There were dark billowy clouds suspended in the air. The thunder in the distance rumbled lightly, a forewarning to the storm that was to come. Traffic that day, in Sampson, Georgia was heavy. Two accidents kept the bus that Edward Simon had taken parked in front of a crumbling antique shop, aptly named Crumbler's Antiques and More.
He groaned and checked his watch. Almost time for work. And he would be late if this giant rust bucket didn't get a move on. Edward huffed, the blond shaggy mop atop his head rising and falling with his breath.
The cars outside continued to honk their horns, causing Edward to cringe as though the noise was steadily growing louder. He tugged at the string, alerting the driver that he wanted to escape the bus. Once the double doors open, Edward made a dash for Crumbler's Antiques and More.
Once inside the decayed looking building, Edward coughed and waved his hand. Even without being disturbed, dust managed to filter its way into his lungs.
“Welcome, welcome!”
The voice echoed against the high ceiling and the withered frame of an old man emerged from a room with the door marked with a “Private” sign. He kept a pair of black rimmed glasses pushed up on his nose. His hair was messy and ghost white and his eyes an icy hue of blue. He reached a gnarled hand out to Edward. “Richard Crumbler, welcome to my establishment.” He seemed cheery and Edward rolled his eyes in response.
“I'm Edward. Edward Simon,” he replied as he took a step forward, “So uhh...you sell antiques?”
“Aye. That's what the sign outside my shop says. Or are you too lazy to read?”
The corner of Edward's mouth curled into a smirk as he watched the older man return to the ancient cash register. Well Richard Crumbler was witty despite his age. How interesting. “Have a look around. I don't get many folks this time of day. So look. Enjoy.” Richard waved his withered hand toward the merchandise that looked to be older than Richard Crumbler and the building combined.
Edward walked forward, his bright blue eyes looking over each piece of furniture and leather bound book carefully. “What else do you have in here besides furniture or books, Mr. Crumbler?”
There was a momentary silence before Richard even bothered to reply. “Check the bin in the back. Interesting things in there, my boy.”
“The bin in the back”, as so affectionately called by Mr. Crumbler, held an innumerable amount of items, most of which appeared to be nothing more than bits of junk haphazardly attached to other bits of junk. Edward grunted, the metal side of the bin pressing into his midsection as he dug deeper.
After being stabbed by something sharp and promptly shoving said injured finger into his mouth, Edward emerged with a hand mirror, it's glass carefully and meticulously wrapped in brown paper and tied in the middle with a silver string. “Hey Mr. Crumbler, what's up with this thing?” Edward asked, returning to the front of the store with the mirror in tow. “That would be a hand mirror, Edward,” Mr. Crumbler replied in a very matter of fact tone.
“I know that. Why was it down in the bin?” Edward's fingers idly play with the string as he waits for Mr. Crumbler to respond.
“That mirror's been here since my Grandfather opened this shop. No one has ever bought it. Thing's ugly as sin. Unwrap it and have a looksee for yourself.”
Edward paused momentarily, his fingers grasping the silver string. He glanced up at Mr. Crumbler who seemed just as anxious for Edward to unwrap the mirror. It was as though it was Christmastime and the two of them were awaiting the first present to be opened.
With one final tug, the string fluttered to the floor. He took his time carefully removing the brown paper. Finally in full view of both men was the mirror claimed to be ugly as sin. The only flaw Edward could see was a knick in the mirror's frame. It was silver, much like the string that once bound the glass. Twisted about the frame's edge was a rose pattern with accompanying thorns. Two roses met and twisted together where the base of the mirror attached to the handle.
The glass was crystal clear and nestled securely into the silver frame. Edward held the mirror up and grinned a rather goofy grin at his reflection. He tilted it toward the dim light and smiled again. “How much? My mom'll like this. Her birthday's coming up.”
“Well,” Mr. Crumbler started and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “Granddad said not to let it go for anything less that fifty. But I like you Mr. Edward Simon. So I'll sell it to you for twenty-five.”
Edward reached into his pocket, fished out a few crumpled bills, a stick of gum, and a paperclip. “I've got...fifteen and some Trident...?”
“That'll do. Enjoy.” Mr. Crumbler smiled as Edward placed the money on the counter. “Just remember what they say, Mr. Edward Simon: It's quite bad luck to have two mirrors facing each other.” His withered hand swiped the money up before Edward could blink and in mere moments, Mr. Crumbler had retreated to the safety of the “Private” room.
Edward shrugged. He had no time to contemplate that silly old man and his ramblings. He had to return to his apartment and wrap his mother's gift.
Edward's apartment was not much to look at it. It was advertised as a studio apartment, though its tenant classified it as a dump with big, old windows. He kicked his shoes off underneath the recycled coat rack and headed for the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee. He placed the mirror on the counter, next to his instant coffeemaker. “It's quite bad luck to have two mirrors facing each other.” Edward mocked Mr. Crumbler. What had brought on that tidbit of advice anyway? It's not as though Edward spent his days making sure two mirrors were not facing each other.
Besides, Edward was not of the superstitious sort. And to prove this point, he took the hand mirror and headed for the bathroom. “Two mirrors facing each other...” His voice trailed off and he held the hand mirror up. The light filtering into the room glistened against the hand mirror's glass before it steadily grew brighter. Edward dropped the mirror, his hands drawing up to shield his eyes. It felt as though something had yanked the floor right from beneath his feet and as he fell back, in that moment, everything became dark.
The surface Edward landed on was solid, hard and felt prickly. It was strange. He was expecting to feel the fuzz of his bath rug. He curled his fingers in an attempt to find out just what it was he had landed in. It was...grass! Plain old ordinary grass. Edward sat up and blinked. There were trees all around and Edward easily deduced that he was no longer in Sampson, Georgia. But just where he had landed was anyone's guess.
Edward managed to get to his feet only to be knocked over by the full force of a body colliding with him. “Hey! Move it!” The frantic voice called. He shook his head and trailed his eyes up the naked torso of a young man with...blue hair. Well, Edward thought, I'm certainly not in Sampson anymore.
“Well stop gawkin'! Let's go!” The stranger reached for Edward's hand and yanked him off with him. There was a series of voices followed by thundering footsteps as the stranger pulled Edward out of sight. “Quiet,” he hissed.
The burly assailants passed by and the blue-haired stranger whirled around, putting his fist on his naked hip. “You're not from around here, are you?” he asked.
“Gee was it that obvious?”
His green eyes look Edward up and down before sticking out his hand for Edward to shake. “The name's Torrin. Who are you, Stranger?”
“Edward.” He took Torrin's hand and shook it briefly before dropping his hand by his side. “Where are we?”
“Sayt Woods,” Torrin replied as he scratched his chest.
Edward blinked before shielding his eyes, realization finally dawning on him that this strange man was stark naked, “Like I know where that is. Anyway, I think the more pressing question is: why are you naked?”
Torrin threw his head back and laughed. “Well that, my friend, comes from me losing a bet.”
Edward snorts before removing the thin jacket he wore, “Well my friend do us both a favor and cover up, yeah?”
Torrin catches the jacket and puts it on properly. It wasn't exactly what Edward had in mind and he winces at the sound of the fabric tearing. Torrin's frame was actually much larger and his shoulders broader than Edward's and putting on that jacket was putting an obvious strain on the fabric. But he supposed it would do until they reached a town.
“Come on, it's dangerous to hang out 'round here when those friendly gentlemen are so hot on my trail. Let's catch the ferry to Loet.”
Edward did little to mask his confusion. “Loet?” He picked up his pace to catch up with Torrin as the dirt path they followed winded further into the woods.
Torrin casts a sideways glance at Edward as they continued down the path. “Well then, I take it you're not from Em'kely. So where are you from, Edward right?”
Edward nodded, brushes his blonde bangs from his eyes. “I'm from Sampson. Georgia.”
“Huh. Never heard of it.”
Edward chuckled. “Not surprised. Sampson's not exactly a bustling city. So what state is Em'kely in?” he twisted his mouth as he attempted to pronounce the name and he was almost certain he still didn't say it correctly.
Torrin arches a brow and gives Edward another curious look. “Em'kely's not in any “state”. It's a country.”
Edward stopped dead in his tracks as Torrin's words began to sink in. “Country? How the hell can it be a country? I've never heard of any “Em'kely”!”
Torrin turned to look at Edward. “I'll show you a map when we get to the ferry. Come on. It's gettin' dark and my sister doesn't like it when I'm late for dinner.” He motioned with his arm for his companion to follow and continued on down the path.
Edward stood silent for a moment. Just where was he? How in the world did he get there? And more importantly, was there anyway to get back?
The dock they had reached was teeming with life. People making ticket purchases. Families and friends parting ways. Edward took a moment to watch the scene. He had never seen anything like this before. The people were all dressed so strangely, the women in dresses and men in brightly colored tunics and leggings. And Edward felt horribly out of place, even with naked Torrin by his side.
“I don't have any money to buy tickets. So we're gonna have to sneak on.” Torrin interrupted Edward's revere, “And once we get to Loet, we'll get you some decent clothes.”
Edward noticed the curl of Torrin's lip as he said this and this caused Edward to roll his eyes. “At least I'm not naked,” he muttered.
Torrin slipped out of sight of the dock patrol and crouched low as he made his way behind the ferry so dubbed the “S.S. Lipsi.”
“Torrin?” Edward hissed as he followed, “What are you doing?”
Torrin shrugged as he took several steps back and leaped onto the deck of the boat. “Takin the ferry. Come on. Before it shoves off.”
Edward shot straight up, his blue eyes look around frantically. Torrin actually expected him to jump onto the deck of the boat. “Are you serious?! I can't make that.”
“Yeah if the boat is not anywhere near the dock! Hurry up! Just run and jump!” Torrin began waving his arms frantically. “HURRY!”
Edward took one final uncertain look around the dock before taking off and leaping from the dock to the boat. He landed against the boat's side with a grunt, his arms grasping desperately in an attempt to hoist himself up. “Torrin,” he grunted again and his eyes grew large when he felt the tug of the current pulling him down, “A little help if you don't mind.”
Torrin chuckled as he pulls Edward onto the deck and shakes his head as Edward sits on heels of his feet and attempted to catch his breath.
“Don't tell me you've never done that before,” said Torrin with a light laugh.
“I've never had to!” Edward looked up at Torrin from where he sat before standing up and rubbing his arms. He could tell then he was going to be sore in the morning.
“Come on. To show you that map. And for me to grab some clothes.” Torrin motioned for Edward to follow him once again. The people on the deck whispered behind their hands about the naked boy and his companion in the strange clothing. It caused Edward to twist his mouth in response.
They were below deck soon and Torrin was dressed even sooner. He turned to Edward with a grin before nodding his head toward the wall where a large tapestry hanged. Edward's blue eyes studied the map. There was no sign of the United States or Europe. Or any of the other familiar continents. Just where was he?
“Torrin?”
He grunted in response. “Yeah?”
“Where am I?”
“Didn't we already have this conversation?” Torrin asked as he settled on the floor and clasped his hands behind his head. “You're in Em'kely. And we're headin' to Loet.” He paused for a moment and opened one eye to look at Edward. “Though I'm surprised the border patrol let you through.”
“I never passed through a border patrol.” Edward sat next to Torrin and sighs. “I just kinda woke up and here I was. Then you collided with my back.”
Torrin shrugged his shoulders and yawned. “Well that's for the best then. Rience's got the border patrol on strict orders not to let anyone in or out. You'da been killed on sight.”
Edward looked at Torrin and blinked rapidly. “Rience?”
Torrin sat up completely then, his face looked surprised. “You don't know Rience? Are you from another planet or something?”
Edward looked down at his hands and sighed. “I...it feels like it.” He rubbed his hands against his jeans and looked over at Torrin. “Who is this Rience guy?”
“The dictator. He rules everything with an iron fist under this pretense that he's such a nice guy. But don't let that fool you. He's dangerous. And you don't wanna mess with him. It's best to just blend in around here. You don't want him to notice you.”
Edward shifted uncomfortably where he sat and glanced at Torrin when he spoke again.