Portals Into/Mind Melt

Prologue: Portals Into

Everything was going to plan. But now I see that plan was unfinished. That, and flawed.

People go about their days, oblivious to what might be going on in the shadows. For example, you could be typing on a keyboard with a salary being the only thing on your mind while someone builds a doomsday device on the other side of the world. I, for one, have been working on what I was born to do: commit the impossible. I had the drive and brain. I made my own electricity so nothing on my parents’ bills would increase, forged metal wherever I could, studied until I collapsed, and it all led to this.

This...mess.

These people think they know what’s happening. I didn’t even think a skip between dimensions was possible, but here I am. Two arguing adults in the car seats in front of me, sitting in this unflattering dress in the body of an 8 year old girl.

I’m a 14 year old boy who’s just too invested in science. I just wanted to travel to a place where no one in my world could, and you can see it’s slapped me in the face.

I let out a quiet sigh, thinking: I need to implant my brainwaves into a better vessel next time.

It seemed the family was moving between houses. Too bad. The house I first appeared in seemed pretty comfortable.

“Okay, sweetie.” The woman said.
Great.

“I know you might get bored on the trip there, but it’ll be over before you know it.”

“You can just call me by my name, mommy.” As immature as it sounded coming out of my mouth, I didn’t want to seem suspicious. At least the young girl's voice this vessel came with helped a lot.

“Oh, Agatha. You are a gem of a child.”

Agatha. It seems that was the vessel’s name. It was better than something worse, but it’s just so odd to be in this form. Long brown hair, feeling 3 feet tall. Tiny and powerless.

The vessel’s true self, in a way, has been pushed to the side. She’s still there, just not now.
I used to be self conscious, but I’m starting to miss being taller than most my age with a stature
mature as ever. Now I’m stuck as a miniscule, lisping child.

Despite that, I was smart beyond my years, one form or the other, and with the age I’ve got now, there’s a ton I can say and do with no consequence. Looking in the front mirror of the car, I could tell I was cute, too. I smirked and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up in the same car, in front of a house with peeling paint and vines creeping up the sides of the house. Small, purple flowers blossomed at the tips.

“Asystasia gangetica.” I said quietly. That’ll brighten things up.

Stepping into the secluded place, I inhaled the musty air, choking back a cough.

“Go explore the house sweetie, you can find your new bedroom.”

“Alright daddy.”

Following the father’s suggestion, I ventured through the halls, finally getting a
good moment of isolation from those two. They need a divorce. My small feet padded against the wood.

“This place is an odd choice for a home,'' I muttered. I could get lost in here, everything seemed so big and tall. I walked down the hallway, turning left at a
random door. I glanced around, and gasped quietly.

Three tears in the world’s fabric, each one against the walls of the empty room.

How strange, I thought. I didn’t think anyone else would try and succeed without dying.

As those words left my head, I saw a pile of rubble and red-brown stains on the wall.

“Oh.” They did die.

I sighed and hung my head, tired of the stupid situation I had
gotten myself into. At the very least, I was away from those two for a second. I whispered to myself, “Please, just let me go home...”

I heard loud noises, similar to an electric shock, and turned my head up in surprise. The portals had shown a path to a familiar basement with a busted machine and my unconscious body on the floor.

“Well, isn’t that splendid.” I stepped through one portal, and with a great flash, I was
awake.

I gasped as if I had just come up from spending three minutes with my head underwater. I can’t believe what I just did, in every single sense possible. “N-nope! No! Never again, I’m leaving!” I stammered in my usual voice. I pulled the wired pads off of my head, hurrying up the stairs.

Maybe I should just be a normal adolescent for once in my life.