To Where You Belong

A blazing orange varnished the sky as the young woman peered through the broken window. The moon was much closer to the earth in this world. It was adorned with shades of vermilion and titian. It radiated enough light to deceive one into thinking it was daytime. She released a sigh of frustration.

The woman was en route to yet another alternate dimension. Regardless of the world she traveled to, she always ended up at her apartment. Same room, same address, and same annoying neighbors. However, there weren’t any neighbors during this visit. Most of the apartment complex was burned down, along with everything else on her street.

The woman disappointingly glanced down at the watch strapped to her wrist. The small screen she desperately relied on was now black. The computerized voice, which resembled an older British fellow, repeated the phrase “fail-safe” three times before shutting down.

“If it’s a fail-safe protocol then why did you dump me here? Of all the places Oliver…” sighed the woman. Maybe he needed a break.

Voyages of exploration were a tremendous part of her life. She thought of her father’s adventurous spirit and decided to take this as an opportunity to explore. Perhaps a desolate wasteland would give her time to relax.

It was quite challenging to enjoy a casual stroll in such intense weather. Along with the dry, blistering heat, the cracked ground resembled a desert-like environment. She figured the earth in this dimension must be off-axis considering these harsh conditions. Detroit had never looked like this in the previous worlds she’s ventured to.

The woman gently gathered her long curls to the top of her head securing them into a knotted bun. The cloak she greatly adored was messily tied around her hips. Her precious aviator goggles that served as a headband were now protecting her eyes. How hot was it going to be when the sun came up? How hot is it now?

“Hey Oliver…” she starts. “Oh. Right. You’re asleep, I guess.”

Oliver could’ve easily answered any questions she had. He also would have kept her company. It’s not every day that you hear of an artificially intelligent dimension-hopping watch being a girl’s best friend. He was the only thing she had left of her father. Oliver had never shut down. Before the worrisome thoughts overwhelmed her, she heard a faint pitter-patter. She slowly turned around with a ready hand on the blade strapped to her belt.

A pack of stray dogs crossed the street from one abandoned building to another. At least something was alive around here. From a distance, she could tell they had no eyes. She could also tell from their naturally cropped ears that they heavily relied on sound. Empty eye sockets stare in her direction.

These so-called dogs didn’t have any fur. Just skin. Skin that resembled black leather. Their build was similar to that of a Doberman, but twice the size. Long saber-tooth-like canines protruded from their mouth. Disturbing, yet fascinating! Although they were drinking from what seemed to be a puddle of acid, they appeared to be strong and healthy. How did the humans adapt? If there are any left.

The woman ventures through a building that leads her to what used to be the Detroit River. Gigantic trees, with thickets of leafless branches spiraling towards the ground, replaced the riverbed. They were coated with many thorns, making them nearly impossible to penetrate. Blood-like sap oozed down the trees. It seemed as if they were suffering. Such an unsettling sight forced her back into the building. It was time for a break.

The temperature rose rapidly as she finished up the last drops of water in her canteen. The building next door seemed to have more shade.

Pent-up air bursts hotly from her lungs the moment she stepped into full sunlight. Using her hand to block the scorching rays, she stumbles back into the building. She frantically shakes the empty canteen over the seared hand, hoping for just one drop of water to come out.

A symphony of howls echoes throughout the building. The dogs. Disregarding her lightheadedness, she instantly stands to her feet. She used the cloak formerly around her hips as a shield from the sun. Her feet hastily move towards the twisted thickets. The panic overrides any form of logic.

Before she made it to the gate of thorns, a strong grip around her waist prevented such a fatal mistake.

“Are you stupid? What are you doing out here with just a raggedy cloak on?” whispered the man. Raggedy? How rude.

He pulled the cloak over her face for added protection. He knew it wouldn’t shield her for long. They had to move fast. The man bolted as the stampede of sightless beasts pursued them. What was even scarier than being chased was how silent they were. That was her last thought before losing consciousness.

~

“We have to turn her in.”

“The poor girl is dehydrated. We should at least let her recover.”

“Dude this is Adam Slade’s daughter…she’s dangerous!”

A small smile appeared on the woman’s face as she slowly opened her eyes. What a lovely conversation to wake up to. She lifted from the comfortable mattress and examined the room. Black walls. Black ceilings. Black floor. No windows, and just one bed. Even the three soldiers glaring at her sported black uniforms.

The woman glanced down at her left hand to see that it was completely healed. So it must’ve been a dream, right? That glimmer of hope perished when she noticed that Oliver was still “asleep.”

“Where am I? Is this still Detroit?” she nervously asked the three soldiers.

“This used to be Detroit...10 years ago.” answered the petite woman.

“You’re in North Citadel now. The largest underground city in the Western Hemisphere,” the large man said impatiently. “Are you Victoria Slade?”

“How is that any of your business!?” jeered Victoria.

“Hey! I saved ya life, least you could do is cooperate-”

“Yelling at her won’t solve anything Kirin,” the other woman interrupted. “You and I will contact the commander and Zara will stay here with the girl.”

Victoria sighed as the two soldiers exited the room. How do these people know her?

“Who are you guys?” inquired Victoria.

“We’re surface patrol. We monitor what goes on up there and neutralize any possible threats-”

“Do you have to be this close to the surface? It’s still pretty hot up here,” Victoria huffed.

“The farther you go towards the earth’s core the cooler it gets. The air is fresher and the soil is rich. They have the best crops down there. But of course only the wealthy can enjoy those amenities,” Zara explains.

Victoria shook her head in disbelief. People are actually living underground? Even in such dire conditions, there are still factions of rich and poor. She felt like she was in one of those young adult novels about a dystopian society or something. It suddenly dawned on her that these people knew of her father. Zara took note of her worrisome expression.

“Dimension hopping is illegal and you’ve been a wanted criminal for the past 10 years if you're wondering,” the girl monotoned.

“How do you know about dimension hopping?” Victoria gasped.

“After the first natural disaster, NASA finally leaked to the general population what your father had invented,” Zara responds while glaring at Victoria’s watch.

The door abruptly opens and without any explanation, Kirin puts a cloth bag over her head. Two other soldiers restrain her. Was that really necessary? Victoria decides it's not worth retaliating. She wants answers before plotting her escape.

It takes less than a minute for them to reach the next destination. At least they kindly sat her down before snatching the bag off of her head. The room was all black like the previous one. The lack of a bed was the only difference. A woman faced the wall. She paced back and forth without acknowledging anyone in the room. Must be the commander.

“The late Dr. Slade had a revolutionary vision of traveling to other worlds,” the woman spoke. “He worked day and night striving to perfect his invention. He was admired by many. He was NASA’s secret weapon-”

“You don’t know anything about my father...” Victoria spat.

“But as the project progressed, researchers discovered that using such a device could have dangerous effects on our world,” the woman continued, “The mad scientist blinded by his own ambitions refused to listen to the warnings. When he caught wind of NASA shutting down the project, he took the device and all of his research with him. He didn’t have much time. So he hurried home, destroyed all of his work, and said one last goodbye to his 15-year-old daughter.”

Victoria dropped to her knees as she reminisced about the night she lost her father. He had come home late. She was sound asleep until she heard him rummaging through her drawers. He stuffed random items of clothing into a suitcase. His eyes were filled with fear. The smell of smoke threw her into a coughing fit as he carried her to the backyard. Fixing her eyes on the flames consuming their home, she didn’t notice the watch tightly strapped to her wrist. Her father hastily powered it on. He forced the suitcase into her hands as armed men entered their backyard. Victoria tried to find her words as he pulled her into a warm embrace. A gust of wind and beams of light form behind her. She would never forget his last words. “Oliver will take care of you. Go through that portal and never come back. This was all for you.”

The woman cleared her throat prompting Victoria to escape the painful flashback. This can’t be her dimension. Oliver always explained to her that he wasn’t programmed to ever go back. She refused to believe the commander's words despite the familiarity of her voice.

“The energy source of your ‘Oliver’ stems from our Earth’s magnetic field. Each time you travel to another dimension the field deteriorates. The planet gradually fell off axis resulting in catastrophic natural disasters. Our world has been patiently waiting for your return. That watch may be the key to fixing this,” explained the woman.

“This isn’t my world…” cried Victoria.

The commander turned around. The military cap partially covered her face as she kept her head down. Victoria’s eyes widened as she spotted a heart-shaped locket around her neck. She knew deep within her heart that one only person throughout the entire multiverse had this necklace.

“Willow…”

The woman raised her head revealing tears streaming down her face. That locket belonged to Victoria’s late mother. Victoria gifted it to Willow as a sign of their lasting friendship. Not a day went by where she didn't think of her. The two women share a warm embrace.

“Victoria. It seems your father programmed me with a fail-safe protocol.” Oliver interrupted, unaware of the special moment.

“Oliver! You’re back!” sobbed Victoria.

“My program was updated. Your father was a sly man. He didn’t want me to know about this until the time came,” Oliver disclosed. “Your universe needs to heal. That would only be accomplished if you returned home. The fail-safe did that for you-”

“Just got news from Salazar, the military police are on the way!” Kirin shouted

“There were strict orders not to contact the Capital. They’ll take Oliver and kill Victoria,” retorted Willow.

“Apparently they picked up a shockwave when Victoria arrived. But don’t worry we got your back.” Zara asserted.

“Victoria” Willow grabbed her shoulders. “You and Oliver have to stay and help us. We’ll protect you. You’re our last hope.”

“We’re not going anywhere. I’m finally home. We’re going to fix this ourselves, no matter what stands in our way.” Victoria proclaimed.

Willow smiled at her dear best friend as she caressed the precious locket around her neck.

“Welcome back to where you belong.”