Parallel Portals

by kelly proudfoot

  The feeling of floating took over her, but she maintained her composure while wondering if she was levitating off the floor. Opening her eyes, it was obvious that she was no longer in Gary’s living room. It seemed so be a large, crystal sphere – but dark and sparkling. Staying in the lotus position, she looked this way and that, feeling that she wasn’t alone.

  Sensing a presence but not seeing it at first, she called out, speaking in a voice without employing her mouth.

  “Hello?”

  She looked down and saw an etheric body in place of a physical one. It dawned on her that she was probably out of her body. Then a strange sensation came over her, like a buzzing in response to something external, which soon materialized in front of her.

  A silver mist twisted and turned like a glittering mass with a murmur of tiny, golden birds spilling forth. Then a being broke through – looking like a man with a mirror for a face – without features or hair, appearing from the waist up. His torso, arms and head were glistening and crystallized, much like quartz imbued with silver particles. The mirrored face seemed to be reflecting the universe.

  Something about this being made her feel totally at ease, but she was surprised when she heard him speaking telepathically in a deep and silken voice, sounding like molten metal filtered through crystal flutes.

  “Where is your body?”

  She wondered which body he was talking about. Before she could answer, he spoke again, obviously reading her mind.

  “Earth – Millennium Pisces era. Your latest incarnation.”

  Surprising herself again while responding telepathically, she finally accepted that she was truly out of her body – or Julie’s body for now.

  “I think it’s back in 2016 – in Melbourne, Australia. I seem to have traveled back in time to another place and another life, but I don’t know how – exactly.”

  The being sent out a single, golden bird – as small as a box of matches – which fluttered around her etheric body three times and then flew back to the being. She watched as the bird was absorbed through the mirror face, momentarily lighting it up with a flash of gold light. The being floated closer to Pauline.

  “You accessed a portal, which only a few have the power to do.” He said.

  Pauline wasn’t sure how to respond, so she waited – mute.

  “I am your Oversoul. This is our first conscious meeting. Now that you have crossed over a threshold which is hidden from most humans, you must learn the Universal rules.”

  Pauline was dumbstruck. She felt fear and awe running through what she assumed was her consciousness.

  “Could I ask some questions?” She asked hesitantly.

  The Oversoul waved his right hand slightly towards himself.

  “I already know them. Here are your answers: It is not for you to know who else can access your portal. I am neither male nor female. We only appear to our charges according to their preferences in terms of sexual and emotional affiliations, until further developed. You can access any time, life, world and form – provided you obey the laws – which I will reveal to you. Also, reincarnation is real, across all worlds.”

  The little birds swirled around him as he continued.

  “Your spirit name is Doelanda. You are a 9th level transient, which means that you are free to wander in all directions, all dimensions, all times. Finally, you will find your way back to your current incarnation, by returning to your point of entry.”

  Pauline’s etheric head was swimming. The Oversoul moved even closer, until it was only three feet in front of her. She felt like she was being imbued with sparkling energy.

  “Now, pay attention to these Laws. Record them when you are back in the body you now occupy.”

  Pauline felt the need to gulp but she was in spirit form. She nodded and waited for the Oversoul to continue.

  “You must never use the portals for personal gain. You must never tell anyone about the portals. You must never attempt to thwart your karma or change history – in any of the worlds you visit. The portals are doorways to different levels of existence, where you can experience many incarnations and emanations. Use them to elevate your understanding of yourself, other people in your life and the universe.”

  Pauline was surprised to feel like she’d heard these laws before. They seemed familiar to her, like they had been imprinted in her DNA. She couldn’t help but ask a pressing question.

  “What about rules in terms of time-frames – like – how long can I stay in any world?”

  The Oversoul began moving backwards, as the golden murmur of birds started flowing back into the mist surrounding him.

  “Long enough to learn – however – the longer you stay, the further you stray.”

  Pauline panicked over the obvious fact that the Oversoul was leaving. He was being swallowed up by the mist.

  “Wait! Will I ever see you again? What did you mean by the further you stray?”

  His voice was distant now.

  “I will be at hand.”

  She felt a pulling in her solar plexus and in an instant, she was back in Gary’s room. There was a sense that she was more in control now. Feeling the vibrations of the body, she made a mental note to learn more about Julie, so she could research her once she got back to 2016. Gary was hovering around with a worried look on his face.

  “Feeling better?”

  She liked the kindness in his eyes.

  “Yes.”

  Getting up from the floor, it took all her effort not to blurt out everything she’d experienced while meditating. Had it all been a vision or had she really traveled to another dimension and met her Guardian Angel?

  Gary took her into his arms but she pulled away instinctively. Even in another life, her loyalty to Jon was ever-present.

  “I’m sorry, but I told you. I’m not who you think I am.”

  “Then who are you?” He asked sadly and quite annoyed.

  Before she could answer, a loud, male voice boomed on the front doorstep, followed by heavy knocks.

  “Alright Gary, open up!”

  Gary went over to the door and opened it. Pauline gasped when she saw a handsome man followed by an earnest, bespectacled man behind him. She nearly squealed when she recognized them as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg.

  “Come in, come in. Julie’s passing through a crisis so it’s all hands on deck!”

  Jack stepped in carrying a bottle of red wine. He shyly nodded while Allen pushed past and raced over to hug her. She was thrilled with being in the presence of such great writers, whom she’d admired since her teenage years. It was all she could do to stop herself from gushing, even though she’d already told Gary about herself and she assumed – was about to share her story with Allen and Jack.

  Allen led her over to the sofa while Gary and Jack went into the kitchenette to fetch glasses and peanuts. She found herself shuddering every time she looked at Jack. It was different than seeing photos or video. In the flesh it was so real that it almost seemed like it wasn’t them at all. There was also something about Jack which reminded her of Jon. She was then distracted by Allen leaning in to address her.

  “So, Julie. Gary tells me that you’re going through some kind of crazy, cosmic trip. I hope it’s not anything to do with pharmaceuticals.”

  He grinned and rubbed her back, while she stared and smiled idiotically. Over his shoulder, she saw Gary’s worried face watching her every move, while Jack sipped his wine and leafed through a notebook. Something hit her right at that moment. She remembered one of the laws her Oversoul had mentioned, about not changing anything. She wondered if telling them all about who she really was and where she came from, might change the course of history.

  She also remembered the time travel movies she’d seen in her life, which all dictated the butterfly effect – meaning that any minor change could result in a major catastrophe. Even though she felt like her influence would be small, she decided right then and there – with Mr. Allen Ginsberg staring and waiting patiently
– to keep her story to herself.

  “Oh, well – who knows? I think Gary might’ve been right in the first place. Either it was a psychotic break or someone slipped me a mickey!”

  She looked over and saw Gary smile.

  “Pay the doctor a visit, Jules. He’ll set you straight.”

  Jack looked up and gave her a furtive smile. He turned to discuss Gary’s poetry with him, while Allen started talking about schizophrenia and stream of consciousness.

  “It’s easy for supposed professionals in the medical field to explain away true revelations and spiritual experiences as either drug-induced fantasies or mental aberrations, but there’s plenty of unequivocal evidence to suggest…”

  As he went on, Pauline noticed that she couldn’t take her eyes off Jack. It wasn’t only the fact that he was a famous American author, alive and breathing right in front of her. She realized that there was an air about him that continued to remind her of Jon. Simple gestures and his hushed voice, punctuated with the occasional loud bursts of enthusiasm seemed to jerk at her heartstrings.

  Allen continued to talk as she felt a new revelation hit her. If she had time traveled back to a previous life, could it be that Jack Kerouac was a prior incarnation for Jon? She knew that Kerouac died in 1969, which was the same year that Jon was born.

  Then Jack interrupted Allen from across the room.

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself, buddy boy!”

  A chill ran through Pauline’s veins. Jon often made that statement when walking their dog – Roman.

  Chapter 4 – An Unexpected Detour

  Pauline got up from the sofa and excused herself, leaving Allen mid-sentence, while she made her way over to Gary and Jack. Allen got up and followed her, tapping on her shoulder gently.

  “Since when do you excuse yourself, Julie? That was so polite of you.”

  He watched her intently with his big, brown eyes and for some reason, she felt like he was somehow privy to her secret.

  “Oh, um…” Her mind scrambled to find a suitable response from that era; something that Julie would’ve said in response to Allen. “Well, Al – I guess there’s no time like the present – you dig?”

  All three men stopped and stared in silence, then Jack laughed loudly with a short “Ha!” and shook his head. Gary smiled kindly and passed her a glass of wine.

  “Oh, no thank you. I better not.” She advised.

  Allen gave her another look as she tried to get Jack’s attention.

  “Jack, could I talk to you in private?”

  Again the men stopped and stared. Jack was nervously glancing at Gary while Gary smiled with a slight frown creasing his brow. She liked the way he smiled and frowned at the same time, but she really wanted to learn more about the possibility that Jack was Jon’s previous incarnation. Allen seemed to be embarrassed, looking down at his drink and lighting a cigarette, while Jack obviously struggled to respond.

  “Well, I don’t know. That’s up to Gary, right?”

  Gary was still looking at her, like he was trying to read her mind. Before she could explain or lie about why she wanted to talk to Jack, she felt a sharp stab in her head. Unlike a migraine, it felt more like a quick pulse that went away immediately. She staggered backwards a little but managed to stay on her feet. Gary reached out for her arm but she pulled back as another bolt of pain struck.

  “Oh my God!” Pauline gasped.

  “What is it?” Gary asked while hovering close.

  When she started feeling the familiar fainting sensation, she remembered the library and wondered if she had to make her way back. Noticing that Julie’s thoughts were beginning to break out of their mental holding pen, she became confused with the random words and barely noticed that she was muttering while holding her head.

  “Who’s in my damn head? Geez – I’m not even Dixie fried!”

  Gary grabbed her arm and tried to steer her over to the sofa but she moved away and heard Julie’s voice louder this time, obviously taking control. Pauline tried to keep calm but the feeling of another person in this body gave her an overwhelming sensation of claustrophobia. She continued stumbling around the living room, blathering and ranting.

  “Man, I can’t noodle this out! Allen, can you get me some cube juice? Or maybe some tea? I gotta be possessed!”

  While this was going on and the men stood back, Pauline started having a panic attack. All she could think about was getting home – somehow. Then she remembered the Oversoul’s answer. She had to get to the initial entry point. While she struggled to get her thoughts in order, Julie scrambled them again.

  “Home? I don’t have a home. I’m not leaving Gary. Man – some spirit’s jawing at me! Gary, call the doc! My noggin’s haunted by a ghost who wants me to go to some entry point.”

  Gary rushed over to the phone while Allen tried to calm her down.

  “Jules, let’s have a seat. Come and join me on the sofa. We’ll smoke some tea.”

  Gary put the receiver against his chest and hissed at Allen.

  “No tea! I’m getting her doctor to come.”

  Jack retreated to the kitchenette but it didn’t matter. Pauline was finally able to “stream” her thoughts in another channel away from Julie’s. It suddenly dawned on her that the initial entry point was the café. She didn’t even wait to explain or grab the duffel bag – not that she needed it. While racing for the door, Julie’s panic kicked in.

  “I don’t want to go to the Goddamn café! Who’s taking over my fucking body?!”

  Pauline focused on keeping control of the body, even though – from time to time – she found herself either spinning on the spot or darting back towards Gary’s place. Allen and Gary were already giving chase, calling out carefully as they were trying not to draw too much attention.

  It was still the early hours of the morning but it was dark and the rain was falling gently on the city streets. Pauline noticed a portly policeman leaning against a bench, talking to a prostitute. He looked up when she ran by but stayed put – even when the men followed soon after. She was relieved when she saw the café, then dismayed when she saw the locked door.

  Julie’s voice stopped her in her tracks. She spoke directly to Pauline – out loud – while Gary and Allen caught up, doing their best to drag Pauline back. All three voices coalesced into a messy roar in her ears, with only random sentences rising to the surface – starting with Julie.

  “It’s closed – you nut! Get out of my head or I’ll get a priest, you dig?!”

  “Jules, let’s go back and wait for the doctor. You’re freaking Gary out. He loves you. We love you!”

  “Julie – Sweetie – please. What are you trying to do?” Gary pleaded.

  Pauline did her best to ignore them and looked back over their shoulders for something to throw through the window. As she spotted an old paint can in the gutter, she wrenched herself out of their grasp and ran over to grab it.

  “Julie, what are you doing?!” Gary yelled.

  Julie broke through her thoughts and for the first time – was on Pauline’s side – for some unknown reason.

  “YES – DO IT – DO IT!”

  Pauline launched the paint can through the window with such force that some of the props and musical instruments spilled out into the street, while the backdrop caved in and allowed Pauline to climb up and over it. As she scrambled through, she heard Julie laughing loudly in her head, while Gary and Allen followed her through. None of them saw or heard the cop behind them.

  When Pauline made it past the chairs and tables to the dance-floor, she tried her hardest to remember the exact spot where she’d 'arrived' the night before. She was annoyed when Julie started humming. She couldn’t help but dance, while Gary grabbed her from behind and tried to drag her over to a table.

  Screaming and trying to get out of his grasp – dragging and digging her toes in – the last thing she saw was Allen and the cop grappling with each other.

  Then all she saw was a void.


  At first, Pauline truly believed that she was tumbling through a dark tunnel in a dream. The sensation was almost pleasurable. Slow – like sinking into a warm bath – she continued to tumble and weave through the strange, seemingly bottomless abyss.

  After a long time, she began to see shimmering blue light. It was metallic and glistening. The air became crisp and soon she felt like she was in an electrical current inside a vacuum. At first, it was like consciously experiencing the trip back to her life in 2016.

  Doing her best to stay alert, she strained her eyes to see if she could detect the library. When a bright flash of brilliant, white light blinded her, she felt the sensation of being funneled into a tight vessel. As the bright light subsided, she saw what appeared to be a large white room, but the transition was so subtle that it took a while for her to recognize that she’d arrived somewhere.

  Looking down at what she assumed would be her body back in Melbourne, she was distracted by a message in red across her field of vision.

  “Warning: Anomaly detected. Scanning initiated.”

  She wasn’t sure if she was watching a vision in her own mind, so when she lifted her head back up and saw the red swirls, the realization that she was still far from home hit her hard. Then, something else diverted her attention. The cold sensation and mechanic movement of her neck alerted her to the fact that something was wrong with her body.

  Looking down again and trying to look past the red swirls – which were rolling faster and faster in front of her eyes – she saw a shiny, chrome body. Gasping loudly, she shocked herself with the electronic voice coming out of her mouth. The red swirls stopped abruptly and another message scrolled across.

  “Infiltration of unknown source. Tracking data time-stamped and transmitted to HQ.”

  Pauline panicked and started running around the cold, white room. She felt the sensation of stiff limbs and rubbery tendons and joints jarring against the expected, flowing movement of her usual body.