Snuggled up all cozy and warm in Beatrix's bed, I stretched my limbs out, momentarily forgetting the turmoil that surrounded my life. For a brief moment, I revelled in the blissful ignorance of sleep, where the complexities of my world didn't exist. But as my eyes opened and slowly adjusted to the daylight in the room, reality came crashing back. Beatrix's bed, my mind registered, a stark reminder that I wasn't in my own room. My father had refused to let me stay in my house, and the unsettling truth that Beatrix hadn't come home at all last night lingered heavily in the air.

Glancing at the time, "Shit, it's almost ten," I muttered to myself. A sense of urgency flickered within me, unsure why I was suddenly concerned about the time. It's not like I have anywhere else to be today, I reasoned, trying to shake off the feeling. My laziness was encouraged by the light snore of Snowflake who lay on the blanket, curled up comfortably between my feet. Her peacefulness was a stark contrast to my inner restlessness.

Suddenly, the bedroom burst into a spectacle of rainbow colours, sparking as electrical swirls collided. It was a sight both beautiful and alarming. Snowflake, startled by the sudden intrusion, swiftly jumped from the bed and found hidden safety beneath it. My heart raced as I watched, frozen in surprise and apprehension.

A young man walked through the wall, his dark olive skin a sharp contrast to the bright swirls of colour that surrounded him. The sight was surreal, like something out of a dream. The Portal soon closed behind him, the vibrant colours fading away as quickly as they had appeared, leaving the room looking ordinary once again.

"You must be Gladys," the man assumed, his eyes narrowing as he studied me carefully. There was a cautious curiosity in his gaze, a measured assessment that put me on edge.

I nodded silently, my response a mere whisper of movement. My knuckles began to turn white as I gripped the blanket tight, pulling it closer under my chin like a shield. The fabric provided a small sense of security in the face of this unknown and unexpected visitor.

The man took a few steps toward me. With each step, cold shivers ran down my spine, an instinctual response to the potential danger he represented. I unconsciously pulled backwards as he approached, my mind racing with possibilities and warnings. This man could be connected to the incident at my house, I cautioned myself, the thought adding to my apprehension.

"I'm Leigh," he said, his voice calm, keeping his arms low and palms up in a gesture that showed he was unarmed. "I mean you no harm."

"How... how do you know who I am?" I managed to ask, my voice quivering as I battled to find it amidst the fear.

"I know your sister," Leigh replied, his answer both a relief and a new source of questions.

"Beatrix?"

"Yeah. You know she's a Guardian?" There was a hint of underlying urgency in his question.

"I know," I acknowledged softly.

"Have you seen her recently?" Leigh asked, his hand slipping into his trouser pocket in a casual, yet slightly unsettling gesture.

I shook my head. "No. I haven't seen her for a few days." The admission felt heavy, laden with concern for my sister's safety.

Leigh's lips pursed tightly, his expression turning more serious, more worried.

"Why are you looking for her? How do you know her?" The questions began to spill effortlessly from my parched lips.

Leigh's face softened, his demeanour shifting to one of reluctant openness. "She's been helping me with something," he said, simply.

"Helping you with what?" I asked, my head tilting curiously.

"That's between Beatrix and I. It's important work though. Dangerous too." His words were guarded, a clear indication that whatever Beatrix was involved in with Leigh, it was a matter of serious concern.

I frowned, unimpressed that this stranger would taunt me with half-answers and vague implications. “Where are you from?” I asked, curiosity piqued by his thick accent, seeking any fragment of understanding in this bewildering encounter.

“I was born in Egypt. That’s where I became a Guardian,” Leigh replied, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia.

I gasped softly, taken aback. “You’re a long way from home.” The concept of someone being a Guardian, let alone from a place as historically rich and mysterious as Egypt, added layers to the already complex tapestry of this new world I was entangled in.

A sad shadow seemed to cast itself across Leigh’s face, his features sagging slightly, worry lines etching deeply across his brow. “I’ve been a Guardian for so long now, I’m not really sure where home is anymore,” he confessed.

His response didn’t surprise me, really. It made me think about how dramatically my own life had changed since becoming aware of the existence of Guardians. Luke and my sister are now Guardians, my best friend is trapped in an unknown world, and my fur babies have been separated. And then there’s all the death, I frowned deeply. So many deaths already.

“It’s so tragic,” I murmured softly, the words slipping out unintentionally, a verbal reflection of my internal grief.

“I guess it can be,” agreed Leigh, his acknowledgment a small comfort in our shared understanding of the grim realities of a Guardian’s life. “Anyway,” he continued, his energy lifting slightly as his tone rose. “It’s a good thing I’ve found you here.”

My brow furrowed in confusion. “Why?”

“I believe I have something of yours,” said Leigh, a hint of mystery in his voice. He reached back into his trouser pocket and revealed a small device. The sight of it struck me with a mix of shock and recognition.

“A Portal Key,” I said as I gasped, my heart racing at the sight of the familiar object.

Stepping closer, Leigh offered it to me. Speaking softly, he added, “I’m certain Cody wanted you to have this.” His words, delivered with a gentle solemnity, were like a key unlocking a flood of emotions.

My eyes began to sting, a physical reaction to the tumultuous storm of emotions brewing inside me. My thoughts quickly shifted from Cody to the wreckage of my house. A heat enveloped my body as my blood began to boil with rage. "Where did you get that?" I seethed, my voice laced with accusation, clearly suspecting Leigh as the culprit of my burgled house.

"Charlie Claiborne," replied Leigh, his answer simple yet laden with implications.

"Huh?" I said, my voice a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Sergeant Charlie Claiborne?" I needed to clarify, to make sure I had heard him correctly.

"Yes."

"What... how did...?" I stammered, struggling to process this information.

Leigh paused, his eyes closing briefly as if gathering his thoughts before speaking. "Charlie took the Portal Key from your house and then he gave it to me," he revealed, his gaze locked on mine, unflinching and earnest.

Whether or not Leigh was telling the truth, I decided that I was safer not to press the matter. With as much confidence as I could muster, I took the Portal Key from Leigh's hand. My action was more of a terrified snatch than the gracious acceptance I had intended. In contemplative silence, I sat twirling the device between my fingers, staring at it intently.

Leigh's weight shifted loudly between his feet, breaking the silence. "I need to be off now," he announced, reigniting the bedroom wall with the Portal's magnificence. The colours danced and swirled, creating a mesmerising spectacle. I watched as Leigh stepped toward the vibrant portal. He stopped and turned back to me, adding, "Just slide your finger across the small button on the end of the device to activate it. I'm sure Cody will fill you in on the rest."

My heart sank, and my face flashed cold with the harsh reality. "Cody's dead," I blurted out.

Leigh paused momentarily, his expression reflecting a brief flicker of sorrow. "I'm very sorry for your loss," he said, his voice carrying a note of genuine sympathy. Then, with those final words, he disappeared into the Portal, and the wall went dark once more.

What the hell! My mind screamed at the blank wall where Leigh had just vanished. Why did he leave me? Why didn't he ask what happened? Does he not care? The questions swarmed my brain like obnoxious flies, relentless and maddening. Every attempt to swat one question away seemed to only breed another two, creating a relentless buzz of confusion and frustration in my head.

Snowflake! My dear fur baby suddenly sprang to mind, her safety now paramount. Crouching on the floor, my ear pressed into the floorboards as I looked under the bed, "Snowflake?" I called out, my voice laced with worry. There was no sign of her. "Snowflake!" I called again, my voice escalating into a plea of desperation as I shoved aside an assortment of boxes scattered beneath the bed in a frantic search. "Shit!" I mumbled, feeling a rush of panic as I collected myself off the floor.

"Snowflake, where the heck are you?" I hissed, my eyes frantically scanning the room. Each sweep across the room only served to heighten my anxiety, the search for missing Snowflake proving unsuccessful.

My heart thumped against my ribcage, a heavy, foreboding rhythm that matched the pounding in my skull. I stared in wide-eyed terror at the wall through which Leigh had disappeared, the reality of the situation sinking in. My eyes began to sting with the threat of tears. "Not my beloved Snowflake," I wailed, the anguish in my voice palpable as I wiped the first hot tear from my cheek with the back of my hand.

The loss, the uncertainty, the fear - it all converged in that moment, overwhelming me with a sense of helplessness. Snowflake, my constant companion in a world that was rapidly becoming unrecognisable, was missing. Her absence was more than just a loss; it was a symbol of everything that was unravelling around me.

The wine bottle stared at me from atop Beatrix’s dresser. The emotions swirled within me like a whirlpool, each one sucking the life from me, leaving me feeling empty and desolate. I snatched the bottle and took several gulps, the liquid burning a path down my throat. You've got nothing left to lose, Gladys, a soft voice whispered in my mind, a siren call to surrender to the inevitable.

Caving to the voice and seduced by the wine, I resolved to let one of my fur babies know that their mother was still there for them. I needed to hold onto something, anything, that felt real. Taking the Portal Key from where I'd thrown it onto the bed, I followed Leigh's simple instruction. My movements felt automatic, detached, as if I were watching myself from afar. I pointed the device at the traitorous wall and slid my index finger over the small button on the end of the Portal Key. A small prick in my finger drew blood, a sharp sting that felt oddly grounding. Within milliseconds, a small, bright ball of energy shot from the end of the Portal Key and exploded against the blank wall in waves of buzzing colours. The display was mesmerising, a dance of light that seemed to defy the laws of nature.

Just do it, Gladys, the wine bottle that dangled from my left hand seemed to urge me. "I'm sorry, Beatrix," I whispered, the words a farewell to my sister, knowing that the next step would divide us. With a mixture of fear, determination, and the irrational courage provided by the wine, I walked through the Portal.

As I stepped into the bright colours, the bedroom light dimmed to a cold darkness behind me. An emotionless voice spoke, not an audible sound but a presence that I could feel and understand in my mind. "Welcome to Clivilius, Gladys Cramer," the voice said, its tone devoid of warmth.