Black Holes - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 3

Chapter Six

"This seemed like a better idea a couple of hours ago," Jared mused.

It was nighttime, just after 12pm, and Jared was standing on the roof of the S.I.S's building with Seth by his side, staring at the street five floors below. A portal was hovering mid-air, right above a street light, and as he watched, its insides swirled and flashed, like a lightning storm in a bucket of tar.

It had been suspiciously easy to sneak out.

After Seth left his room earlier, Tai had returned, plunking down in the corner and muttering something about baby-sitting duties, and Jared had spent the rest of the afternoon in a state of high agitation. He'd wanted to pace, to give his body something to do while he thought, but Tai's presence smothered the possibility of any physical outlet for the energy building inside him.

So, he'd lain in bed, staring at the pulverised ceiling as Seth's words ran through his head again and again.

If you ever want to see Leah or your father again, meet me on the roof.

Jared knew Seth's plan was insane, knew that if anyone caught them, the S.I.S would find ways to torture him that would surpass his worst nightmares. But if it worked...

When it hit 8 o'clock, Jared finally made his decision.

It was embarrassingly easy to spike Tai's water with sleeping pills, to dodge guards and squeaky floors as he made his way to the weapons rooms, the kitchen, and then up to the roof. And now that he was here, he couldn't help but wonder if this was a trap after all, that Seth was testing his loyalty.

"Does that mean you're going to back out?" Seth asked.

Jared tore his gaze from the portal, eyeing the gun slung to Seth's waist and the fire door behind him.

"Are you?" Jared asked, deciding it was better not to voice anything too incriminating.

Seth's face hardened. "Neither of us can die. We have nothing to worry about."

Jared looked down at the portal again, trying to gauge whether Seth had actually thought this through.

"Okay," he said eventually.

He opened his backpack, checking he had everything they'd need: weapons, spare clothes, food, and water. A week ago, the chance of the whole bag making it between worlds would've been non-existent. But all the rules had changed lately. Jared was hoping this one had to.

"I'll go first," Jared said. "You wait a couple minutes to make sure nothing has gone wrong and then follow."

Seth nodded, his face white, and Jared eyed him for a moment longer before stepping to the edge of the roof.

He stared down at the portal, allowing himself a second to acknowledge the risk he was about to take.

If this went wrong, there would be no going back. He'd be stuck in whatever hell he landed in. But if it went right...

For a moment, he could almost see them there, outlined in the swirls of darkness and flashes of lightning: Leah, Alice, Evans, even Brenton. A world away, and yet just out of reach.

Jared tore his gaze from the portal and looked up, staring as the stars glinted, shimmering against a sea of black.

And then he stepped forward and fell.

...

Seth stood on the roof, watching as Jared tumbled through the air and then disappeared, hitting the portal like you would a body of water, and sinking through it. The sight made his heart lurch, and he stepped back, shaking.

He'd spent the entire afternoon preparing for this: covertly grabbing weapons from the artillery room, putting roofies in his guard's drinks, disabling the cameras that hung above Jared's door.

He didn't want anyone knowing what he'd done. Not yet, at least. Not until everyone had accepted their fate and grown as desperate as he had.

The air shifted, surging towards him, and he sensed something materialise beside him, landing in his world with an icy blast.

He glanced over and locked eyes with Riley, a new portal distorting the air behind her. The sight of her shocked him; it always did these days. Her eyes were blood-shot and shadowed, her skin shimmering and shifting, and there was a massive hole in the centre of her chest, one he could see straight through.

"I did what you all asked," Seth said, trying to keep his voice steady. "He went through."

Riley nodded, her breaths coming in rasps as the roof slowly began to dissolve beneath her feet.

"You've done the right thing, Seth."

Seth glanced away, scrapping his sneakers through the dirt and dust that littered the top of the building.

"I'll come back when we need you next," Riley said.

"Okay."

Riley moved closer, pressing a cold and slimy hand against his cheek, and Seth flinched, his body tensing. She dropped her hand quickly, looking down at the concrete beneath her. It was nearly transparent now, the piping and the floor below showing clearly.

"Look after yourself, Seth," she said softly.

And then she stepped back into the hovering darkness and disappeared.

Seth remained still, staring at the portal Jared had jumped into. Every few seconds the night was torn apart with a new sound: a scream, a shout of horror, the groan of a building collapsing. The noises had become commonplace, almost dismissible.

It was only when the portal closed, when the only evidence of its existence was a small shimmer to the air, that Seth stepped away from the ledge, letting out a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. And then he turned and walked back inside.

...

😳😳 Oh no what's Seth done?

Where do you think he's sent Jared?

Next chapter out in two weeks!

- Skylar xx