I woke up, still in the forest, but this time, I could see civilization in the distance. I must have been just on the breach of getting some help. The area of the forest I was in was also glowing a soft blue now, and there was a cabin beside me. Whoever brought me here couldn't even be bothered to put me in a bed, let alone inside the cabin or at minimum on a couch.
Seemed like a crack job, but it could have been a lot worse so I suppose there was no room for complaining. I could have been kidnapped or mauled by wild animals, so this seemed like the least of my concerns at the moment. I just hoped Blake and Sabrina were doing okay. Everyone calls her Sabri for short, but to me, she has been and always will be Sabrina. Plus, it sounds a shit load better.
I didn't even bother knocking on the cabin or exploring my surroundings any further; all I wanted was to get out of here. I looked in the cabin window, just out of curiosity. The entire thing was run-down and broken with only one piece of furniture in there; I strongly doubted any life could be sustained there. If anything, it would be more like a storage shed in the future, perhaps.
"Hey, there," a voice in the distance called to me.
"Are you lost?"
Creepy af; this is every horror movie ever. Her voice sounds unrealistically sweet and innocent to the point that it scares me.
I think I should just act natural to avoid getting hurt.
"You could say that," I said diplomatically.
How on earth was I supposed to tell a random person that I've potentially been dimension hopping? Potentially I am either hallucinating, insane or both.
"Do you mind telling me where I am?"
"Sure!" she said cheerfully. "Do you want to come with me and my friends to watch the fireworks tonight?"
I considered it for a moment and then remembered where I was. I felt dread, but the only thing to do was to act natural, and try not to upset the shadow people; God forbid it forms a negative shadow that will come after me later. The last thing I want is to upset the shadow people.
The Eclipse Dimension.
"You know, I can probably stay for a little bit.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Una. Nice to meet you."
"The name is Soola. Nice to meet you too."
She smiled sweetly at me and offered me her arm so we could link elbows and walk to the fireworks together. She was treating me like I was already her best friends— like we were already close with each other, and as much as I loved her friendly and inviting personality, there was something about her that scared me. Knowing that she was a shadow person gave me very unfair and biased judgment, and perhaps it was a large contribution to my fear, but still, every time I looked into her eyes, I knew deep down she did not have a soul. Even though she was very sweet, her eyes looked dead inside. Where there should be human qualities was void of emptiness and I could not see any further into a soul, because there was nothing to look into.
As much as she scared me, perhaps she could help me.
Let's make the most of my situation. If anybody can help me cross over to the next dimension and help my friends, it has to be her.
"Una, do you think you might be able to help me with something?"
"Of course, Soola.
"What can I do for you?"
Blake's POV
Sabri and I burst out laughing as we took the dimension bus back to our dimension. We shared a mutual hatred for that annoying fly Soola, and our plan to get rid of her was absolutely priceless. Of course, I would have to come up with an excuse back home if how we lost her, but now that she's gone, I can finally get a new girlfriend and still inherit some money. After all, nobody believes in magic, so they would never suspect that we had anything to do with it.
I will just say she committed suicide or fell ill.
Her parents will still pay me for taking care of their daughter. I will appear the noble hero. I originally planned to make a fake reason to break up, but just getting rid of her altogether will take so much more effort. I already have a good reputation, so a few fake tears will absolutely do the trick. Sabri can back me up with the fake mourning— what better story than a girl who passed on, with a grieving boyfriend and good-natured sister?
"That was epic," Sabri snorted. "She is never going to find her way out of these dimensions, trust me. I know my sister- she's totally a fool when it comes to survival, especially in the realm of the abstract. All of this will be too much for her book smart brain to handle."
"No for real," I agreed.
"The real world is no place for that little girl. When we get back, I can finally have some peace of mind. Pneudonna and Lolivia will fall head over heels for me, and I can finally have them to myself without Soola budding in all of the time."
Sabri nodded in agreement, and I wanted to say her emotions pointed towards empathy, however, nothing about her personality was empathetic. She was cold and hard like a stone through and through, but I had to admit, her acting skills were exceptional— almost as good as mine.
"What a ladies' man," she cooed. "Are these girls okay with you dating multiple women, orr....?"
She took a sip of her coffee, and looked me dead in the eyes before proceeding.
"Have you been lying to them this whole time? I won't say a word, of course, but eventually, all cheaters get discovered—even the best actors and liars."
"Then let's make the most of it," I replied flirtatiously. "Even though you're related, you and your sister are nothing alike, and I prefer you much better. While I still have my reputation, you should take her place. We don't know when she'll get back, or if she'll even make it at all."
She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in for a kiss, knowing very well that I love women who make the first move.
"Gladly."
She was nothing like her ditzy, obnoxious, air headed sister. She was much more mature, confident, and graceful, and acted much more like a real woman. I wish I had dated Sabri from the beginning, because she wins superiority by a landslide. We started making out on the bus, but something sinister interrupted us from our enjoyment of each other, and for the first time during this whole trip, fear struck our hearts as we had not even remotely arrived at The Seventh Dimension. There was no regret, but if I were really a good person, I would have instantly had a change of heart in this situation.
"Fuck!" she hissed aggressively. "The bus is defective! It won't travel where it's supposed to."
"What is that supposed to mean!?"
"We're in The Blood Moon Dimension, genius! It's the dimension where the living are trapped and the dead roam free, and we can't go back unless we fight these bastards.
"I knew I should have fixed this bug before traveling."
"What can we use to fight them all at once? I know each one needs to be handled separately, but are there any quick fixes before we, like, get eaten alive?"
We were no longer in the protection of the bus, and the atmosphere around us felt very eerie. Whether we stayed in one spot or moved around, both of us were bound to be lunch meat one way or another.
"There were no mobs of monsters coming out at us yet, but I had a hunch that many were lurking in the shadows, biding their time to surprise their victims and attack when it's too late. What should we do, Sabrina? Can you list the monsters so we know what we're up against?"
"Wait," she said solemnly. "I can hear something in the distance."
