Doorways to Everywhere (Tourist Trap Book 2)

Chapter 1

“That’s… tragic,” Sarah said with a puzzled expression on her face.

“It certainly was.  Now I have difficulty believing in anything.  It’s hard to have great faith when everything around you might disappear into a puff of smoke at any moment.  I do find it makes me particularly suited for the mad science industry, however.”

“Wait a minute, I’ve heard you express belief in things before.  I know I have.  You believe in your scientific theories, don’t you?”

“Yes, I have tossed the word ‘belief’ around rather casually from time to time,” Dr. Octavius agreed.  “But that’s not to say I hold anything as absolute.  I find it’s easiest to accept my current reality, whatever it may be, and work within it.  After all, it doesn’t do you any good to question everything all the time.  You’d never get anything accomplished that way.  No, I much prefer to accept my interpretation of what’s going on around me as real and carry on with life.  Although I am very aware that reality could change drastically at any given second.  You should know that, Sarah.  You’ve traveled to another dimension.”

“That’s true,” she said.  “But I didn’t just imagine Quartzwater City, did I?”

“Who’s to say you didn’t?” Dr. Octavius shrugged.  “Who’s to say you’re not imagining this moment right now?  After all, given sufficient time the universe will eventually implode upon itself and everything within it will be gone.  After that who’ll be around to say that it ever existed in the first place?  Unless you believe in a higher power.”

“Do you?” Sarah asked.

“Actually I do,” Dr. Octavius smiled.  “But of course, it could just be another figment of my imagination.”

“This is all very ‘existential’ and whatnot,” a strangely familiar voice said from the open door behind them.  “But I’m afraid Quartzwater City is very real and in need of your services immediately.” 

Sarah turned around to see a human-sized green toad in a loud Hawaiian shirt standing in the doorway.  Oddly enough, he also appeared to be dripping wet.

“Max!” she shouted in disbelief.  “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I was sent here to fetch Dr. Octavius,” Max said as he strutted into the room confidently.  “Jeez, what a fuckin’ dump.  I figured you’d be living in the lap of luxury with your intellectual prowess, Doc.”

“Why are you wet?” Sarah asked.  “Did you get caught in the same storm that hit here?”

“Storm?  What storm?” Max asked.  “No, I just took the old pond-to-septic-tank passageway to get here.  It seems to have left me a little damp.  You got a towel around this joint, Doc?”

“Yes, I believe I do,” Dr. Octavius said as he offered forth a ratty old blue cloth.  “Who sent you to fetch me?”

“Oh, you know, your scientist buddies,” Max replied as he hastily patted himself down.  “They’ve got a problem that’s baffling them and they figured you were the only one who might know how to solve it.”

“What’s the problem?” 

“Well, it seems some strange and mysterious force is slowly causing the color green to disappear.  The process is so slow that it was barely noticed at first, but now it’s spread enough as to have caught the attention of the scientific community.  Being of the emerald persuasion myself, you can see whereas this is somewhat of a concern to me as well.  That’s why I volunteered to come get you.  Now let’s be on our way, chop chop.  No time to lose.”

“I’m afraid we won’t be able to do that,” Dr. Octavius said.

“What?” Max sputtered.  “What do you mean?  This is no joking matter!  I’m in very real danger of losing my beautiful hue if we don’t hurry!”