Lost Portals

by Bruce X Brown

  Samantha could not believe she had developed feelings for her. It was so stupid to even try again. Why did she let her guard down so fast? Her lip quivered.

  “I’ve gotta go,” Samantha turned and walked out of the room.

  Gina called after her, “Sam, wait!”

  Priest picked up his phone and made a call, “Looks like we’ll have to go with plan B.”

  Chapter 11:

  Sam’s Car is Gone

  Samantha walked slowly into the dark alley. She stopped to wipe her eyes so she could see. She was shaking but it wasn’t from the cold. Samantha didn’t even feel the cold at first. She could hear glass breaking, followed by the sound of a car alarm echoing into the night. Someone was trying to start a car. The car kept stalling.

  It sounded like… “mom’s car,” she thought. She ran down the alley. The tires spun against the asphalt and squealed. The 1989 Acura sped off down the street.

  “No, no, noooo!” She ran off after the car. It was already 2 blocks away turning a corner.

  How was mom going to get to work? “NO!” She yelled.

  “Sam!” Gina said. “Wait.”

  Samantha didn’t turn around. She kept walking down through the middle of the street with tears streaming down her face.

  “Samantha!” She heard Noelle and several other voices call her name. She broke into a run down the street toward her mom’s stolen car. She turned down the street that her mom’s car had taken. There were no cars in sight. The traffic lights on the empty streets were a watery blur. She tripped and fell catching herself with the palms of her hands on the cold asphalt. Samantha looked at the burning scrapes on her palms. She was shaking through uncontrollable sobs. She was panting with puffs of icy breath from blue lips and chattering teeth.

  It was so cold. The welcoming light of a St. John of the Cross Catholic church shined on her shaking hands. She walked over and collapsed on the steps. The car must be in another city by now.

  In a panic, she patted herself down. She went into her back pocket looking for her phone. She could just call the cops and they could find the car.

  No phone! It was in the car on the dashboard. She’d used it for directions to get to that stupid cult.

  It must be 10 pm by now and the streets were desolate in this part of town. She was freezing and had no idea what to do. Her pride would not let her even consider going back to the cult to have someone call the cops… but she might have to if she couldn’t figure this out.

  She wiped her tears, “Ok. Gotta get to the police station. On Main street, right?” She walked toward the direction she thought led to Main street. 30 minutes later she’d crisscrossed the streets of downtown with no sign of the police station.

  Her face felt numb. It felt like the tears had frozen on her face. She had her arms wrapped around herself. Her jaw was chattering. She felt like she deserved this. She had made so many stupid mistakes in the last 3 years and now her mom was paying for those mistakes. Her mom, the woman who raised her. The woman was supportive even when Samantha had temporarily dropped out of college. Now that woman would have to walk to work because her loser daughter lost her only means of transportation.

  The wind picked up and the cold was unbearable. She looked around for somewhere to sit and block the wind. Samantha spotted… St. John of the Cross Catholic church. She had walked a few miles in a huge circle.

  “Really?” she sighed and went to the steps to have a seat. Maybe she’d flag someone down. It must be about 11 pm and there weren’t many cars around let alone someone willing to stop in this part of town at this hour.

  “How in the hell is Mom going to get to work tomorrow?” She said to herself. She thought about where she would be now if she’d just ignored her best friend and boyfriend hooking up. If she’d just finished at Chico State. She’d be an IT professional by now or maybe she could have gone into professional volleyball.

  A large passenger van came slowly swerving down the street.

  “Hey!” Samantha said getting to her feet. “Hey, please help!” She ran into the street toward the van. As it got closer, a 20 something-year-old man with black hair slicked back. He had a big white bandage over his nose and two black eyes.

  “Priest?” she said.

  Priest slammed on the brakes and all the passengers flew forward. “I found her!” His voice echoed through the streets. He tried to get out of the van while it was still in drive. He chased the vehicle down and put it into Park with a screech of tires.

  Gina jumped out of the passenger’s side and attacked Sam with a hug. “What the hell are you doing? Why did you run away? What is wrong with you? You can’t just wander this part of town. I’m from this area, they will beat your ass here, Sam. Come with us.”

  Samantha looked in the van. Noelle cuddled up to Xavier sleep. Xavier’s sister, Ebony, was with Shiori. They both smiled and waved like idiots.

  “No,” Sam pulled away from her. “I don’t have time for this. My car is gone. Someone stole it.”

  “Yes,” Gina said. “I know! It’s not where you parked it. Were you running down the street to chase the car on foot!? Do you know you left your keys and wallet in this coat?! We are trying to help you, Sam. At least get out of the cold. How are you gonna get home? You live like 20 miles from here. Priest can help you.”

  Samantha took a step back fighting back tears.

  Priest stumbled up to Samantha and put his hand on her shoulder. He moved in way too close to her face. His breath reeked of beer. His words slurred, “I think I can help you find that car. I know where it is. And I think I know who took it.”

  Chapter 12:

  The Detour

  Sam’s face lit up, “Who?! Where’s the car? Let’s go straight to the police and report it right now. Was it that guy who punched you in the face? Can you take me to the car?”

  “Yeah, I know where it is. But we gotta go now,” Priest said leading her to the van.

  Priest tried to hop in the driver’s seat and collapsed in the road. They helped him up and into the side of the van.

  “Ok, I’ll go. But I’ll drive,” Sam said. Gina hopped in the passenger’s seat next to her. The inside of the van smelled like it was soaked in alcohol.

  Samantha’s first thought was to drive over to the police department. But number 1: she still couldn’t find it and number 2: she was driving and still feeling tipsy. She felt safe to drive but was not sure what she would blow in a breathalyzer.

  “Welcome to the party bus!” Xavier yelled. “Want a beer?” He tried to hand her a glass of beer as she put the car in drive.

  “Is that a keg?” She asked. “Put that glass down! Did you guys bring the entire keg in here?” A police car passed. The officer stared at her.

  “No,” Xavier said.

  “You’re not supposed to have open containers in a moving vehicle. Anyone with glasses of beer drink it now and put your glasses down. Are all of you drunk? Why would you drive?” she asked.

  “We had to find you,” Gina said looking over at Sam. “We were worried.”

  Samantha ignored Gina. She planned on getting mom’s car and never talking to these people again.

  Priest slurred, “Turn left here. Go south on I-25.”

  Sam shook her head and got on the freeway, “If we get pulled over, we are all going to jail. Jail, that’s all I need right now.”

  Xavier patted her shoulder way too hard. He was a happy drunk that didn’t realize his own strength, “No, way. This is a simulation game. It’s an RGP. PG. It’s like a game. We can do what we want. Priest explained everything. I get it now. I was spectacle. Skeptical. We aren’t really drunk. It simulated drunk driving.”

  “Shut-up and put your seatbelt on,” Sam commanded. She was not in the mood to babysit drunk people. Xavier did as he was told. “What did they put in that beer, man?” she said. “Anyone have a phone? Could you call the police station for me so I can report a stolen car?”

  “We’ll get your car back. We’ll
have it in a minute,” Priest said.

  “That was my mom’s car,” Samantha said.

  Priest and Gina looked at each other.

  “She works two jobs. She really needs that car for work,” Sam wiped away a tear. “She’s done so much for me… I just wanna get it back.”

  Xavier pulled out his phone, “I’m on it. I’ll call the cops right now.” He dropped his phone on the floor and it slid under Priest’s seat who was sitting next to him.

  “You’re gonna get off the freeway on exit 135,” Priest said handing Xavier his phone. He dialed 911.

  The emergency operator was on speaker: “911 what’s the nature of your emergency?”

  “Hold on,” Xavier said in a drunken whisper. “We can’t call the cops now. We have a keg in the car.”

  “Did you just say that on speaker?” Sam asked.

  Xavier’s eyes got wide. He came up with an accent. “Sorry, wrong number, ma’am. Thank you.” He hung up and said, “We can’t call now. We have a keg in the car.”

  “Sam, go to 4242 Nexus,” Priest said. “Just go straight. And it will be on the right. If your mom’s car is not there, we will dump the keg and call the cops to make the report. Better yet, we’ll go to the station if I can’t get that car back. Deal? One way or another, your mom will have a ride to work even if I have to drive her in this van.”

  Gina and Priest stared at her while Samantha thought about it. She nodded.

  They were in an abandoned industrial part of town. There were very little street lamps that still worked. It was about 6 square miles of town that had not seen road repair in a decade. It was on the outskirts of downtown Alamogordo.

  Gina was being awfully quiet. Her rosy cheeks made it very clear that she had been drinking too. She would steal cautious glances over at the driver’s side. Finally, she broke the awkward silence, “Sam? Sam, I’m sorry. I guess I should have told you about our group before I brought you there.”

  “You think?!” Samantha snapped. “I might have still gone… I mean, no. I wouldn’t have gone but you could have told me. What is it? Is it like a cult?”

  Gina laughed, “A cult? That would be cool. Never been in a cult before. I’ve heard people say that. But... I personally never saw it that way. It’s more like a family.”

  “So... it’s like a religion or something?” Samantha asked staring straight at the road wanting to get away from these people as soon as possible.

  “Not a religion,” Gina said. “More like a realization, you know?”

  “No. I don’t know.” Sam said, “How many of you follow this guy?”

  “Everyone in here is really into it except you and X,” Gina said. “And there are a few others.”

  “Wow. That is hella weird,” Samantha shook her head. “Well, X said he joined, sooo—”

  “Whatever,” Gina laughed and rolled her eyes. “He thinks we are all pretending or something. He thinks it’s like a really serious live action role play. We all really believe this is a simulation… Well, I do. I don’t know how else to explain why the world is so messed up. Regardless of what you think, they’re great people. Priest is a great guy.”

  Samantha was reluctant to ask about her and Priest. She didn’t want to ask because she was afraid to get her heart broken. She stared forward until she finally got the courage to ask, “What about you and Priest? You two… together?”

  “It’s here,” Priest slurred. “Turn into this lot.” He broke into a whisper. “Lights. Turn off the lights.”

  “Why? Is this where they bring the cars?” Samantha asked turning off the lights and moving slowly into the parking lot while her eyes adjusted to moonlight. The tires crunched bits of asphalt and gravel sprinkled across the abandoned parking lot.

  Priest whispered, “Ok, behind that building. That’s 4242 Nexus. This is it.”

  “Why are you whispering?” Sam asked.

  “Oh, sorry,” He stifled a burp and stopped whispering. “Park behind that building.”

  Once she parked and turned off the van, Priest and Xavier jumped out.

  “You ladies stay in the van,” Priest said in a low voice. “Xavier and Samantha, come with me. Gina, look after Shi, Noelle, and Ebony. Stay quiet. We’ll be back in 20 minutes. Follow me.” Priest walked with Xavier.

  “Samantha, I...,” Gina stared at her a moment biting her lip. Gina took off the coat and gave it to her. “It’s cold out there.”

  Xavier and Sam followed Priest. He was pretty stealthy for a drunk guy. X carefully cradled a glass of beer as he crept on tip-toes. He got to the edge of the abandoned warehouse and hid behind a stack of wooden pallets. They crouched next to him looking out into a parking lot full of abandon cars.

  They sat quietly for a few minutes. Stars were clearly visible now that they were away from the light noise of the city. Crickets peacefully made their music in the surrounding field growing out of the broken ruin of asphalt. “What are we waiting for? Is mom’s car over there?” Sam whispered.

  “SHHHH!” Priest said pointing. A group of cars pulled up blasting trap music. Sam didn’t know much about cars but she knew that she was looking at a Lamborgini, 3 Hummers, a Porsche, and a black Cadillac. In the headlight of the cars, they saw that the men getting out of the cars had guns. The men getting out of the Humvees were ridiculously huge. Their gold chains and rings blinged in the light of the black Porsche.

  Xavier looked over at Sam. Priest put a finger to his lips and pointed in the direction of the cars.

  A woman in a suit got out of the Lamborghini. She was tall with long silky black hair covering her eyes. She didn’t have a gun. She had two swords. She walked over to the Cadillac.

  “Get ‘em out,” she commanded. One of the armed men pulled a man out of the trunk. The man was bound and gagged. They untied his feet but left him in cuffs. They walked him into the warehouse at gunpoint.

  The bound man was walking a little slow so one of the large men shot a flame at his feet.

  Priest pointed and whispered loudly, “Did you see that!?”

  “See what?” Xavier asked a little too loud.

  “SHHHHH,” Priest and Sam said looking around.

  “Sorry,” Xavier whispered, “See what?”

  Priest whispered and pointed, “That guy there he shot fire out of his hand! He’s a fire mage!”

  “What the hell are you talking about, Priest?” Samantha whispered, “What is this? We should get the hell out of here and call the cops. X, give me your phone.”

  Priest looked at Samantha and smiled, “Your mom’s car isn’t here. It’s safely back in the driveway of your house.”

  “What?! What do you mean?” Samantha asked.

  “I mean, don’t worry about it. I had my buddy take the car back to your house. It’s safe. I couldn’t let you leave before you saw proof, Sam.”

  “What the hell, Priest,” Samantha whispered. “Proof of what? Proof that you are a goddamned crazy ass—”

  “Holy shit!” Xavier whispered loudly. “Did you see that shi—”

  “SHHHH” Priest and Sam said looking around.

  “Sorry,” Xavier swallowed the last of his glass of beer. “I think I saw it… fire in his hand... Or was it like a small flame thrower?”

  Samantha shook her head, “I’m leaving. I’m going to the van and calling the cops. X, give me your phone. That’s not magic. That’s the goddamn Colorado Crips.”

  Samantha snatched Xavier’s phone. As she turned to go, she was blocked by a 6’6 giant human dressed in black and holding a shotgun, “OH MY GOD!”

  “I can show you some magic,” he said cocking the gun. “Gimme that phone. Let’s go.”

  Chapter 13:

  Lady Blades’ Gang

  They rounded up Priest, Samantha, Gina, Noelle, Shiori, Xavier, and Ebony and led them inside of the warehouse at gunpoint. All but Samantha were stumbling drunk and/or high. Their phones were taken away. The group that captured them were so confident in their physical speed and str
ength that they didn’t bother tying them up.

  They were surrounded by street soldiers, thug generals, and ghetto millionaires. The gang was urban paramilitary whose uniforms consisted of street clothes adorned with gold chains dipped in diamond-studded bling. Some of them had face tattoos with a casual dead-eyed stare that said, ‘I dare you to question my life choices.’ Ice, gold and platinum grills served as replacements for teeth. They were black hoody mob Special Forces ready to pistol whip innocent bystanders with bullets. Most of the street soldiers had gats. The urban dictionary describes the word ‘gat’ as ‘short for Gatling gun or machine gun’. Shotguns were saw-off and cradled like newborn babies.

  Among all the weapon-wielding machismo, one person stood out. She did not have a gun. Her weapons of choice were two golden katanas. Somehow, she was the scariest. She was smooth chocolate, tall and regal. She had black hair flowing over an immaculate face. From the darkness, she commanded the savage street soldiers in an Italian suit tailored over tight curves. They called her Lady Blades.

  Xavier comforted Ebony and Shiori who sobbed after being told to quote unquote: “shut the hell up” while being presented with said reason to shut up, an M-4 assault rifle. Gina was embracing Noelle who was on her hands and knees puking. Priest was staring at Lady Blades. Everyone was sobering up fast.

  Samantha had tears streaming down her cheeks. With eyes puffy and red from crying, she glared at Priest. This freaking crazy bastard had stolen her mom’s car and then lured her to a gang hideout to prove that he was some kind of simulated messiah.

  As if he knew what she was thinking, he said, “Don’t worry, Sam. I’ll get us out of- Bwaaha—” He was silenced by the butt stroke to the belly from an AK-47. The air was knocked out of him and he folded like wet newspaper.

  They moved him away from Samantha so they couldn’t talk.

  The soldiers dumped the contents of crates in the center of the warehouse. It was an assortment of money, jewelry, engraved pistols plated with brass and silver with pearl grips, ornate swords, and elaborate necklaces bejeweled in shining emeralds, gleaming diamonds, and fiery rubies. Samantha saw a white gold crown that rolled near her feet. Among this heap of treasure and munitions were two things that stood out: A staff that looked like it was on fire and like a plastic toy gun.