Nineteen Years Ago

"Ow! Vidya, what the hell are you doing?" I ask, picking up the rock that impacted with my spine.

"Only making the greatest discovery of all time. Still busy making the dog walking robot? Way to breed laziness," She scoffs, before reaching her hand around me to steal the wrench from my table.

"I was using that." I declare, attempting to take it from her grasp.

Vidya ducks and twirls about, hitting me in the face with her waist long, black braid. "My work is far more valuable, I'm sure you'll find it in your heart to forgive me."

Chuckling, I slide off of the spinning stool and follow after her. "And what exactly is this 'valuable' thing? Don't tell me, it's for throwing rocks at car windows. Or even better, it throws them so hard, it can dent tanks!"

With a roll of her eyes, she shoves my shoulder playfully. "Psh no, that's called the ultimate sling shot. We both know your dad was the one to make it magically disappear."

"For good reason. You not only gave someone a black eye, but you also shattered a custom windshield. Do you know how much that cost to repair?" I tease, plopping myself down on her work space.

She gasps, shoving me off the table, "Be careful Max! You could've broken it."

"Just like how you could have broken someone's skull with the ultimate sling shot?" I say with mock horror.

She huffs, "How was I supposed to know that someone was sleeping in the car? Normal people don't do that. Moving on to more important matters, what do you think?"

Vidya does a dramatic sweep, placing her hands besides her device as if she's advertising it for a video camera. "Ta da!"

With a click of my tongue, I walk forward, examining her creation. "Is that one of those light up make - up mirrors, but without a mirror?"

"No, this is one piece of a portal set. Want to have snacks for movie time, but not in the mood to stand after a long day? Call to someone in the kitchen, they don't even have to come to you, just gotta drop the snacks in one portal, and it will pop up in the other. Which would obviously need to be next to the couch, otherwise you'd still have to get up." Vidya explains, while holding a medium size rock above the glowing, mounted circle.

The circular frame of the portal device is no bigger than the size of two average fists put together. A light green hue that's nearly invisible glows in the center. I gaze at it in wonder, curious if what she claims could actually be true, or possible.

Portals are things of science fiction, but, most things written in such a story are based in some form of reality. There's a reason their futuristic placement has the capability of causing foreboding. Especially when it involves manipulation of the human psyche.

I shudder, refocusing my attention on the interesting concept in front of me. "Where's the second one?"

She giggles, her eyes hold a mischievous glint. "There's no fun in telling you."

She releases the rock from her grasp, dropping it into the portal. I gasp in awe, watching it slowly vanish, pulled in by tendrils of green vapor. "Where does it go when it disappears?"

"I don't know, but if your Father will grant me access to his professional lab, and more materials, I'd love to find out.... Maybe I could even get a paid internship? While I absolutely love cleaning human feces off the walls of store bathrooms, I eventually want to land a career in the science field. I'm taking as many classes as I can afford, but at this rate, I'll be fifty before I complete my education." Vidya says with a sad smile.

Before I can reply a hard object strikes the side of my head, I fall to the floor with the world fading from view. The last thing I hear is Vidya cursing.

..................

A wonderful migraine welcomes me as I awake. With a groan I place a hand to my head. Despite the throbbing pain, I notice the utmost comfort surrounding me, in the form of a smooth, pleasant textured substance. Silk sheets, how'd I end up in my bed? I was in the basement with Vidya, what happened?

"Hey Max, I'm glad to see you're up and not dead," Vidya states with a nervous laugh.

The events prior to my unconsciousness resurface. "Did you use a portal to hit me in the head with a rock? That was a crappy thing to do."

"It wasn't supposed to hit you in the head, nor was it meant to travel that fast. I adjusted the speed the lowest setting which should have felt like nothing more than tapping you with a stone. I'm not sure what happened, but it's just a prototype, with the right equipment I can fix it, maybe even send a living thing through." Vidya pauses for a moment, eying me with pity.

"I'm sorry, aiming a rock at your butt was a crappy thing to do. Maybe a cat knocked it slightly, or the intensity when it flew through the portal caused the aim to change. It won't happen again. Unless you do something to piss me off." She declares with a laugh.

"You'll be the death of me Vidya. Maybe next time send marshmallows." I say holding my pounding head.

She pauses, scuffing the golden and red carpet with her chunky heeled boots. "I did, they melted. Like I said, the portals need some work."

As I prepare a guilt trip retort, the door to my room swings open. My father, dressed in a crisp black suit, complete with a tie strolls towards us. His abnormal blank face displays no emotion, as usual.

I exchange a worried glance with Vidya. There are few things my father does besides working. He sleeps on occasion between countless all nighters, and eats when a meal is brought to his lab or desk.

Never since I was a boy, has he willing approached us, we always go to him. Right now, he went out of his way to find us, either something terrible has happened or he's dying.

"Mr. Hamilton! What brings you here? I'm sure Max has forgiven me, and won't be pressing charges," Vidya says with a nervous laugh.

Like everyone else in this household, she rightly fears my father. The highly intelligent owner of Hamilton industries has a temper that even the most foolish of folk wouldn't dare tease out of him. To avoid as many consequences as possible, me and Vidya avoid interaction with him besides the experiments. Discovery is the way to his heart, any other matter is like a buzzing of a fly in his ear canal. I pity those flies.

A broad smile crosses his face, the unnatural expression makes me shudder. Discovery, power, and money are his only goals in life. With a face like that, I'm sure he's thinking about each one of them in unison, the question is why? And what does it have to do with us?

"Vidya, I knew you would stumble across something worthy of further study one day. I just came from the basement. Your creation from the left overs of failed experiments is incredible! That's an excellent first attempt at opening a dimension. In fact, I was attempting to create something similar myself and hit a dead end." He declares, pulling his hands out from behind his back, to reveal something I could only dream of.

"Eeeee! You're sure? Absolutely? Positively? Oh my gosh, this is a dream come true Mr.Hamilton!" Vidya squeals, snatching the lab coat with the company's logo stitched into the right breast pocket. "Max, can you believe it? I'm going to work in your fathers lab!"

Despite the jealousy raging inside of me, I force a smile, "Congratulations Vidya! I knew you would be invited to join them someday. You deserve this."

Excitement sparkles in her chocolate eyes, everything she had ever dreamed of was becoming realized. While I'm happy for her, I cannot help but feel left behind. She's beautiful, smart, and always ten steps ahead. I've tried my hardest to keep up with her and my father, but I'm always left in the dust of those smarter than I. Maximus Hamilton, the moron, a failure of a son.

"When you inherit the family empire, don't you dare take a step through those lab doors. Be smart, hire intelligent people to keep from sullying my name."

My father has pounded this idea into my head since I had to retake algebra. I'm not smart enough and should have others handle the lab, financials, planning, and just sit pretty like a useless figure head.

Glancing at me with sadness Vidya sighs, "I going to have to decline your offer." She hands the coat back.

Both my father and I look at her with confusion. "What?"

"I cannot work alone, I would need my lab partner." She declares gesturing to me.

My father coughs, eying me warily, "What could you possibly hope to accomplish by working with someone like him?"

"Far more than your prudent ass. Excuse my bluntness Mr.Hamilton, but without Maximus always pushing me to better myself and compete besides me, I would never have developed the dimensional prototype. Without my lab partner, I will not be able to focus on my work." Vidya states, crossing her arms defiantly.

My mouth falls open, but I quickly shut it before my father uses the expression to further paint me as a moronic dimwit.

"Only if you supervise him, and promise to take full responsibility for his disasters." My father says hesitantly.

"I accept your conditions... When do we start?" Vidya asks jumping up and down excitedly.

My father straightens, placing his hands behind his back formally. "Six am sharp, tomorrow."

....................
One month later

"Max! Get that camera out of my face. You know how I hate being recorded while working." Vidya exclaims shoving me away before grabbing two screw drivers between her fingers.

"But this discovery may be buried with us before we get to try it out. With how often you blow everything up. We must keep records of what we do, to share with the sciencing world!" I tease.

Adjusting my stance, I angle the camera to get a full view of the fantastic lady scientist.

Vidya rolls her eyes, "What you mean by 'sciencing world' is your fathers company. I don't trust him with this."

I pause. We've both been seeing the way he's eying this project, and the sort of people he's been in contact with about it. Even though my conscience tells me otherwise, my logic blurts out in place of it. "But he's the one funding our research. It wouldn't be fair to keep it a secret."

"I don't know if this is a discovery we should share." She states, jumping back as a blinding light flashes from the metallic doorway.

The lights above us flicker like crazy, before exploding and shooting glass everywhere.

I cry out, covering my head and tucking the camera beneath me to protect it. My eyes take a moment to adjust to the dim light. My god, Vidya!

"Vidya! Can you hear me?" I shout, setting down the camera and searching the room for her frantically.

She crawls out from beneath the table, gazing in awe. "Max, we did it, look."

Vidya gestures to the metallic doorway that hums with energy. A light green, liquid-like substance ripples in the center. Fascinated, I step closer to it, hearing thousands of undistinguishable voices beckoning me to follow them.

"How do we know it works?" I ask, glancing back at Vidya as she removes her lab coat and throws on a back pack.

"Only one way to find out. Bring the camera." She commands, stepping into the center of the portal and disappearing from view.

Without question I retrieve the camera and follow after.
...................

My mouth drops open when I see a beautiful grassy plain materialize before my eyes. I gaze in wonder at the dim, grey world. Above us, the sky only has occasional gaps that allow light to trickle through.

I wonder what's blocking it. Perhaps a protective barrier to defend against enemies? Or maybe their atmosphere was dying and they found a way to repair it.

Vidya screams, jumping up and down like a ten year old child. "This is amazing! Oh my gosh, we did it! I did it! We've done it! This place, is another dimension, a different world. And we, Vidya and Maximus have found a way to travel from our plain of existence into theirs. I wonder what kind of culture has developed here, what their cuisine choices are."

"Now that we know it works shouldn't we go back and let someone else know where we are? Just in case the locals aren't friendly?" I ask, my awestruck wonderment fades, as it's replaced with a hard dose of reality. "If something happens, no one will come looking for us."

"Psh, don't be a chicken. Where's your sense of adventure? We're in another freakin dimension! Aren't you the least bit curious about what kind of creatures live in it?" Vidya asks, walking ahead of me.

"Not if they're the kind that wants to tear me open and eat my guts!" I call, not moving from my position.

"You do know we can't go back the way we came right? We have to find another way." Vidya declares, turning to face me.

My heart lurches, "Are you saying there's no way for us to get back?"

"No, I'm simply saying we need to go and find it." Vidya says continuing on her way.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

Reluctantly, I sigh, switching the camera on and following after her.

"This is amazing, I can't believe we've actually done it." She states, faltering in her steps when the ground shifts to scorched dirt.

I gaze through the camera lens, dread settles deep in my gut.

A heavily guarded facility, with tall strange looking gates stands not too far in front of us. Men dressed like soldiers mill about, instantly becoming aware of our presence.

I turn the camera off, sticking the small device in my pocket. "Vidya, we need to run, now!"

Grabbing her hand, I sprint across the grassy fields, putting as much distance between the soldiers and ourselves as I can. Their foot falls grow closer, gaining on us quickly.

I wheeze, feeling the years of sitting idle catch up to me. How I wished I'd exercised like my father always harped on me to. It was just... boring.

"I'm sorry Max! I should have created a portal to take with us, so we could get back. I'm so stupid! What are we going to do? I still have a full life ahead of me, I don't want to die." Tears begin to glisten in her eyes as we enter a heavily forested area.

What would normally be bright colors, are dulled by the darkened light. Even the surrounding foliage seems to cower at the presence of our pursuers.

The voices grow steadily closer. It's unlikely that we'll be able to out run them at this rate. "Vidya, I have an idea, but you're not going to like it."

"Then come up with a different one that I'll approve of." She says, frantically glancing over her shoulder.

I shake my head, "There isn't time for that. You're the only one who knows everything that needs to go into the portal. I want you to keep running, find the nearest friendly residence and hide."

"No Max, I'm not going to leave you. We can both make it, the guys will give up eventually." Vidya states, with tears running down her face.

"We both know that's a lie. Here, take this," I say with a smile as I hand her the camera. "Don't forget me."

My heart races like it's about to burst from my chest as I turn to go towards those I was running from only seconds ago. This is not how I imagined the day ending. An unopened velvet box in my left pocket reminds me painfully that some things are just not meant to be.

I visualize the uncomfortable suit I would've worn to tonight's dinner, imagining the beautiful, intelligent woman who would've been sitting across from me that made the discomfort worth it. She's my best friend, that I had been hoping to make my life partner.

Now it's likely I will never see her again.

"Don't move!" A voice commands, before the click of countless guns follows.

Lowering into a crouch, I prepare to take off in a sprint far left, to lead them on a chase far from the direction Vidya went. I suppose this is how I die, can't say I ever thought I'd be gunned down by angry fellows dressed in military gear. Old age or lab explosion were the first things that I was sure would lead to my demise.

"I'll stop moving when you a-holes shoot me!" I cry taking off faster than I thought possible.

My legs seem to run as if they are their own separate entities. For despite the fear overwhelming nearly all my senses, nothing can make them stop moving. I'm going to die, holy crap I'm going to die. Is there anything after this? If there is, will I get sent up or down! Would this dimension even possess the same deity if there is one? I can't believe I'm rambling on like Vidya. But I suppose that's as close as I'll get to saying goodbye... or I love you.

Perhaps this is what's best. A woman as intelligent, and beautiful as her deserves better.

Searing pain slices through my calf. I cry out, stumbling forward and rolling several feet before slamming into a tree. Breathe, just breathe through it, you don't have time to rest.

Even though it hurts like hell, I force myself to get up. I must keep running for as long as I can. Until my body collapses, no longer able to move from exhaustion, I can't stop moving. The longer I distract them, the safer Vidya becomes.

A sharp tingling pain travels down my neck, my enter body becomes like jelly, forcing me to the ground. In moments I am claimed by darkness.

WC: 17,035