Suspiciously
You say nothing to the strange woman. You find yourself ready to run at the slightest provocation and your fists tremble as you attempt to anticipate any danger that may be coming your way.
"Please, do not be afraid. I mean you no harm." The words are of little comfort as everything around you is so foreign and alien that you find yourself unable and unwilling to even trust that the ground in front of you will be able or willing to support your weight.
"You're human." She states matter of factly. This fact cannot be disputed. "And you're here." This is also a fact that would be extremely difficult to argue. "That's fascinating."
You're left not knowing quite how to respond. Your fear is beginning to fade and softly turn into curiosity. You also fix your stance to find that, even standing straight and tall, she is a head taller than you.
"This is fantastic. This is the moment we've been waiting for. It's finally here and you're the first to arrive! What is your name?"
Even in your gradually calming state you find yourself unable to give her a straight-faced response. You're having trouble not focusing on examining her form. She is, by all definition, naked, without external clothing or coverings save for a luxurious coat of fur. Regardless, her natural form is apparent upon even cursory examination.
"I see." She says, some disappointment detectable in her voice. "Then it was an accident, not a pilgrimage."
That doesn't make sense and yet again, you're left without response.
"The time where you will understand or at least find yourself home with purpose and meaning is coming. It's coming very very soon. I'll be seeing you sooner than you realize, brother in truth. Come find me when it's time. My name is Yhnhn."
When she speaks her name, it sounds very much like she is saying "Yin" like yin and yang, yet with a strange inflection as if ignoring the middle consonant.
Yhnhn steps aside, allowing you possible exit through the entrance portal, but you are immediately aware of your previous dedication to exiting this world through the proper portal. Upon overcoming your reluctance to leave, you turn your back on Yhnhn and begin to bound across the strange orange expanse.
As you run toward the exit, your feet lift lighter and easier than they ever did on Earth. Your steps send you launching through the air. It is a mere 10 minutes before you find you've crossed a span of approximately two miles.
You feel a strange sense of accomplishment and fear in your heart as you step back through the portal. You initially hoped to tell your peers all about the strange world that you saw, but not find yourself grappling with an odd sort of reluctance. A feeling that will need to be dealt with once you've returned to Earth. The strange blue glow accepts you as you walk back through it.
Written by Martin Prance on 03 February 2016
