The World Beyond

Chapter 1 Mystery Tour

*updated 2nd August 2018*

A mummers of chatter broke out almost as soon as the bell rung, drowning out the sound of the professor as he tried to shout above the Friday night plans. As the stream of bodies started flowing out of the door, an odd figure was trying to barge his way into the lecture hall.

"Yo!" the young man going against the flow shouted, squeezing his large frame through the crowd, his loud voice causing several people close to him to wince. He started waving manically to the back of the hall, where another boy was peering at his phone with interest.

"Wyatt!" The loud guy screamed as he lurched towards the smaller boy, slapping a hand on the other's shoulder, his blond hair golden under the afternoon sun filtering through the window. The smaller boy winced, both at the sharp impact and the volume as he scrambled to catch his phone before it fell.

"Get off me, George. Why are you here?" the Asian boy - Wyatt - replied, shoving George's hand off his shoulder with a grunt.

"Check your message," George exclaimed, his loud volume drawing a lot of eyeballs. Wyatt shook his head, used to his friend's loud voice and his tendency to draw attention from those around.

"It's all over the internet. There is this guy who set up a secret tour that offers thirteen people to go on the biggest adventure of their life, for free!" George continued to shout. He finished the sentence with a punch in the air. His expression turned dreamy, a contrast to his huge physique.

Wyatt leaped up to pull his friend's hand down before they draw more attention than they already have. As the words registered in his head, he turned back to his best friend with a slight shake.

"George, are you reading those fake news on Facebook again?" he asked. George shook his head vigorously and Wyatt wondered by it hasn't popped off his head by now. Studying his friend, Wyatt recalled the last time George was convinced that a portal had opened up in Greenland only to find out that he had mistaken a fantasy book news article as actual news.

"T's for real, my dear Wyatt," George continued, dropping a hand around Wyatt's shoulder and cutting off his escape. "People checked out the website and company. Everything is legit. The application process is open for another few days," George continued, a sparkle in his eyes. Wyatt didn't like the look he was giving him, but he couldn't escape George's clutches. "Come on, it'd be fun. Imagine if you get picked—"

"There are probably millions of people applying," Wyatt cut him off. He studied the dreamy expression on George's face and shook his head. This stupid expression was the main reason why his best friend wasn't as popular as you'd expect a Lacrosse Captain to be.

"Well if you don't apply, you won't get in at all," George said. Wyatt rolled his eyes. Why did his best friend have to be such a romantic? "Wouldn't it be wonderful to go on a free trip and meet the girls of our dream—"

"Like I've said a million times before, you've read too many comic books for the good of your little brain," Wyatt interrupted. George, however, didn't look offended.

"You don't have a romantic bone in your body. Anyway, I'll put your name down with mine tonight whether you agree or not," George said, turning serious. "We have as good a chance as anyone. It says that each applicant would be handpicked by the guide himself. Who knows? Maybe we'd be exactly what he is looking for!"

Wyatt shook his head. He never understood how George could be so optimistic. For anyone who knew the basics of statistic, it was clear that their chances were slim to none. Even if one of them got picked, the other was unlikely to.

"There isn't an age requirement, though everyone must speak English," George continued to ramble off, not caring if Wyatt wanted to hear it or not. "And they can't have any serious medical conditions or had major surgeries done."