Warning! The following may contain bad spelling, grammar, punctuation, cardboard characters, cheesy plots, offensive NSFW material, and / or puns. Reader discretion is advised.
“Wait!” Erlenmeyer crawled from behind the platform. “Who are you? What was that thing?”
The warriors turned on him, surprised that there was anyone else around. Kree was closest and thrust her spear at him, stopping inches from his face. Erlenmeyer looked uncertain about the spear hovering in front of him. He put his hands up to show they were empty.
“That thing is a dangerous beast. Unless we stop it it will kill more people.” Thara came to face the young man.
“We can call the police. Or animal control. Let them handle it.” Erlenmeyer nodded at Kree. “Could you tell her to lower that thing?”
Thara motioned to Kree to lower the spear. Kree pulled it back but kept it at waist level and pointed at Erlenmeyer. The other warriors gathered near their leader.
“Thank you.” He lowered his hands. When he did so, Kree raised the spear again. “No, no, wait. I can help you. I imagine that our world is different than the one you come from. You’ll need my help.”
Tyrie spoke up. “There is only the world. Only a man would be so stupid as to think there is more than one.”
“But there is. More than one world, I mean. Our world, this one, is in a parallel dimension to yours. They occupy the same space but they’re just … out of phase.” Erlenmeyer could see that what he was saying made no sense to the women in front of him. “Look, let me show you.”
Tyrie started again. “You can show us nothing. Men are brutal, stupid and only good for breeding and labor.”
Thara threw a hard look at Tyrie. “I want to hear what he will say.” She laid her hand on Kree’s spear and pushed it down. “Speak.”
Erlenmeyer pointed at the opening in the platform. “Look, that’s a portal, a kind of gate, between our worlds. You live on that side of the gate. I live on this side. ” The verdant forest they had been in before still showed through the portal. “But if you come around over here, to the back side… It’s okay, just over here.”
The warriors followed him around to the other side of the portal. Here it was just a flat black wall. Thara reached up her hand to stroke the surface.
“Stop!” Erlenmeyer reached out to bat her hand away. Thara grabbed his wrist and twisted.
“Owww! Let go. I didn’t mean anything. This side is a field of energy. You could lose your hand if you touch it.”
Thara released his hand. “It is some sort of trick.”