Jordan Chase was unique from the beginning. Jordan was sixteen years old and intrigued with the idea of parallel realities, while most sixteen-year-olds were happy enough with video games and social media. Conspiracy publications, science fiction literature, and books on physics littered his room. All of that, though, was nothing compared to his infatuation with the dilapidated, deserted observatory outside of town.
The observatory was well-known. Strange lights and unsettling noises were reported by schoolchildren as coming from it at night. Jordan was certain that it held the secret to his beliefs regarding different realms, so he didn't care about the rumors.
Jordan made the decision to look into it one summer's night. He headed into the observatory with his notepad, some food, and his beloved flashlight. The collapsing building towered over him as he got closer, its fractured dome a silhouette against the starry sky.
The smell of old wood and dust pervaded the interior. With his flashlight beam bouncing off walls covered in old graffiti and peeling paint, Jordan made his way through the dimly lit hallways. When he came to the main chamber, the enormous telescope was there like a forlorn sentinel.
As he got closer to the control panel, a shiver went down his spine. With knobs and levers that appeared to belong in a museum, it gave off an old, vintage vibe. As Jordan started to fiddle with the controls, his fingers trembled with both excitement and anxiety. Something pushed him to keep going even though he had no idea what he was doing.
Abruptly the room was filled with a faint hum. The night sky became visible as the telescope sprang to life and the dome's roof cracked open. Jordan's pulse pounded. That was it. After adjusting the telescope, he pointed it in the direction of a constellation he had read about in a book. He looked through the lens and was engulfed in a dazzling light.
As the light went out, Jordan discovered himself in an area that was incomprehensible. Under his feet, there was an unearthly brilliance, while the sky overhead was a whirling ball of color. Unusual beings walked the terrain, their shapes fluctuating as though they were composed of liquid light.
"Where am I?" Jordan murmured, his voice resonating in this foreign, otherworldly setting.
A person walked over to him. It was a towering, humanoid creature with a calm countenance and bright eyes. It said, "You have crossed the edge of reality," in a voice that struck a chord with Jordan. Greetings from the Nexus.
"Nexus?" Jordan repeated himself, attempting to make sense of what was going on.
The entity said, "This is a hub of alternate realities, a place between worlds." "Your curiosity and determination have brought you here, but few are able to reach it."
Jordan's head was full of questions, but before he could say anything, the earth shook. The creature adopted a somber demeanor. If you don't go back to home planet, you can end up stuck here indefinitely.
Panic swept across Jordan. "How can I return?"
The creature reached out, and a light portal materialized next to him. "Go through, and you'll find yourself back where you belong. However, keep in mind that reality's edge is never far from you.
Jordan entered the gateway without thinking. He felt himself drawn down a tunnel of colors and sounds as the light engulfed him again. He was back in the observatory, laying on the cold, dusty floor, when he opened his eyes.
With the dome closed, the telescope remained silent. Everything was just the way it had been. Jordan sat up, his head spinning from what he had just gone through. Was it just a dream? He took a quick look at his notebook, which was suddenly filled with drawings and notes he couldn't recall writing.
Jordan was confident of one thing as he walked home from the observatory: he had passed the genuine edge of reality. He also had the impression that his journey was only getting started.