My heart skipped a beat. I stood for a few seconds staring into his eyes. I narrowed mine, ready to escape if I needed to. He started laughing, AGAIN! This time it seemed to last for at least a minute or two. "You thought I was serious?!" he struggled to say through his laughter. My shoulders released the tension, and my nerves settled down. I did think he was serious. Wiping his tears from laughing so hard, he finally stopped.
"I know that camera. It's a gateway." he says, pointing at my paper bag in my pocket. I look at it, "What do you mean, 'gateway?'" "Come with me please," he giggles. He starts the other way, and I reluctantly follow.
We went to the curb where all the town's tiny stores were. Sitting next to Cupcake Palace was a small cat door. He's a fast walker, so I trail many steps behind. "Come on!" he calls to me, slipping through the small door. I stop in my tracks, genuinely confused. "What?" I ask out loud. I stand for a minute, wondering what I need to do. I see his head poke out from the miniature door. "What're you standing there for?" he smiles, "Come on down." He slips back through the cat door, disappearing as quickly as he came.
"Down? It's a cat door," I say out loud. I look around, making sure no one was looking. I don't know whether I should go down there, but then I think about my mother- I have to do it. I put my feet through the slot, holding on to the wall above my head. He's right, it is down. I couldn't see, but I feel what may be a slide. Taking one last glance at the area around me, I let go.
In this tunnel, it looked like stars were everywhere, scattered above my head. I slid for about 15 seconds, admiring the pretty "stars." I flew out of the tunnel abruptly, landing on a large pillow. I take a glance at the purple ceiling, which has a tarantula sitting on it! I scream and struggle to push myself away on my hands and feet. I hear laughter, I already know who it is. I look at him on the other side of the room. He's sitting on a throne of... bones? 'Who is this man?' I ponder.
"I bet you're wondering, 'Who is this man?'" he asks, seeming to read my thoughts. "Well, I'm a, what would you call? 'Magician.'" He adds, rising from his seat. He looks down on me, still smiling as I stare at him like he's crazy. "Why?" I ask. He tilts his head, "Why what?" I get off the floor and point to the ceiling. "WHY do you have a tarantula on the ROOF!?" He looks where I point, then proceeds to laugh again, "That's Bob." I stare at "Bob." He's terrifying.
After being distracted for a while, I finally observe my surroundings. I feel regret settle into my stomach. There are voodoo dolls and shrunken heads sitting atop drawers and dressers. Potions and books everywhere, packed on every shelf and stuffed in every cabinet around the room. The dim lighting allowed glowing eyeballs in jars to illuminate corners. Jars of rocks and ashes that I've never seen before were scattered random places, labels covering all of them. I see containers labelled crow claws, bear blood, ogre toes, and many more disturbing things. Oh, and the Smell!!
I feel something coming up, but I hold it down, refusing to make a mess. That doesn't stop me from feeling sick to my stomach.
"Who are you?" I demand.
"I told you that already," his smile was still glued to his face, "but if you really want details, I'm a Voodoo Prince. My mother was the Queen, and we're basically here to protect you 'normal people' from doing something wrong. Something that could alter the fate of the Human World, the Spirit World, and the Underworld." He takes a step closer, "Something like finding a portal, or a passage, or a GATEWAY," he continues.
I realize he means my camera. I take the rubble out of my pocket. "I didn't come here for you to scold me. You said you could fix my camera. Well, fix it." I hand it to him, and his eyes follow the bag. He stands there, and after a while, he takes it.
He removes the pieces carefully, examining every crevice, tells me to wait and leaves the room. As soon as he walks out, he comes back in. "Did you forget something?" I ask. He cracks up. "No, silly girl! It's fixed." "What?" I question, positive he couldn't have repaired it that fast. He hands me the bag, and inside the camera sat, all in one piece. It looked practically new!
"Wow!" I exclaim, pulling the object out. I look it over. Every piece was intact, perfectly molded together. He giggles, "You're welcome, Laylana." Still amazed, I almost forget to ask him his name. "What's your name by the way?"
"That's not important right now. Remember what I told you, yes? I'm here to protect you from that." He points to my camera. I roll my eyes. I already told him this. "Whatever, I know what I'm getting into. If I screw up the world, fine. It's my fault. Stop telling me what I already know." I turn to leave. Suddenly, I hear the Prince say, "That's ok, your uncle already warned you."I swirl towards him. He disappeared, and I can tell he isn't coming back this time.
A few steps away was a gold door that you could tell it was an exit. I leave and allow the fresh air to enter in my lungs. I'm back in the familiar streets I grew up in. A feeling of excitement overwhelmed me. "YES!" I jump in the air. Now I can reconnect with my mom! I giggle and hug my camera. I begin the walk home, and I start to wonder if it will work. I feel doubt staring to consume me. "It's okay. It'll work and I WILL talk to mom again," I tell myself.
As soon as I get home, I run to my room to try it out. My neck hair stands on end and my heart nearly bursts from the nerves I feel. I carefully remove the camera from the bag again, and stare at it. It's so small and pretty. I find the lens and slowly peek into it, expecting my mom to be there. She wasn't. I take the camera from my eye, examine it, and try again. Nothing. I sigh.
My throat burns, and my eyes water. I thought for sure it would work. Tears build up and fall. I thought I could see her again. I squeeze my eyes. I really don't want to cry, but I thought... I sit on my bed, feeling completely hopeless. I feel a sudden anger. I went through all of this to gain nothing? Apparently.
I groaned and stand up. I look through the lens again. There was a girl in the corner. I scream and trip over my own feet, ramming into my desk that bumped loudly against the wall.
"Are you okay up there?!" my uncle yells from downstairs. I find my voice, "I'm fine!" I raise the camera to my eye again, and look at her. She's in a hospital gown, facing the corner of my room. I choose to walk slowly up to her. "No turning back now. No turning back now. No turning back..." she chants, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, clutching her knees to her chest.
"Hello?" my voice was unsteady. I suddenly realize the camera's gone, but I still see that girl. "What in the-" I look on the floor, and then up. I become paralyzed with shock. My body is standing in front of me!
