Across Dimensions (ONC 2020)

Chapter Fifteen: Pulled Apart

Maximus' voice fades when I focus on the large, green glowing portal in front of us. Thousands of whispers beckon me to come closer, to walk through and follow after them.

A soft object hits me in the face, breaking the trance.

"Hey! Grayson, pay attention!" Maximus says, picking up a bag with the title Marshmallows from the floor and smacking me with it.

"Sorry, I'm listening." I declare turning my back to the portal.

"These suits that I've given both of you have chameleon-like abilities. To activate the camouflage, just press the center of the right palm, and no one will be able to spot you. If you manage to damage any part of the suit, it will not become hidden like the rest of it and that will  result in your death. Because these only cover up to your neck, you will need to find a way to hide your head in order to be fully hidden." Maximus declares, pulling out a small knapsack for each of us.

"In here I've put some small, high energy snacks, water, and a communicator that also has the capability to open a portal on your side that will bring you back through this one. Be very careful with these devices, if you manage to break both of them, there's no way for you to get back till new years eve. It's unlikely that either of you will manage to survive there that long, don't break the devices." He hands us the knapsacks made of the same micro ball-like black and dark blue material that the suits are. "These will blend in with your suits if pressed against them."

Turning to Kai, Maximus gives her a tight hug. "Be careful Kai, if things get too dangerous, I want you to come back immediately."

She pulls away, her face gravely serious. "I'm not coming back without my parents, but I'll try to be careful."

I take a deep breath, going back to the place I barely escaped seems like a stupid idea, but I don't have much choice in the matter. This is for Kai and the survival of all galaxies. "Are you ready Kai?"

"Yes." She says grabbing my left hand tightly.

We walk forward together, stepping into the portal. The whispers grow louder, surrounding us like a chorus, and the world disappears from view. I feel nothing but the warmth of Kai's hand in my own. Green tendrils snake around my legs, traveling up my body, I fight against their pull, as they attempt to separate us.

The tendrils grow stronger ripping her hand from my grasp, "Kai!" My voice is lost in the nothingness when the world turns dark.

.............

Inhaling slowly, I open my eyes. The familiar dreary grey sky of my home world greets me. "Kai, I have to find Kai!" I spring to my feet, seeing the mirror that I had originally used to enter Maximus' mansion shattered on the ground.

The abandoned facility taunts me, promising to clear the muddled memories in my head, if I abandon Kai.

No, I can't do that. She doesn't deserve to be lost alone in a world like this. I pull out the disc shaped, black communicator, "Kai, this is Grayson, can you hear me? We got separated in the portal, where are you?"

Two minutes pass by with no response.

"Kai, if you can hear this answer me."

Panic begins to set in . She could be anywhere on the planet, I don't know where to start looking. This is bad, this is really bad. What do I do? Maximus, maybe he has a way to track her suit, he could tell me where she is.

I press the far left button, labeled with a white house symbol for home. "Maximus, this is Grayson, me and Kai got separated in the portal, I'm not sure what happened. She's not answering her communicator. Is there a way to track her suit?"