Dara – "Of all time and space, everywhere and anywhere, every star that ever was, where do you want to start?" – doctor who
As the day of travel beings, I feel a surge of excitement. I pack as many books as I can into my rucksack, not forgetting clothes. I run downstairs and shout 'bye' and I leave. I run to the bus and leap onto it. As we get closer to the portal, I get out my books and start reading.
The huge gates are guarded by at least twenty or so people, all carrying weapons. We leap off the bus and land on cobble-stoned pavement. I have only been through the portal a few times, just to visit and travel with my father. Still, I don't feel any sense of nervousness as I'm let through the gates and down the glowing, see through path. We reach the portal. And it's size and power still startles me. Ours is blue, with blue lights pouring from it. Other universes have different coloured portals, like Rosaland has Red. Joyaland is unfortunate enough to get a muddy brown colour. They were not happy about that.
One by one, we're pushed into the abyss.
"Think of Rosaland." Says the burly guard before hurtling me into it. I feel the freezing cold air as I travel through space and galaxies. A few seconds later, I land feeling breathless and momentarily blind.
Once I open my eyes, I can see exactly where I am, I move out the way and join the others. The portal now glows red and we're somewhere underground, the walls covered in graffiti. We're the first group to arrive. Next group arrives elegantly, they don't stumble or lose their breath, instead they turn their perfectly pointed noses up in disgust at the walls and grime. I instantly recognise them as from Joyaland. Next, comes a group of giggling people, pointing excitedly and walking giddily to their group. Almaland, I'm guessing.
Then, a group of people, all dressed in black and white discussing something along the lines of, "it's hideous here,". Fidelis world, for sure. The Rosaland kids come running in, shrieking and jumping as they go. They go silent when they realise no one else is saying anything. They lean against the walls and laugh amongst themselves.
We all hold our breath as the last universe rolls in, late as expected. Relicta land. Or the junkyard.
The kids swarm in laughing, wearing rags and looking more than starving. I feel a strange urge of sympathy, there was no adults with them, no one to take them here and there. I look down as the crowd together, arms folded.
A tall woman walks towards the front, looking angry.
"Thank you! Everyone, welcome to Rosaland! We are happy to have you here. Now, a few rules, six to a room and actually, that's it." She says quickly and so monotone I nearly drift off. She tells us to find our groups.
In Rosaland, they all live at boarding schools but since there's a lot of us, each dorm is sectioned off by carboard walls. I remember my group number I was given in a letter by the Rosaland leader, Gretter.
Number 8, number 8. I say to myself over and over again. Suddenly, I spot a girl with long braided hair and a nose ring standing lazily against the wall with a sign saying, "Group: 8" and some other doodles I'd rather not mention…
I glide over to them as least awkwardly as I can. The others are already there, the Almaland girl wearing a yellow dungarees type thing. The girl from Rosaland gives her a nasty glare.
"What's your name?" asks the Rosaland girl lazily.
"Dara." I say. Her eyebrows raise.
"I thought Dara was a girl's name." says the kid from Fidelis world.
My cheeks flush.
"I'm Beatrix, but everyone calls me Bee!" says the short girl. I see the Rosaland girl roll her eyes.
"I'm Nakia." Says the kid from Fidelis world.
"I'm Harlow." Says the glamorous one, picking her nails and looking sick at where she is.
"I'm Max." says the girl from Rosaland. Nakia doesn't dare saying anything about her name. Lastly, we all stare at the boy in rags.
"oh, I'm Raven." He says, looking embarrassed.