Doorways to Everywhere (Tourist Trap Book 2)

Chapter 26

Sarah thought she heard a series of popping noises somewhere off in the distance, but she conceded it could have been in her imagination. The balloons surrounding her were so thick she was finding it hard to breathe and movement was nearly impossible.

"Of all the ways to go, getting taken out by balloons was not what I was expecting," she muttered to herself. "It's kind of undignified really."

The popping noises seemed to be getting louder. All of a sudden the balloons on her right side disappeared completely and she found herself with some much needed elbow room.

Dr. Octavius appeared in the space that had been created holding his pocket laser. "Sarah? Thank goodness. I've already located our amphibian friend. He's right behind me. I also have our portable door. Given that it will take a very long time to pop all of these balloons and even longer to locate the mirror that contains the passageway our chihuahua adversary used to escape, I propose that we use our door as an exit out of here."

"I think I'm agreeable to that," Sarah said as she blew out a strand of her hair that had found its way into her mouth.

"I think we should go after that little hooligan," Max said. "He still has my flask."

"We might be able to find him more quickly if we don't waste a lot of time looking for a way out of here," Sarah said. "Besides, we can probably get you some more liquor faster if we make our exit now."

"It's pretty hard to argue with that logic," Max conceded. "You make a very good point. Okay, let's use the door to get the hell out of here."

Dr. Octavius leaned the door against one of the nearby mirrors. He turned the knob and they all stepped through.

The intense blast of heat was the first thing Sarah noticed, followed by an overwhelming smell of sulfur. A hot wind stung her eyes as she gazed at a sky that was a deep blood red color. Somewhere off in the distance a giant volcano spat out glowing green lava. A dark blue smoke plume wafted its way out of a crevasse just off to the left.

"I might be stating the obvious here, but I don't think we're back in Quartzwater City," Max said. A small meteorite fell from the sky and smashed into the ground entirely too nearby for comfort. "Either that or the place has really gone to hell since we've been gone."

"Back through the door!" Dr. Octavius shouted as he grabbed Max and Sarah by the wrists and pulled them through. He slammed the door shut behind them as they emerged back in the hall of mirrors. Balloons had begun to drift into the space they had created and Max took the opportunity to stomp on one until it popped.

"There must be something I'm missing as to how these doors work," Dr. Octavius said as he studied it intently.

Max let out a gasp as he took a look at himself in one of the mirrors. "I really think my green color's fading now, guys. Do I look a little grayish to anyone else or is it just me?"

"You are looking a little pale," Sarah said. "Less vibrant somehow."

"Oh no," Max said. "I can feel myself getting weaker by the moment. You've gotta get this thing figured out, Doc."

"Hmm," Dr. Octavius said. "It just occurred to me we came into this place through one side of the door. Maybe to get back where we came from we have to go through the other side." He flipped the door around so the doorknob was facing to the left. "You two stay here for a moment. I'll make sure it's safe." He stuck his head through the door and peered around for a moment before he pulled his head back out. "Come on through guys. It looks like the parade's still going on, but we've managed to make it across the street."