56 Greener Grass
For February 25: Day 56/366 of the Story-a-Day Challenge
I walked, lost in fog, deep in a forest. Moments earlier there was no fog, no forest. Something had sought me out. Something was coming.
I shined my flashlight ahead, its cone of illumination a solid cylinder, a sword into darkness' vulnerable gut.
It was like looking into a mirror. His own light joined mine in a beam of continuity, from his handheld to mine. I didn't know whether he was drawn to me or I was drawn to him. We approached each other, each beam of light intussuscepting the other.
Finally, from 5 feet, he spoke.
"You know what I do."
"I'm sorry, I don't. Who are you?" The fog suddenly thinned and I stood there talking with myself, that is, someone who looked just like me. "What is this trickery?"
"No trick," he explained. "I've come pass into your world, sending you into mine."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I must leave this world I hate. It's a terrible place."
"Is it not the same as mine?"
"Yes and no. It is, but much worse. So I will effect the transfer."
"If I lend you any credibility, it's because you are exactly like me. Anyway, why should I trade worlds with you if yours is worse?"
"Because! You have no choice! I've done this a hundred times, and each time the world has been terrible. But yours offers hope, it appears."
"I have no complaints, myself. But I do not consent."
Ignoring me, he approached. I stood stolid, inert, but it didn't matter. He passed through me like a ghost. Suddenly, I was reversed around with my light in the opposite direction. How?
Unless I was now in his world.
I was.
It didn't take long for me to realize how right he was. This was a world where atomic weaponry had been dropped on Japan. Twice, in fact! Where there was something called terrorism, along with its horrors. Where genocide still seemed a viable option for some. The more I learned, the more I grieved.
I must find the forest again! Shine my light on someone as clueless as I was. And walk right into his world to get the hell away from here.
About the Creator
Gerard DiLeo
Retired, not tired. Hippocampus, behave!
Make me rich! https://www.amazon.com/Gerard-DiLeo/e/B00JE6LL2W/
My substrack at https://substack.com/@drdileo
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Comments (5)
Ah so it looks like he's in our world right now. I hope he finds another person to swap places with. At least he'll be one person who escapes our world. Loved your story!
How utterly original is this thought. Now I want to visit this forest. Hopefully end up somewhere heavenly and peaceful. OMG intussuscepting is awful, never heard of it before.
Very interesting!
Intriguing. I almost want to attriubte the whole scene to "greener grass," but it would be nice to "jump worlds" at will. Also, please forgive another editorial note: I'm guessing "darness'" should be "darkness'." I enjoyed the thought-provoking aspect of this one.
You have an ingenious premise here, and world swapping is a tempting prospect! Forgive a pedantic, editorial note: "Unless I was now in his word" is intriguing, but is it the case that "Unless I was now in his world" would better suit the context you have created?