Chapter Two
T he day of his date had arrived, and Perry stood naked in front of the closet, having no idea what to wear. What did a man wear when he was going on a date with a monster? Did he wear a suit? Jeans and a nice shirt? Shoes or sneakers or something else?
Why couldn’t he have gotten through twenty-four hours without a date? Why did this have to happen?
“Shit.” It didn’t matter now. He had a date to get ready for, even if he had no idea what the hell he was doing. Rubbing the back of his head, Perry stared, then shook his head. Picking up his phone, he called Aled. When he answered, he asked, “What the fuck do I wear? Is there some dress code or some shit? I don’t want to turn up looking like an idiot.”
Aled burst out laughing, and Perry had to wait while he calmed down. “Aw man, that was funny. Just be you and you’ll be fine. Forget it’s with a monster and act like your normal dickhead self. Look, we’re meeting you at the portal about ten minutes before you go through, so you won’t do this alone.”
“I’ll be going to the other world alone,” Perry pointed out. Rubbing his face, Perry blew out a breath. “I need to get ready. See you at the portal.”
Hanging up the phone, Perry pulled on some underwear, then grabbed some clean jeans and a blue shirt he thought he looked good in and dressed. Socks and shoes followed, then he grabbed his leather jacket, house keys, and wallet and left his small apartment.
Snowflakes fell, not too many but a few heralding the start of winter, and it actually made him feel a little better as he walked toward his car in the parking lot. Every step closer had his breath speeding up, and he paused to breathe slowly, shaking his head at his own behavior. “Off world. I’m going to be safe. Stick to the safe places.” With a nod, he carried on to his car.
Getting in his car, Perry started the engine, then sat and waited for the car to warm, his mind going over what was about to happen. Shit. Once the car was warm enough, he closed his eyes and breathed slow and steady. His heart raced in his chest, and his hands were unsteady as he held them out in front of him. He put them on the steering wheel, tightening his grip before putting the car into drive and pulling away.
It was the longest drive of his life. It was the shortest drive of his life.
How can a drive from one location to another be long and short? When you were about to do something you had never done before, that’s when. Something that made you struggle to breathe, struggle to focus past anything but that thing.
Arriving at the research facility, Perry checked in with the guard at the gate, then drove on, searching for the building the portal was located in. When he found a space in the parking lot of the research facility, Perry pulled in and turned the engine off. He sat, licked his lips, rubbed his hands on his jeans. Taking a deep breath, he got out and locked his car, walking over to the building that housed the portal.
A large building stood in front of him, with tinted windows and only one entrance that Perry could see. Made sense they’d have it in a secure location so they could monitor all comings and goings and keep track of all humans and monsters that used it. Plus, it was a research facility, so they would need to have security in place, and it housed monsters who were working toward their visas and taking a naturalization course, and who knew what else went on behind closed doors. Things Perry didn’t want to know about.
Dennis, Aled, and Judd stood outside the main entrance waiting for him, and it felt like he was walking toward his death. Damn, he was being all melodramatic. As he approached, Dennis shouted, “you get all your paperwork in order? Your visa?”
Nodding, Perry slowed as he reached them. “Yeah. All covered. They know I’m going through.”
Stepping into the reception area, Perry paused as he stared at the guard or military behind the desk on the left of a large room. Perry didn’t know and at that moment didn’t care what the guy was. Fuck, he was doing this. Ignoring the seats on the right side of the room, Perry approached the man and showed him his paperwork. Perry glanced around the area again as the man went over his details. Security was impressive, and it should be. The portal needed to be under constant observation, which was apparent from the numerous cameras watching and guards that patrolled the area. Perry signed a form with his details and smiled at the guys. “Well, I guess this is it.”
“See you soon!” Judd slapped Perry on his back, causing him to stagger a few steps forward.
“Thanks,” Perry muttered, wincing as he moved his shoulder back. “I should go inside.”
“Nothing like dragging your feet with excitement.” Aled grinned and wriggled his eyebrows. “You know you want to go and meet her.”
“Yes. I’m overwhelmed with anticipation.” And a healthy dose of fear.
“Stay inside the safe zone, Mr. Chapman, and you’ll be fine.” The officer/guard/military man told him. “You three can’t enter the facility where the portal is, so you’ll need to wait here.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll call when I get back.” Perry tried to smile, but he was pretty sure it looked like a grimace.
“Have fun!” Dennis gave him a half hug, then shoved him toward the door. “Go get her!”
Perry chuckled or tried to. “I’ll call.”
He ignored Aled, who shouted advice about sex positions. Glancing over his shoulder, Perry noticed the guard shake his head at Aled, then point outside. Grinning, Perry stood by the double doors that led from reception into the building. “Wait for the guard. He’ll come and take you.”
Perry nodded. “Okay.” Did he say it or squeak it? His smile slid from his face, and he closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths. What the fuck was he doing? He should have forfeited.
The doors opened, and a guard appeared. “Perry Chapman.” Perry nodded. “Follow me.”
Perry walked through the door and stared down the corridor, then walked behind the guard. At the end of the corridor, they turned right. Perry glanced behind him, seeing another set of double doors that led to the left side of the building. He looked up, seeing the fluorescent lights overhead and then down at the grey vinyl type floor. the walls were white, and he looked ahead, swallowing when they approached another door.
The guard held his badge up to be scanned, then tapped a number into the pad by the door and it clicked. The guard pushed the door open, and Perry stepped into a large hangar style room. The guard handed his details over to yet another guard, who checked them, then nodded. As they went over his details, Perry stared at the room. White walls with numerous lights, so it was brightly lit, with no dark spaces anywhere.
The room was large, cavernous even, and in the center was the portal. Everything else about the room faded into the background. To him, it looked like a normal doorway surrounded by a metal door frame. The portal appeared to be in constant motion. It swirled within the doorway, its colors changing as it moved, bright and beautiful in a way that held Perry transfixed. He stepped closer, his eyes widening when he felt the hairs on his body stand erect. It felt like he was close to an electric current and he was, in a way. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it didn’t hurt either.
“You’re free to go through. When you step through, you may feel some slight disorientation.” Perry glanced at the man, who spoke in a bored voice. “You may stagger or fall. There will be a human on the other side to tell you what you need to know, then you can enter the base and connected town. Obey the rules or suffer the consequences.”
“Consequences?”
“Kidnapped, assaulted, eaten, dead.” The guard nodded again. “You’re going to a world filled with monsters. That’s why we have a safe zone established. One of many. If you wish to move between these zones, then use the train and only the train.”
“I’m not in Kansas anymore,” Perry tried to laugh but failed, and it didn’t help when the guard rolled his eyes. “Guess you’ve heard that one before.”
“Only a million times or so. What’s one more?”
Perry swallowed. “I guess it’s time.” He pointed to the portal.
“It ain’t going anywhere,” the guard grunted. Perry glanced over his shoulder, seeing the guard who’d walked him to the room leave, and he turned back to the portal, watching it swirl in front of him.
Perry wiped his clammy hands on his jeans and stepped closer to it. Stopping in front of it, he lifted a hand, and ran his fingers over the swirling surface, feeling vibrations run along his fingers into his arm. Snatching his hand back, he closed his eyes, his heart speeding up in his chest at the thought of stepping through into the unknown.
“You’ll be fine. The first time is always the strangest.”
Perry swallowed, took a deep breath, and stepped through.
His foot landed on the other side and the world spun around him. His entire body vibrated, little mini electric shocks rushing through him and he staggered forward, his knees almost buckling, but he somehow remained standing. Hands reached out and grabbed him by the arms, slowly moving him over to a chair where he was encouraged to sit.
“Shit.”
“Yeah, it can be something the first time you go through.”
Perry blew out his breath and leaned back in the chair, blinking his eyes, looking around. He was in a similar building to the one he’d left, and he glanced up at the man in front of him. “That’s some rush.”
“It sure is, but you get used to it and it affects everyone differently. Let me know when you’re ready to move and I’ll show you the way out. Perry Chapman, right?”
Nodding, Perry swallowed and closed his eyes, and breathed until he felt the tremors ease from his body. When his legs felt capable of supporting his weight, he gingerly rose and paused. When he didn’t face plant the ground, he smiled and waited for the officer to come over.
“Ready to go?”
“I don’t feel like I’m going to embarrass myself anymore.”
“It happens all the time. People think they know how they’ll react, but sometimes it caches you out. Follow me.” The man walked ahead, and Perry followed at a slower pace. Outside the room that housed the portal, it looked pretty much the same as the research facility back home. He had to sign in with a couple of officers, then he was outside.
Taking a deep breath, he paused. The air seemed different here. Obviously, it was. He was in the monster world now, but the air seemed fresher, crisper, with an undercurrent of some scent Perry couldn’t quite place. “It smells different.”
“Cleaner, yeah. It’s why I like to come here.” The officer smiled and pointed the way out. And the map. “I’ll see you when you come back.”
Perry walked over to the map and studied it. The base was large, so it would take him a few minutes to walk to the edge and the small town where he was meeting his date. He could still hardly believe he was here doing this, but he never backed out on a bet, and he wasn’t about to start now. He’d made it this far, so there was no turning back. Well, there was, but he wasn’t going to do that.
Taking a picture of the map with his phone, he walked toward the entrance of the base and took deep breaths of fresh, clean air. This would be nice back home. Maybe he could come to visit just for the air quality. Glancing at the map on his phone, Perry followed it until he reached the entrance. Signing out, he walked into the small town and stared in wonder. The night sky was so different from his own. He didn’t recognize any of the constellations, or maybe they were in the wrong place? He couldn’t figure it out and spent a good couple of minutes moving around on the spot, trying to see anything he knew.
The moon here appeared different too, but then again it would. It wasn’t his moon. It didn’t have the same craters, the damage from years of impacts. Moving on, Perry slowed, his eyes bouncing everywhere as he took in the differences of this place to the one he grew up. The buildings resembled those back home, which made sense, as the military was responsible for their construction. He’d read somewhere that when the portal and new world had been discovered, many discussions had taken place, and this was the result. A place where humans and monsters could meet. A network of train stations that connected different towns to one another. Perry could get on a train now and go somewhere else. See more of this brand new world.
A shadow on the ground made Perry look up, and he saw something flying above and stopped, his mouth opening in surprise. A monster, but one Perry didn’t recognize flew overhead, and he watched it fly off into the distance, its wings flapping. Were they wings? Perry had no idea, and he wasn’t hanging around to find out, either.
Hearing the clip clop of horses’ hooves, Perry glanced over his shoulder and watched a centaur trot past. A real honest to God centaur with long flowing blond locks and a hard stare that had Perry quickly looking away. “Are you lost, little human?”
“Oh no. I’m going to The Looking Glass.”
The centaur stared at him, then nodded. “Keep to this road and stay in the safe zone.”
“I will.”
The centaur gave him another hard stare, then moved on and Perry widened his eyes as he watched him trot or walk away. “Damn.” Walking on, Perry noticed more buildings, saw monsters he didn't know the names of and really didn’t want to find out about, and then sighed when he finally spotted the quite ordinary looking restaurant ahead. The Looking Glass appeared like any other restaurant, with a large window at the front that allowed customers to look out from where they sat. Perry stopped and stared, seeing humans and monsters dining together, all nice and friendly. He could do this.
Standing outside, Perry nibbled his bottom lip, took a deep breath, and opened the door.