The Mysterious Door

Chapter 19

"I know the three of you must have a lot of questions," Stacy says as we make our way down the path towards the center of the meadow, "I have arranged with five of our higher members to explain everything to you and help you settle in as soon as we reach the base."

I look around as we walk and I can't even begin to take in what I'm seeing. It feels like my eyes haven't adjusted since I stepped through the door. The entire valley and the woods and mountains beyond it are split in two by a perfectly straight line. On the left the world is shrouded in complete darkness with the full moon shining in all its glory and the right is as bright as ever with the sun glistening off the rooftops of the small town I can see far in the distance. The sky is filled with the chirping of birds and crickets alike and the air smells of rain and flowers.

'You guys think we can trust them now,' Daniel thinks, 'They did stand up to the Instructor back there.'

'No,' I think before Anthony can respond, 'That could have all been for show. This could all just be part of the Instructor's tests.'

"Here we are," Stacey says as we reach the first trees on the division line, "Once the portal opens, the three of you must step through and I'll follow shortly after and close it behind me. Oh, and Jake, you're safe now. This isn't just another test. I know you might not believe it yet and who can blame you after everything you went through, but you really are free now."

"How did you," I start.

"I'm sure one of the five will be able to explain everything to you," she takes a large purple rock off from around the necklace around her neck and throws it as hard as she can against a large boulder just inside the wood where it shatters instantly, turning into a steaming liquid that starts to swirl in place, expanding rapidly, "After you."

Well, here goes noting. I step into the swirling liquid and feel myself melt away into nothingness. My stomach turns and I feel like throwing up and even when I find my feet on the other side again, I still feel like I'm inside out.

"Hey," a boy says standing up from the spot he was sitting on the ground, his black hair standing in perfect spikes, "The new guys are here."

"Just give me a second," I say clutching my knees and breathing deeply.

"Don't worry," a girl with a brown ponytail says cheerfully, "Everyone feels that way the first time, but you'll get used to it."

"Just don't puke on us," Another girl says as she gets up, "I'll curse you and everyone you love."

"Don't mind Ella," the spikey-haired boy says, "She talks big, but that's just how she shows she cares. I'm Kyle."

"I don't care about anything," Ella says as Anthony and Daniel materialize next to me.

"Of course you do," the first girl says, taking her hand, "I know for a fact you care about us. I'm Aimee, her girlfriend."

"That's hot," Daniel says once he gets his footing back, "What is this place?"

"This is the caves," a blonde boy says, "It's the main base, barracks and headquarters of the PEACE-resistance. Although it doesn't look like much it's actually inside its own dimension. Well, sort of dimension. It's kind of in an in-between dimension."

"Liam," Kyle says, "They don't want to hear all about that now. You guys are probably starving."

A few seconds ago I would jump at the mention of food, but after using the portal I don't think I'm going to be able to eat for days.

"I can eat," Anthony says, "What's for lunch?"

"Things work a bit differently around here," Stacey says as she appears next to us holding the purple stone, "You can have anything you want."