Doorways to Everywhere (Tourist Trap Book 2)

Chapter 7

  For the second time in her life Sarah felt the odd bodily sensations that went along with Interdimensional travel. What began as a tingling feeling in the stomach soon spread throughout the body accompanied by flashing colors and an intense sense of speed and acceleration. Just when it seemed as if the whole experience would become overwhelming, it came to an abrupt stop and she found herself standing on a faded green road, much less brightly colored than she had recalled from her last journey to Quartzwater City. Perhaps this was due to the disappearance of the color green that Max had mentioned.

She seemed to have arrived in a part of town she hadn't visited last time as she didn't recognize any of the scenery around her, although she was unmistakably back in Quartzwater City as there were numerous animals wearing Hawaiian shirts walking around.

Max lay passed out on the road ahead of her in front of some sort of antique shop. An otter emerged from it carrying a bucket of water which it splashed on the prostrate toad. "Get away from my shop, you worthless bum! You're driving away the customers!"

Max sputtered and shook and then sat upright, looking around bleary-eyed. "Thanks for the shower, buddy. I needed to get rid of the Earth stink that was on me."

"Would you get out of here already?" the otter shook its fist at him. "I've got a gun and I'm not afraid to use it!"

Max stood up and puffed out his chest. "Do you realize who you're talking to? I'm a very dangerous man! I could break you!" He dusted off his shirt and turned around muttering to himself when he noticed Sarah for the first time. "Oh hello there, beautiful. Glad you could make it. I trust your journey went well."

"I'm fine. Have you seen Maurice or my uncle anywhere?"

An answer to part of her question came almost immediately as Maurice appeared suddenly in the middle of the road. He stumbled a few steps and then fell into Max.

"Hey, watch where you're going, man," Max shoved him back onto his feet. "Jeez, Sarah. This 'boyfriend' of yours is quite the embarrassment."

"Oh... I feel like death," Maurice murmured.

"It's not his fault he's not feeling well after you went and boozed him up," Sarah said defensively. "He just needs to lay down for a bit. Maybe we should try to get a room at the Galloping Centipede Inn."

"Not a bad idea," Max concurred. "I just took a bit of a nap myself. Does wonders for the constitution. But where's your uncle? He's the one I was sent to fetch in the first place."

A minute later Dr. Octavius emerged from the antique store carrying a rocking chair. "My, my. This will look marvelous in my lab. Only two strands of floss, too. A steal if ever I saw one."

"Aha! There you are!" Max shouted. "What are you doing dilly-dallying around when there's work to be done? Besides, I don't like the looks of that shopkeeper. I'll wager he's up to something no good."

"Sorry. I have been looking for a good rocking chair for a long time."

"Never mind that!" Max snapped. "We need to get you in touch with your scientist buddies so you can start fixing this problem we're having with the greenery."

"I have numerous contacts throughout the city so getting in touch with my fellow scientists shouldn't be difficult. We'll just go back to my secret laboratory and I'll send out a call. Maybe I can whip up a little something to liven up old Maurice here while I'm at it."

"That would be nice," Sarah smiled.

"No that would NOT be nice," Max interjected sharply. "Solving the green problem takes precedence over everything, I'm afraid. Your substance abusing boyfriend can just sleep off his hangover like God intended."