July 2, Year 2032.
It was a cold night, the streets empty and deserted. I was coming back from a job that Vincent asked me to help with. I was heading home tired, but still sober. On the way I felt like someone was shadowing me. I looked over my shoulder, careful not to raise suspicion, but no one was there. I could just be exhausted from the day, I thought.
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/82661c93-9351-4e6d-b82f-6e1e720e90f5/dhhdgkj-be22b3fd-f961-41f9-8c81-5d27efd23ad1.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzgyNjYxYzkzLTkzNTEtNGU2ZC1iODJmLTZlMWU3MjBlOTBmNVwvZGhoZGdrai1iZTIyYjNmZC1mOTYxLTQxZjktOGM4MS01ZDI3ZWZkMjNhZDEucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.XIzFY71QE8OsMgE-6goGxnpqjwLszoJPfonl-p8XkPc]
Finally, I arrived home. I took off my coat and boots, and I noticed that my hair got messed up because of my hoodie again. I was trying my best to quickly get things back in order when my stomach suddenly made itself known. Hours of work with Vincent will make anyone tired, hungry and just a bit annoyed.
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I grabbed something from the fridge along the lines of a bowl of chopped fruit. Since Elizabeth started her “healthy” conversion of the food stores, I’d been craving good old pizza and fries again, but she said this would help us to start a family. It's been two years since we tried but I'm thinking we should accept the fact it won't work.
After finishing my “food”, I was perfectly content to lie down and sleep the day’s troubles away when all at once the doorbell rang. It was already very late, the kind of late hour when you don’t expect the doorbell to ring. I opened the door, and to my surprise a familiar face greeted me. It was Light.
- Light? What are you doing here?
In her eyes I saw fear, but before I could question her further, she pushed past me silently into the house. I followed her to the kitchen when she finally stopped. I heard Elizabeth coming down stairs, the bell likely woke her up.
- Joker... Are you there? – She still sounded drowsy, but that quickly disappeared once she saw who else was standing in the kitchen - Light? What are you doing here?
El was confused just as I was. There was no ready explanation as to Light’s unexpected arrival, but we both knew this was a sign of something bad.
- I'm here because I need to ask you for help... – she finally spoke, breaking the silence
- Help with what? - I asked her, intrigued.
- I need you to find Shaun... He will be in great danger if there is no one to help him.
El looked surprised - Shaun? We looked for him for 3 years after he ran away! He’s gone, Light.
- But Light... What kind of danger? And how do you know that? – I asked with conviction. If she really was telling the truth… I needed to know.
She looked away, like she was trying to hide something from us. The room became silent again.
- You need to trust me Joker, - Light spoke finally - I know that I let you all down before, but I didn't have a choice and Shaun knew that. – Her voice was desperate.
Elizabeth’s gaze shifted to mine, and I knew what kind of look that was. "Don't trust her". She was likely right, but what if Shaun was truly in danger? I couldn't stay there and just do nothing; he was my brother. I was caught in the middle of a difficult situation, should I trust Light and make my wife mad at me or should I stay and possibly risk letting my brother die?
- Joker... - Light began talking to me in a soft voice - Shaun needs your help...
- But we looked everywhere for him. - I said with sadness.
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- Yes... but Shaun are not here... not in this world
This stirred the pot a bit, leaving El and I even more confused.
- What do you mean? - I asked. El stayed quiet.
- There are more worlds than just this one... Shaun somehow found a way to jump between them. - She said.
Other worlds? I needed some time to think… I was still tired and try as I might I couldn’t focus on any of this. El saw this, the condition I was in, and intervened.
- Joker, you should go get some rest... you are too tired. – El gently moved me towards the stairs. Light agreed to talk about all this tomorrow.
The next day we all woke up with a sour mood. I didn’t sleep well, thinking about Shaun and his safety cost me the night’s rest. I looked at myself in the mirror, and I could see time was catching up to me. El saw me looking at the mirror and she patted my head and sported a small smile. When we got downstairs into the living room Light was already waiting for us. El quickly summed up everything from last night
- Alright, so you want Joker to go look for Shaun in some other world?
Light confirmed with a nod.
- But it's too dangerous!
Light responded with confidence - That's why I'm asking Joker for help. I know he is strong, and I believe he can do it.
I wasn't so sure about that, but I was sure if Shaun needed my help, I would do everything to find him. I looked up at Elizabeth and when she met my eyes, she knew that I had already made my decision.
I packed up some stuff; my bow, arrows, my knife and I hid my ring what was on my necklace, underneath my t-shirt. I was ready to go. Elizabeth gave me a big warm hug and a kiss; I knew already I would miss her. She told me that if I didn’t come back soon, she’d hunt me down and kick my ass and I was sure that she’d do just that. I promised her I would return as soon as possible, hopefully with Shaun in tow. I left with Light, looked back once at my home, and at El standing in the doorway, then I turned towards the horizon.
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After an hour of walking, we finally made it to the old cave where we first found the stone. The place changed from the last time I was there. It looked far older, yet more beautiful. Flowers covered the ground and ceiling, and I saw a butterfly fluttering around. I looked at Light, but she remained solemn. I was wondering if she was still thinking about Shaun as a lover, or whether she had forgotten the feeling she once had for him. I could have asked but I didn’t know how. We reached the center, where the stone still stood. Even here had changed with time. Light finally turned to me, a tear falling down her cheek.
- Promise me that you will find him... – Her voice was laden with emotion
I didn't know then how exactly I would do that, but I still promised her that I would do everything that I could to find him. I stepped forward towards the stone and immediately I felt cold air on my skin.
- So, I should just enter the stone and somehow get teleported to the other world where Shaun is? - I asked, not exactly confident.
- Yes, but be careful Joker... I don't know what could be on the other side.
Those words didn't really make me feel any better but there was no turning back. I continued forward, reached for the stone, and the world I knew disappeared in a blinding white light...
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