The Upper Worlds (The Soul Survivor Series Book 1)

by Van Forson

  “He’s right yo, but don’t worry. I’ll pull The Face; we’ll find Jet and Skye. UC is pretty scary but - ”

  “Who’s down there?” Auto Nan called out from the top of the stairs. “I hear more voices than the two audio tones programmed into my system.”

  Nan scanned Max and Wain’s Codes,

  “Why are your friends Maxwell Schneider and Wain Walens here so very early in the AM?” Nan inquired.

  “Erm, for a school project,” I lied unconvincingly.

  “Wain doesn’t attend your school.”

  Of course, Nan was right. Although Wain was academically brilliant, he wasn’t accepted at FB because his face well and truly did not fit. I thought he was extraordinary looking in the best way. But by the Upper World standards, he was grotesque.

  “There’s no mention of that activity in the program from Milan. I’ll just contact your parents to -”

  “Wain, you’re up!” I said pushing him to the front of the levitating staircase that Auto Nan was descending.”

  The Face Wain! Pull The Face!” I yelled.

  “Ok yo!” Wain called out. “Shield your eyes!”

  I covered my eyes, Max did the same but set his camera to record. No doubt he was collecting data to analyse later. Wain, did as I had requested and unleashed The Face.

  The Face is a hideously frightening take on Wain’s already out of this world appearance. It’s the closest Wain ever got to experimenting with his latent Tachion talents. We discovered The Face by accident when we were little kids. I would blow raspberries, and in his attempt to match me, he would pull The Face. It was kind of funny back then but as we grew up it got more terrifying. His ears grew, flapping over to hide his entire head before springing back to reveal his eyeballs bulging out of their sockets and spinning on their stalks. His head split in two, and his tongue corkscrewed out of his mouth a metre long. The Face was not for the faint-hearted.

  Nan attempted to read Wain's expression but had never encountered such a sight, “I cannot compute.”

  The Face sent Auto Nan into maximum overdrive. She lost her footing and toppled to the bottom of the stairs.

  “Fascinating!” Max gasped peeking at Wain through his fingers. “But illegal. That is a direct violation of the First Law of the Upper Worlds. Truth number one states that Tachions are not permitted to use their powers.”

  “It’s not a power – it’s just a face!” I defended Wain.

  But Max was right. There were dire consequences for Tachions if they used any of their powers without a permit. I shuddered to think of how helping me could have gotten Wain into serious trouble if there had been any Orbs or Guardians around.

  “You've been warned,” Max said, before going to work cross wiring Auto Nan’s circuitry. He took advantage of Auto Nan’s system rebooting as it tried to process the inexplicable data of Wain's face. The doorbell rang just as Wain moulded back to his regular look.

  It was Sal and Philippe.

  “Good timing guys, you just missed Wain pull The Face, I relayed to my friends.

  “Thank goodness we missed it,” Sal cracked her knuckles, “I hate it when he does that thing.”

  “Don't hate, appreciate. He's just making use of his Tachion talents.” Philippe said. “Contrary to popular belief it’s not only you Code Types that are special.”

  “I know,” Sal muttered, “it just feels exploitative to make someone do that just because they’re different.”

  “What’s up yo.” Wain greeted Sal and Philippe with an elaborate three handed high five. Although he didn’t go to FB, he was still very much part of my crew.

  Philippe slapped Wain’s tiny palm with the minimal amount of effort, but the force still sent Wain flying backwards.

  “You’re crazy strong, yo!” Wain marvelled.

  “Sorry.” Philippe looked down sheepishly.

  He tried his hardest to play down his strength and agility. So much so that he opted out of running for captaincy of the teams at FB, allowing lesser athletes, like Brad, the ability to bask in what could have been his limelight. Not many people apart from me knew things like that about Philippe. He was never one to boast.

  Max clipped out a wire from Auto Nan’s brain circuitry and typed furiously in the air on his aero pad.

  “Your automated nanny’s internal processing unit is tough to crack. Its hardware cannot be easily disconnected,” Max exclaimed as he grappled with the electronic device. “So what I’m doing is bypassing the mainframe and inserting my personalised program to defrag the factory settings and upload timed data on my command.”

  “In simple terms Max.” I said.

  “I’ve put Auto Nan into sleep mode for twelve hours. We’ll have to be back with Jet by then; otherwise, irregularities will show and Nan will check the back-up data and see something is amiss.”

  “I understand,” I said wheeling Auto Nan to the side of the room. “Basically there’s no time to waste,” I said, throwing on my backpack.

  The doorbell rang again, Sal opened it.

  “Hiya,” Mindy and Cindy piped together, bright eyed and bushy tailed. “Like what’d we miss?”

  “Nothing much.” Sal murmured amazed at how much makeup the Twins were wearing at this early in the AM; she had barely brushed her hair.

  “You missed a display of my exceptional brain power.” Max boasted, pushing up his spectacles.

  “Like, ok, but who are you?”

  “I'm Max, I'm in your class, and I have been since pre-school.”

  “Oh.” Mindy and Cindy shrugged.

  Max shirked smaller, physically affected by the unintentional put-down.

  “Morning Twinnies.” Philippe smiled charmingly.

  Mindy’s eyes sparkled back.

  “Hiya Philly.” They chirped in unison pushing past Sal and running to hug him.

  Sal rolled her eyes, “Did you both set your voice to irritate mode this morning?”

  “Ha!” Wain laughed.

  The Twins may have been offended, but no one would ever know as they blinked and smiled brightly.

  I looked around; someone was missing.

  “Where’ s Brad?”

  “He’s out front.” Cindy pointed to his silver space cruiser in my driveway.

  Brad waved, flashing an early morning dazzler.

  All of my friends had assembled just for me. Their friendship warmed my heart. This motley crew were a carnival of souls. There was Sal, the tough, mysterious one. Max, the neek. Wain, the highly strung super brain. The Bombshell Twins. Philippe, the gentle giant and Brad, the insensitive jock. A group of Types as diverse as this wouldn’t usually work together, but I couldn't have wished for a better team.

  Brad beeped his horn, “Let’s roll Kid, Twinnies, Big P and the rest of you freakazoids, the engines running.”

  Leaving this reality and stepping into another dimension,

  Takes a paradigm shift to prepare you for the ascension.

  Five: The Portal

  “So here we are, the Outer Limits.” Wain announced as we arrived at the central portal that led to the Underground City. It was set next to the sewage system downtown in the desolate wasteland next to Sub Zero.

  “The point of no return,” Max said.

  Wain jerked his three thumbs at him, “Ha! What’s wrong with this guy?”

  “Just stating the facts,” Max said unperturbed by the ridicule. “Underground City, or Chesterton Workhouse as it was formerly known, was constructed to be a prison of no return to the Upper Worlds for the jailed convicts sentenced there. The criminals escaped from their cellblocks and took over the prison and its surrounding areas. Labelling themselves ‘Urbanities’, they remained underground and carved out a city filled with the worst people in the world!”

  “But that was then - ”Mindy began.

  “ - And this is now!” Cindy finished her sister's sentence like she so often did.

  “Nowadays it’s a place of trickery and illusion. A cesspit, a hell hole,
a haven for the seedy underbelly of society,” Max said.

  “So they’re really all murderers down there?” Brad asked with uncharacteristic trepidation.

  “Nah, I heard these days only cool people hang out in UC.” Philippe waded in supporting the Twins.

  “And how many of those so called cool people who've been to UC and returned to the Upper Worlds alive have you spoken to?” Max asked.

  “None.” Philippe admitted.

  I wrenched my hands; I needed to diffuse the situation quickly before everyone became fearful. “It's all hearsay. None of us knows what goes on in UC since none of us has been before.”

  “Well, actually I have.” Sal mumbled.

  Everyone turned to her in disbelief.

  “Like when?”

  “Like how?” The Twins asked. “Gooooo team Sal!” They squealed in unison; clapping as if rehearsing with the cheerleading squad.

  “That’s just totally rad, dude!” Brad said trying to fall in line with the Twins enthusiasm for the place.

  “How come you never told me?” I said.

  “I didn’t think it was worth mentioning,” Sal shifted awkwardly.

  “It’s only like the edgiest place in the whole world, and you’ve been there and didn’t tell anybody?” Mindy gasped. She always wanted to be on the cusp of whatever was considered cool. And dangerous was really in at the moment.

  “What’s the point of doing something totally rad and not letting everyone know about it?” Cindy squeaked.

  “I don’t believe you, on how many occasions?” Max stared suspiciously.

  “A few times…” Sal petered off uneasily.

  “What logical reason would you have to go to UC?”

  “For this and that…” Sal trailed off again, cracking her knuckles.

  The scrutiny was making Sal uncomfortable, and the crew's attention was swaying from what we came to do.

  “We can discuss this later. Time is of the essence and we need to find Jet and Skye.” I said.

  “You’re right Kid. We’re going to need a tightly run plan,” Philippe said.

  “Affirmative.” Max responded like an army sergeant.

  Wain bobbed his head at the notion. Although they were both brains, they had different belief systems of logic. Max was more syllogistic meaning he would weigh up the merits of different approaches of an argument and go with what he deemed the best one. While Wain was a lateral thinker meaning he solved problems more creatively.

  “In UC we need to keep our wits about us and look out for each other, but first we have to get past the PGs,” Wain said.

  “The who?” Brad asked.

  “The Portal Guardians. They’re the ones who guard the entrances in and out of UC.” Wain explained.

  “Oh,” Brad said. He spent all of his time on the playing field and paid no attention to this kind of stuff.

  Max sized Wain up and made a note on his aero pad.

  “What are you doing there, Bro?” Wain asked.

  “Keeping a record of everything you say and do,” Max answered bluntly.

  “Why?”

  “Because you're fascinating.” Max said pushing his specs up his nose.

  “Oh, thanks, I guess,” Wain said feeling uncomfortable under Max's bug-eyed stare.

  “So if we don’t get past the PGs then we can’t get into UC?” Brad asked still trying to get to grips with the situation at hand.

  “Yes dunderhead.” Sal mocked.

  “Got it.” Brad sighed, confident that the rescue mission would be thwarted by the PGs before it even got started.

  “What do you have to barter with the PGs?” Sal rummaged around in Max’s backpack without his permission.

  “Hey get out of there. I’ve got nothing for them. Everything in my survival kit is vital. I- ”

  Before Max could finish his sentence Sal pulled out a miniature radio.

  “This’ll do,” she said trotting off.

  “Hey! I just made that.” Max protested.

  Sal stopped dead in her tracks and cracked her knuckles impatiently.

  “Do you want to help Kid or not?” Sal asked narrowing her piercing emerald eyes.

  Max’s steely blue eyes gazed into Kid’s big brown ones. How could he let her down?

  “Go forth,” he breathed out helplessly.

  “Thanks, Max, you’re the best.” I smiled at him and saw his cheeks flush.

  “I’ll handle them. Wait here.” Sal jogged across the dusty gravel floor towards an unassuming circular gate etched into the side of a hill.

  Two thick set Code Types were stationed at a makeshift checkpoint by the portal. They were dressed casually in black slacks and duffel coats and didn’t look like Officials. But their bald heads, thick necks and big structures looked menacing all the same.

  “This is so-oo exciting.” Mindy yelped watching Sal like a hawk.

  “Yeah, I mean like what is Sal going to say to them?” Cindy squealed enthusiastically as if first picked for the cheerleading squad. She was never picked first for anything, Mindy always was.

  “We should go with her,” Philippe said. “Safety in numbers.”

  “She said to wait here, so let’s wait. The Eee Cee knows what she’s doing,” Brad said. “I only came along for kicks and giggles. And here we are begging to be let into a city underground full of crims. I mean, does anyone else think this is crazy?”

  “Like, whatever!” Mindy attempted to wrinkle her nose in disapproval of Brad, like she had seen Sal do about ten times today, but failed miserably and ended up looking even cuter with a nose twitch like a bunny rabbit.

  “Kid needs us. It's just like on the football field, we've got to roll as a unit and have each other's back. One team, one dream.” Philippe levelled.

  “Ok, you're right,” Brad shot out a dazzler. “It’s just that I’ve got ball practice later and as Captain, I can't miss it.” Brad tried to mask his fear.

  "It's ok if you want to go home," I said. I didn't want to force anyone to do anything they didn't want to.

  “Yes, I understand why you're afraid,” Max said. “The danger of UC is real.”

  “But fear is a choice,” Wain replied, “just like courage. Choose which emotion you want to feed.”

  Max made another note on his aero pad.

  “Me? Afraid? I’m not scared of anything!” Brad called out, the shrillness of his voice betraying he was. “I'm staying,” he said, not wanting to look like a wimp.

  Out on the sporting arena with his adoring fans, Brad was the definition of bravery. But out here in the real world without a ball to kick, throw or bounce, it was a different game altogether.

  Sal jogged back to the crew.

  “Here's the deal,” she delivered the news to us out of breath. “Earlier today a PG was knocked out and the surveillance destroyed, but the guys on duty can’t remember a thing.”

  “Ha, pathetic yo!” Wain laughed.

  “How could scrawny Jet and tiny Skye knock a big man out cold?” I asked.

  “I dunno, but that's how they got in I reckon,” Sal said. “Also moves are afoot in UC. Something big is going on down there. The PGs don't know what it is, but they've been warned to keep the city shutdown.”

  Brad dazzled, relieved. “Mission over, homeward bound.”

  “Yeah but, no -” Sal caught her breath. “- I managed to persuade the PGs to let us in.”

  “How did you do that?” Max said.

  “Forget about it,” Sal said fixing a gaze on Max.

  Max adjusted his specs, looked confused and forgot what he was saying.

  Sal continued, “We’ve got until five in the PM when these PGs change shift. If we’re not back in the Upper Worlds by then...”

  “Then what?” Brad asked anxiously.

  “Then we better get used to living like Urbanites,” Sal said flatly, cracking her knuckles.

  “I know I’m asking a lot of you and if you want to turn back now I understand,” I said.

&n
bsp; Everyone knew that UC was a dangerous place. Fact, as my dad would say, and here I was leading my friends on a hazardous journey. I had no way of knowing how to find Jet, and what we were going to encounter. All I had was a gut feeling to do this.

  “Yo! We're in this together. We’re here for you.” Wain said reassuringly.

  “Even in opposition to my better, logical judgment,” Max added. “With what Sal says, I’m even more intrigued by what we might encounter on this trip.”

  “And with all the powers vested in us,” Philippe said flexing his ginormous muscles.

  “And to be the most daring AEs in the whole Upper Worlds and give the Top Set something to talk about.” The Twins giggled.

  “We’re right behind you.” Brad feigned enthusiasm. “Way behind you,” he added underneath his breath.

  All eyes turned to me. This was my mission, my call. I looked around at my friends’ expectant faces.

  “Let's do this.”

  And with that, the eight of us walked across the gritted wasteland towards the hole in the side of the mountain. Sal fixed the PGs with a mean stare, and the burly men sprang to their feet opening the heavy circular rusting portal to let us in. The door rolled behind us with a clanging thud, and in total darkness, we descended into the murky dirty depths beyond the portal.

  “It’s so dark in here I can’t see a thing!” Brad yelped, sounding as high pitched as the Twins.

  “Here, take these.” Max said.

  Luckily for us in his bag of gizmos, he had thoughtfully packed enough light beams for all of us.

  “That’s better.” I said shining the light in front of me.

  I led the way, and Brad bought up the rear as we stepped down the rusting steel escalator. The clanky machinery juddered spiralling downwards in a zigzag formation. The steps seemed endless, and in the near darkness, we could not see the bottom.

  “Have you guys noticed something?” Max said.

  “What!” Brad screamed dramatically, his voice echoing loudly around the cold, grimy steel walls.

  Philippe looked back and shook his head. “Not cool buddy, so not cool.”

  “This escalator only goes down,” Max continued.