The Other World

The Other World
Karlyn Wallis
   
    With a sharp inhale, I sat up violently. After I coughed a few times to clear the mildew scent out of my lungs, I look around the room. This is bad... this is very bad. I ran through my memories, trying to reorder myself. My name is Rowan Green, and I have been a lab rat of sorts to a secret group of scientist trying to send people to another dimension. I was taken from my apartment half a year ago, for my brain is "the only one that can withstand the testing"-if the scientist are to be trusted. I have seen my friends looking for me on the streets, I have been forced to go out and witness my friends sorrows. I have gone unnoticed by them because the scientist have forced me to wear an almost seamless mask to keep me under the radar on the rare occasions I am released from the lab to go and retrieve groceries and contraband they trade bi-monthly with another unknown group. I would normally be sent to The Other World, then I would observe the universe, and to occasionally carry out small experiments to try to explain the phenomenon of the universe. Then, I would be retrieved from wherever this was. But this time, I woke up... back in the place awash in only hues of grey and black, inhabited only by a huge mansion that loomed over me like a beast poised to devour me in one gulp. I was back in The Other World and my earpiece, the one I used to communicate with the scientist directly, was lying in the dead grass a few feet away, smashed and broken beyond repair.

    As I stood, trying to hold back tears, an earsplitting scream erupted over the wasteland. I was not alone, and there was danger here, yet I was frozen to the spot, like a deer in the headlights. Should I investigate further? Or should I try to find a way to get back to Earth? I had absolutely no clue how to get back, and my job was to observe this universe, so I decided to head toward the source of the sound. It had come from the mansion that seemed to watch my every move. I tore a branch from a withered tree on the path to use as a weapon. I stepped slowly, gravel crunching under foot. I reached the double doors, and though they had been aged, they were likely once grand and beautiful. I twisted the rusted brass knob with the branch brandished into the shadows before me. Another scream caused my teeth to clench of their own accord. Whatever was causing this person to scream must be unimaginable. I suddenly got a feeling of an adrenaline powered need to protect. I need to save this girl, for I too had spent long months in torture, perhaps not as physical as this one, but torture nonetheless. I rushed around the house, following the screams increasing in number rapidly.

    I came to a skidding stop in front of the door containing the screaming. I grasped the handle and then quickly let go with a yelp. The touch sent a wave of darkness and ice coursing through my veins. With a deep, steadying breath I grabbed it again, pushing back against the pain contained in the door knob. Grunting, I pushed it open at last. Looking around the room, I saw a girl, about my age who would have been beautiful, if her skin had not been sagging from her bones, burn blisters bubbling up her skin, and the dark matter leaning over her.

    It whipped the shadowy appendage that seemed to be its head toward me. I backed toward the doors as it stared me down with it flaming eyes. As it drifted toward me on a phantom breeze, I realized I was trapped. I tried to squeeze my eyes shut, but some strange force held them open. I was staring into the face of nightmares given form and i was going to die, or worse, be tortured like the broken girl on the table. It drew closer, and my throat closed up. The edges of my vision began to blur and fade. A chorus of agony struck up from somewhere far off. And then, as quickly as it began, everything disappeared. The phantom, the screaming, the pressure on my airways, all gone. Only me and the sobbing girl were left.

    I was shaking hard enough to rattle my bones out of their sockets, but I stood anyway and gingerly stepped toward the girl. Everything hurt, but I reminded myself that she has probably been through that more than once. She cringed away from me, enough for me to know she was scared, but couldn't move very much.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. I won't hurt you, I'm going to help you. I need to know how though." I whispered, then quickly added on, "You need to stay awake for me" because she seemed to be drifting asleep.

"N-n-no...I..I" she said frantically, shaking her head as much as she could with her limited mobility.

"Tell what I can do to help"

"T-top... drawer" she choked out, gasping as if every word pained her. I rushed to a desk I hadn't noticed beforehand.

"Ok, ok. Top drawer" I muttered to myself. I wiped away the cobwebs and dust to find a small keyhole on the top drawer. I hurried over to the other side of the room to a box of keys. I picked out three that seemed right and practically sprinted across the room to the desk. I had to rush since the girl was now whimpering and writhing around on the table.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to distract her from whatever was hurting her.

"E-Embry" she panted.

"That's a nice name. I'm Rowan, can you tell me what that was, what happened to you, where and what this place is? Anything?'' I questioned, trying out the different keys. I found the right one, a jet-black key with a skull grinning vulgarly on it. I opened up the drawer and pulled out a small vial with a syrupy sludge colored liquid lay. I didn't let Embry start the sentence she was forming as I poured the liquid down her throat. I propped her head up with my hands so she wouldn't choke on the foul smelling, sickly-green mixture. A few seconds later a blinding white light shot down from the ceiling. Swaths of the light curled around Embry and her breathing slowed to a relatively normal pace. An angelic voice filled my head as the streams of pure light continued to bind Embry.
Embry's going to live.
"Wha- who's there?!" I said out loud.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you or her. I'm here to help you get back home. I've been monitoring your transitions and have figured out how to stop the cycle. Did you ever wonder why you were the only one who could come here?  Well, besides Embry... she's here from the same circumstances as you, though she was unlucky enough to catch the demon at its strongest, trapping her here," the ethereal voice seemed to sigh, "Anyway, I'm trying to heal her, she's been hurt pretty bad... but I'm positive I can do it.", it added quickly, likely sensing my rising panic. Although we haven't even had a proper introduction yet, I felt attached to Embry.
"You feel connected to her because I had to find someway to keep her tethered to the human realm. But for the most part, it is ou feeling for her, I only strengthened it. To put it simply, I connected your souls, so you will have to find some way to stay connected, being roommates is the least this bond will allow."
"O-ok," I stuttered as the light started to withdraw from Embry's still form. Her chest rose and fell as if she was sleeping. She was alive. Tears tracked little paths through my grime-marred cheeks, eventually falling onto Embry. The being that had spoken to me seemed to retreat into the corner, watching like a cat observing every movement.
''Hey, Embry. Wake up," I said, gently shaking her. She groaned and her eyes, like twin flames, fluttered open. A sob fought its way up my throat. "You-you, something healed y-"
"I know I heard everything too," she replied. Embry sat up and I embraced her as she cried into my copper hair. After a few minutes of me rocking the shaking girl back into serenity, I whispered "If you're ready, we can go back to earth."
"But what about the scientists?" She questioned, suddenly fearful again.
"Don't worry. I think simply the sight of Embry will stun them enough so you can get out. I manage to get one of the scientists to keep Embry's apartment ready for either yours or her return. I am going to continue to watch over you two, because I couldn't technically banish the demon, but it shouldn't be  problem if you guys stay together."
"Okay then... I guess that'll work," I sighed, exhaustion barreling me down like a rouge stampede of bulls.
"Hold on, I'm sending you back to the laboratories," A flash of light, and then the lab appeared. It was right about the surprise of Embry letting us escape. Several scientists dropped tablets, jaws dropping and eyes wide. I pushed open the steel door connecting the lab and control room, and strutted right past the head scientist with a smirk. Grabbing Embry's hand, I pushed out of the building and onto the street, letting Embry lead me to her apartment.

Two years Later: Embry and I have been attached at the hip since that day. Because I didn't have anything of my own, I moved in immediately. We now are married, have a dog, and are plagued by only occasional nightmares, but we have each other, so we've been able to move past our terrors and live our lives as normal people from now on, and forever.