Wild Future

Future City

The four of them crashed into an alleyway in a collection of old garbage bags that stunk of rotting food and something that wasn't else that isn't the slightest and recognizable to Tom. He thought to himself of what else could be in the trash below them. Tom, unable to take the stench any longer, he quickly pinched the bridge of his nose at the rancid but now overwhelming smells, it was like someone had died there and was left to rot. He never wanted to revisit that smell again for as long as he lived.

Tom suddenly remembered what happened becoming alert and aware of his surroundings turning toward Matt as he sobbed in the trash beside him and Tom wasted no time and instantly shot up going to Matt and reached a handout to him. It didn't make him feel good to move so fast but he noticed the pile of garbage bags had also been split open by the impact of landing. Tom looked up to see the exit of the portal that spit them out above them close before anyone could react and watched it fizzle and vanish from sight.

Tom rushed over and held onto Matt as he cried into his shoulder and shook like a scared puppy. Tom deep down was too afraid to admit that he was scared of what was to come in the future. This filled him with more dread than he'd imagined. Tom looked over his shoulder and saw Edd as he popped out of the garbage and was seemingly unfazed by the things that were around them. Tom didn't want this mess that Tord started to continue, there was no choice in this, they weren't going back home anytime soon.

Edd turned and looked at Tom as he helped Matt up and they slowly made it to their feet. It didn't take long for Edd to get distracted, and it didn't take long before Matt joined in. The two of them looked around and saw bright lights that illuminated at the far end of the alleyway. Tom noticed that they were also flickering wildly, hurting Tom's eyes. He didn't know what it beyond the alleyway was but he could tell that Edd was interested and he wasn't going to wait for Tom to see what it was. That's just the nature of Edd as of what Tom had known. There was no way he'd be able to pull Edd back and away from the lights without being closer.

"Is everyone okay?" Tom asked.

Edd looked from Matt to Tom, "I think so.."

Matt stepped away from the piles of garbage and fiddled with the sleeves of his green jacket. "It looks like we're not in Kansas anymore."

Tom looked at Matt and raised an eyebrow. "Matt, we've never been to Kansas."

Edd tilted his head, "Where's Kansas?"

Tom rolled his eyes at the comment, "Does this question about Kansas matter right now? You don't grasp the situation we're currently in?"

The three of them swapped glances without saying another word to each other and didn't know what to do. Tom wasn't in the place or the mood to fight about where with others because of the situation that they were stuck in. The safety and return home was more important than finding out where Kansas is. Tom knew it was in the United States but he didn't care.

"Where are we?" Edd asked.

"I don't know but I don't feel like we're safe."

Matt chimed in, "What are we going to do? Is there a way back home?"

Tom shrugged, "I'm not sure but we're going to have to figure out where we are first and see what we need to do."

In silence Tom watched as Edd looked at Matt before he skipped over to the end of the alleyway and heard him gasp loudly, Matt jogged over and gasped too at the sight before themselves. Tom was afraid to get closer but he swallowed and made his way on the other side of Edd, he saw what they'd see. With what was before them it was true that they could actually be in the future. It didn't look like wasn't what he'd imagined. This being based on what he'd seen back at the Muse See Um earlier in the day.