Alex was a normal kid who went to a normal school in a normal small town. But he always felt like he was different in some way. He watched as other kids went to school and lived their lives and were content. Not him though. He wanted desperately to escape. To leave here and go somewhere more exciting, more interesting.
He often daydreamed of different places with different rules, sometimes different worlds entirely. When he thought of these places it always felt so real to him, like they actually existed somewhere out there.
Today was no different then any other. He woke up with the feeling of wanting to go back into his dreams. Nothing in his live felt worth doing. He didn't know why he still got up anymore but he did. Got ready for school, grabbed his backpack and started walking.
The air outside was frigid and dry. He pulled his hoodie up to cover his mouth and nose. The wind was strong, felt like it could almost lift him off his feet. He could see other kids leaving their houses to walk to school too.
They seemed to be in a much better mood than him. Talking with each other and laughing. Something he hadn't done in a long time. It really is better to be ignorant in a world like this he thought. If he could wipe his mind of these thoughts and start over, he would.
It took him around thirty minutes to get to school from his house. When he arrived he could hear the cacophony of many voices of students and teachers just inside the main door. He couldn't make out any one voice, more like they all combined to make some kind of white noise. He hesitated just in front of the main entrance.
Just like every other day he thought "Why am I doing this? What's the point?" There was no answer. He pushed open the door and walked inside. Kids were talking to each other loudly while enjoying breakfast. He noticed some were care free and playing on their phones, and some were trying to finish up homework that was most likely due today.
Alex sat down at one of the few empty tables in the cafeteria and quietly waited for the first bell. He kept to himself mostly these days. He had no urge to socialize or make friends. He just wanted time to move faster so he could finally go home.
Little did he know he would likely never see his home again.
He was almost able to retreat deep into his thoughts but was interrupted by the incredibly loud bell signaling the start of the day. He didn't even try to stand up just yet. On the other hand, everyone else jumped up and clamored to get to their classrooms.
Alex continued to sit there until it was mostly clear. He didn't like being cramped in between so many other people so waiting it out became his normal routine. He walked down the hallway towards his first class. He took his time too. He wasn't in any kind of hurry to get there.
Alex was the last one to arrive. He ignored the many stares he received when entering the room and took his seat in the back so there would be less of a chance of him being called on to answer a question or whatever else.
Although, there was something he was dreading even more then everything else. His teacher for the morning class.
Just then the door swung open and an over weight middle aged man stepped inside. "Alright class, lets get quite." He said in a tone that reflected just how much he loved being there. "We have a few announcements to get through before we get started so listen up." He threw down a stack of what Alex assumed was graded papers on his desk.
Mr. Martin grabbed some chalk and started writing on the board at the front of the room where everyone could see it. That was around the time Alex stopped paying attention. He didn't care about any upcoming events the school was having.
A few minutes passed like this with nothing major happening. Every now and then Mr. Martin would shout at everyone to stop talking, even though it was only one person.
Suddenly, there was an commotion coming from the other students. The sound of the other students yelling and panicking pulled Alex out of his thoughts. He looked up from his desk to see what was going on. He remembered seeing something earlier about an eclipse happening soon. Was it supposed to happen today?
One of the students, a small and frail looking kid, was pointing to something in the front of the class. At first he didn't see anything. But then he saw a shimmer. It looked like heat waves coming from the ground in the summer time or in a desert.
What was that?
Before he could even finish the thought, the shimmer got bigger until it was the size of a person. It felt like things were going in slow motion for Alex as he watched it change from a shimmer to a sort of window? Like he could see another place through it. But it wasn't anywhere he had seen before.
Just then, with everyone's eyes focused on the shimmer, a person emerged from inside. He leapt from the shimmer and landed on one knee. Then to the horror of everyone present, there was a deep guttural roar that seemed to come from behind him. It was so loud it vibrated the entire room.
The man looked tired and sweaty. Like he had been running a marathon. He also had a slight amount of fear showing on his face, just enough for Alex to notice. Then just as fast as he appeared, the man reached out his right hand, like he was trying to grab something in front of him.
To everyone's confusion, another shimmer appeared in front of the man and he leapt through it. Just like that he was gone.
Alex had no time to think. He didn't know why but his legs started moving on their own. Like his subconscious knew something he didn't. Like this was his only chance to escape this world. But he had to go NOW!
His legs carried him halfway across the classroom. His eyes stuck to the shimmer like a laser pointer. It started to waver, to fade. It was going to close, he could feel it. Was he going to make it? Was he fast enough?
His mind didn't have enough time to process anything that was happening right now. His classmates screaming. They were all running too, just in the opposite direction. Mr. Martin shouted at him, his face turning blood red.
"Just where the hell do you think your going!? Stop this instant!"
Alex ignored him. He was getting pretty good at that. The shimmer shrunk in size the closer he got. Only two more steps and he would be through. He felt a wave of cold air push past him. It was freezing cold. Even the winters here where he grew up didn't get this cold. Then he leapt into the air just like the man had done before.
He went blind for a brief moment. He could only feel the cold wind. It was dark and cold and then all of a sudden it was way too bright. Then without any warning he landed on something soft. It took his eyes a moment to adjust but when they did he only saw white. He thought it was just still too bright but it was actually snow. A lot of it.
He was snow blind he thought. How was that even possible? What was that back there? He didn't know but he knew someone who did. The man from before was standing just ahead of him. Alex, who was on his hands and knees at this point, got to his feet.
The man was busy messing with something on his wrist and hadn't noticed him. Alex took a few hesitant steps forward and intended to get the mans attention but before he could the man turned and pointed his right hand at Alex. Even though the man didn't have anything in his hand, Alex still got a very threatening vibe from him.
He threw up his hands implying his surrender almost out of instinct.
"Who the hell are you? Where did you come from?" The man questioned with his arm still pointed at Alex.
"I just jumped through that...thing back there." Alex stammered.
"How did you...? From the last world. Yeah, that makes sense. You must be one of them." The man said thinking out loud. "Your a stowaway."
"Me? A stowaway? What does that even mean?" Alex questioned.
The man looked from Alex to the portal behind him. "Nobody should have been able to follow me through. Its a rare ability, I haven't seen anybody with it in my lifetime.
"Hey man, what is this place?" Alex said while looking around at the snow covered hills surrounding them on all sides.
The man kept fidgeting with some device on his wrist. "This here is your new home. So get used to it."
"Whoa whoa whoa, I cant stay here. Ill freeze to death in minutes!" He was already shivering, his clothes already frozen stiff.
"That's your fault for jumping in someone else's rift! I mean who does that?" The man couldn't believe his luck right now. Of all the times for something to happen it had to be now.