Maybe I should’ve thoughtthis plan through a bit more before diving headfirst into an unknown portal.
Or at the very least, asked for a brief overview on what to expect when you’re sucked into a vortex where time and space don’t truly exist, but pain sure as hell does.
Because that’s gonna leave a mark.
Someone groans to my right, and I attempt to turn my head in that direction, only to instantly recognize my mistake as agony shoots up my neck into the base of my skull.
“I forgot how bad that hurts,” Cornelius’s rough whisper is met by a pained chuckle from Jacob, who then chokes out, “Could’ve warned me.”
Scowling, I shake my head slightly, relieved when the pain doesn’t immediately send me into orbit. “Yeah, you dick. Me, too.”
I manage to turn my body slightly, so I’m facing where Cornelius and Jacob are sprawled in the dirt beside me. We fallsilent, and I take a moment to glance around as the pain settles, slowly.
Apparently, we’ve entered Hell.
And it is not at all as expected.
Cornelius and Jacob begin to stir, eventually coming to their feet, where they stand, hunched over. I wait for them to straighten before moving my own limbs, relieved when I turn my head with only a slight creaking. Jacob approaches, hand outstretched, and I take it gingerly, unsure if I’m prepared to stand, but knowing I have little choice. He yanks me up haphazardly, and I stumble into him, almost falling back to the ground, but for Cornelius being there to steady me.
I give myself a few moments to get my bearings and then step away with only a slight wobble as I ask, “Where are we?”
Cornelius raises his brows. “Where do you think we are?”
I look around again, taking in what appears to be an oasis of life and prosperity. “Surely, this cannot be Hell?”
Cornelius looks to Jacob with a startled expression that has the other man shaking his head and turning to me. “Tell me what you see.”
“Are you saying we don’t see the same thing?”
“That depends,” Jacob answers slowly, his hand gripping my forearm as he leans closer. “You’ve never ventured off the higher plains, so it may take you time to acclimate.”
“Acclimate? I don’t have time to freaking acclimate.”
“Stay calm,” Jacob instructs evenly, earning a glare from me. “Listen to me, Viv. Take a deep breath.”
My glare intensifies, and I jerk my arm out of his grasp. “Don’t tell me to stay calm.”
“Oh, shit,” Cornelius mutters, his distressed tone drawing my attention to him. “It won’t take long, Vivian. But you have to remain calm. Keep your head about you.”
“What’s going to happen?”
“Your world’s going to shift.”
“Shift how?”
Jacob begins to respond, but he’s interrupted by a cracking sound, a low groan of metal grinding on metal. His eyes fly to mine, wide, intense. “Just stay ahead of it. Don’t let it wrap you up.”
“Don’t let it wh—” My words are cut off by the sudden shift in the air. I freeze, my eyes flitting around as the vibrance dulls, the once-opulent surroundings diminishing as if someone has adjusted the opaqueness tenfold.
“Brace yourself,” Cornelius whispers, and this time, I don’t argue. I move to a defensive stance, knowing whatever is about to happen is unavoidable, even as I half-wish I could get out of it.
Suddenly, I’m thrown off balance, the ground beneath my feet rising up and crumbling. I stagger, barely managing to jump out of the way before it caves in on itself. The sky rolls, thunderous clouds swirling overhead before solidifying and turning in on themselves like dominoes.
My surroundings shift again, twisting and folding, forcing me to do a quick tap-dance not to get caught up in it. Cornelius and Jacob circle around me, obviously not seeing the same as me, and I attempt to keep close to them, knowing intuitively that allowing this intricate puzzle to separate us would be a mistake.
The dance goes on, continuously shifting and twisting until I’m barely managing to keep myself within easy reach of Cornelius and Jacob. They fight to stay close, held back by a force I can feel but cannot see. Cornelius lunges for me, our fingertips just touching before I jump back, a crashing wind whistling in my ears.
Cornelius and Jacob both shout a warning, rushing toward me as the wind tunnel overtakes me. I’m sucked in, my feet coming off the ground as gravity ceases to exist, and I’m suspended in a swirling tornado where time and spacecollide. The deafening silence sucks the air from my lungs, the very thoughts from my brain, flashing around me before boomeranging back, jamming in among the jagged edges it left in its wake.
