Across Dimensions (ONC 2020)

Chapter Twenty: Across Dimensions

The book shelf contains more content than I thought. Which I had not realized until I needed to selectively pack what I want to take with me on the eternal nomadic journey ahead. How does one choose between... fifty books or more? Perhaps I should narrow the choices down by category. 

Sci-fi is obviously not going to hold much interest anymore, now that I'm living one. That knocks out about ten. This is not helping. I will close my eyes and randomly select a few to put in my backpack. But then what if I grab the second book of a series? I wouldn't want to read about the middle of an adventure with no resolution. 

I should probably just take stand alone books. Because other wise, I will only have enough space for one series, and reading about the same characters over and over will get boring eventually. That takes out about half of the book shelf. Now I'm getting somewhere. 

"Random book three, four, five, I chose you!" I declare blindly reaching and tossing the books on the bed beside my back pack. 

That completes the remainder of packing I have to do, besides food and water. Hopefully I don't go into a dimension where it's only desert... Though I suppose with Maximus' portable dimension opener, that will not be much of a problem. I can just boop a button to end up somewhere better... Or worse.

This means I will never get the opportunity to finish high school, but I doubt I'll miss the homework, just my friends, and the comfort of calling a single place home. If I stay like I want to, this entire world will be reduced to nothing. I can't be the reason for another galaxy to perish. 

"Are you ready Kai? I have one more thing I'd like to give you before you leave." Maximus declares, with a knock on my door. 

I place the books inside of my backpack, surveying the room I have come to know as my own. Never will I be able to return here again, even a short visit will put others at risk. Fear begins to overwhelm me, I take a deep breath, closing my eyes, and wrapping my fingers around the necklace. This will be an adventure, I will discover new things, and help others to make up for the wrongs I have committed. 

"I'm ready." I state, opening my door to see a teary-eyed man who I had come to love as a friend. 

He pulls me in for a tight hug, "Be careful out there Kai, and remember you can always contact me with the communicator I gave you if you get lonely."

"I will try my best not to die within fifteen seconds." I say with a laugh. 

Truly, it would be a sad end if I am to die in fifteen seconds, I need to make it to atleast twenty, maybe thirty. That will mean I've had a chance to escape whatever creature wants to eat me. 

"Your parents were going to give you this when you reached your eighteenth birthday. But seeing as you will no longer be here by then, I thought it best to give you now." Maximus declares, handing me a shoe box.

I raise my eyebrows and open the lid. My breath hitches in my throat. One important thing from each year of my life sits in the box. A photograph, favorite toy, rocks. Each piece brings with it a happy memory that I will never forget. 

To anyone else, this would look like useless nonsense, but I feel as if I hold the treasure of many life times within my hands. I take off the back pack and gently place it inside. "Thank you Maximus, for everything."

I give him another tight hug. Saying my final goodbye.

Ready to begin my journey, across dimensions.