He packed a single bag. In it he put most of the old camping gear from his closet, a battery pack for his phone, and as much long-lasting food as he could fit. Someone smarter than him would probably know other smart things to bring, but he was satisfied with what he had. An hour later he was on the road, heading away from the city, away from his life, and away from any remnant of sanity most likely. The voice, Kleymon, had told him to find a secluded spot outside. It told him that… it told him he would need to create a portal to the other world. Apparently that was one of his new abilities. Yes, there was no question he was far past sanity. He arrived late in the night at an old abandoned log cabin shrouded by pine trees; it had been his friends’ secret hideout in 5th grade.
“Will this spot work?”
“YES, THIS WILL DO. WE WILL NOT BE HERE LONG.”
“I’m not as confident as you are. Are you sure I can really do this?”
“OF THE ABILITIES YOU INHERITED FROM ME, PORTAL CRAFTING SHOULD BE THE EASIEST TO USE. LEAVE YOUR WORRIES FOR LEARNING FLAME MANIPULATION. ONCE YOU ARRIVE ON MY WORLD YOU MUST LEARN THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IF YOU WISH TO SURVIVE.”
How reassuring, David thought.
“Why not practice that before I leave?”
“THIS WORLD IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO EFFECTIVE ‘PRACTICE’. NO MORE QUESTIONS. LET’S BEGIN.”`
“Fine.”
The voice boomed, like a drill sergeant breathing fire down his neck.
“MAKE YOUR HAND INTO A FIST, THEN, EXTEND YOUR ARM STRAIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
NOW, CLOSE YOUR EYES. IMAGINE A FOREST CLEARING WITH LAVENDER COLORED GRASS THAT COMES UP TO YOUR KNEES. FAR AHEAD OF YOU ARE HUGE TREES WITH BROAD GREEN LEAVES. THERE IS A CHILL IS IN THE AIR, AND NOT A SINGLE LIVING THING IN SIGHT. IN THE DISTANCE A GRAY-BLACK MOUNTAIN ENGULFS THE HORIZON. KEEP THAT IMAGE IN YOUR MIND, PLACE YOURSELF IN IT, AND VERY SLOWLY OPEN YOUR FIST. ONCE YOUR HAND IS FULLY OPEN, YOU MAY OPEN YOUR EYES.”
“That’s it? I just need to imagine?”
“NO, YOU NEED TO DO EXACTLY AS I TOLD YOU.”
David closed his hand into a fist. He extended his arm so that it pointed towards the pine trees ahead of him. He imagined the purple grass and the mountain. When he opened his eyes nothing had changed. The only thing he had accomplished was the first part of a very easy calisthenics routine.
“Clearly it didn’t work, should I restart the whole process?”
“YES.”
Once again, David imagined the grass, the trees, the mountain in the distance, and slowly opened his fist and eyes. Once again, nothing changed.
He tried for a third time, the grass, the mountain, fist and eyes. Nothing.
“Kleymon its not working.”
“YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IT’S GOING TO WORK, DO YOU, DAVID?”
“NO, I DON’T BELIEVE MY IMAGINATION WILL TRANSPORT ME TO ANOTHER WORLD! God, I thought maybe I had gotten used to it, but everything, all of this is just so, so insane. A few hours ago I was grocery shopping. Now a voice in my head is telling me how open a F****** PORTAL! That fruit was probably laced with LSD. Maybe I’m schizophrenic and didn’t know. Something is wrong with me. I..”
His head was about to burst, he was going to drown in this insanity that had taken root in his mind. His vision rapidly faded to a black static and his body fell to the dirt.
He woke up on the ground, feeling the weeds next to the cabin scratching him. He did not hear the voice. After eating a few granola bars from his bag he felt better. Still not good, but better. The sun crept up and up until he felt the rays of light touch his skin. It helped to be in nature. He should’ve gone camping here on the weekends, maybe his sister would’ve come with him. He chuckled, thinking what an absurd time it was to realize that.
David stood up. He clenched his hand into a fist. He extended his arm. He imagined himself in a clearing. Up to his knees he felt the sharp poke of lavender colored grass. It was chilly, but the sun was rising. There was an ashy black mountain in the distance that towered over everything. He began to slowly open his fist. Once his fist was completely open, he opened his eyes. He was still at the cabin.
Within arms reach, a vortex of colors in the shape of a triangle rotated slowly, in constant motion. The triangle was just large enough to fit his hand.
It had all started with this feeling, like his will to choose was being eroded as he was pulled into something beyond himself. Was this his choice? Was there a choice?
Kleymon quietly broke through his introspection. “It is time David. Put your hand in.”
“Yea..I know.”
