Vanish (ONC Finalist)

13. Brothers

"Your brother!" Aled stared back at Marius, horrified. "Your own brother had your eyes sewn shut and left you to die underground?"

"Well, half-brother to be exact. We shared the same father but our mothers were different people." Marius narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps you're my brother, too."

Revolted by the mere thought, his feelings toward Marius—embryonic as they were—felt far from brotherly, Aled protested hotly.

"That's impossible!"

"I don't know... It makes more sense to me than having a 'double'. You and Dax could be twins," Marius persisted.

"No, we couldn't, don't think that for even a second! I couldn't possibly be Dax's twin because I was born on another world. I'm not your damn brother, Marius."

Marius stared. Then his face twisted. "Another world? That's crazy talk. What happened to you? Are you ill, did you hit your head, Dax?"

"For the last time! I am not Dax!" Aled was almost shouting, desperate for Marius to believe him. "My name is Aled Rhys and I'm from a world called Earth. I've been here on your world, whatever it's called, for less than a day!"

"Really? How did you get here?" asked Marius, sceptically. "A ship sailing through space? A flying wagon? Where is it?"

"No, not a spaceship," answered Aled, more quietly. "I came through a portal, a door between worlds. It was like a black tunnel connecting my apartment to this place. I came out in the middle of a large outcrop of granite boulders a few hundred metres from here. I can show you the spot, but I don't know if the portal will still be there."

"Hmph. I'm sure it won't!" Marius folded his arms tightly across his broad chest and glared at Aled. "This is the craziest story I've ever heard. Surely you don't expect me to believe any of it?"

Aled shrugged. "I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me. My clothes are not the same as yours. You've seen my torch. I have other equipment I can show you which I'm betting you've never seen before." He took his First Aid kit out and opened the lid, showing Marius the contents. "Scissors, antiseptic, medicines. This is what I used to treat your eyes. Have you seen anything like this before?" Marius looked warily at the strange contents but said nothing.

"You've already noticed I talk differently, too, even though we speak the same language," continued Aled. "Maybe our worlds diverged at some point in the past, or maybe they've always been parallel." He shrugged, and smiled wryly at Marius' look of confusion. "Putting it more simply, I'm guessing our two worlds are distinct, but linked in some way. I don't understand how."

"You sound as if you really believe all that," Marius was slowly shaking his head, "but it still sounds crazy to me." He stared again at Aled's uniform, the olive green jacket and trousers—so different from his own homespun woollen garments. Not to mention the heavy boots and utility belt filled with strange treasures.

He sighed. "I suppose we might as well go and look at this outcrop and see what we can find there. I'm not saying I believe this story of yours, mind, but it won't hurt to have a look. At the least, I should be able to climb up and get some idea of where we are."

"All right," agreed Aled. Perhaps the portal had reappeared in his absence. He had no idea how it worked. Was it a regular phenomenon, subject to some pattern of behaviour he didn't understand, or totally random, a one-off event?

He got a small jolt as he realised how absorbed he'd become with the dramas of this world. He'd been focussing entirely on Marius and his problems, not thinking once about getting home. Why in heaven's name was he worrying about what Marius thought of him? Aled might think Marius was the hottest thing since sliced bread but their relationship was hardly going to go anywhere.

He, Aled, needed to return home. He had responsibilities back on Earth. Thank heavens he had no pets in his apartment, depending on him for survival, but his family would—eventually—worry if he disappeared without a word, not to mention the fact that he was due back on base at 1800 sharp. If he thought Marius was sceptical he could just imaging the reaction if he tried to explain his unauthorised absence to the base commander. He'd probably be slapped into a cell for insubordination. That, or marched off to see a psychiatrist!

On the other hand, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He had no control over the portal. Unless, or until, the portal reappeared, he was stuck here.

He crossed over to the pool and refilled his canteen. Wherever they went, they would need water.

He turned back and caught Marius examining the makeshift rope 'ladder' with interest. "This is what we climbed down?" he asked. "It seems too light to take my weight."

"Yep, it's stronger than it looks. It's synthetic, that is, a man-made material, called polyester."

Marius looked at him uncertainly, but Aled gave no further explanation, leaving Marius to mull over things for himself.

"Right, let's get out of here." Aled climbed quickly up the rope and stood still for a moment on the surface, soaking in the warmth of the sun. He hadn't realised until then how cool it was underground. He waited for Marius to clamber out of the cave then headed off at a brisk pace in the direction of the granite boulders.

He thought the chances of the portal just happening to reappear when they arrived, were slim, but what if they weren't? What if the portal was there, the black circle pulsing with energy? He wished he knew more about it. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he could say with certainty that the portal would be there every Friday at 1400, for example, regular as clockwork. Then he could ask Marius to go back to Earth with him, just for the adventure of it. He daydreamed as he walked, thinking of all the marvels he would show him, cars, skyscrapers, shops. Marius could stay with him in his apartment and they could watch movies together, share a meal...

He stumbled over a rock and brought himself up short. He was being an idiot, he didn't even know if Marius was gay or straight, not to mention the fact that he was immersed in his own troubles here. Marius wouldn't have time to swan off to Earth, whether he wanted to or not.

No, fantasies aside, Aled knew perfectly well if the portal was there, he'd have to go through it immediately, alone. He couldn't take the risk of having either of them stranded in an alien world.