back through
You come out through the portal to what appears to be a slightly disappointed crowd. Yet, behind masks and panes of glass, it's hard to truly gauge anyone's sincere reaction. When asked to explain what happened, you find yourself unwilling to explain the strange, alien world, trying your hardest to not entertain their disappointment and possible regret of choosing you as a test subject by giving them a cockamamie story.
According to your fellow scientists, only a few seconds had passed between your entrance and your exit. You play dumb when asked about your experience inside the portal. You decide that if they choose another test subject, you can begin to remember your experiences should another test subject see what you saw.
You're placed into a light quarantine, in reality an on-site apartment with amenities and a call-button for an emergency team. You are left alone with a few books and a cot. You've been here before, these same rooms are often used for on-call scientists or anyone on a team during crunch time. You've read through these books before, a few romance books and a worn copy of The Two Towers, suspiciously absent from its sequel and predecessor. You decide to crack open The Two Towers to pass the time.
Written by Martin Prance on 07 February 2016
