Subject Zero: CONFIDENTIAL (Short Stories)

Adventure Book (6)

     TESTING DAY

     NO!!! CURSE THE HUMAN WORLD, CURSE THIS WORLD, CURSE THE FATE THAT BROUGHT ME HERE!

     My hands are trembling as I write this, and I must pause to wipe the sweat from my brows. The portal test was a DISASTER. In V's fatigue, she accidentally left the rope wrapped around her wrist, and once the dummy was released, V's entire body was pulled into the portal along with it!

     Luckily, I was able to grab hold of the rope and pull her back into our dimension, unharmed. I knew that, despite the accident, V has experienced a remarkable opportunity to confirm or deny our theory. But V would tell me nothing of what she witnessed on the other side of the portal — she was so frightened and angry over the whole ordeal (which is extremely rare for her) that she spouted some nonsense about "The end," and in a huff she quit the project! After everything we have done together, she had the nerve to grow cold feet now?! After she had succeeded in being the first person from the Mirror World to enter a parallel dimension, she took this gift and threw it away? Imagine if Neal Armstrong's first words on the moon were, "I quit!"

     Well GOOD RIDDANCE, V, you weak-milled hayseed! Go back to your puppet-like friend and a live of fear and compromise! I weep now not for our failed partnership, but for the golden opportunity thrown away.

     To think I considered her a friend! I know my true friend. It is World. I will speak with him tonight. I will seek his counsel.

     Something is Not Right.

     I am used to hearing the World's voice in my head on occasion. But now suddenly I hear whispers. The murmuring voices of beasts. The echoing howls of lost souls. This is not right at all. It is almost as though World is contacting others. Ghouls from another world. The more I listen, the more I am convinced it is NOT my imagination. My head aches. My right eye burns. I heard World say something...

     "The door is open."

     What have I done?

     UPDATE

     I WAS DECEIVED BY MI—— WORLD

     I WAS A PUPPET

     V WAS RIGHT

     M̶I̶S̶F̶O̶R̶T̶U̶ Beyond Lawless

     I must now reveal the name of World: Beyond Lawless.

B̶e̶y̶o̶n̶d̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶v̶e̶n̶ ̶H̶i̶m̶s̶e̶l̶f̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶s̶t̶ ̶f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶l̶i̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶m̶o̶s̶t̶ ̶t̶r̶u̶s̶t̶w̶o̶r̶t̶h̶y̶ ̶i̶n̶d̶i̶v̶i̶d̶u̶a̶l̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶I̶'v̶e̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶e̶n̶c̶o̶u̶n̶t̶e̶r̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶. ̶W̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶ ̶g̶u̶y̶!̶ ̶I̶ ̶h̶o̶n̶e̶s̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶n̶'t̶ ̶t̶r̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶H̶i̶m̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶. ̶B̶e̶y̶o̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶t̶r̶u̶e̶ ̶g̶e̶n̶t̶l̶e̶m̶a̶n̶.

     Beware Beyond! The most powerful and dangerous creature I've ever encountered. This nightmare in disguise will seduce you with never-ending flattery until He gets what He wants — and what He wants is the destruction of this reality!