dream or a side effect of the medication. There was no sunset, there were no pine trees, there was only darkness, and this reality.

I buried my face in my hands. Maybe it was real and I'd taken too long gathering my things. All this time spent waiting and hoping, only to miss my chance because I wasted time packing.

The cat rubbed against my legs, meowed, and ran off. I looked up as he ran back through the hall.

He ran back up the stairs. I ran after him. We reached my door and ran inside. I locked it behind me before turning to see out the balcony doors. There was the forest. It was still there, still sunset and pine. I ran out onto the balcony, the cat beside me.

I gripped the balcony railing and looked down. I felt a slight pang of fear when I couldn't see the ground through the fog. But that wouldn't stop me. Nothing could stop me. I leaned as far as I could over the railing and grabbed a branch. I held my breath as I let go of the railing with my other hand. I paused there, both hands gripping the branch, hips balanced on the balcony railing. I pulled with all my strength and swung myself off the balcony. My feet landed on another branch. The cat jumped onto a branch next to me.

We climbed down into a different world.

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