A woman stands in an office, completely lost to the world around her. Not a word is being said; stunned confusion at what happened seems to permeate the air. The mummy is thoughtful, the witch's mouth agape at the surface of the moon, and the woman Alice feels a terrible longing.
It was right there. A tugging deep within her soul, a power she only recently reawakened to, pulsing in time with her heart. Every beat whispered to her to step through. Each word was more insistent, showing what could be a place to grow, to truly explore her new powers. Where she could become the greatest of all and help those in need. Create a utopia, or become a powerful queen. It whispered to her, all of which she always wanted a place to truly feel complete. She desperately needed it and was addicted to this new feeling pulsing through her entire being. She took a single step forward as wetness dripped down her face.
She froze, confused, terrified of what she had almost done, and angry at herself for feeling this way. It was just a simple door—an impossible door—something that shouldn’t or couldn’t exist, yet it sat right there in front of her, begging her to step through. Her body was begging to burn feelings as every fiber of her being urged her to take another step.
She couldn’t resist stepping forward. It was then, as her foot fell, that she felt, just beyond the euphoria, the warning radiating out and through. She could feel a journey's end, the beginnings of new hardships, filled with immense pain, burning love, black hate, quiet desperation, ridicule, and suffering. Hidden just below was the tiniest of embers of glory—easily snuffed out or grown to a glorious bonfire.
Nothing is guaranteed, only the promise of a new journey.
#
In a place between reality and nothing, a place of everything and nothing, a man and a doll stand as a battered and burned soul drifts home, where it may one day truly heal. The doll and man stare off in wonder at the scene before the doll turns and sees a door standing in the middle of the moon, still open, showing an office that does not belong to them.
Turning back, she saw the last remnants of the boy drift towards the image of the world. “So. What happened?
Nicki was staring off at the world, “He went home.”
She had actually been referring to the door, but she had been curious about his whole encounter. “I didn’t think they could return, let alone through us.”
Nicki smiled, yet it didn’t reach his eyes, “Oh, they can. It just takes a bit of divinity to tether them home.”
“How come I’ve never seen it?”
“Really rare. In fact, I thought I’d never actually see a return myself.”
Not knowing what to say, she turned back to the still-open door. A woman was staring longingly through the door. What’s that about? “So what’s going on out there?
She watched as he pulled out a slightly crumpled square card. Grabbing it, she rolled her eyes, “I can’t believe you made this thing.” Then she noticed the one checked off in the bottom right, “Wait, men in black suits, for real?”
He laughed, nodding, finally turning away from that visage of Earth.
She looked out at the girl who seemed slightly closer to the passage and the rather sparse office, “Government or private.”
“I think a bit of both.”
“Huh. So what do they want?”
“They’re returning my book.”
“I’d say that's a good thing, but according to this,” she gestured to the bingo card in her hand, “they grabbed you.”
“Yeah. Honestly, I think they took the book. The woman—”
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
“The one slowly inching her way to the door? Are you going to stop her?”
“I don’t know. I can feel something from her with every step. Besides that, she’s the one I saw when we did the ritual.”
She vaguely remembered him mentioning someone else in the cauldron. Then something hit her. “The one with Lilly. The girl who kept showing up every time you seemed to get close to the book.”
“Fucking seriously?” It appeared the same thing had only just occurred to Nicki. “Well, that’s just great!” He threw up his hands and was about to say something else when his head snapped back to the office building and then to the door. Something was happening.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.”
#
In a room where a door leads to its third destination. One not here or there but upon a place of beginnings and end. A place between open and closed. Where a mummy stares in fascination, a witch with a small smile, and a fledgling mage yearning for the world beyond. Alice’s eyes were beyond the door into what could, listening to the siren song pulling at her heart.
She wanted it so badly to become one of those heroes in a story. It would be the perfect opportunity to start over. Let everything become fresh and new. Except. She looked over at the man covered in illusion, an impossible mummy from ancient days, her mind warping back to her friend, a Fae of myth and legend. Though not as impressive as the stories. Still, it is wonderful and magical. Another thought, a house that was and wasn’t a house, with a spirit like a little girl. There was already mystical and magic here.
Then, another thought occurred to her. Wasn’t she already at the start of one of those stories? Slowly finding the hidden world just beyond the veil. Being pulled into a secret company whose job it is to investigate magic itself. She was even at the cusp of it all, the first episode in the series, the chapter that reveals the truth. Yet, she wanted to start a different story, a story with no clue as to the genre. Here in this very room were her dreams, fantasies, and friends.
Strangely, the tugging only grew as she had that thought urging her forward. That it wouldn’t hurt just to take a quick peek. “NO.” She spoke into the silence; the entire room turned to her, confused.
“No, what?” Aillil asked, looking curious between her and the door.
“No.” The urging only grew. Why wasn’t it listening to her? She didn’t want to go. Her story was just starting her. Or was it? She had never agreed; she hadn’t fully considered the entire process. She was going to discuss it with Lilly at home. Or at the very least sleep on it.
“I don’t think you want to get closer,” the woman who came with Nick said, looking worried.
Alice, for her part, only just noticed how close she was, just a few steps away. She could trip and find herself on the other side. “No, this isn’t the story I want.”
“And what story do you want?” Aillil asked, head tilted.
She turned to him, “Your’s Mr. Aillil. I’ll take the job.”
He clapped his hands, “Wonderful!”
Suddenly, the tugging stopped, and any urge to cross the door vanished, though a wave of energy seemed to explode out of her and spread out and through the building's walls. That might not be good.
#
Stepping back through the door. Into the main world, Nicki looked a bit sheepish. “Sorry about that. Had to send someone home.”
Aillil looked positively giddy, “What was that place? Is this your real power? Is this how you got on our insurance?”
Nicki smiled, “It’s all on my insurance forms. I’m sure it’s all listed.”
“I’ve read those forms thoroughly, Mr. Knight. And I can assure you that the address and business listed do not really exist.”
“Are you sure about that? I was just there after all.”
Looking between the now ordinary door and the man, Aillil raises an eyebrow, “It’s on the moon?”
“Not ours,” Nicki answered cryptically. Having fun seeing all the expressions crossing an illusion’s face. I wonder if he’s actually that expressive or if the illusions are doing something.
Nicki looked at all the people in the room, staring at the book thief. He could feel it now, the once longing for the journey’s beginning that always came with a new Hero. The remnants of what might have been carried throughout the world on a wave of mana, shifting the world or possibly just making it more of what it always was. A consequence of her choice. She never stepped a foot through the door; her folder had never finished forming. Yet, here she was, a Hero. One of his own making, albeit indirectly. Looking over to the book on the desk, Nicki walked up and grabbed it. Feeling its hefty weight. There was more to it now than when he first brought it from the office. A weight and a change linked to the thief. Heroes always do make the best thieves.
With a laugh, he did something he could scarcely believe himself. He walked over to the thief, holding the book out to her. “I don’t know why you took this. Or how you even know it ever existed. Know this. The power in this book is beyond our world at the moment. The world may not be ready for it. Keep it safe. Learn from it. Now have fun, little Hero.”
Confusion was all over her face as she hesitantly took the book. A light passed over her eyes for just a second before he looked away and headed out of the office.
No one stopped him; he simply walked out. Jillian, after making sure the entry was just the hall, followed close behind.
* * *