Actual Reality

Journey

I heaved the door open and walked into the evening light. I shielded my eyes as the world came into focus. The air was crisp and smooth in my lungs.

"I guess she never stuck around," I said out loud, surveying the amorphous sludge that clogged the hall, "such a shame, I really liked this house."

I took a few steps forward, brushing off the creepers drooping from the walls; my feet squelched in the ooze on the floor.

I kicked some of the bell-shaped blisters sprouting from the once immaculate carpet. The instant my foot connected, they exploded in a cloud of ethereal, white powder.

"Ah, shit," I swore, watching the powder curl in the air like smoke, "I forgot about this crap."

I fitted the rebreather slowly.

"Welcome to Daniel's pollen count: it'll be high today and for the rest of time."

As I made my way through the gloom, I thought about the place I'd come from, it looked like this house – the layout was identical – but there were no cracks in the wall, no tendrils or creepers. Audrey's utensils weren't red and rusted, and her cookbooks hadn't turned to mush. That house was in another world, one that was simultaneously close and far away. I wondered if Audrey was in one of those parallel rooms, waiting for me. I'd left earlier that day, told her I wouldn't be late home – I lied. A tinge of guilt rose in my chest; the feeling almost made me smile.

I stepped down the hall slowly, trying to avoid setting off any more of the spores.

"Damn," I said as I peeked up the landing. The creeping Rot had made its way there too. It matted the stairway and choked the walls – dripped in yellow globules from the ceiling. I passed on towards the garage; the door stood firm as a testament to iron. Its hinges were hard to budge at first, but with a few hard knocks, the door pushed open to reveal a room that was unlike the others.

The place was almost sterile – dark, and devoid of any life. The walls were grey and smooth, and an object lay covered in the centre. It had a body both long and graceful – shark-like – and I ran my fingers along its edge in anticipation. Stopping at a wall-mounted terminal, I searched for the activation button, and after holding it down, light bathed the room. I reached for the tarp, my wasted arms struggling with the plastic sheet, and I pulled it down, uncovering a beauty of the purest silver.

"Oh, but I've missed you."

At the sound of my voice, the engines sprung to life; the cockpit bloomed in an ocean blue, and the doors swung open.

"Personal Skycab," announced the machine as I sat in the forward compartment," please state your name."

"Daniel Shultz, Founder."

"Analysing."

Its voice was robotic.

"Confirmed. Daniel Shultz, New Life Executive, title: Founder."

"It's been a long time," I mused.

"Too long, Sir. Is there somewhere you would like me to take you?"

I shook my silver-haired head.

"Oh, no, not so fast. I'm flying us out."

"Of course, if that's what you prefer."

I took the controls with both hands and readjusted the systems.

"Give me jets."

The undercarriage roared into life.

"Jet's online, Mr Shultz."

"Daniel," I corrected," Mr Schulze was my father."

"Sorry... Daniel," it replied, and I couldn't help but snigger.