Take Me To Your Reader: An Otherworld Anthology

by Amy A. Bartol

  "You all right, babe?" Bobby asked, looking concerned. I'm sure the only thing on his mind was that he hoped it wasn't something that would ruin our evening plans.

  "I'm fine. Just have to pee," I answered, pulling Tara by the hand.

  We walked out into the main concourse of the convention center, finding a bathroom not too far from Hall F, where the food court was located. The concourse was just as crowded with people walking in and out of smaller rooms that held different panels and other events. Go figure the line for the ladies' restroom was about ten people deep. Tara and I decided to wait, figuring any other restroom would likely be just as packed. Tara claimed she didn't need to go, but changed her mind by the time we made it to the front of the line. She took the stall I finished with as I washed my hands.

  "Hey, I'm going to wait outside the restroom, okay?" I said.

  "Okay, don't rush me. I'll be right out," she answered.

  After washing my hands, I stepped outside the restroom and pulled out my phone to check Facebook. I was in the middle of reading a post on my timeline when someone approached me from behind.

  Chapter 3

  I turned around to find the stranger who had been stalking me on the main convention floor. Panic gripped me. My arms and legs refused to move, and I couldn't scream.

  "Do not be alarmed. You are in danger, but not from me. You are unable to move because I have taken control of your muscular system and your nervous system. We will be returning to the table where your friends are sitting." At his words, the stranger and I began walking forward. The sensation was like nothing I had ever felt. I could see and hear like normal, but the movements of my body were not my own. It was as if I was being strung along like a puppet. We got to the table as Bobby and James were in the middle of a conversation. When they looked up, they were taken aback by the stranger who stood next to me.

  "Who's this?" James asked. "And where's Tara?" he added, looking around me.

  "This is Joe." My mouth moved, but the words were not mine.

  "Okay—Joe? Can we help you with something?" Bobby asked, reaching for my hand. When we touched, he jerked his hand away as if he had been shocked.

  "Damn, that's some serious static electricity," James commented. "So, what's going on here? Do you know this guy or something?" he asked, looking at me for confirmation.

  "Yes, we are old friends," my voice answered again. Bobby sat staring at the stranger as if he wasn't sure what to do. The tension on his face was evident. Suddenly, the stranger began speaking directly to Bobby in a dialect that was completely foreign. It sounded unlike any language I had ever heard. It was as if he wasn't speaking words, but rather odd sounds that could not be pronounced. Even more shocking was when Bobby answered in the same sounds.

  "Dude, what movie is that from? I don't remember hearing it before," James asked Bobby, who ignored him as he continued to stare at the stranger in some sort of standoff.

  "Hey, why did you run off? I've been looking everywhere for you," Tara said, walking up from behind us.

  At that moment, Bobby jumped from his chair with his hands in front of him. His eyes glowed just like the stranger's had. The table rose into the air in front of us and flew forward, crashing into the stranger and sending Tara and me flying backward. The crowd of people in the food court erupted into screams as everyone began scattering. I felt the control of my body return instantly. I looked up to see James reaching for Bobby, only to jerk his hand away. Bobby stood for an instant, watching me before barreling through the emergency exit door as the stranger once again rose to his feet. He rushed after Bobby while Tara, James and I jumped up and followed the surge of people now pouring out of the convention hall.

  "Tara, are you okay?" I asked as we hurried along.

  "I think so. My leg kinda hurts. What the hell was all that?" she asked.

  "Yeah, what the eff was with Bobby? I think I shit myself," James piped in.

  "I don't know. This is freaking insane," I said, shaking. We made it outside and ran as fast as we could to James's truck in the parking lot. There was already a long line of cars honking and inching forward to leave.

  "Get in," James said, unlocking the doors.

  "Are we just going to leave Bobby here?" Tara asked, looking at me.

  "Screw him. Whatever the hell that was in there, he can walk his ass home," James answered.

  "Tara's right. We can't just leave without him," I insisted, although I wasn't completely convinced myself.

  "You said in there that guy was an old friend. Is he a cop or something? Why did Bobby run? Is he in some kind of trouble he didn't tell us about?" James asked, rambling on.

  "I honestly don't know. I'm in the dark as much as you are," I answered. I was still confused over having my body controlled by some creepy stranger.

  "What are we going to do?" Tara asked. She looked like she wanted answers from me that I didn't have. All I could think about was Bobby's eyes, glowing in the same manner as the stranger who started all the commotion. Neither Tara nor James mentioned seeing them, so I kept my mouth shut, because it couldn't be real. There had to be an explanation. I felt like we were living in some science fiction movie that was the reason for this whole stupid convention. I began to feel nauseous and cranked down the window for some air.

  "Look. We're getting the hell out of here. If Bobby is in some kind of trouble with the police, he's going to have to call his parents. It's as simple as that," James proclaimed as he started the ignition of his truck. He backed out of the parking space and forced his way into the line of vehicles waiting to exit the lot. It took twenty minutes to make it out of the parking lot and another fifteen minutes to get to the highway. None of us said another word during the drive home. I think we were all in shock.

  Chapter 4

  James pulled up in front of my driveway an hour later. I opened the door to his truck, eager to get into my house. As I slid from the bench seat, Tara squeezed my hand and asked me to text her if I heard anything from Bobby. I nodded in agreement and shut the door behind me.

  My parents sat on the couch in our living room watching TV when I opened the front door. "Hey, sweetheart. How was the convention?" my mom asked.

  "Fine," I answered shortly without stopping as I took the stairs to my room two at a time. That was probably a mistake. I could already picture Mom rising from the couch and on her way to my room. I flopped backward onto my bed, and could hear her coming up the stairs. "Is everything okay?" she asked, standing in the doorway.

  "It's fine, Mom. I'm just tired," I said, hoping she would accept my answer and move on.

  "Honey, I'm your mother. You know I can always tell when something is wrong." She stood waiting for an answer for a moment before sitting down on the bed next to me when I didn't provide one. "Did something happen between you and Bobby?" she asked.

  "You could say that," I said, not offering any more explanation.

  "Well, just give it a little time. I'm sure things will be better tomorrow," she said, rubbing my head.

  "Yeah," I answered.

  "You want something to eat?" she asked.

  "No thanks. I think I'm just going to take a shower and go to bed."

  "Okay, honey. Let me know if you need anything." She walked out of my room, closing the door behind her. I grabbed my favorite pair of Victoria's Secret pajamas and headed to the bathroom. I cranked on the water to heat up while I got undressed. Standing in front of the mirror, I found the reason why the back of my arm felt sore, noticing the unattractive dark purple bruise just above my elbow that must have happened when I was thrown backward.

  I climbed into the shower, letting the warm water cascade down my body as I contemplated the day's events over and over again. No matter how many times I played it out in my head, nothing made sense. I remember reading in a book one time at school that said when you eliminate the impossible, what remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. This was the problem with trying to rationalize what happened today. Bre
aking each individual moment apart to try to justify them into logical explanations wouldn't work because it is simply not what happened. The stranger did control my bodily functions, and Bobby didn't pick up the table with his hands. It rose into the air on its own and rocketed toward us like it had been shot from a gun.

  After drying off and slipping into my pajamas, I climbed into bed, no closer to any reasonable explanation other than accepting the fact that something freaky was going on. I clicked on my TV with the remote, hoping to find some kind of distraction, if that was even possible. The last thing I remember before drifting asleep was an episode of Pretty Little Liars.

  I was startled awake in a pitch-black room with a feeling of unease. Sitting up, I clutched one of my throw pillows to my chest and glanced at the clock on my nightstand. It was one thirty in the morning. The room was as silent as it was dark, but I could sense some type of movement in the corner near my window. My immediate reaction was to scream, but no words escaped my mouth. Suddenly, I was pushed back against my will into a flat position on the bed. The stranger stepped forward as his eyes began to glow, illuminating my room in a soft hue.

  Chapter 5

  I realize once again that this will come as a complete shock, but you must remain calm. Do not fear that I have control of your mind. I mean you no harm. My name is Kawise. Your thoughts are correct. I am not from your planet.

  "What do you mean, my thoughts are correct? You can read my mind?"

  "That is correct. We are speaking telepathically."

  "What do you want?"

  "Your mate has been taken as a host for Rakar, a dangerous criminal from our home planet of Xorpeen. Rakar is a fugitive who is being hunted for developing a type of biological weapon capable of destroying all life on any planet where it is introduced. I have been tracking him for quite some time, and found him here on Earth."

  "Wait. Are you saying that Bobby is now some alien species?"

  "No. We exist as a form of living energy. We are able to live within a host species, if we choose, by attaching ourselves to your central nervous system. Your mate is simply being controlled by Rakar."

  "But we were going to—oh god, I almost did it with an alien?"

  "Intercourse would have remained possible, if that was your intention."

  "Don't say it like that. Just let me go and get out! I don't understand what any of this has to do with me."

  "As I stated, my intention is not to harm you. This course of action is for your protection. I am afraid there are complications that you are not aware of that place you firmly in this equation."

  "What does that even mean? You're not going to tell me I'm a host too?"

  "Not in the sense that your mate is being inhabited. The weapon that Rakar developed is a mutated virus of our own species. He has placed it inside you in order to keep it stable."

  "I have a freaking alien virus in me? What does that mean? Am I going to die? GAAAAH! I hope that scream sounds the same as it would if my vocal cords worked because I am freaking out right now!"

  "Please remain calm."

  "Remain calm? Are you out of your mind or whatever you have? How did this happen? When did it happen?"

  "At some point Rakar took control of your bodily functions, just as I have, and placed the virus into your system. You would not have been aware of when it happened."

  "No shit, Sherlock. How do we get it out before it kills me?"

  "The virus remains stable as long as it is attached to a host nervous system. That is how Rakar keeps it hidden. The reason I found him on Earth is because my tracking devices are set to locate the virus. When he placed it into your body, my tracking system recorded a faint signal. The closer I get to the virus, the stronger the signal, even when hidden inside a host. It wasn't until I tracked you today that I was certain of what Rakar had done. He is the only one who can remove the virus here."

  "So, let's go then. I assume you caught him today, right?"

  "I am afraid not. He has escaped for now, but he will not leave Earth without the virus. His plan was quite clever actually. We could remove the virus on my home planet, but you would not survive the trip. If you die, the virus will become unstable. Rakar knows I cannot allow this to happen."

  "Well, that's just great! What is the plan then, K?"

  "To keep you close until Rakar comes for you. Even if he knows I am protecting you, he has no choice but to show himself in order to retrieve the virus."

  "How do you know he's not coming now?"

  "My tracking device will detect his signal. I will stay until morning, at which time you will tell your parental figures you are leaving to see your friends. We will then wait for Rakar to come to us."

  "So, on top of everything else, I am now the bait? What happens if you somehow catch him and he takes the virus out of me?"

  "I take him into custody and return to Xorpeen. You return to your normal existence."

  "Yeah, normal. That sounds like a great plan."

  Chapter 6

  There was no way I could get back to sleep after K's visit. He had left my room after our talk, but said he would remain close by. It took everything in me to keep from jumping out of bed and running to my parents and telling them to call the police—the army, hell, the freaking president or something. I realized there was no point. One, it was completely unbelievable. They would throw me in a loony bin before I could prove anything. Two, it wouldn't change the fact that I supposedly had some killer mutant virus inside me that could wipe out our entire planet. My only choice was to trust K and hopefully help him catch Rakar.

  Not only could I not go back to sleep, it was Sunday and my parents always liked to sleep in until ten. I didn't want to raise their suspicions by waking them at six a.m. to tell them I was going over to Tara's house, so I had to lay there and wait. Wait for my parents, wait for Rakar, wait-wait-wait. I only hope the virus inside me didn't react to me freaking out, because it was happening—big time.

  I was already hot on my parents' heels when I heard them walking down the stairs from their bedroom. "Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. I'm heading over to see Tara, okay?" I said, already reaching for the front door.

  "Hang on a second," Mom said, stopping me in my tracks. "So early?" she asked.

  "We've been texting all morning about yesterday, you know? We're just going to hang out and talk a little."

  "Uh-huh. Don't you want to eat something before you go?"

  "I already had a cereal bar. I'll be back later, okay?"

  "Fine, sweetie. Drive safely and let me know if you are going anywhere else."

  "I will. See you guys," I said, closing the door behind me. I walked down the driveway with my head on a swivel, looking for K. I didn't know what else to do so I climbed into the car and backed out of the driveway like I was really heading to Tara's. About halfway down the block, but far from view of my house, K stepped out into the road from behind another vehicle. I thought for a second about running him over, but didn't figure it would do any good. "Hey," I said as he opened the passenger door when I came to a stop. I drove forward, waiting for him to give me some type of direction. "So, are you going to tell me where we're going or what the plan is? And by the way, no taking over my body or communicating telepathically. Just speak," I said.

  "As you wish," he answered. "There is an abandoned storage facility off Route Seven, approximately thirty kilometers away."

  "You mean the old tire factory?" I asked. "Why there?"

  "It lies far enough outside the proximity of the surrounding residential area to not attract any attention."

  "And what makes you think Rakar is just going to show up? Why would he do that if he knows you are going to try and capture him?" I asked.

  "He cannot afford to wait. Now that his location has been detected, he knows it is only a matter of time before reinforcements show up. This is his best opportunity to reacquire the virus and escape. I am simply providing the opportunity."

  "You're not worried that he will kick your
ass and get away?" I asked. It was blunt, but a fair question. I didn't know who I was dealing with here. For all I knew, K could have been the joke of his police force.

  "I have been in my position for many of your years. I am experienced in apprehending criminals," he replied indifferently. At least I hadn't offended him. Not that I would have cared. My life was on the line here too. I just wanted to get through this without losing my life or destroying the planet.

  We pulled into the gravel yard of the old tire factory, which looked completely desolate as always, except for empty soda and beer cans scattered around. I knew the place because it was a regular weekend hangout for teenagers in the local area. We would congregate here on occasional Friday or Saturday nights and party. It was isolated and out of the way, so the cops would never show up to bust us. "Okay, now what?" I asked as I shut off the ignition.

  "You wait here while I check the area," K answered. He climbed out of the car, shutting the door behind him.

  "Wait here? Are you kidding me?" I asked, jumping from the car to go after him. He turned and held up his hand to stop me.

  "I can make you stay if need be, but I would prefer not to do that," he said as he pointed me back to my car.

  "What am I supposed to do if he shows up and you're not here?" I asked, not understanding his stupid plan.

  "Remain calm, return to your vehicle and lock the doors. I will be close by," he insisted.

  "Oh, sure. Remain calm. Go ahead, little worm. Just sit on this hook while I lower you into the water. Nothing bad is going to happen. Whatever," I said, grumbling all the way back to the car. I turned around to plead my case to stay with K one more time, but he was nowhere in sight. I had no idea how he was able to disappear so quickly, but he was gone. I continued backing up, looking in every direction for him until my rear end bumped into my car.

  "Jenn?" Bobby's voice called out, causing me to whirl around.