LEA

"Chance!" I scream, firing my pistol point blank at the flying dog. Its snarl turned into a high pitch howl, which silenced with my second shot. A couple more shots later, and the only living things were me, and hopefully Chance.

I shove my gun into my belt and dart over to Chance. The tiger had bitten around his neck, although it didn't look like his fangs went very deep. Blood was gushing from the wound, and my head went dizzy. Not a good time to pass out.

I ripped off my jacket, pressing it tightly on the wound. Blood soaked into it, but after a few moments the flow slowed, and then stopped. Tentatively, I removed the jacket, just in time to see black smoke, pictured on his skin, contract and disappear where the wound should have been.

I stare, stunned, until my own injuries catch up to me, and my vision blacks out for a second. I see Chance stir slightly, and then blackness comes upon me again. This time, I don't wake up immediately.

I wake up on a couch, with a blanket over me. It feels like a pleasant dream that I don't want to wake up from. Then my nerves start to send me messages, telling me that I'm hurting almost everywhere. They also tell me, though, that all my wounds are bandaged up, and hurt less than they should.

I open my mouth, taking a shuddering breath in. I force my eyes to open, and look around at my surroundings. Chance is sleeping on a single person chair, his hand propping up his face.

I want to move, but realize I don't think I can at the moment. Eventually, I just shut my eyes again, drifting into sleep.

When I wake up again, it's to the sounds of banging dishes. I open my eyes much more easily this time, and with some difficulty flip back the blanket. I swing my bare feet off the couch, and they touch down on the carpet.

"Lea?" Chance's voice is so quiet and full of concern that I don't think it's him for a second. I hear a plate being set down, and see him coming over to me.

"Draxlir, are you okay? You grexling scared me."

I shake my head, trying to clear it. "Did I... hear you right?" I mumble, finger combing my own hair. I must have misheard him, or something.

"Sorry." Chance says, and some of the tension on his face relaxes.

I decide not to press it. "What happened? Why didn't the portal work?"

Chance answers immediately, and clearly. "When I woke up, you were unconscious, bleeding out on the road. I got you to the nearest house and tried to stop the bleeding."

I feel slightly dizzy, and shut my eyes. When I reopen them, Chance still looks concerned.

"Why didn't the portal work?"

"I... I couldn't focus." He rubs his face with his hand, and when he looks up, he looks different.

I nod to try and cover my disappointment. "We can try again later. Find something to help you focus."

Chance frowns, and folds his hands. He stares determinedly then. "Lea, I don't think I can try again."

I stand up from the couch. "I know you can, Chance. You just need to focus. Don't worry about me. Maybe we can attract only one monster. It'll be easier."

Chance stands up too, already shaking his head. His jaw is locked, and he won't meet my eyes.

"I know you can do it." I move in front of him, and for a second his eyes meet mine.

"I know I can do it, too." Chance snaps, and the little blue that is left in his eyes disappears completely. I stare at him.

"Then we can get home." I speak slowly, confusion welling up inside of him. "We can get to the real world, Chance!"

"We are in the real world!" Chance's tone gets louder and angrier with each word. "Everyone else is in the dimension."

I'm stunned into silence, and the next question I ask comes out with difficulty. "How do you know that? How do you know so much about the dimensions?" With the surprise, suspicion comes in. Following closely on their heels is anger.

Chance doesn't answer, and my tone gets harder. "Chance, answer me."

"Because I did all of this, okay? I put us here." I open my mouth to say something, and Chance suddenly yells at me. "I know you're about to say it might have been an accident, or wasn't my fault. No, I did this on purpose, Lea."

I feel like I'm looking at a completely new person, and the world around me is spinning. "Why?" It comes out sounding angry. I don't bother to correct my tone.

As Chance hears my tone, any caring tone in his voice simply vanishes. His face is hard, unfeeling. "Being connected to the dimensions is torture. When I tried to talk to anyone about it, they thought I was crazy. No one could help me."

"I... I can help you." I plead, anger and sympathy competing inside me.

"No, you can't. You're only here to get home." Chance turns sharply, leaving me stung by his words. He's halfway to the door before I register he's leaving.

"Wait!" I call out, running towards him. A piece of the ceiling suddenly crashes to the ground, far too close for comfort. I pick up my pace, calling out again. Chance doesn't even flinch, instead starting to run. And then sprint.

I match his pace, several yards behind, as we get onto the road.

"Chance, please!"

A monster roars, and places itself between us, just as Chance lifts a hand in the air, seeming without effort. I skid to a halt, and try to move to the side, it matches my movements, not allowing me past.

Beyond the monster, Chance turns a corner and disappears, never slowing.