Portal Jumpers

Chapter 9

     There was a knock at the door.
     “Maybe Agathon decided to knock before he barged into people's houses and bedrooms.” I said to myself rolling my eyes.
     I opened the door and there was James smiling at me.
     “Hi.” He said kind of awkwardly standing there unmoving.
     I looked at him weird then shrugged off his weirdness.
     “You decided to come over after all!” I exclaimed happily, opening the door so he could come in.
     “...Yes…” He said thoughtfully walking in, strangely enough he wasn’t wet. “I contemplated it for a long time and decided to come over after all.” He said in the same cautious voice.
     “Are you ok?” I questioned as I locked the door hoping it would keep Agathon out for the rest of the day til I had time to question him without my friends interrupting.
     “You're acting a bit funny.” I noted.
     “Actually can we go for a walk?” He walked swiftly around me and unlocked the door, completely changing the subject.
     “Um, ok.” I agreed. “Just let me get a jacket because it’s so wet out.” I added.
     Becca teleported back as I reached for my coat. “We have to get you out of here, CJ, we found James tied up at his house, he said Liam…” She trailed off seeing James and I standing next to each other.
     She looked from one of us to the other a couple of times.
     Before she could find words James spoke up.
     “Yeah, that's why I wanted to go for a walk, to get you somewhere safe.” He opened the door and gently took my elbow pulling me with him.
     He didn't turn around while doing so.
     “Wait!” Becca exclaimed.
     We stopped.
     “If you're James then how'd you get here so fast, Takoda was untying you when I left.” Her eyes narrowed.
     “He teleported me to the front door as soon as I was free.” He countered.
     “But how did you get here before me then?”
     “Um... He teleports faster than you.” He faltered.
     “You're not James.” She affirmed. “And she's not going anywhere with you!”
     I started walking toward Becca, but his grip on my arm tightened, keeping me where I was.
     “Let me go, Liam!” I yelled trying to pull away.
     As I said this his face changed back to the pale skeleton look and he grew a foot in height.
     “No,” He said calmly. “You're coming with me.” He pulled me out the door and we fell.
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     We fell into Liam's world.
     He gets up and brushes himself off. Then he held his hand out for me.
     I crossed my arms, still laying in the illusioned bright green grass, glaring up at him. “I'm not going anywhere with you.” I growled. “Well anywhere else.” I added, seeing as he did get me here. “I'm guessing your teleporter friend, you talked about last time, helped you get us back here?” I questioned. I couldn’t remember the name of his friend for the life of me, Liam probably erased the name from my mind.
     “Why yes he did, pet.” He answered.
     “And by the way, you make a terrible James.” I sat up.
     “But you fell for it.” He reminded me. “Now get up off the ground.” He commanded.
     “Hmmm.” I pretended to think about it. “Do I want to die? No, I don't!” I exclaimed, slapping his hand away.
     “Feisty aren't we today?” He noted. “I'll have to deal with you in a different way than.”
     I remembered how the queen Moon Fey took away the powers of everyone. If only I knew how? I saw the wave coming for me. My eyebrows furrowed. I don't wanna lose my memory. I thought as I closed my eyes knowing I didn't have the knowledge to save myself from what he was about to do. “James, where are you?” I whispered.
     “That boy can't help you now, pet.” Liam sneered.
     “Just get it over with.” I begged.
     “What?” Liam said, startled.
     I opened my eyes confused. “I said get it over with already, like make me forget cause I can't do anything about it.” I babbled. “Are you seriously confused about what that meant?” I questioned.
     He leaned down, not answering me. “You know!” He exclaimed in surprise, taking a quick step back and straightening up at the same time.
     “Know what?” I tested.
     “Oh I dare not say, you might not know then I will have ruined my chance for revenge.” He spat glaring at me. He crossed his arms, thinking. “I will try one more time.” He eventually decided.
     This time the wave came over me too fast to think and he blocked my memories.
     “That's much better.” He chided. “Take my hand, pet.” He held his hand out again.
     I took it this time.
     He pulled me up. “Hmmm, I can feel the power already. You did know, I do not know how you stopped it the first time, but it does not matter because you can't remember a thing now.” He laughed.
     Say the name Liam, my head told me.
     “Liam?” I said the name and he stopped, getting even more pale than before if that was possible.
     “What did you say?” He asked.
     “A random name that popped into my head.” I smiled. “Who's name is it?” I added.
     He looked at me skeptically. “Mine.” He stated. “How-” He turned around mid sentence. “Someone Portal Jumped, though I have no clue how they found the way. They couldn't have followed our aura's. Unless…” He trailed off.
     I could hear three different voices yelling from far away.
     “Stay here, pet.” He commanded, not looking at me.
     He stomped off to find the people that went with the voices.
     A hand clamped over my mouth so I couldn't yell.
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