Cassie's life had never been simple. Born in Norwich in the UK, she'd lost her mother when she was nine and had been raised by her Grandad ever since. Even before then, sensations of events from the past had impinged on her life so much that they'd...
They were back down in the basement standing next to the portal that Cassie could feel but not see.
"Ok, hold my hand," Kay said. "Let's see where it leads."
"Don't you know?"
"Nope, they change every time."
"Do I have to hold your hand?"
"Yes, if you want to come out at exactly the same place and in the same time as me. Castle Mall is different – the whole place is a giant portal. Actually, I sometimes think it might even be several all mixed up together."
Kay tugged at Cassie's hand and there was a sensation – a feeling that Cassie could only describe to herself as 'shimmying' – a combination of movement, dizziness, a smell of electricity and a buzzing in the ears. It tugged them sideways and down. Then they arrived and the first thing that hit them was the smell.
"Jeez, shit," Cassie coughed.
"Quiet," Kay whispered, placing her hand over Cassie's mouth.
They were in a tiny room, no bigger than a toilet. Then Cassie realised that was exactly where they were, especially as her leg was resting against the pan, one that looked far from hygienic. Pale light came from thick glass bricks built into the ceiling above the cubicle. The door, which she noticed was covered in obscene graffiti, was shut but not locked. Kay flipped the lock to engaged as they heard the door slam in a cubicle somewhere to their left. The sound of trousers being dropped, of someone – definitely a man – coughing, was followed by a loud fart and a hefty deposit being made. The smell factor increased in intensity.
"We gotta get out of here," Cassie whispered. "I'm going to throw that hot dog back up if I stay much longer."
There were more footsteps outside the door.
"Not yet," Kay whispered back.
"Why?"
"It's a gents and, obviously, we're not. Also, there's two of us in a single toilet."
"I thought you said they can't see us?"
"Not quite. They don't notice us unless we're out of place or doing something unusual or noticeable. And two girls in a gents is asking for trouble."
Several cubicles along, their near neighbour continued with something a lot less solid and accompanied it with several groans. Kay unlocked the door, opening it a couple of inches to peer out while keeping her knee against it to prevent anyone coming in, not that there would be room for a third person. Further away they heard a chain being pulled, followed by a door banging, water splashing and, a few seconds later, the receding sound of footsteps ascending some steps.
"Now," Kay said.
She squeezed out the door. Holding her breath, Cassie inched out after her and, seeing the coast clear, chased after Kay. Her older self was already running up the steps that wound up into daylight and, thankfully, much more breathable air. Halfway up, blocking their exit, they encountered a man wearing a flat cap and a very surprised look on his face.
"Zo zorry," Kay said. "Miztake. We not from Eengaland."
Kay pushed past him and they came out into full sunshine.
"Hah," Cassie laughed. "That was a crap fake accent. Hey, it's warm again. And why is my hair turning frizzy?"
"Portals do that, amongst other interesting things."
Cassie looked around. To one side she could see a market but the stalls were tatty and run down. In the other direction old cars and a red double-decker bus passed in front of them. Beyond the road her eyes recognised the sight of Lloyds Bank even before she saw the words high up on the wall. Her eyes swung round to take in the Guildhall and City Hall.
"It's the Walk."
"Yes, the gents on Gentleman's Walk. C'mon, this way," Kay said, pointing towards the Guildhall. "Late 1960s I'd say by the look of things."
Kay set off at a brisk pace.
"Wait," Cassie said. "Where are we going and why?"
"To look for the next portal. Keep up."
They reached the green in front of the Guildhall when Cassie pulled at Kay's arm.
"Stop," she demanded. "No further until I get some answers. Proper answers. No crap this time."
"We could lose it."
"I don't give a flying monkey's bollocks about that," Cassie shouted. A family of four passing them turned their heads in Cassie's direction. "What the hell are you looking at? Piss off."
"Watch it," Kay hissed. "You're making us visible."
"Well, then. You'd better start telling me what's going on otherwise I'll give them a damn good reason to start noticing us."
They had a three second staring match. Kay was again the first to back down.
"Okay, okay. Just not here. Too much going on. Damn, you really are kicking off early this time." She paused for a second, then added. "Pottergate, the green at Saint Gregory's. That way."
"I know where it is," Cassie snapped back.
She followed Kay without a further word though much of her silence was more due to taking in the look of a city with which she thought she was familiar. Very few of the shops they passed were still present in 2018. Everything looked so ancient, yet it was also bright and new at the same time.
As they hit Pottergate she got her phone out of her bag to take pictures or maybe a video.
"Put that away," Kay whispered. "You'll get us noticed again."
"Could be worth a fortune when I get back."
"Don't even think about it. Over to the green. It feels like summer so it should be dry enough to sit on and be far enough away from anyone else."
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