7

TRANSCENDING

Ian stared in horror, his eyes wide and taking in what lay before him. Barbara had vanished, pressed forward into a kind of shimmering black portal. Oval shaped, it had the look of a mirror; flat and lifeless, yet holding lights inside its reflective depths. As he watched, the portal flared brightly with non-light, a shining blackness that wrapped around the surroundings, and then contracted into itself. The small dot of darkness then disappeared completely.

The Mophado king with the crown of volcanic glass stepped forward. He stopped in the space where Barbara had stood, and looked at his subjects.

It is done, the glass man said. The weak female has been subverted to the nothing that once swept over our world and the lives it held. Now, her sacrifice shall herald the resurrection of the dawn. We, the Mophado, shall rise to life and to redemption.

What could he do? What could he possibly do? Ian was an impulsive man, but he was a science teacher with a good head on his shoulders. He didn't know what had happened to Barbara, and he had no way of making the glass people bring her back. He didn't even know if she could be brought back. So he started to retreat, still on his hands and knees, until he was a safe distance away. Ian sat with his back to a tree facing away from the gathering of the Mophado, and flicked his communicator on.

"Chesserman, what is going in there?"

"Doctor, Barbara's gone!"

"'Gone,' what do you mean 'gone?'"

Briefly, Ian explained as best as he could the sight of his friend pulled into the opening of the sinister portal, screaming as she was wrapped in its dark embrace.

The Doctor was silent on the other end for a time. Eventually, Silver's voice floated through to Ian. "Did you hear what they were saying to her?"

"No, I told you. I only saw them talking."

"Well, how did they open the portal? Was there a machine, or some kind of phrase?"

"Not that I could tell. But there could have been someone in the woods doing it; I had a limited view."

"Very well, Chatterton," the Doctor interrupted. "Are the Mophado still in this clearing?"

Ian peered around the tree. "No, they've scattered. There's just a few there now."

"Good. Then I think we shall take it upon ourselves to pay a visit. Wait there."

The connection was cut off. Ian shifted back to his original position, and brought his knees up to his chest. The forest was cold, and a wind blew through the branches. Ian allowed his thoughts to wander in order to distract his mind from his uncomfortable predicament. The night sky above him was a myriad of dark lights that danced in his eyes, and the sound of the wind was the lullaby they waltzed to. Ian slept.

...

"Chesserton. Chatterman? Ian!"

Something kicked his leg. Not enough to hurt, but enough to off balance his precarious arrangement and send him sprawling onto his side. His nose was level with the Doctor's shoe, and he contemplated reaching out and making him fall.

"Honestly, falling asleep at a time like this! With Susan missing and Barbara taken to who-knows-where!"

While the Doctor continued to harrumph and berate Ian, Silver reached down and helped the poor man to his feet; biting back a grin.

"Thank you, Silver," he said pointedly. The Doctor paid no attention, his gaze transfixed by the clearing ahead. He frowned, rubbing his head as though he had a headache. Ian and Silver watched as he walked to the space within the trees, a troubled look on his face.

"What is it, Doctor?"

The Doctor motioned for her to be silent. Ian and Silver looked at each other as the old man stopped within the middle of the clearing, blinking slowly as if he was in a dream.

Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he sank to the ground.

...

Barbara drifted. Lights and sounds mingled with darkness and silence, and her mind retreated into itself to protect her from the onslaught.

I don't know how long it's been this way. Hours? Days? Perhaps I had only just arrived. I don't know. Maybe it was forever? I don't know. I can't concentrate.

A light. How pretty, she thought. This one was solid; it didn't flit away as soon as it was seen. She moved slowly towards it, as though through water. Her dark hair moved in front of her face, and she lost sight of the beam. Her arms could not move themselves, so she waited in a daze for her hair to move on its own. When it did, the lights was close, crashing towards her in a blaze of bright fury that swept her up and pulled to shining oblivion and she screamed…


Hello, my few followers. Well, we are few now. But soon, my brilliance shall spread throughout the world and we will be many. HA HA HA!

Yes, I said we. I can follow myself if I want to.

Anywho, just wanted to apologize for the short chapter. The next one should be longer.

P.S. Review. I command it of you, my minions. REVIEW!

P.P.S. Just kidding.

P.P.P.S. No, not really.