Chapter Five
The Portal of Life
Stalia
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I realized that my mind needed to be cleared. It needed silence from all of the thoughts that led day by day. Taking showers didn’t work. It would just remind me how much I wanted to cry. Cleaning didn’t work either, it only brought back negative memories.
I decided to take a walk. Down the street and out of the neighborhood. It was grey and foggy out. The air was thick and heavy. Definitely not the type of weather I would normally want to be in. As I was walking, I noticed a new neighborhood with a long forest. This neighborhood was one that I had never seen before. It looked dark and mysterious. I walked towards the forest. A crackling noise came from the inside of it.
“Hello?” I called out. The only answer was the whispering of the trees in the wind. I stepped into the forest. I squealed when a beetle crawled near my foot, I shook it off and started to walk forward through the forest. I was walking for so long, I hadn't even remembered where I was. Another crackling noise came from the path ahead. I froze, I knew that If it was a big creature of any kind I wouldn’t be able to fight it on my own, that I would have to flee. I walked forward, and this time a light grew from a section of the forest ahead. I slowly walked towards it. It was a giant, purple thing. I wasn’t sure really what it was, but part of me longed for it. My legs moved forward and sooner or later I was next to it. The new kid in my class was there, he had a sharp knife. I screamed in alarm and flailed my arms in fear. Suddenly, he was launched back into a tree. I looked at my palms in amazement. How did I do that? I looked at him. He groaned and slowly got up, holding his side.
“How did you just do that?!” Before I could answer his question, He bolted forward at me. I jumped. He held his knife close to my throat. “Who are you?! Are you a mind conjure?! There’s no way you could have done that if you weren’t one.” He asked. “Woah, woah. Calm down! I don’t even know what you’re talking about! What in the world is a mind conjure?” He never answered my question. Instead, he moved towards the big, glowing thing and started to mumble to himself. He put his knife away and started pulling at his hair.
“I’m never going to figure this out! Michael is gonna kill me if he finds out… And…And..” He started ranting to himself. I Walked slowly towards the big thing and touched my hand to it. Suddenly, it turned into a crisp pink. Little pink cherry blossoms blew out of it. “Woah... How did you do that?! It wouldn’t let me in!” I looked at him. “I…Don’t know. I’m not entirely sure what this is even.” He sighed and muffled his hair. “This is called the portal of life. It’s been here for generations. It’s the only way to get to Amberia from here. All of the other portals in the area were shut off. Normally, you’re able to get in but... When I tried... It shot me back.” I crossed my arms. “What is Amberia?” He looked at me with doubt on his face and he sighed. “You have a lot to learn”
I looked at the portal. “We should go.” He looked at me. “Oh, no. We are not going. I am going. You wouldn’t survive there.” He put his hand to the portal. It turned back to the violet color it was before, and he got launched back into another tree. I scoffed. “Well, looks like we are going. You sort of need me, don’t you princess?” I told him. He moved a fallen leaf out of his hair and blew a raspberry. “Fine. But If you die, that’s on you. Hate to say I told you so.” He moved to stand next to me in front of the portal. We held gazes for what seemed like forever. He nodded. I looked at the portal and slowly touched my hand to it. The crisp pink was back, and I caught a cherry blossom in my hand. I placed it in my pocket. “You ready?” I asked. He smirked. “Of course I am,” Something stirred inside of me. Butterflies? No. That couldn’t be possible. I barely even know his name!
“Hey, um. You never told me your name?” I stared at him. He hesitated, but his smirk widened. “It’s Aseth. And, I assume your name is something like Buddy or Jake?” I rolled my eyes. “Stalia.” I held out my hand. He took it hesitantly. I looked at his hand in mine. I shook off my nervous feelings as we started to walk through the portal.
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