A Rooted Reality [OSC story]

Chapter 12: Escape

A couple days have passed. It was now Sunday; there was no one in the Stellar Corp. building. It was an off-day, but not for me. I was the only one still here.

I had a bag around my back that had my belongings in it: my journal, a camera, a photo of me and my family, and some clothes to set down for Reed, just in case. I also had the blueprints to the machine. After some snooping around Ram found it in a file cabinet from the storage room. I didn't have any way to get there so he went ahead and found it for me.

I walked through the empty hallway towards the room which housed the machine. The hallways were dark and cold, as all power was shut off. I stood in front of the door and noticed it needed a keycard. I mentally cursed and stared at the lock thinking of some way I could get in.

After a couple seconds I came up with an idea. I yanked a thin spine from my side and used it to undo screws of the lock. It unscrewed and popped off into my hand. I gently set it down and put my hand inside opening the door from the inside.

I grinned, walking inside with my feet tapping the ground. The machine stood there in the dark; it was still quite small, Only about 4 feet tall. It would be easy to carry on its own.

I flipped on the machine and saw the black void slowly be created. It started out as a small speck, expanding into a large disc. While it formed, i took out the clothes I had for Reed and set it down next to the portal.

I felt my heart racing, this was it. This was finally goodbye. I entered the machine and seconds later I smelt the dew in the air. I looked around and noticed Reed was standing there.

"Good to see the portal still works while closed off. Made a fake tree cover! You just open this little door and it leads to the portal." Reed smiled.

"Oh wow! That's great!" I backed up and looked at what he did.

It really was a perfect cover; blended with the forest around it almost seamlessly. He obviously chopped down a tree and hollowed it out putting it over but it still looked great.

"Reed, before you go in- I wanted to say thank you. I hope when you return we can become closer, I owe you my life." I smiled weakly, almost crying.

"Of course; also if something happens to me and I don't return right away then please promise me don't tell Sugar where I went. I don't want her thinking I'm dead or something; because I'll for sure be back. Even if there's something in my way." Reed said and pulled me in for a hug.

I agreed and watched as he walked through the portal looking back at me with a smile.

—

(Reed's POV)

it was all so dark; at first I didn't expect anything to happen but I felt bits of pins and needles all over my body. The next thing I knew I was on a tiled floor face down. I got up to my feet and noticed my new body; I didn't expect to look like this. Oscar told me what human's looked like but I never really pictured this in my mind.

I then noticed I was naked. Humans didn't seem to have covered skin like objects did, which was quite odd. I looked around and saw a small pile of clothes. I slipped the pieces of clothing on and turned around; there stood the machine. It was much smaller then I expected.

I turned the switch off and grabbed the machine in my hands. It was quite heavy so I set it back down; looking around the room I saw a backpack in a stray chair. I grabbed it and put the machine in the bag. It barely fit but thankfully made it easier to carry.

"Now where to next.." I mumbled talking to myself.

I lit up at the sight of the already opened door and walked out. The place was dark and empty but was quite eery. As I walked down the hallways, I went towards a back exit. The door was unlocked so it was easy to get through, sun shined in when I opened the door. I quickly walked out, but I kept walking, i didn't know where to go so I just kept going.

—

After an hour of walking I found a lake with a couple of buildings across it. I jumped up at the sight of buildings as that meant there was power to charge this machine to get back home.

I stopped in-front of the lake to take a breath, noticing the cattail reeds sticking close to the water. I smiled, others used to say seeing the object your body is was good luck. I didn't think much of the phrase but it was something I didn't expect to see here of all places.

I grabbed one of the cattails and twirled it in my hand for a moment. A sharp pain then spread through out my body; I thought I was attacked but there was no one near me. My body kept hurting, I realized I was changing.

My body reverted to its original form, a cattail reed. I growled under my breath at the inconvenience; I wouldn't blend in anymore. I was still quite tall at around 5 and a half feet, making me still able to carry the machine.

I trudged along towards the back of the buildings at the end of the lake. The first door was locked; I guessed all the others were too.

There was no other way to get in besides a small window on the side of the building. I climbed up to it, gripping my hands on the brick. I quickly snapped open the window and jumped in, so I wouldn't fall.

The building seemed to be a toy store. Stuffed animals and various wooden figures occupied the shelves, making the room seem so colorful.

"Hey Diana, can you go check what that noise was?" A voice came from the back room.

I shook not knowing where to go! Footsteps got louder as the person approached. I slid behind a wall of stuffed animals and hoped she didn't notice me.

The lady, who was supposedly named Diane, looked around the shop. She was young, looked to be in her teenage years.

"Hm, what's this?" She gasped and grabbed something I couldn't quite see.

I moved my head a bit so I could see and noticed it was my backpack! I quickly panicked, But couldn't do anything!

"Oohh~ this looks like a power supply for an arcade machine! Oh! This is gonna get us so much business!" She grinned and took the machine to the other room.

No! No! I needed that! There's no way I'll be able to get it back now.

I heard muffled talking from the other room, I started thinking of ways to get over there, but there was none unless I revealed myself. I had to take the risk or none of this was worth it! Then I gasped at the idea to come back when the building is closed! Why didn't I do that in the first place..

I could sneak in when no one would be here and just take it back. I decided to hurry out the window before they came out of the back room. I slid down the alley way and laid down on the ground; slowly falling to sleep.