left and drive down Ian MacDonald Boulevard to Pond Road. It will be less congested.”
“Uh huh,” I mumbled. “So why don’t you want to be seen with me exactly?”
“Do you realize how far you can travel? I’m not the first one you’ve met,” he asked.
“Travel? Where?”
“To the transitory portal that leads Offline . You had to have felt the energy change. You know that prickly sensation, the air gets thicker, you start to feel a little … you know … a little too good , if you know what I’m saying, girlfriend,” he winked and nudged me. Kiran scrutinized my expression, waiting for some indication that I understood.
“Who was that guy you were sitting with?” I asked, worriedly.
“Someone you should avoid.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because he’ll want what you have, and you obviously don’t know how to shield yourself.”
“Come again?” I was growing anxious with every confusing minute.
“The ability to transition between two worlds while—”
“ I can travel between two worlds? How do you know that?”
“Those, like us, can sense one another’s energy. You get better with practice. Pull over and I’ll show you.” He removed his seatbelt and shifted in his seat to face me.
I checked the traffic and signaled while pulling over. I faced him, both willing and able to experience all that he spoke of.
“Place your hands in mine.”
I instantly felt a bolt of electricity run through my skin accompanied by a flicker of light in my line of vision. I quickly retracted my hands.
“Don’t let go,” he said. “We have to maintain touch so I can show you what I mean. You don’t need to use touch, but it will be easier for me to show you.”
I didn’t pull back the next time. The energy seared through my body with intermittent flickering of lights and an array of scattered images.
“Don’t close your eyes, Xenia,” Kiran advised.
I listened but what I saw next was inexplicable—we were by the pond in the commons. “How?” I anxiously tried to catch my breath.
“Xenia. Just breathe .” Kiran’s soft voice strained to comfort me.
“How’d we get here? Where are we exactly?”
“You were here earlier—when I first met you,” he replied.
“We’re on campus, though it feels different ,” I replied.
“Exactly,” he said. “We’re in Styx, a transitory world, a portal between two worlds. Things only appear ordinary, but are far from it.”
“Styx is on campus?” I asked.
“Not exactly. Styx exists between two worlds. It’s a realm that exists in any place. You travel to it, like we just did,” Kiran searched for any sign of comprehension on my part.
I placed my hand in the fountain of cool trickling water. “So I traveled through to another realm while I searched for my scarf?”
“Yes, and your presence invited me in with you as I passed by, yet you had no clue.” Kiran curiously examined my face, continuing astonished, “It doesn’t work that way for us, unless you’re immortal, and even then, there’s no guarantee.”
“Uh-huh.” I was consumed by sensory overload and my skin felt surprisingly enlightened. Every sensation instilled an awakening unlike the prior. Facing Kiran, I reached to touch his face.
“Why does everything feel freaking fantastic here,” I asked while my fingers slowly edged down his neck.
“Because we’re in between worlds, a portal that divides civilized order on either side from pandemonium—” Kiran gasped, unable to complete his train of thought as he staggered on. I pressed my cheek against his, and his lips brushed my skin. “—a divine world where our unconscious desires are driven from.”
I attempted to restrain myself long enough to digest my surroundings.
“Mmm,” Kiran moaned as he reopened his eyes. He looked absolutely mesmerized, just like how I felt.
“I need to leave.” I felt a
“Uh huh,” I mumbled. “So why don’t you want to be seen with me exactly?”
“Do you realize how far you can travel? I’m not the first one you’ve met,” he asked.
“Travel? Where?”
“To the transitory portal that leads Offline . You had to have felt the energy change. You know that prickly sensation, the air gets thicker, you start to feel a little … you know … a little too good , if you know what I’m saying, girlfriend,” he winked and nudged me. Kiran scrutinized my expression, waiting for some indication that I understood.
“Who was that guy you were sitting with?” I asked, worriedly.
“Someone you should avoid.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because he’ll want what you have, and you obviously don’t know how to shield yourself.”
“Come again?” I was growing anxious with every confusing minute.
“The ability to transition between two worlds while—”
“ I can travel between two worlds? How do you know that?”
“Those, like us, can sense one another’s energy. You get better with practice. Pull over and I’ll show you.” He removed his seatbelt and shifted in his seat to face me.
I checked the traffic and signaled while pulling over. I faced him, both willing and able to experience all that he spoke of.
“Place your hands in mine.”
I instantly felt a bolt of electricity run through my skin accompanied by a flicker of light in my line of vision. I quickly retracted my hands.
“Don’t let go,” he said. “We have to maintain touch so I can show you what I mean. You don’t need to use touch, but it will be easier for me to show you.”
I didn’t pull back the next time. The energy seared through my body with intermittent flickering of lights and an array of scattered images.
“Don’t close your eyes, Xenia,” Kiran advised.
I listened but what I saw next was inexplicable—we were by the pond in the commons. “How?” I anxiously tried to catch my breath.
“Xenia. Just breathe .” Kiran’s soft voice strained to comfort me.
“How’d we get here? Where are we exactly?”
“You were here earlier—when I first met you,” he replied.
“We’re on campus, though it feels different ,” I replied.
“Exactly,” he said. “We’re in Styx, a transitory world, a portal between two worlds. Things only appear ordinary, but are far from it.”
“Styx is on campus?” I asked.
“Not exactly. Styx exists between two worlds. It’s a realm that exists in any place. You travel to it, like we just did,” Kiran searched for any sign of comprehension on my part.
I placed my hand in the fountain of cool trickling water. “So I traveled through to another realm while I searched for my scarf?”
“Yes, and your presence invited me in with you as I passed by, yet you had no clue.” Kiran curiously examined my face, continuing astonished, “It doesn’t work that way for us, unless you’re immortal, and even then, there’s no guarantee.”
“Uh-huh.” I was consumed by sensory overload and my skin felt surprisingly enlightened. Every sensation instilled an awakening unlike the prior. Facing Kiran, I reached to touch his face.
“Why does everything feel freaking fantastic here,” I asked while my fingers slowly edged down his neck.
“Because we’re in between worlds, a portal that divides civilized order on either side from pandemonium—” Kiran gasped, unable to complete his train of thought as he staggered on. I pressed my cheek against his, and his lips brushed my skin. “—a divine world where our unconscious desires are driven from.”
I attempted to restrain myself long enough to digest my surroundings.
“Mmm,” Kiran moaned as he reopened his eyes. He looked absolutely mesmerized, just like how I felt.
“I need to leave.” I felt a
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