Sorrow's Promise

Chapter 5

SLIGHT TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER. SEE CENSORED VERSION BELOW DOUBLE LINES.

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Leaning over to the mirror, I placed both my hands on the glass, just like I had at home. I squeezed my eyes shut and pictured my crummy little apartment, and waited to feel the melting sensation behind my hands like I had before. A long moment passed with nothing happening. Letting out my breath in a huff, I opened my eyes again and straightened.

"Well, this is awkward," I quipped. "It's not working."

"Are you positioned in the same way you were before?" Riku questioned.

"Yeah, as well as I can remember." I examined my hands and feet, but everything seemed the same.

"And you're focused on where you want to go?"

"Yes!" I was starting to get frustrated. "Something else must be wrong."

"Maybe you're not concentrating hard enough," Riku suggested.

"Or maybe all of this is a load of crap and I'm not really from a parallel universe," I snapped. Realizing what I was saying too late, I gasped and clapped my hand over my mouth, taking several quick steps backwards in a feeble effort to distance myself from Riku. "I'm sorry!" I choked. "I shouldn't have said that." I really didn't know anything about this guy or what his patience level was. If he was anything like Aiden, a comment like that would get me a backhand across the face, or worse.

"It's okay." Riku's tone was surprisingly sympathetic. "You're frustrated, I get it."

I exhaled, relaxing a little. Clearly he wasn't anything like Aiden, after all. I guess if he was, he probably would have gotten fed up with my sarcasm and stupid nickname a long time ago, anyway. "It's just...this morning I didn't even think there was such a thing as parallel universes, much less magic or portals or anything like that. If this had worked, then obviously it would have been proof that you guys were telling me the truth. But now, it's getting kinda hard to believe."

"Mm." Riku walked a few steps toward the bed and leaned up against the post. "I'm well acquainted with magic and portals, myself. But the whole parallel universe thing is new to me, as well. Imagine my surprise at suddenly meeting one of my best friend's doppelgangers, when I never knew such a thing existed."

"Yeah, I guess that would be a little shocking," I acknowledged.

"Anyway," he continued, "I guess it's easier for me to believe you're from a parallel universe, since I can look at you and see that you look just like Kairi. But I understand if you're having a hard time believing it yourself."

I threw my hands up in the air. "The crazy thing is, I think I do believe it. It makes no sense, but at the same time, it does. Do you know what I mean? Something about it just seems...right." Pivoting back towards the mirror, I shook my finger at it. "But if it is true, then I don't know why this thing isn't working." Shutting my eyes, I reached over and tried again. Still nothing.

"Well, obviously I've never tried to make that kind of portal before," Riku remarked. "But the thing I've found about a lot of magic is, your heart has to be in it. Maybe...maybe your heart isn't quite ready to go home yet. You know you're welcome to hang out here for as long as you want – or need – to."

"But I need to get back!" I exclaimed. What if this never worked, and I was stuck here forever? Would that...be so bad? I shook that last thought away. Sure, my normal life wasn't all that spectacular, but it was still my life. I couldn't just purposely leave everything behind, and abandon Aiden, and stay in some strange world where I knew nothing and no one.