Chapter 2

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Thump. Thump!

Your heart races. You stare at the mirror– no, portal, you remind yourself as your hands still rummage through your clothes. The card's gone, and, well, your whole world's gone, but somehow that doesn't bother you. Not yet.

Nothingness stills on the other side. It's just like that – plain nothing, a darker shade of grey than the rest of the place. You whirl your head around but see nothing as far as your eyes can see. Rocky ground and a greyish sky, the line between them blurs in the distance.

You stagger to your feet and wobble closer to the portal. The surface feels cold under your fingertips, but then it tinges, and you yank your hand back.

"Wha–" You shake your hand to get the sticky feeling off. Your fingers go through the glass, they go right through–

You stumble, then glance at the nothingness left of your world and take another step back. Maybe two more. Just in case.

Your whole world's gone. Past life's gone too, and now with the card, which might have been the only chance you had in the new world, gone...

"Uh, not now. Please. Please." You shut your eyes and turn your back to the portal. It doesn't help, you can still hear the nothingness – it has a hollow sound to it. You hug yourself, and your fingers roughly dig under your shoulder blades. "Please, you have this. You can do this." In and out, you force a few deep breaths and hold on tighter.

"Are you alright?" calls out a deep voice.

"Yes!" you exclaim without thinking. "I'm fine." And nearly choke on the words.

"We-ell," drawls the man. "Hello, then. The name is Maze." He sounds closer, and you jerk your head up. The large man stops in front of you, grins and stretches out his hand. An over-sweet odour hits your nose. "That is Maze Eaton Harper. At your service." He winks. No pupils or irises, his eyes are entirely brown.

Yours snap back to his wide hand, then trace up the dark hairs to his elbow

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Yours snap back to his wide hand, then trace up the dark hairs to his elbow. Maze has tanned skin, wears a red and white checked shirt with rolled-up sleeves and towers over your with the broadest shoulders you've ever seen.

"H-hi..." You loosen your hold on your own shoulders but won't shake his hand. Glance at it, then up at Maze's square face and carefully slicked hair, at his hand again–

 Glance at it, then up at Maze's square face and carefully slicked hair, at his hand again–

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At the Crossroads. Book 1Where stories live. Discover now