by V. J. Timlin
Anouk hoisted herself out of bed, but collapsed right back—too much effort. She would make tea later. Dreams were creeping in and she curled uncomfortably under the duvet.
* * *
Anouk stirred from her sleep. Something had awoken her. She listened. A key was turning in the lock… Owen.
“Damn you, Owen! I said, drop the key through the letter box.”
There came no reply but the key kept turning.
Anouk jumped from her bed and stormed to the entrance. She unlocked the door and threw it open.
“For fuck’s sake, Owen. I said…” The words froze on her lips. It was not Owen, but the man who had shot at her at the cemetery. He pushed in and closed the door. At close range he looked in his mid-forties—dark hair cropped short framed a scary angular face. His dark eyes were fixed on Anouk. She swallowed hard and staggered back. If looks could kill…
“Good afternoon, my lady.” The man showed a smile that was far from warm and sincere. “I assume it was Owen who so kindly gave me the key?”
This was Nat’s friend. What was his name… Stalo.
“What did you do to Owen?”
“Nothing. He is on his way wherever he is going. I spared his life because he gave me this.” Stalo waved her house key in his hand.
An icy shiver ran down her spine and her hackles were up. Owen was safe but Stalo sounded serious. Was he pissed off because she told Nat to sack the game master? Was Stalo the game master?
“I told him I needed to get in. I am a cable man.” Stalo chuckled, spreading his hands wide as if giving Anouk a better look at his costume.
He wore an indigo-blue overall and, on his right hand, a similar glove to Nat. He was a perfect twin to The Cable Guy, Owen’s favourite movie. Was Owen in this ill-conceived jape as well? He had provided the key, but he had never shown any interest in LARP or any of Anouk’s other geeky hobbies. Surely, he wouldn’t do anything this low to get back at her, would he?
“How dare you barge into my flat.” Anouk tried to sound assertive but failed as her fear became apparent. “Leave now or I’m calling the police.”
Stalo lowered his chin and bared his teeth before he chuckled again. Anouk’s mind short-circuited and her whole being started to shake. She clasped her hands together to stop them whisking—it didn’t work. She let them fall on her side and lifted her chin, gritting her teeth.
“I mean it.”
“You will do no such thing.” Stalo took a step towards Anouk, forcing her to back away. “You have beautiful eyes. Such an unusual colour.”
“What do you want?”
“Hmm. I want many things, but from you, I want an utter and eternal silence that you ever laid eyes on me. I am the cable man and I came to cut the cable of your life.”
Anouk would have laughed at the corny analogy if her heart rate wasn’t shooting up, a scream sticking in her throat, and her skin tingling from terror. Nat’s and Stalo’s LARPing was getting out of hand. Did they fear she might go to the police about the grave stunt? Or was this some sick plan to scare the shit out of her so she would stay silent? If it was, they were doing a bloody convincing job.
Stalo continued, narrowing his eyes, “Sorry, my dear, talking with that bounty hunter signed your death warrant.”
Anouk spun on her heels and sprinted to her bedroom. She seized her phone, but Stalo knocked it away and grabbed her by the throat.
“That was not wise,” Stalo hissed as he tightened his hold.
Anouk struggled to breathe. Her mind raced, trying to find a way to free herself. She kicked, aiming at Stalo’s groin, but he saw it coming and blocked. He jumped behind Anouk’s back, keeping the choke hold tight around her neck.
“Oh, you are feisty. I like that in a woman,” Stalo said next to Anouk’s ear, his breath hot. “We could have a bit of fun. Would you like that?”
Anouk tried to scream, clawing his hand and kicking him with her heels.
“I think you would.” Stalo nipped Anouk’s ear. “But, alas, I do not have the time. The bounty hunter is on my tail, I am afraid, so I have to kill you now.”
Chapter 3
Anouk screamed—it came out strained, hurting her throat even more as it pushed through her closing windpipe. She clawed at Stalo’s iron grip around her neck to get air that was becoming scarcer. Small stars appeared at the edge of her vision.
“The more you fight, the more I enjoy this,” Stalo whispered, his breath hot in her ear.
“You sick bastard,” she gasped.
“Yes, talk dirty. I like that.” Stalo’s voice was thick and hoarse.
That sick sadist was getting aroused!
They both froze for an instant as a loud thud came from the front of the house, followed by the door slamming against the wall with a loud bang. Someone else was in the house. Stalo’s attention faltered for a second and Anouk jumped at her chance. She jammed her elbow into his stomach, aiming for the solar plexus. Weak though the blow was, it served its purpose. Stalo gasped and his grip on Anouk slackened. She pulled free and charged out of the bedroom.
“He…” The call for help died in her lips.
Nat stood in the hall with gun in hand.
Oh shit! Anouk dove into the kitchen. She darted to the drawer and fumbled for a knife. Drawing one out, she looked at the blade. The lights reflected from it, highlighting the sharpness of its cutting edge. No, it was not enough. She needed her katana that hung on the wall in the living room. She knew how to use the weapon, albeit never before in a real-life situation, or indeed against another human. Not that she was going to cut Nat’s and Stalo’s heads off, but maybe seeing her armed would compel these two idiots to have second thoughts and fuck off.
A gunshot thundered from the hall. Anouk dropped flat, tightening the hold around her knife as her heart hammered against her ribcage. Abandoning the idea of snatching the sword, she opted to get the hell out of her apartment. But how? These two raving-mad LARPists were continuing their sick game in the hall, blocking her only exit route.
Another, more muffled gunshot was followed by a grunt of pain. A sudden flash of bright orange lit the hallway. The picture on the wall rattled and dropped, clattering on the floor. Then… the light was gone.
Nat appeared in the doorway. He tilted his head and looked at Anouk, his eyes wide. “Are you alright?”
Anouk rose to her feet slowly, keeping the knife close to her body and her eyes fixed on Nat. “Don’t come any closer. I swear I’ll stab you.”
Nat holstered the gun and spread his arms wide. “I won’t harm you.”
The knife in Anouk’s hand shook. “And you expect me to believe that?”
“I’m telling you the truth,” he said, putting emphasis into every word.
Anouk’s whole body started to shake. The knife dropped to the floor with a clang and she sank in a sobbing heap. Nat’s boots clicked against the tile floor, coming closer and closer until they stopped next to her. His knees cracked and fabric rustled as he sat. A whiff of ammonia hit Anouk’s nose— cordite?
“I’m sorry for everything,” he whispered, close but not touching.
Through her tears, Anouk glimpsed the knife lying within her reach. She could slash him now if she wanted, but maybe he didn’t mean her harm. He had neither taken the knife nor kicked it out of her reach. Perhaps he really was sincere. She looked up at him. His wide eyes had taken on a hint of pity.
Anouk lifted her chin. “I need to call the police.”
“They won’t catch him.” Nat stood up and extended his hand to Anouk. “We have to go.”
“Go where?” She seized the offered hand and Nat pulled her up.
“You’ll see.” Nat led her to the hall. “You’re not safe here.”
“What do you mean I’m not safe?” she asked, looking around. Was Stalo lurking somewhere?
“He will come back.” Nat locked his eyes on hers, his expression grim.
A cold wave of fresh terror washed over her. “When?”
Her head spun. She massaged her throat. She could still feel Stalo’s hand around her windpipe, squeezing tight. Even if she called the police now, Stalo might show up before them. No, she didn’t want to stay here.
She swallowed. “I’ll come with you.”
Nat’s expression didn’t change when he spoke. “Good. Now, grab my waist and hold tight. Also, close your eyes.”
Anouk obeyed. His arms brushed her sides but he didn’t complete the embrace. He was occupied. Anouk looked up to see what he was doing.
“Close your eyes,” Nat repeated and lifted the goggles to cover his. “And we are off.”
A light flashed behind her closed eyelids. A forceful wrench and surge of strong wind followed with more flashes. She tightened her arms around Nat.
“What the hell is happening?” Anouk screamed.
“We are going through a door!” Nat shouted over the roaring wind.
What? Her front door?
Her whole being shook as the storm raged around her. The nausea she had forgotten when Stalo had broken in renewed, forcing her to focus on calming her churning stomach. After some minutes, the wind stopped and the lights vanished.
“We have arrived at our destination. You can open your eyes now.”
Anouk swallowed a few times, pushing down the acrid taste from her mouth before she cracked open her eyelids—a landscape of green undulating hills lay before her. Large trees stood scattered on the hillsides like giant solitary sentinels, basking in the sunlight, and a light breeze carried a faint scent to Anouk. She crinkled her nose. Was that… coal smoke?
“Welcome to Anglea. We are just on the outskirts of Rondon.”
Anouk broke away from Nat and looked around gaping, trying to place herself. How on Earth had they gotten out of her flat and where were they? Dirt scuffed under her bare feet. What… There were no dirt roads in London, or rolling hills, or places called Anglea or Rondon. What in blazes had happened?
“How did we get here? How far are we from London?”
“Quite far. If you want a more accurate answer, our scientists could try to offer you one.” Nat took a brass box from his pocket. Pressing one of the many buttons, he scanned the surrounding landscape, keeping his eyes fixed on a gauge. “Yes, as I thought. Stalo has landed here as well. Good. He is heading to the capital.”
“He’s heading back to London?”
Nat shook his head. “No, no, to Rondon.”
Anouk frowned. Was that the name of some new development area? “And how far is it from London?”
It was Nat’s turn to frown. “As I said, I don’t know.” He craned his neck, looking over his shoulder down the road. “We should follow him now so we won’t lose his tracks.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. None of this made any sense. She was tired, her head ached, and she still felt a bit queasy and disoriented. Yes, this was a mistake, and she should have just called the police.
“You go, but before you do, could you call me a taxi? I’m going straight to a police station.” Anouk hesitated for a moment and pulled out the pockets of her trousers. “And could you pay for it as well? You’ll get your money back, I promise.” Anouk grimaced. She was wearing an old baggy T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms she used for sleeping in. To add insult to injury, she stunk of vomit. Hopefully, the taxi driver would not refuse her a ride.
“That is a bit difficult, because there is no taxi to take you back.” Nat turned. “Let’s go, we better hurry.”
Anger and frustration boiled inside Anouk and she rubbed her forehead, trying hard not to lose her temper. “What do you mean there are no taxis? What is going on?”
“I’ll explain on the way to the city.”
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not wearing any shoes so I am walking nowhere.”
Nat looked down at her feet, his expression tight. “Alright. I’ll carry you.”
“No!” Anouk jumped back and scowled when a stone bit into her sole. She limped to the side of the road and sat down. “Fuck that hurt.”
Nat scanned the empty horizon. “Very well. We’ll wait for someone to drive by and give us a lift. It can take a little while because this isn’t a particularly busy road.” He paused and regarded Anouk with thoughtfulness. “How much do you know about the doors to other worlds and universes?”
She narrowed her eyes, tilting her head. She must have heard wrong. “Doors to where?”
“Other worlds and universes.”
She had not… Anouk opened and closed her mouth. All she wanted to do was to go to the police, not have a bloody astronomy lesson. “What are you talking about?”
“It is my understanding, your people haven’t found a way to travel through them yet. Am I correct?”
What did he mean by her people? Anouk frowned. “There are theories about wormholes, if that’s what you’re talking about by doors. But it sounds implausible, because even the top minds haven’t been able to find them, let alone travel through them.”
“That’s what I thought.” Nat fell silent and fiddled with his glove.
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. What are these ‘doors’ and what do they have to do with me?” Anouk growled. Why was he stalling?
“You see this?” Nat lifted his gloved left hand and turned it so the box attached to his wrist faced Anouk.
“Yes. What of it?” Anouk furrowed. Was he trying to distract her?
“This is called a Gadget. It has two crystals in it—one is for producing a protective shield; it’s a kind of orange bubble. You have already seen it. And the second is for…” Nat looked at her with an intent expression, “…creating the door.”
Anouk snorted. “What rubbish are you trying to feed me?”
“No, I’m not trying to do anything like that.” Nat’s tone was dry. “This Gadget opens the door and allows you to travel to the other places that aren’t on your planet. I decided to take you with me for your own safety. We are in Anglea. This is a kingdom on a planet in a different part of our mutual universe.”
Anouk’s mouth fell open. Was he on drugs? Had he somehow slipped her some? Was this a drug-induced hallucination? Well, it would explain the lights, the wind and near instantaneous change in scenery.
Nat continued, “I know this sounds incredible, but it’s the truth. I can take you back if you really want, but Stalo is the kind of person who hates loose ends, and you’ve become one. He will come after you again, and I may not arrive in time to save you.”
“Is this door the same as a wormhole? Is that what you are saying?”
“I don’t know what a wormhole is, but if you can travel through it to another planet or universe, then yes.”
“Okay, this is too much.” Anouk leaned forward, hugging her knees. Her mind struggled, trying to grasp what Nat had just told her. What… No… But what if… No… It couldn’t be… It shouldn’t be possible… Was she going… crazy?
Nat looked at her with a concerned expression. “Are you ill? You look very pale.”
“I threw up half the night. Maybe that’s it. I’m still sick and I’m hallucinating.”
Nat sat next to her. “I know this is a lot to take in. And about being sick, vomiting is a side-effect of looking directly into the light, but it doesn’t cause any permanent damage or last long.”
“Guess I should be relieved,” she muttered and fixed her eyes on Nat’s. “If this is true, that I’m in another part of the galaxy…”
“Not galaxy, but the universe,” Nat corrected.
“Okay, galaxy, universe, whatever.” Anouk threw her hands up in frustration. “How am I going to get home?”
“As I said, I can return you the same way we came.”
“But Stalo can come after me, is that what you said?”
“Yes, and he will.”
“Right.” Anouk fell silent and stared at her hands, l
etting it all sink in.
It all had been so strange and many things failed to make sense. On the other hand, travelling through wormholes—or whatever those doors were—wasn’t a completely fantastical idea. There were numerous theories in physics about traversable wormholes, and science fiction books and films were full of stories about time and intergalactic travels. She should know, she had been consuming them since a young age. Maybe that box on Nat’s glove did contain exotic matter that allowed such travel. Maybe Nat was telling the truth, and he and Stalo were… aliens. Well, this definitely wasn’t the typical alien encounter thingy with UFO sightings and abductions she had heard stories about. Besides, Nat looked remarkably sober and genuine to her. Stalo had been too good, too convincing at playing a sadistic villain—maybe he really was one. Anouk shuddered. She had no desire to find out.
A distant thrum above made her look up. A dark rugby ball-shaped balloon glided over their heads. Under the balloon, a rectangular gondola hung from the ropes. On the far end, a big propeller beat the air, pushing the airship forward. Anouk’s mouth slacked and she narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t discern any company logos.
She turned to Nat and pointed towards the fading airship. “Is that a…”
“A dirigible? Yes. It belongs to one of the big chartered companies and is heading to the capital.”
“Oh.” Anouk let her hand drop on her lap. “To Rondon?”
“Aye.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay, for the sake of argument, let’s say I believe you’re telling the truth. So, you think I would be safer here with you until Stalo is caught?”
“Yes.”
“And since he has the same kind of Gadget you have, he can creep up on me and finish me anytime and I wouldn’t have time to be able to call for help?”
“Yes. Next time, I might arrive too late.”
“Quite.” Anouk blew air slowly out of her lungs. Maybe she should check what this ‘door-to-other-planets’ was all about. If Nat was telling the truth then… well, she would be damned. Besides, she didn’t want to be surprised by Stalo again. Hell, no! “In that case, I will stay on two conditions.”
Nat lifted his eyebrows.
