[WP] Your Spouse goes into the bathroom only to come running out 15 seconds later. Clutching you close they tell you they fell into another dimension and what felt like seconds to you was a 1,000 years to them. They now want you to follow them back because they have built a life for you there.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/[deleted]]

"Bitch, you crazy," Hugh exclaimed at the top of his lungs, to the detriment of his already-worn raspy smoker voice. Breaking free of Alice's underwhelming clutch and, as though he had graduated from an ivy-league theater school, spectacularly transitioned this movement into an all encompassing bitch-smack. His sheer control over his limbs' momentum and his ability of smoothly converting one erratic motion into another only augmented the impact of this soon-to-be legendary strike. His hand, open palmed and visibly unphased by the resulting phenomenon that is air resistance, was about to write history without a single drop of ink.

The moment arrives. The unstoppable force meets the somewhat-movable object; Alice's now ex-face. Impressively, the slap's trajectory was unaltered even during the collision. Alice's facial features conformed to its awe-striking power as though her head was not even in its path at all.

Such an effortless but effective slap was to be felt throughout generations to come. Alice would never be the same.

[u/SuperHappyHighMe]

(Shared with permission from my brother who wrote the story. He was taking a shit and his girlfriend texted him and asked him if he fell in.)

Ok, I fell in. I'm in a place called crantanermorphagonilpus. Gryphons fly through the sky like birds, and strange creatures that i have never seen before crawl along the ground. There are these blue people that I am actually running from because they are chasing me with something they call stabby stabs and torches. I'm afraid for my life. The trees are strange too. They only have a maximum of three leaves per tree. I don't understand this place, please jump into the toilet and come after me, I'm not sure how much of this I can take! P.S. don't get shit in your hair, you have to dive head first otherwise you'll get stuck in the pipes. Don't ask how that works, it just does

[u/Spetchen]

When your spouse speaks of alternate dimensions, your first reaction is pretty unremarkable. I think I blinked at her. I'd like to imagine I would have a more dramatic response to shouts of new worlds at 4pm on a Tuesday, but I'd just reheated a cup of coffee and it was burning my fingers because I forgot that brown glaze shouldn't go in the microwave, and I was preoccupied in getting to the table she was blocking.

Luckily, Helen is the decision-maker in our relationship. She grabbed the mug (reprimanding me about brown glaze in the microwave), and steered me towards the bathroom, jabbering about waterfalls and what beautiful gowns we would wear together.

"Do they at least have coffee in this new dimension?" was my weak protestation, "Or should I get the thermos first?"

"SECONDS ARE TICKING!" Helen howled, and pushed me into the bathroom. It was then that I noticed the shower head did look a little strange. If I had to describe it, I'd say it seemed to be...glowing.

"Hey," I pointed out to Helen, the dutiful spouse I was, "the shower head's glowing."

"The shower head is glowing," she replied, and her cheeks were flushed with enthusiasm. "That's just the point, darling." Our apartment is on the sixth floor of a run-down complex north of the river, which puts it in a part of town still waiting for its gentrification upgrade. The radiator yowls when you turn it on, and the water pressure swings from an underwhelming dribble to the force of a fire hydrant. Today seemed to be the latter, and I was finally coming to the full understanding of the strange situation in which I was finding myself when Helen stepped into shower--fully clothed--and pulled me in after her.

The water pounded against my head as I stared at my wife, who had closed her eyes and seemed to be expecting something.

"What-"

My question turned into a shriek. Helen was dissolving. First her hair faded to a transparent shimmer, then the windowsill appeared through her cheekbones. I reached out to grab her--what could I do? but it seemed necessary--and OH GOD MY OWN HAND WAS MERE PARTICLES AND WERE THE LIGHTS GOING OUT OR IS THIS THE END, I KNEW THIS PLACE WOULD BE KILL ME ONE DAY

---

We sat overlooking a small river, a set of falls to our left spilling over the edge of a large canyon. The rocks had an iridescent, purplish hue, flecked with obsidian, emerald, and sapphire, and the dirt was a rustic brown. The grass at my feet a lush turquoise, airing on the side of blue, and the water seemed a murky green. (However, Helen assured me this was all totally normal, as clear water in this world was bacteria-ridden, and the little microbes which thus coloured the water were what kept it drinkable.) Two suns circled the sky in opposite directions, farther away than Earth's singular sun, but their combined light keeping the sky just below what I'd consider a lightly-overcast day. Clouds hung heavy on the horizon, but Helen told me rain was scarce in this world, and the lightning storms lethal. She was right about the gowns, though--the one I now wore had golden embroidery over an opal base, and she had slipped into a slight violet dress herself, which cinched tightly around her waist and fell in attractive loose folds.

Besides the grass which lined the riverbank, the vegetation was scarce. Shrubby bushes dotted the field which spread before us, opposite the underground burrow which Helen had declared was the house she had built us. "Everyone lives underground here. We're just outside Skarlow--that's the capital of Hangritt, the nightlife is unbelievable--but I know you value solitude every now and then, so I thought a place near the surface would be good for us."

"How do we get to Skarlow?"

"Well by train, of course. It's not a train like you or I think, it looks a bit more like a series of Viking ships on tracks, but they're extremely fast. Last century I took a trip all the way to Inngreet in about 3 hours. That's like going from Russia to Paris. Everything is just a bit...quicker here."

I was silent, examining the embroidery on my sleeve. There was a naked woman on it, playing ball with a dog, and I chuckled at the nudity. "Goodness, Helen, this is rowdy."

She howled with laughter. "That's just the culture, darling! What do you say, shall we go into town? See the city?"

"Helen, I--what do they--that is to say--do they look--human?"

"I think they are human. I think whoever came here first was from Earth. But they did--evolve differently."

"How's that?" I asked.

There was a twinkle in her eye. "Well, that's the best part. Come look."

---

Our burrow--and really, I should find a better name for it, because it was exquisitely furnished and had marble flooring--was connected to an underground network of rail systems and walking paths, as Helen had described. The Viking ship-trains were complete with kitchen and cook--a jolly, rotund woman who dished up an appalling-smelling stew for which Helen paid with funny, star-shaped coins. Dimension-travel is a tiring ordeal, however, and I was hungry enough to eat despite the smell.

There was one other person on the train with us, a teenager with bright pink hair. She ignored us entirely. It was a quick journey, three stops, about 5 minutes, and when we rolled in to the station, I was struck by the sheer grandeur before my eyes. It was like all of Tokyo had been transported to an unfathomably large underground cave system. Florescent lights flashed advertisements in languages I didn't recognize, glass towers reached to the ceiling, rail systems hurtled passengers from building to building, up hundreds of stories in seconds, and zipping in and out of passageways. There were ice cream parlours, tattoo salons, bars, restaurants, alien pets on leashes, street musicians playing an instrument that looked like a crossover between bagpipes and an ocarina, and, I noticed...

"Helen-" I turned to her and I knew this is what she had wanted me to see. Her eyes had filled despite herself, and she nodded. "Helen, there are no...I mean, there are only..."

"...women," she finished, and she scooped my face in her hands to kiss me on the mouth. "Jane, we're safe here. Everyone is a lesbian."

[u/seraehali]

"Yes love?!" I scream while running up the stairs to see what was bothering the boy. As I hit my foot hit the top step, I swiveled my head to the left to find Adrian collapsed in front of the bathroom door with his glasses grasped firmly in one hand, clothing drenched. "What the hell?" I managed to get out as I bend down to scoop his head off of the ground and try to sit him up right. "If. I. Tell you what happened to me. you wouldn't believe me" Adrian said in between raspy breaths. "So I will. Tell you. In..... song!" I shot him a look that could have even rendered Missy Elliot and her milkshakes ineffective so he sat up and opened the bathroom door. "Behold!" He said as he gestured towards our piece of shit martial bathroom that now smelled of old roller rink and teen spirit. "Awesome! You made the bathroom smell like garbage. That reminds me, I need to add Fabreze to the grocery list." With that I pivoted on my heel and turned to leave only to be grabbed by the shoulders and turned back around. "Don't you get it Ray?! Look harder!" He exclaimed with still soggy hands.

I want to write more but I just got really sleepy soooooo....I will write more later if anyone wants to hear the rest. good night.

[u/FamousOhioAppleHorn]

"BABE, I'M SERIOUS. I FELL INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION. RIGHT THERE IN THE JOHN. COME LOOK," Brian pleaded.

I put down my morning newspaper & sighed. "I think you slipped on the bathroom floor & suffered a concussion. Or you've been drinking shower beers again."

Brian looked shocked & hurt. "I don't do that."

"I found a Bud Light behind my shampoo yesterday," I said, rolling my eyes.

Brian looked impatient. "Okay, that was one time. Geez. But for real, just come to the bathroom and see what I mean."

I sensed Brian was up to something. But what ? Then I had an idea. "Fine. But you must agree to a deal first."

"Go on."

I leaned across the breakfast table, showing just enough cleavage to distract Brian. "I'll come inspect this so called other dimension with you. If there's an honest to God portal to another world, I will call up my hottest girlfriend & ask her to have a three way with us."

Brian's eyes bugged out in anticipation.

"But if this is a trick to show me a poo shaped like Lincoln again, you have to do all the chores for a year. All the cooking, cleaning, laundry, every single thing."

Brian's bottom lip quivered. "I'm gonna take my shower beers down to the recycling bin."

[u/CallMeAdam2]

George: "Who's this guy?"

Zoe: "George, this is Lord Straddinhelm Drakeripper of the Fifteen Forbidden Realms. He was the archenemy of every living and nonliving creature for the good part of the First Era of Horror. I managed to convince him to come to the side of good with the Shield Legion of Eihmast. In return, he has helped us slay the Eldritch Spark in the Second Era of Horror. Lord Straddinhelm Drakeripper of the Fifteen Forbidden Realms, meet George."

Lord Straddinhelm Drakeripper of the Fifteen Forbidden Realms: "Your wife's hot."

George: "Stay away from my wife."

[u/PorcupineGod]

"Oh my god Sara! You're alive! I'm so glad to see you again" Jack said as he stumbled out of the bathroom. "It feels like I've been gone for eternity, But I finally made it back - come quickly, you have got to come in here! I just had the most incredible experience ever, you're never going to believe it!"

"Weren't you just in the toilet? Why would I want to hear anything about that?"

"No, you don't understand, I was transported somewhere, it was as though I fell through a hole in space and time and landed on a strange new world. Come with me Sara, time passes differently, I don't know how long I've been gone from here... but in this other world I've lived a dozen lives and finally found a way to bring you with me so we could live there together forever"

"... Did you hit your head or something? what are you going on about... Did you ... take something?"

"No, everything is fine. Sara, imagine a world with no debt, with no leak in the roof, with no smog in the city. Just you and I living in the mountains with everything provided for, everything there. A perfect eden just for us."

Jim tried to change his tone "Do you trust me Sara?"

"Of course I trust you..."

"Then come with me, give me your hand and follow me through the portal."

She timidly gave him her hand and closed her eyes. Together they walked through the doorway to their shared bathroom. Sara heard the sounds of the world fall away as the door closed behind them. The light of the world ceased to pierce her eyelids and was replaced by the warm glow of candlelight. The smell of the lavender potpourri was replaced by the warm earthy aroma of... of... What the hell was that smell?

Sara opened her eyes to find herself in a dark bathroom, two candles illuminating the largest shit she had ever seen in her life. The smell initially covered by the candles now permeated the entire bathroom, where was the air freshener? - gone. Sara turned to try the door, locked. "Jack, let me out of here you sonofabitch! This is foul!" There was no answer.

Jack casually tossed the air freshener can in the air as he sauntered to the living room to turn the football game back on. It was going to be a quiet evening.

[u/suriusblack]

"Jude!" He called out, "Hey Jude, honey, you here?"

Weird, he thought to himself, She's usually back from work before me.

Quinn sat down on on the couch centered in their tiny studio apartment. Sighing, he popped open a beer and turned on the TV.

"Several disappearances have been reported to the police," the reporter said, ever smiling. "Tune into the report at 6."

"Say John, maybe all these people are taking an early vacation to get out of the cold," the second reporter chirped, "here's Olly Williams with the weather!"

The screen shifted to the weatherman, but Quinn was hardly paying any attention, having been distracted by a light glow coming from the bathroom.

Suddenly, Jude burst out of the bathroom, looking slightly manic, with a pleasant glow surrounding her. She locked eyes with Quinn, who was quite startled, and nearly pounced into him with an embrace.

"I never stopped loving you!" She exclaimed as she took his hand. "We have to go back, there's so much you need to see!"

Quinn looked at her, perplexed, " Hon, are you OK? I was only at work-"

"Just trust me," she interrupted, "It will all make sense soon!"

She pulled him up and towards the glowing bathroom.

"Where are we-" Quinn started, only to stop in his tracks.

In the bathtub was a grapefruit sized metal ball, floating and pulsing calmly, like an ocean wave. Jude and Quinn locked eyes, as they both reached out to the ball, not really in control of their actions due to the spectacle.

As their hands clasped around the ball, their fingers touched and an electric current went through them both.

----An Undeterminable Time Later, since time is an earth based concept----

Darkness. There was nothing to the couple, no thoughts or ego, just the feeling of each other's hands, then the light flooded through.

Quinn looked around, startled at the change in scenery. There were flowers of various shades all around him, and a beautiful purple mountain-scape in the background. An overwhelming feeling of relief flooded his senses and he couldn't help but shed tears of joy as he pulled Jude to him.

They both whooped with bliss as they experienced life for the first time. No more obligations, no working two jobs to pay for a crummy apartment, no more negativity, and no more leading the life neither of them wanted. Here, they were one, there was no need to say any more words, for they both knew each other completely.

[u/Throwaway7676i → u/suriusblack]

I like this one.

[u/Arghallad]

"Soph, what the hell are you talking about?", I asked with a tiresome voice. "I'm tired, I'm soared, I want to just have dinner and go to bed. You know that work at the warehouse is heavy." I continued, while obviously being ignored. She was still pulling me by the arm, a strange look in her bright blue eyes, a smile like I haven't seen in months, while humming a song I didn't know. Sophia was like that. One minute she could be humming, the next she'd be going on a paranoid rampage. But this was too much. I had never seen her like this, and I sure as Hell wasn't waiting for her to be acting like this just because she had gone to the bathroom... "Listen Soph, come on angel..."

"Would you just shut up and follow me?" she quickly shot my way. "But love, really? Another dimension? Another life? Goddamn woman, I also like to read, I do have an imagination, and I have a lot more than you, given the amount of video-game I play or have played." I was saying, trying to reason with her as she pushed me into the bathroom."

"James Arghallad, I'm telling you there is a bloody portal to another dimension in this God forsaken bathroom, where I've been living for a thousand years and where I've built us both a life. A way better life than the one we have here. "

" Are you even listening to yourself?" I asked almost screaming, when I found myself free of her grasp and was able to turn around and face her. "Do you know how crazy that all sounds? Bloody Hell, I'm having a fucking discussion with you in the goddamned bathroom, for fuck's sake."

"Chrost Jim... Don't look at me like I'm crazy. I'm not that person anymore..." she said, her voice breaking as she started to sob. "Not even when I had my meltdown you stopped believing me, so why don't you believe me now? You'd go and check the bloody sinkhole when I used to tell you it had teeth and was trying to bite me, you go and make sure the doors weren't trying to slam as I passed and cut me in half... You did all this when I had my mental breakdown... So why don't you believe me now?"

Great. Now she was crying. Now I was feeling like a moron... Gods, I love this woman more than anything in the world, and here I am again, making her cry. I seemed to be getting good at it too. "OK... Alright. I believe you." I mumbled, looking at her. "Show me this other dimension." I said, gently pulling her face up to look at me, while I gave her a little smile.

"Thank you honey." she replied whipping the tears out those eyes where I had lost myself soany years ago. "Just please don't freak out and don't be scared when we get there." she said, in a warning tone. "Why would I? I'll be with you, remember?" She looked at me but didn't say a word. She took me by the hand and turned me around, making me walk towards the small shower. She pushed me gently inside and walked behind me, closing the glass door behind her. She then turned around to face me and asked me to close my eyes.

As I did, my heart almost stopped beating. I could feel as if a gigantic gap had opened right from under my feet, and I was falling. I couldn't hear anything and when I opened my eyes, all I could see were lights, distorting lights, flashing all around me. When I looked closer, I could see a bit clearer that what I thought were lights, we're in fact some kind of Windows into what seemed like other worlds. Suddenly, I felt myself starting to spin like a screw and my wife's arms wrapping tightly around my waist.

As the spinning became quicker, I was forced to close my eyes as I was starting to become dizzy, and I started hearing what sounded like a thunderstorm in the distance, and heavy rain. Then, as quickly as it had started, it was over, and I was lying on my back on a hard, moist and muddy floor. The sounds of thunder where louder now, the heavy rain drops had already left my clothes soaking and the lightning bolts above flashed through my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I could see Sophia already standing, in front of me, speaking to some men that seemed to be wearing plate armor. With my full body aching, I was able to sit up and look around me. In the distance I could see the high walls of a city, all in white, built in a circular way, like a ring.

Being a heavy gamer, it immediately came to my mind I had to be dreaming because it seemed like the Imperial City in The Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion, a saga I was completely addicted to. But after looking at the man in front of me, who I supposed were guards, I thought again. They all looked like normal man, there were no argonians nor khajit, just men... And elfs... And I could feel the rain. Suddenly, my wife was walking back to me. She knew beside me and helped me up. She then winked at me and smile. The most radiant smile I had seen in her face ever since she had her breakdown.

"C'mon love. Follow me and play the part. Hope all those games you keep playing are actually any good in real life." she said, turning her back on me and walking back to the guards. I stood there for a couple more seconds before following her, trying to assimilate and make sense of what she had told me. When I reached her and the man, I was able to listen to what she was talking with them.

"Your Highness, Empress Sophia the First, we're you successful?" one of the guard's asked her, bowing in front of her. "I was," she replied in a very regal way "and like I promised, here I stand. Man, i made a promise, and I have fulfilled it." she said, pointing at me.

"I give you all, our hero. Emperor James Arghallad."

Hope you liked it. It's my very first time writing here. Also, pardon my English, but it's not my mother language. I'm Portuguese.

[u/[deleted]]

Look, all I know is that I went to grab a cookie, and all of a sudden she comes barreling in and rambling on about other dimensions. After she calmed down, she told me to head into the bathroom. I had no idea what she was talking about, for all I knew she just wanted to show off her massive shit. So, just to humor her, thinking she had forgotten her meds, I go in. Next thing I know, everything goes wild for what felt like days, and then I felt cold. It felt like an ice bath. It was an ice bath. I saw a huge scar on my side. The bitch took my kidney. I must have been in some warehouse. Then there's this huge figure towering over me. Not eight feet, eight STORIES. It had a small red cooler in its hand, and it handed the cooler to a shady guy, who handed the figure some money. It didn't look like too much, and that's when it hit me; my wife was an eight story crustacean from the Paleozoic era who married and tricked me so it could get about tree fiddy.

[u/BecauseIcantEmail]

"There is no possible way you took a shower already."

I sat at my computer, half paying attention to my wife, half mindlessly scrolling.

"I need you to come with me babe, I found something in there."

"I don't do spiders, you know that."

"NO, you don't understand... how long was I gone?"

"Gone? You literally just walked in there."

"No, I was gone for years. Almost a millennium. I need you to come with me, there's so much to show you."

My heart fell, shit not again. I pulled out my phone.

"Alright, lead the way, I'll be right there."

As my wife stumbled into the bathroom, I heard her begin to hold a conversation with some she referred to a Finnigan. Walking to her I sent a text to her mother.

"I need you to come over, she's relapsing."

[u/umokaz]

I couldn't believe my eyes. I mean when she told me there was an entire world inside our bath i thought she ate something funny or hit her head getting in. But she wasn't mental,it WAS real

I looked up at the star-lit sky,it was beautiful I've never seen anything like this before there were so manny of them. Oh the moon it was huge if you looked close enough you could see a second one behind it.

I got up from the grassy field and we started to walk to a tiny town.

How did you find this place its wonderfull the sky Itself makes me want to stay.

Well i was taking my morning bath, i got in and fell to sleep when i woke i was here.

Whats this towns name?

Ashville.

Why do they call it that?

A few years back before it was a town there was a small farm. It was the grandfather's of our founders One day a disturbed youth set their farmland and barn a blaze. They had to rebuild from the ashes hence ashville.

That's a horrible story

It was a horrible day i was there...

[u/Monsford]

It was only a moment ago when he stepped into the shower, but there he was, standing in my living room. Arm outstretched as if to hold my hand. "How?" I whispered. He nodded, as if he knew what I was thinking. Smiled, like I was about to be let in on a personal joke of his. "Everything will be explained, once we get home." He said with calm certainty. But we were home. I was standing in our living room. He must have seen the increased confusion behind my eyes. Quickly, he grasped my hand. Firm yet gentle. "We don't have time to talk," he said. "It's highly unstable and I was only able to keep it open for a few earth minutes" Quickly we walked down the hall to the bathroom. I noticed his beard now. Full with a small amount of grey. He couldn't grow a full beard, it was always patchy. The lines around his eyes began crease as with the limp in his gate got worse. He was in pain, pain that he knows well. His knee from the accident must be flared up again. Then we were there looking at the tub. "Step in and jump" he whispered into my ear with a kiss. So I did. Our home, he had built was perfect. I heard a crack. The portal had closed. I was alone.

[u/[deleted]]

First time on Reddit and first time on this sub, so please do be nice, but I really like this sub.

...........

“Jared! Jared!” Tara's voice startles me from my book. I look up, just in time to see her sprinting out of the bathroom in a towel, wide-eyed, her hair in a wild mess.

In a second, I'm on my feet, all thoughts of my book forgotten. “Tara! What is it? Are you okay?” I ask. Tara nods. “Yes! I'm fine. There's something incredible you have to see,” she says. She's smiling, I notice. She sounds excited.

“In the bathroom?” I say, narrowing my eyes. I really don't like the sound of this.

“Yeah!” she says, “I know how this is going to sound, but I was in the shower when this tunnel opened up in a strange direction...like it was going into another dimension or something. And...and I fell through and ended up in a new world. I was at the edge of a cliff with a beach and a pristine sea far below. And everywhere else, there was just an endless sea of grass, golden in the sun. It was beautiful. Untouched. Nobody there.”

I listen patiently, biting my lip. I was right. This isn't good. Tara goes on, speaking more rapidly now, “I tried to find a way back to you, but the tunnel was gone. I don't remember much of what I did the first few days. Wandered around that grass plain, screaming for you, screaming for anyone. I cried every night the first few weeks, but eventually I figured I'd never find anyone else. Started a garden, began making a little house—more of a shack, to be honest—by that cliff.

“The pain dulled after a while. Year after year went by, but I never saw another soul. It was a pristine, empty world. And then one morning I was sitting by the cliff, watching the sun rise, thinking of you for the first time in a while. Then suddenly, I slipped and fell...and a tunnel opened up around me, and a second later I was lying on my back in shower. And then I realized only five minutes had passed in this world.”

I sigh heavily. No. Not this again, Tara. You were getting better. And now this. Why, God? Why do you have to do this? “Tara...did you take your meds today?” I say flatly. I can't bring myself to even pretend to share her excitement.

Her eyes widen and her face flickers through a range of emotions. “Yeah. Um, an hour ago, while you were at the bread line,” she says, “Really. I'm fine. What I saw was real, I swear.” She forgot them, I know she did. I know she knows; I can see it in her face. But of course she thinks it's real. I run a hand through my hair, letting a wave of exhaustion course through me.

“Come on, Jared!” Tara says, “You have to come with me. I think we can go back.”

I stand firm, shaking my head slightly. I don't want to come and see the proof that she's still crazy. Lightning flashes outside, and the single bare bulb that lights up our apartment's bedroom flickers. A brief burst of machine gun fire and a few distant shouts cut through the night. The muties are rioting again, I guess. I don't really care. Let them riot.

Tara's smile fades. “Why not? There's nothing left here for us,” she says, “It's the end of this world, and the beginning of that other world.”

She's right—well, right except for the last part. It is the end of the world. There's nothing here but plains of ash and bombed-out shells of cities. Earth is just running out the clock on us. Still, I have no words. Instead, I wrap her in an embrace that offers no comfort. There is a long silence, broken only by the endless patter of the rain outside. Black rain—it always is these days. I no longer think much about the clear rain from when I was younger. What's the point? It doesn't exist. Probably never will.

Tara pulls away and tugs on my sleeve. “Come on,” she says softly, “Don't you see? We can start over in the other world. We can build a better life there. I've already got a house, a garden, everything ready...all that's missing is you, Jared. And the baby...they can't stop us from having one there. There's nobody to care if it's a mutie.” Tara gazes into my face with one soulful blue eye and I cave. “Show me,” I murmur. Hell, maybe she's right and I'm crazy. I can hope.

Tara half-leads, half-drags me into the bathroom. I survey the small, cramped room with its peeling paint, chipped tiles, rusting sink. A few feet away is the shower. Water still drips from the shower head. And that's it. Definitely no portal to another world.

Tara turns to me, her expression radiant. “It's still there. Let's go right now, okay?” she says.

I allow myself another glance at the shower. Some small part of me really badly wants to see a portal there, but I tell that part to shut up. There's nothing there.

I can't take it anymore. “There's nothing there, Tara!” I snap.

“Open your eyes! Why can't you see? It's right there!” Tara shouted back, pointing to thin air.

I lose it in that moment. I grab Tara's shoulders and turn her to face me. “No, you open your damn eyes! You're just another goddamned crazy!” I shout. I release her, breathing heavily.

Tara steps back, a hurt expression on her face. There are a few tears in her eyes. “Th...that's not all I am, Jared, is it? Y...you know that. Please tell me you know that. I know I've sometimes seen things that aren't there, but I'm not stupid. I...I'm not useless. I pull my weight, help us both survive. Right? Right?” she says shakily.

I shove my anger back down, an act which takes all my willpower. I can be a monster sometimes. I hate myself for it, but that changes nothing. I pull Tara closer and gently touch her face. It's partly marred by radiation burns, but what's left is still beautiful.

“You're right. I'm so sorry,” I say, “I didn't mean that.” I take a deep breath, “Tara, please just trust me like I trusted you in those first few days after you pulled me out of the rubble. Like we've trusted each other since. We've always looked out for each other. I've never lied to you. I never will. I swear on my life. You have to believe me, Tara. There's no portal, no other world. You forgot your meds, you had a hallucination in the shower, you slipped and fell. It's not real.”

Tara takes a long look at the shower. I can tell when I've finally convinced her—all trace of hope flees her face. There's only despair left, surrounding an empty shell. She says nothing, only leaves shakily. I hear her flop down on the bed, hear a few muffled sobs.

It occurs to me that I don't know how badly I've hurt her. I guess I should've let her keep her fantasy. I'm a monster. Again...no always. Or maybe not. I don't know—I was trained as a journalist, not a psychiatrist. And now I'm neither, just another survivor. What would I know? Far away, the gunfire starts up again.

I sit down on the rim of the tub and let the tears come to me as well.

........

EDIT: Still getting used to the formatting here.

[u/lovelyreganx → u/[deleted]]

I enjoyed this-thank you-I like your style and shall lookout for more of your works!

[u/Qixart → u/[deleted]]

Fuck that was a trip man. I like the direction you when with your story.

[u/Qixart]

At frist I didn't recognize the man who came out of the bathroom he looked about twenty years older and had added a touch of gray to his beautiful dark chocolate hair. Not that it looked bad far from it actually but it looked different and it took awhile after that to see the man I loved a couple seconds ago was now a different man entirely.

I asked him who he was at frist and why he was in my bathroom. He looked up at me with loving hurt eyes and told me who he was. I tried to deny everything that was in front of me this forty something couldn't possibly be my husband, I just saw his go in the bathroom! He must be hiding, this is some kind of prank right? He saw what was going on through my annoying Expressive face; he put his hands on my face suddenly I felt calmer and my senses where filled up with the smell fireworks, pine trees.

i felt the breeze of the seashore as it ripped through my coat. The moon was bright and illuminated the trail ahead, a small dirt path on the side of a cliff. For some reason I stopped and looked down at the rocks and the waves battling each other and wanted to look away as fast as possible but found I couldn't. I closed my eyes and refused to look how far down it was to the rocks. Then I felt a warm arm loop around mine and a head rest around my shoulder and say "I hate Heights but asking as your here and the moon is up it's not so bad."

It was me. I was holding my arm and speaking to me in a voice that I wouldn't claim as mine. Or have I always sounded like that? It was definitely me though. Milkshake Lavender dyed short hair and green eyes that only matched the night time forest be hind us wrapped in a salmon colored jacket.

I felt nervous and special at the same time when the second me opened my mouth. Also a deep love for the person I was now looking at. They were everything to me. I felt like crying because I knew where I was now and what was about to happen.

I heard a new voice now coming from inside me. a little different from how I hear it but I now understand it was my soon to be husband. "You can stand to go on the wheel of fire but you can't stand on a beautiful cliff side?" God the jerk should know the difference between a ride and constantly impending death.

"You butt. Com'on let's keep going" 2nd me insisted

"Alright but I have some where special in mind. So I'm leading the way" his heart jumped a bit

"I-I captain!"

"I can't hear you!"

"I-I captain!"

He lead me down a path I hadn't taken in a while. We stopped when we got this little Grove filled with white and blue flowers that looked ghostly in the moonlight. He told me to turn around as he assembled a picnic dinner. My favorite foods, wines, and of course fireworks. When I turned around I asked what the occasion was and he said he just wanted to make me feel special. That was enough for me to want to rip off our clothes and do it like they do on the discovery Chanel. Seeing my face light up with joy and after the fact deviation made him feel great. Loved. The man. And I loved that he felt that way.

Just as the night was turning to daylight he told me on top him and pulled out a little box and asked me to marry him. And I said yes.

Then the momory faded and i had my husbands hands on my face. And his eyes were the same eyes that asked me to marry him. I leaned in a kissed him with tears streaming down our faces. Whatever he had been through he was still the man who loved me and asked me to marry him.

[u/JellyCream]

Shawna runs out of the bathroom, breathless. Her face is pale and haggard as if she stared into the abyss of insanity and somehow survived.

She grunts for several seconds, motioning for me to follow her. I look confused, it takes her a while to regain control of her language facilities and tells me to follow. She speaks in monosyllabic words as if she hasn't spoken English in hundreds of years.

"New place. Bathroom. Whoosh. Riches." I follow her confused.

There is a terrible stench of sulphur and my eyes burn. I start to choke.

"No smell bad. New world inside." She struggles to get the words out.

I continue to follow her taking shallow breaths. The smell is overpowering. "More riches than ever need," she says pulling my arm to go faster.

She opens the bathroom door and the stench nearly knocks me over. She points at the toilet excitedly and chatters in a language I've never heard. "Portal!" She screams pointing at the toilet.

My eyes are watering to the point I can barely see. She shoves me further into the bathroom. The door slams shut and I hear it lock. I look to the toilet and see a massive turd floating in the basin.

From the other side of the door I hear Shawna laughing. "Revenge is sweet. Next time flush when you're finished, dumbass. I don't need to see your floaters."

[u/kamikaze_puppy]

She stood in front of me, eyes gleaming. Her hands clasped mine as she tugged me towards the bathroom.

"Other dimension?"

Her head nodded eagerly.

"1000 years?"

Her head bobbled more vigorously.

"Dragons?"

She grinned and her head almost fell off from the momentum of her nod.

I pulled my hand from hers, and my fingers immediately began pulling at my hangnails. I eyed my wife nervously. She looked exactly the same when she had entered the bathroom five minutes ago. Maybe slightly more disheveled? Could just be my imagination though.

I gestured cautiously towards her general direction. "Why are you still wearing your pajamas if it has been a thousand years? Did you wear your pajamas the entire time? That seems odd, right? I mean, nothing is different..."

My voice trailed off because that was wrong. She was different, in her straight posture, the confidence in her voice. She possessed the almost annoying air of someone who has found herself through interesting and life changing adventures, and now knew with certainty on how the world worked. She reminded me of my sister after she took that college trip to save orphans in Tibet. My nose wrinkled in worry.

"Oh god, you had a stroke." I moaned.

"Nononono. No." She waved her arms in protest. "No strokes. No brain tumors. No aneurysms. No... Nothing. Nothing medically is wrong. I just a found a magic portal... which returned me in my original pajamas." She stared at her old and ragged fleece shirt in confusion. "And I gained back all that weight. Huh, now that you mention it, that is a weird detail."

I looked at her aghast. "Can you smell toast? I hear that is an early sign of strokes." I sniffed the air and gasped. "I can smell toast. Are we both having strokes?"

"Oh, by Stalo's Oar, I am not having a stroke! You are not having a stroke! You are making breakfast!" She stared at me momentarily before sighing and looking towards the ceiling for help. "Geromi said this was a bad idea. I probably should've listened."

"You remembered I was making breakfast after a thousand years?"

Her eyes snapped in anger, and I felt a rumble go through my spine. I meekly looked away.

"Look. Just... just humor me okay?" Her voice was soft, but had a hint of desperation. "I haven't seen you in a thousand years. It took me forever to figure out how to get back. To get back to you. I've missed you so much, that all I can remember was the last moment I saw you. With your bedhead, your glasses sagging on your nose. Wandering around half sleep, making breakfast in an almost terrifying manner. I defeated dragons, allied with wizards, and saved kingdoms. And all of it was because I had to get back here. To this moment."

There was silence as she looked deeply into my eyes. A small bit of laughter hesitatingly broke from my lips. "Wow, you've gotten really good at expressing yourself. That felt like something out of a movie."

"Yeah, the whole heart felt speech thing was really big over there. I got pretty good at it. But everything I said was true."

I shrugged helplessly. "If I humor you, and nothing happens, we'll drop this, okay? Well, not totally drop. We should probably take you to a doctor. Or a therapist. Or both."

That self assured grin again spread across her face. She leaned forward, pressing her temple against mine. She breathed in deeply before pulling me towards the bathroom. "You won't regret it."

Moments later, I was gasping on the ground. Dirt shook under my hands as a woman who looked remarkably like my wife jumped around an ogre with a broadsword. Except, she was wearing armor, had long hair done up in dashingly disheveled braids, and had an exceptionally toned body. With a flip and a tumble under grasping fists, the heavy weapon swung upwards and she pierced the throat of the monster. Green blood spewed forth, and the large ogre stumble backwards with a ragged bubbling. With a setting sun silhouetting his grotesque form, he fell backwards dramatically off a cliff we happened to be near.

The woman posed before me, where a few splatters of blood made her look heroic but not disgusting. "Well, that wasn't the best first impression of the place." She quipped.

A tree crashed down near me. "Huh, you don't say."

She knelt next to me. "No worries. We are like the heroes in this world. We are destined to survive anything in order to save this world."

"You mean, you are."

She looked at me quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"The toilet brought you here. You alone. But not me. Toilet didn't give me a second glance."

"I am not following you. You are here now-"

"Because of you! The hero from another world. You are either supposed to learn some life lesson but then return to your old life with a new purpose, or stay in this new world with a new purpose. You aren't, well, you can't be mixing them around!"

I sighed, and looked at the sickly beautiful scenery around me. Quivering leaves, babbling brooks, a worrisome cloud of dust moving in our direction. She followed my gaze, and her lips tightened.

I got up and wiped down my jeans. "I've played enough RPGs to know how this turns out. At best, I just become a lowly merchant who gives you good deals on items. At worst, I die a tragic death to move along your character development. Any which way, that roving dust will have nothing positive in it for me."

I looked stoically into the distance, and a wind swept the hair across my eyes. The deepening sun casted moody shadows down upon us through the building clouds. I groaned, and shook my head irritably and stepped defiantly into the last bit of sunlight. "Shit, it's already happening. Where's a pub?"

Her face brightened and she eagerly took my hand. "Oh, I knew you would come around. Are we are going on a quest?"

"Wow, you still don't get it." She smiled and tilted her head in question. Her wide blue eyes looked at me with love and excitement. My heart trembled and my ball of rage and fear crumbled momentarily. I took her hand. "Eh, whatever. Sure, going on a quest. Let's get to a pub. I need to figure out how to become a minor character who isn't needed to drive any story lines."

[u/JWalterBrockmann]

The cereal is soggy and bland. Like my life. I stare at the dripping spoonful as I hold it over the bowl. This has become something of a morning ritual for me, this existential crisis of self. Maybe I should start writing poetry.

“Ready?”

I shove the spoon in my mouth and nod, a little milk dribbling down my chin. Shannon gives me a quick, good morning sort of hug before throwing a couple slices of bread into the toaster. I haven’t told her how I’ve been feeling. With the therapy, and everything, I didn’t want to put anything else on her plate. God knows she’s dealing with enough already.

“How was your breakfast?”

It’s so forced, her question. Strained. My answer will be the same.

“Good.”

I stand and gather up the bowl and the cheap bag---we can’t afford the real cereal. It’s fine. I tell myself that every morning. I will never be...successful.

I shouldn’t let it bother me like I do. The truth is that a lot of my money, money I’ve worked hard for, goes to Shannon’s meds, her therapy, her hospital bills...but it’s fine. I knew what I signed up for when I married her.

Her shoes click on the kitchen tile as she heads off for the bathroom, and I put the dishes in the sink. I rinse them, like she asks me to, staring at the wall like there must be something behind it. Today is not a good day.

The toast pops up with a clang. She likes her toast a little bit burned. I like mine just right. But it’s ok. We’ve made it work so far.

“Aaron!”

She bursts out of the bathroom toward me, eyes glistening.

My first reaction is to run. What happened to me? I used to care so much for her. I used to hold her and tell her everything would be just fine, that I was here and while I was here, nothing could get her. Now her breakdowns make me want to leave. To find someone else to deal with her problems. Maybe that is best.

“Are you ok?”

She collapses onto me and I stumble back.

“Aaron. Aaron.” She looks up, tears filling her eyes. “You’re alive. You’re ok.”

I nod, forcing my face into a sympathetic one. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

I should wrap my arms around her. But I don’t.

There is a different sort of look in her eyes this time---realer, more painful. And she’d only been in there about 15 seconds. This was far worse than any of her others. “I thought I lost you forever.” And she buries her head in my chest again.

“You...what?”

She nods into my chest. “You’re still here.”

I pull her away, confused. “Of course I’m still here. Shannon, what’s wrong? What’s going on?”

Her eyes widen as she points back “We only have five minutes. C’mon.”

She tries to pull me toward the bathroom.

“Five minutes for what?”

“Until the portal closes!”

“Shannon…” She will be hurt by the pity in my voice, but I cannot hide it. I've been trying for too long. I am only one man.

She stops. “Aaron. I know. I know what this looks like. But---”

I cut her off with a shake of my head. “Please. Dr. Cooper will be waiting.”

“No. I---I wrote you something!” She begins scrabbling at her pockets desperately. “No, it's here, it's…” She trails off, her hands slowing. “Where is it, Aaron? The picture, the letter?”

I stare at her. This is not the woman I fell in love with. “Shannon…” I pick my words carefully. “Shannon, I can't do this anymore.”

“What?”

“This.”

---

When I tell Dr. Cooper what she's told me, it is not hard to have her institutionalized. I feel bad, in a way, but there are no other options. Then I wonder if I was just looking for a way out. I don't think so. This is what I have to do.

It's around 3 am when I finally get back to my apartment, and I realize it's been nearly three days since I left. My cereal bowl is still in the sink, and the milk has begun to smell. I'll take care of it later.

I'm not sure what to do with myself. I try to sleep, but I won't come. Probably won't for a few days. When the guilt begins to ease. I roll out of my bed and shuffle to the bathroom. The sun is just beginning to come up. I stare at my reflection---there are heavy bags under my eyes, and I look exhausted. I am exhausted.

I am about to turn on the faucet when I notice something in the sink. It's a picture. Odd. I hold it up in the dim light, examining it. It's the inside of a house, or apartment. Much, much nicer than this one. It's sleek and modern, with dark countertops and striking accents. I am about to set it down when I notice there is writing on the back. I turn it over slowly. The handwriting is familiar.

Aaron,

There is far too much to explain that what I am able to write here. It has been nearly 900 years in this world, but they have told me you will still be alive. I can only hope that you are. My episodes are not what you think, what I once thought. They are glimpses, glimpses of another world at which I arrived today. This is our new home, Aaron. I hope desperately that you will come with me. It is hard for me to picture your face, and that makes me afraid. But I still remember what it was like when you were there, and I knew that I would never be afraid again. Please, come back with me. A wonderful life awaits us.

I love you,

Shannon

[u/laineybuggy → u/JWalterBrockmann]

You are such a talented writer. This story was moving in SO many aspects, and kept me on my toes! Thank you for not giving up on your art, and continuing to work at sharpening your skills.

[u/lovelyreganx → u/JWalterBrockmann]

I enjoyed this,thanks

[u/JWalterBrockmann → u/lovelyreganx]

Thanks!

[u/goodhumansbad]

Keiko stood stiffly as Miles squeezed her arms and shook her, consumed by urgency. "We have to hurry back! Hundreds of years are passing as I speak!!!" His face was twisted by a mix of fear and excitement - an expression Keiko had grown to know well. Julian had been away for weeks now, and Miles appeared to be slipping into one of his regular delusions that seemed to flare up whenever his best friend was unavailable.

"Miles, I understand that it feels very real to you, but it seems pretty unlikely that one family would have this happen to them three times... I mean, it was already pretty unusual the first time when you were imprisoned by that alien race and forced to live a whole lifetime in jail in your mind, and the second time when Molly disappeared through a time portal down on Bajor was an extraordinary coincidence. What do you think the chances are that our sonic shower has become a gateway to another dimension with, surprise surprise, a time dilation effect? Maybe I should call..." "KEIKO this isn't a dream or a delusion - I've built us a house on in beautiful valley; there are ACRES and acres for you to landscape with any variety of plant. I've worked the soil and made it all ready for you! Sure, thousands of years have now passed since we started this conversation and I'll have to start over again from scratch, but that's okay! It can't possibly be more frustrating than what I do here on the station! The kids can come too, and they'll always be safe there with us. And best of all, any time we want to come back, no matter how long it's been, we can step right back into our lives here as if nothing happened! I can come back and be Chief of Operations... whenever I want. Or not."

Keiko looked imploringly into her husband's eyes. "Miles, please! I know you're finding it hard to keep up at work, and there's always something to fix - something wrong. But that's who you are! That's what you do - what you're best at. Running away to hide in the shower has never helped before, and it won't help now. Just go talk to the Captain and tell him you need more staffing opened up in your department. I'm sure he'll understand. Look how helpful he was when I wanted to open the school! He gave me whatever I needed; maybe you just need to be more honest about what you need, instead of always making do."

Miles threw his hands up in the air, raising his voice; "Keiko this is ridiculous! I'm leavin' and you can come or not." and with that Miles stamped off to sit in the shower and build a new world all over again. This time he'd build a racquetball court so Julian could come stay when he got back from the conference "HE'LL appreciate all of this." Miles mumbled to himself, as Keiko went back to tending her Idran hybrids carefully. Sometimes she missed life on The Enterprise; Miles may have been bored in the transporter room, but at least he wasn't so stressed he had to concoct fantastical alternate dimensions to escape his job.

"Sisko to O'Brien - we have a situation on upper pylon 2 that needs your attention immediately. Kira will meet you there." "Yes sir..." Miles said sadly, putting aside his plans for the racquetball court for the time being.

[u/iaddandsubtract]

The shower went on, David was rummaging in the closet for a shirt that didn’t need too much ironing and a tie to go with it. He hoped Kim would finish her shower soon, so he could get one in too before he needed to leave for work. The shower went off. David came up with an old tie, maybe a little too narrow for fashion, but it would do with the pale blue dress shirt. She couldn’t be done already. That was like a five second shower, and it would be an amazing accomplishment.

The shower went on again, and he smiled to himself. What was she doing in there? He started to walk out of the closet when the water stopped again. There was Kim standing in the doorway of the bathroom just looking at him. Had she gotten her hair cut in the last few days? She looked… different. And she just stood there naked, looking at him.

He saw her naked every day, but something looked different. That new gym membership was really paying off now that he looked more closely. He was a little self-conscious with her watching him checking her out. He smiled at her. She smiled back.

“Dahfd. Ah, Dahvd. Nah, Dahvid. Hello.” She smiled widely at him, her eyes trailing down his body to his boxers. A look passed over her face then. Disappointment?

He knew he needed to lose a few pounds and he really should hit the gym too. Now that he really looked at her, Kim had somehow become hot without him noticing. Could four weeks in the gym really do that?

“Hi Kim, now get ready, we’re going to be late.” David shot her a mischievous smile. “Unless you want me to call in…” His boss would cut him some slack as long he wasn’t too late. He felt his excitement rise.

Kim looked a little confused, thinking, like she had no idea what he was talking about. Ah well, he had obviously read her intentions wrong. He turned away back to the closet.

“Dahvid. I.” Suddenly she came toward him and he barely had time to turn before she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. “Dahvid,” she spoke into his chest, “please, we haf to tahlk.”

He reluctantly released his hold on her. She really felt good in his arms, but she had said the words that told him there would be no morning interlude.

“What’s with the accent?”

“Ahccent? Dahvid, this will be, ah, will sound, ah, dumb, ah, but you haf to, ah, bahleev, believe me.”

He interrupted her, concerned now. “What’s wrong Kim? Are you having a stroke or something?” He kept his arms around her loosely in case she needed support, but really she didn’t seem weak at all.

“Nah, no I mean. David, please. I haf been gone.” The strange accent seemed to be lessening as she continued speaking with more confidence. “David, our shower is a portal gate to another, ah place. I have been away for a long time and hardly anyone there speaks English. David, you have to believe. I have been fighting for so long to be able to return to you.”

“What, Kim, seriously? What the hell? Come on we need to get to work.” David let go of her reluctantly. “Look, if you don’t want a shower, I’ll get going on mine.” He tried to walk past her, but she blocked him, her lean, naked body again brushing against his chest.

“No David. I’m never going to work again. I am going back. I want you to come with me. This other place is incredible. It’s like right out of a Tolkien book, and I’m like Galadriel there. I mean, I can do freakin’ magic! David, I’ve been fighting so long. SO. LONG. To find the things I needed to get back here for you. Come with me.”

“This is crazy Kim, and I really don’t have the time.” Or did she just want him to join her in the shower? It had been a while. What exactly did she mean by “magic”? He smiled at her again, but there was no playfulness in her eyes. She looked earnest.

“David, come with me. I am going now, and I want you to come with me. To rule by my side. Come with me now.” She took his hand and lead him into the bathroom. The shower door was open and it looked normal to him. He wasn’t as agile as he used to be, but he was happy to squeeze into the small shower space with his newly hot, naked wife.

She turned toward the shower knobs and David took the opportunity to reach around her and…

[u/Firenter → u/iaddandsubtract]

Damn, what a cliffhanger!

[u/iaddandsubtract → u/Firenter]

I hope you liked it. I actually had a bit more planned out but I ran out of time and that seemed like a decent place to end it.

[u/Spanish_Galleon]

(Oh god, they found me through her.)

The thought pounded through my head as we took closer and closer steps to the women's lavatory. I staggered slowly as she tugged on my arm, in doing so we almost bumped into a waitress carrying food for 5. I couldn't do it here, not in-front of all these poor people.

(Oh god, they found me through her.)

"Honey, please can we just go home?" It is a plea, she can see it in my eyes. "Don't you believe me? please I've missed you so much, just come back with me." She is so sweet still, just like before she got up all those years ago.

(Oh god, they found me through her.)

As we approach the breach I can see it before she even starts to feel around. The anxiety made my spine itch though my chest.

"It was around here somewhere! Please honey you have to believe me!" I say the incantation. "Ceste Mone Takju Fridegket OOn tuMabra." With a violent flash of light the hole bleeds and a foul puss oozes from the wall as the breach dies under my ancient tongue.

"Sorry, I won't go back. I came to this earth because you were still alive. You have to trust me. We have to run. I will explain what I really am in the car."

[u/DNGosp]

A 1000 books a night she read To find the right address distraught Her name had changed Thus wasting our pair of prepaid headstones

She played instruments and knew spells Ring still on her hand I wanted a divorce and withdrew all the money from our account

Her head still swollen The cracked tub wailing maimed without a memory Doctors predators to write the next H.M. hit record I visited her once or twice in the past 30 years

[u/Effendoor]

The most terrifying day of Damian's life started much like any other. A merry tune in his ear brought him to the waking world. He had always preferred to have an up-beat alarm clock. He felt that it started the day on a positive note, and sometimes you just need that extra boost of positive energy.

Beside him, Anabelle stirred. Damian reached his hand across their small bed and nudged her shoulder, as was their usual morning dance. "It's time to get up my love."

Anabelle groaned quietly and buried her face deeper in her pillow, causing Damian to grin, "If you don't get up now you won’t have time to get ready for work. You know the routine, love."

Continuing to groan, Anabelle sat up in glared at Damian. Noticing his teasing smile, she made an offensive gesture in his direction and rose, walking across their small apartment in her striped PJ's and closed the bathroom door behind her.

Damian dozed, waiting for his snooze to go off, or for Anabelle to walk back to the bedroom. Either would signal it was time for him to get up and begin his own morning routine.

He rested his eyes for a heartbeat, and Anabelle was at his side, shaking him urgently. "Dame, Dame wake up!"

Damian opened his eyes and grabbed his wife’s hand, "What is it Ana?"

As he spoke, tears started to stream down her cheeks. "You aren’t going to believe me, but please try. Please! Promise me you will try!"

Damian was growing concerned now. "Yes my love. Tell me, what is it?"

Anabelle was still gently crying as he stood. She took his hand and led him across the floor to the bathroom. With every step, Damian panicked a little bit more. He had to fight to keep it out of his face and posture.

Anabelle turned in front of the bathroom and stared at Damian for a long second before kissing him lightly on the mouth. "There is another world in there. I have been there for a lifetime. It's........ It’s indescribably beautiful." She gazed deep into his eyes, her own searching them. "Come with me. I want to share it with you."

Not trusting himself to speak, Damian nodded, and with that nod, a smile lit Anabelle's face like the sunrise on the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains. She turned and stepped through the door.

Anabelle was blissfully happy. This world she had found was wondrous. Everywhere there was a new sight, a new sound. Everything here was beautiful and gentle. She spent the day with Damian, showing him everything she had seen over the lifetimes she had been here. From the beautiful flowers, the gentle wildlife, to the rivers and waterfalls that roared to life in front of you in the blink of an eye. The rainbows they threw were mesmerizing. After a long day of showing him all there was to see, she lay down with him under the stars, staring up at the moon, so bright in the sky it could have been daylight if not for the quiet that settled into the landscape. With her head on his shoulder, she fell asleep, a contented smile on her face.

Damian waited until he heard the steady breathing that signaled his wife had drifted off to sleep. they lay on the floor of their bathroom, the light above dimmed by the switch that had never felt necessary before today.

He gently disentangled himself from his wifes embrace, and lay her head down on the carpet in front of their shower. The shower was running and making it uncomfortably warm. He opened the floral printed shower curtain and slowly turned it down He took His wifes rubber duck back scrub out of the tub and hung it back on the shower rack.

He looked down at his wife, sleeping with that same serene smile on her face. his heart was hammering in his chest and he felt like it would wake her at any moment, so as quietly as he could, he left the room, closing the door behind him.

He ran to his phone as soon as the door was closed and punched in Dr. Jevail's number. His wifes Medication had been empty, and he hadnt seen until she brought him into the room. She must have flushed the pills recently. He had checked for signs of an overdose, but other than the hallucinations, he had found nothing wrong.

Thanking God, he waited for the receptionist to pick up the phone.

The last time Anabelle had stopped taking her medication she had tried to kill herself.

[u/Ratephant]

Jane have been a heavy sleeper all her life, so it took some time before John was able to wake her up. He was excited and was talking nonsense to her sleepy brain, but when he put a flower like any other she have seen in her life next to her head on the pillow, the weird smell of the quickly fading beauty woke her up completely. "Wait, John, are you telling me there is a dimmensionbreak in OUR bathroom?" She wiped her eyes and yawned. This is not happening, she told herself. " I need to go pee now I am awake." She complained to him and quickly covered herself in her dressing gown as she went on her way. John took her hand. " Do you trust me, Jane?" He asked simple and without any colour in his voice. Jane stopped. "Of course I do trust you, it's just.. so unreal." was her answer. " It teleported me immediatelly as I went to the bathroom. Please, hold my hand and do not let go." Jane nust nodded as she gave him her hand and side by side they entered the bathroom door. Jane immediatelly felt immense pressure on their firm grip, and she felt as John squeezed her hand even more and so did she. It was like they were in a vacuum where they could breathe, but as soon as she tried to speak, only a fog left her mouth. It all ended as abruptly as it started, and they were both standing on the ground. "Beautifull, isn't it?" He said in awe. " It really is." She replied, still looking around. " I feel like I am in a dream. It is just too beautifull to be true." " It really is. The best part is, nobody dies. Nothing rots or breaks. Everything stays just as it is. It is a perfect world, and I found a perfect spot in it for us." Jane was at lost of words. She just let him lead her to her dream house on the beach with plenty of weird and unknown animals, flowers and trees. "What do we eat? What do they eat?" She asked and pointed on the hord catching the redlight and resting on the porch. "Are you hungry?" He asked, surprised. "No, it's just a.. habit probably." She finished her reply with a slight anxiety. He laughed. " That is the beauty of this place. We will never have to worry about getting food, about money, about the weather or whatever. Everything is perfect here and it stays perfect." He laughed again happily as he hugged her and whispered into her ear "I love you." It was a big world, and Jane was enjoying her adventurous side more and more as she grew older. Nothing changed on the outside. Her face was still as pretty as when they originally came here. She felt older, though, and the resentment to this world grew bigger and bigger. It may be the perfect world for John, but for her.. it was empty. Just empty. Nothing lived here, as long as nothing died here it could not have actually been alive in the first place. Nothing could be born, either. It felt like a museum of some sort. A world museum. And she was living in it for too many years now. John was happy here and that was the only reason why she agreed they would stay. But as the years were running along, she was growing more and more resentfull to this museum of a world, to the smells and weird beauty of this paused place and even to John. One day, she climbed on top of the biggest mountain of this world, and as she stood there looking with geniune disgust all around she finally made her decission. She closed her eyes and made a long step into the thin air. The fall was way shorter than she expected. Nothing can die here. She told herself scoldingly, and resignedly opened her eyes with her heart aching. And than she saw the tilling.

[u/arkham1010]

Jack opened his eyes to hear seagulls. That wasn't all that unusual, they did live a few blocks from the beach, but it was unusual since it was winter and all the windows should have been closed. He rolled over in bed and saw that Kathleen had gotten up. He heard her banging around , then went quiet for a moment. And then another moment. Jack lifted himself up on one arm and stared at the bathroom door. "Kat, you okay in there?" he called out.

The door flew open, and Kathleen comes running out "Jack! Honey" she exclaimed excitedly "You have to see this!" She was half dressed, her work pants on but not fully buttoned, blouse misbuttoned entirely, hair a mop of untamed curls.

Jack took a deep breath, then sat up fully and asked with a careful, wary tone "What is it, Kat"?

Kathleen just beamed with excitement "The bathroom door! The the door! Its magical!, just like the wardrobe to Narnia!" At this, Jack adopted a carefully neutral facial expression "Magical? How so."

"Oh, its fantastic honey! I walked into the bathroom, but it wasn't! It was like...it was like Saint Lucia, where we went on our honeymoon, and there were seagulls and sand.. I was there a thousand years and I have built this BEAUTIFUL house for us to live in and..."

Jack let her continue on as he kept his face impassive, but inwardly he wanted to scream and rage.

"...and the flowerpots were terracotta like the ones we saw yesterday at Home depot, but they were glazed with this...."

Jack listened to her, making sure to keep eye contact as he reached for his cell phone. He started flipping through his contacts , found what he was looking for and hit dial.

"...But i don't think the china pattern in the guest rooms should be Royal Arnold, I was more thinking more a Prince Albert...."

Jack lifted the phone and listed to the ring, keeping a fake smile on his lips. "Yes, Doctor Merrill please.....Yes, Doctor? Yeah, its happened again." He got out of bed and brushed his free arm lovingly across Kathleen's shoulder as he walked towards the bathroom "Yeah...". He reached for the sink, picked up a medication bottle and cradling the cell phone in his shoulders began to count the pills "She has....four, five, six left, so she's been taking them as directed. Yeah, these are the increased dosages...." He glanced out the bathroom door to ensure Kathleen is still there. She is, sitting on the bed now, animatedly waving her hands, babbling something about the paint color for the sun room.

"Yes, I think you are right...Yes...Yes, I do orally consent to emergency commitment for my wife." He nods and replies "Yes, half an hour? Okay. I'll keep her calm." With that he ended the call, and slammed shut the bathroom window, silencing the seagulls outside.

[u/Pillarsofcreation99]

The day was like any other , a clean sunny day ... The kind you see in Instagram or your dreams , this should have tipped me off but it didn't .

My wife went to the kitchen to get me some hot coffee , she was the 'morning' person and I was the night owl so I needed a pick me up before getting up at 6 , all was quiet though something felt ... Off

After what seems like no time at all , my wife comes running to me and crushes me with a bear hug , I am really surprised and then I see her face , you see when she is either really really happy or sad she doesn't cry or show emotions , but the only indicator is her eyes.

Frankly what I saw in her eyes was supreme absolute happiness mingled with a breeze of sadness , this completely baffled me - "babe are you ok? " At first she struggled to speak , almost as if she forgotten how do so !

She tells me - " oh John how I missed you so ..." I think it's some of emotional joke but the look in her eyes knocks that possibility out of orbit , she then proceeds to tell me about this alternate dimension where she was stuck in a situational loop for almost a 1000 years , I run that scenario in my mind still unable to comprehend what she was saying and then she abruptly woke me up with ... Well surprising strength and took me with her to the kitchen.

The very first thing I saw was : "happy birthday John !!!!!" And I see a smattering of my friends shouting that very fact together , she leans in and tells me : You doofus , I can't believe you actually fell for that lame story and you forgot your birthday as well.

[u/Strawberrycocoa]

I looked at the pile of bills on the table, the screaming indignant celebrities on the TV, the orange monkey in our highest office of government, at the riots and mass shootings on the news. Then I looked at my wife, and the glimmer of joy and wonder in her eyes.

She whispered to me, "They have unicorns, David. Unicorns!!"

Fuck it, lets go. Anything's better than this.

[u/[deleted] → u/Strawberrycocoa]

The short entries are always the best

[u/[deleted]]

Of course I would follow her. I had to.

Did I believe it? Of course not.

Still, people in the restaurant were getting uneasy. The passion in her voice usurped social etiquette. The patrons of this establishment couldn't comprehend the importance of what was happening.

So I left cash on the table, much more than was needed to pay for my half finished meal, and I grabbed her hand.

We rushed past the judging eyes of strangers. A mother whispered to her children not to stare. I didn't care, neither did my wife. We had to go, now.

We brushed past the waitress and I gave her a knowing goodbye look, and pointed with my eyes to the cash on the table. We weren't leaving her without payment. She should know.

We rounded the corner past a dish of old starlight peppermints where the white color had become pink as the red dye bled into its surrounding space. There was the sign that had so excited her. There was the portal to another dimension.

I asked the hostess for a glass of water. Not for me, but for my wife. She was sweating. Panting. Her mind was racing. She seemed so different in this moment. Changed. Unfamiliar. When the hostess returned I gave my wife a small white pill.

"Take this." I said. There was no use arguing. Whatever she had told me was reality... to her. Hopefully the medicine would work quickly. The manic fiction her mind had painted was real enough that nothing I said would convince her otherwise.

The episodes were getting worse. I wondered when she'd need more help than I could offer. As she began to calm down I choked back the tears that desperately wanted to escape my eyes. Neither of us felt hungry enough to return to our table, which was fine because we watched the bus boy clear our plates before we headed to the car.

[u/Azozel]

Skeptical but excited I jump off the couch. I've never heard my wife talk like this so I really want to see what she's talking about. I step into the bathroom but nothing happens, as expected. "Sooooooo...." I say, as I look around the room.

"You have to lift the lid." She says.

"Okay...." I say as I gingerly lift the lid on the toilet seat to reveal.....a huge disgusting turd coiled around the inside of the bowl. Dark brown, half disintegrated and the occasional bit of corn this thing is rancid beyond all belief.

I turn to see my wife holding the plunger "I'm tired of flushing your shit and having to plung it cause it wont go down. Here." She hands me the plunger and walks out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her so the smell doesn't escape.

I sigh and then chuckle a bit to myself. Married for 20 years and she can still surprise me.

I flush the toilet and for a moment it looks like I won't need the plunger but then water starts creeping up the side of the bowl. I quickly close the lid and as water begins escaping the sides of the seat I curse to myself "Shit!"

[u/Reditero]

 "Britney, what're you talking about? Are you alright?

She had a strange look in her eyes but I didn't understand then. I didn't know how to take it. Was it a joke? Was it a prank that I just didn't get? It doesn't seem like something we should say.

She looked back at me and started babbling, speaking too fast to understand, about things that didn't make any sense. I hadn't heard her say non sense like this since we we're experimenting with acid in college. We had done a lot together. It is one of the things that brought us so close in a strange kind of way. That was a long time ago now. We weren't the same people anymore. She must have realized at the time how I felt. She grabbed my hand and told me to "Look!"

I followed her into the bathroom and she opened the closet. It's hard to explain what I saw next. It was alive but like a part of the house. It was made of flesh, like a giant vagina. It rose and fell like it was breathing. This was a living thing. But I had no idea what to think. I remember imagining that it might be an animal or part of one. The smell was horrible. Britney was excited to show it too me and seemed to know what it was and was comfortable about it.

 The first words I could muster were, "Britney, what the fuck is that?"

 "It's a kind of portal... a flesh portal, it's how we get there." She responded.

I stood startled for a while, not knowing what to say or to think. This thing wasn't there six weeks ago when we left for Italy. How did it get there and who put it there. I had more questions than I had composure to ask. I just stood there silent and in shock.

 "Kevin, you should go in first because you've never done it and if you see me go                 first, I'm afraid you'll never follow."

Go in? This was now the strangest thing I had ever seen? My wife wants me to go into that thing?

 "What do you mean, what the fuck is that?"

 "It's the way to mother Kevin."

Now it was even more strange. I remember wondering if Britney had sudden on set mental illness of some kind? Has she been like this for some time now? How hadn't I noticed. Mental illness doesn't explain what I was looking at. Britney's mom had died only a few years before from cancer. Was she trying to get us to commit suicide so that we could be with her dead mother? It didn't make any sense to me then.

Britney pushed me forward and I was now uncomfortably close to this giant alien vagina growing out of the floor of my house. The smell was horrible and now I could feel the warm putrid air coming out of it. There was something else strange I realized at that moment, the voices coming from it. They started off very faint and seemed to grow louder and louder. I couldn't understand them for some time but eventually they started to come in. It wasn't one voice. It seemed like a million people chatting back and forth and cats meowing.

Britney grabbed me by the shoulder and looked into my eyes. And calmly asked,

 "Can you hear them now? They wanted me to bring you back with me. I have to   go back and you have to come with me. I was only permitted a set amount of time. We have to hurry. We're wasting time here. It's better on the other side."

It's hard to explain to someone who has never seen a flesh portal to explain why you went into one. Especially to explain why you went in the first time. Britney knew this and didn't even try. Her plan was just to get me close enough to it. Close enough to let mother reason with me. The things mother says aren't audible. They're more directed than that. Her messages aren't conveyed in words. It's more of a transfer of understanding. I've now learned that she never tell you more than you need to know. The first thing she had told me was why I must enter the flesh portal. I didn't know why but now I knew what I had to do.

Britney smiled at me, she knew what I was about to do. I went head first into it. It was wet and nasty and smelled. I came to quickly learn that this was only the beginning of the discomfort. It was only vertical for a few meters and the walls held you tight to prevent you from falling too fast. The passageways of the flesh portal expanded rapidly after it became level. I was now able to stand but couldn't see. I still had my phone in my pocket. I turned on my phone's flashlight so I could navigate forward. The voices were much louder now seemed audible. It wasn't mother. It was like millions of human voices, speaking different languages and rambling on, speaking over each other. There were animal sounds too. At first it was just cats but now I could hear horses and birds. I used the light to go forward. There was no way to go back. The entrance had closed behind me. I wanted to wait for Britney but her voice was the most clear here in the tunnel. She told me to go forward. She couldn't pass through until after I had.

I walked forward for what seemed like hundreds or thousands of meters until I noticed something in the wall. It was teeth, human teeth and not just teeth but it looked like a lower jaw. I reached out to touch it and it began to move. The walls were pink and made of flesh. The jaw was being articulated by muscles in the wall. This is where I shit myself.I knew that this was a bad idea now. But there was no where to go and Britney was telling me to keep going forward. She seemed annoyed and disappointed in me now.

I knew something wasn't right but I continued forward. Now the walls were covered in bones. They were mostly human but some were things I couldn't describe. Not really animals but other things. Some of the bones were being manipulated by muscles in the walls and some were still. The passageway eventually opened into a large chamber. The voices became much louder here. Not Britney's but all the others.

I looked around the chamber. It was roughly round and had maybe a ten meter radius. There were body parts with flesh still on them moving all around me now. The voices wanted me to lye down. I couldn't hear Britney anymore at all. The other voices had grown so loud now. It was becoming hard to think. My heart was beating fast. I started to panick and then started to run.

I barely got a step before something grabbed my ankle and I tripped to the ground. It was a human hand. The floor was full of teeth and jaws and and hands and claws. They were pulling me down, biting me and pulling the flesh off my bones. The voices were laughing now. This was enjoyable to them. Painful isn't a good description, it's pure agony. The fingers gouged out my eyes and teeth bit off my ears in the first first seconds of hitting the floor. The hands and teeth were on me and inside me. This is the point where you lose consciousness the first time you travel through a flesh interface. It's even worse once you're accustomed to it. You remain aware for more of the process.

Britney was eager to show me the new home she had found for us. It was a great spot and I loved it. It was a small cave. The entrance was submerged but our living chamber was try and rocky. Beautiful stalactites hung from the ceiling. Some were purple and others green. These were perfect decorations. The greatest thing about our new home was that we could hear mother now when she called. Mother could be heard more clearly now and it was very reassuring. Life on the other side was always so uncertain, so short but here mother takes care of everyone.

Britney knew I was hungry and assured me there was plenty to eat in the proximity of the cave. She didn't speak to me like she did on the other side. Now she communicated like mother, we both did. Shrimp were always swimming outside and insects could enter our cave through small openings. The temple had livestock if there was some shortage here. Mother made sure we had meat. She had always made sure that everyone had meat. Britney had spent a long time here finding this place for us. I didn't understand at first but now I understood fully.

Britney left and came back with a shrimp. She presented it to me and asked me to help remove the barnacles from her chitin with my claws. I wasn't very good at it but since then I've practiced and become a much better groomer. It has always been important to be a good husband to Britney. Especially since she saved me from the other side and showed me this. I was separated from mother but now we were all together. I owe Britney everything

(This is fan fiction.) please see https://www.reddit.com/r/9M9H9E9/wiki/narrative

[u/sdqhr]

“Babe seriously, I went into another world! Like, I flushed the toilet and suddenly wham, these weird space time Gods told me I was the next chosen one and I suddenly got these powers? And apparently I have to defeat the next Evil that’s going to attack Other Earth.”

“Right, one question though,” I smiled, wondering whether my husband was having heat stroke after his football game with 'The Bros', “Were you doing a number one or two when you went into the toilet? I don’t imagine it would have been pleasant either way but pee seems like the better option in this.”

“Babe!” He whined, “I’m serious okay like, the space time Gods were literally about to whisk me to my mission but I told them that I had you and that if you weren’t with me that I wouldn’t even think of helping them. Even if they gave me the jazzy cool superpowers.”

I blushed, even though the entire situation was honestly bordering on insane it was pretty cute that he’d think of me in such a disorienting albeit unrealistic situation. I still pretty much thought it was just a hallucination on his part though.

“So when I told them about you they were all like, sure! The both of you will get your own mansion and enough riches and food to last a lifetime. Also, whenever we needed to we could travel back to this Earth and visit our friends and family. They even showed me the mansion and the riches,” he stretched out his arms widely, “It was like this big and this much money babe!”

I couldn’t help but laugh a bit. To be honest, our life was going rough especially since he had recently been “regretfully” retrenched (courtesy of the higher up’s choice of words) from his job of five years. A friend of his who still had a job with the company said they immediately hired someone for my husband’s job but paid the newbie considerably less. They could have honestly given him a heads up so he could have found another job before firing him.

I wondered whether this extravagant story was how he wanted to cheer us up a little and I smiled, “Fine okay, if this place really exists and I do agree on going, how are we going to get there again?”

He grinned, “The same way I did of course!” An unpleasant feeling had told me that that was probably how he was going to answer and I simply rolled my eyes as he dragged me to the toilet.

“Seriously, were you doing a number one or two — I need to know, if we’re going through the toi-“ He quickly cut me off, giving me a peck on the forehead and saying, “See you on the other side, honey.”

Before I could protest, he pressed the flush button. For a moment, I was just sat there and just as I was about to rub it in his face I felt the toilet seat under me shaking and then, a loud whoosh. Suddenly I was travelling through blindingly white and empty space, feeling a strong pull carrying me downwards.

“Fuck!” I cursed as I landed right on my ass. I tentatively stood up, rubbing my butt. I looked around, it seemed that I landed right in the middle of four threateningly high thrones, the figures sat on them hidden in shadow.

“Fuck?” I accidentally said aloud, my hand quickly moving to cover my mouth — I couldn’t believe my eyes, I was actually brought into another dimension? And, these were the space time Gods Kelvin was talking about? What?

Shortly, I heard what sounded like someone falling behind me and turned. It was Kelvin suavely landing on his feet, even managing to give me a sneaky wink as he did. That bastard knew I’d land on my ass and probably saw me as I did actually fall on it.

He then went on one knee, facing the highest of the thrones, “This is my beloved wife. I have brought her to live with me as I carry out the mission to save Other Earth.” I panicked and quickly followed suit, settling down on one knee beside him.

“Yes, good,” a deep gravelly voice that seemed to come from the throne but also seemed to come from all sides of the room reverberated in the space, “I will now send you off to your mission Chosen One, and I will ensure that your beloved will be safe in your mansion.”

Before my husband could reply, I stood up, “Excuse me Your Honour but, if I might say so myself, I am pretty badass at kicking butt myself. I could probably do better than your Chosen One beside me too. Whaddya say if you gave me some cool superpowers too and I help him out with his mission?” I acted as nonchalantly as possible, I knew these Gods could probably vaporise me with a snap of their fingers but like hell if I was going to let go of this chance of being a superhero.

“Hmm,” I flinched, the sudden sound of the God’s gravelly voice surprising me, “That doesn’t sound too bad. Very well, I shall allow you to wield the same powers as your husband. Do not let us down Earthlings. The fate of Other Earth rests in your hands.”

I saw a giant hand appear on top of me, and with a sprinkling motion, I suddenly felt a surge of power rushing through my body. Grabbing my husband’s hand, I looked at him and kissed him, letting all my emotions (confusion, happiness, worry and especially love) reach him. He smiled when we parted, grabbing my hand.

This, was gonna be one hell of a story to tell The Bros.

---

10 hours too late but I hope at least someone sees this :'>)

[u/ursois → u/sdqhr]

I saw it. This will be good if it's the start of a multi-chapter epic story. Otherwise it's just a tease.

[u/lovelyreganx → u/sdqhr]

Hey,I saw,I read,I loved-in fact would humbly request a sequel please-I'd like to read more about this badass couple! Thanks for the good read

[u/omgitsbrittie → u/sdqhr]

I saw it! Thank you!

[u/Bluefoot44 → u/sdqhr]

I saw it. Thanks for writing..

[u/brooky12 → u/[deleted]]

Hi there, this post has been removed.

Top level responses must be a story or a poem. Prompts that are likely to generate non-story or poem responses are also not allowed.

---

Please refer to the sidebar before posting. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to send us a modmail.

[u/TheSkinner95]

We prayed for a miracle. Every morning Jared would be looking over my chest with a gentle gaze, knowing at any moment it would stop moving, and it would all be over. When I'd eventually wake, he would attempt to cover up his rejoyce, try to act normal, like there was nothing wrong. Acting as though everyday wasn't a blessing. Sadly, after a check up with the oncologist, it was clear that nothing was going to be normal again with a few days slipping away before us, as I was soon expected to pass away.

I have never been a religious man, but the morning when the miracle came was probably the closest I ever came to some kind of religious revelation. Jared was stroking my bald head gently why I gained consciousness, I focused on his deep brown eyes and smiled, he spoke softly to me, "Still as handsome as the day I met you, Alec." I strained a laugh, sometimes when I woke up my chest really hurt, as I'd started to refuse drugs and accept the embrace of my situation - which had caused a lot of conflict and upset between myself and my family, but I like to think they accepted my wishes.

Noticing my fever, Jared got up and went to the en-suite to fetch a cold cloth to press to my forehead. He was always so good to me, where did I find such a caring man? In, what must have been 15 seconds, he came back... he was... different. The look in his eyes, in all our 30 years together, I had never seen. As though there were a fire raging behind him, something about his overall demeanor was different, but the man the same.

"Alec, I need you to get up now." The sound in his voice had a layer of urgency, of knowing. I struggled up to a stand, my bones were frail, yet the pain was tolerable. "Jared? What is it? What's wrong?" I knew that something was different, something I just couldn't place. I stepped towards him, and fell over at his feet, throwing up and shaking on the floor.

Was this it? Was this the moment it all happened? Was he some kind of grim reaper, taking the form of someone I love to make it all easier? A million guesses flew through my mind in milliseconds, a screaming, desperate voice inside my head all silenced at once with a few words, "Alec, you're going to live." I was stunned to silence, Jared picked me up and took me to the bathroom door, there was a light, the room was shaky and blurry. Jared stuck his arm through the tiled wall as if it weren't there, and I passed out.

When I awoke, I thought it had all been a dream. Jared was next to me once again, ruffling my thick, black hair, laughing.

"You're not going to die, Alec, look at this place." I was still so confused, where were the answera? "H-Home?" "Sort of. It's going to sound crazy, but I think we've gone through a wormhole to another dimension. Everything here looks like home, because I knew it would be more comfortable for you. Alec ask me how old I am..." he paused, smiling, awaiting my answer.

"Fifty... fifty-one?"

"Add 1,000 years to that."

I sat in silence, there was nothing logical going on here.

"1000 years here is a mere few seconds back home. There is so much peace here. We'd have eternity together ."

...

From then on, it prove itself true. We knew that if we were ever to cross back to Earth in our own dimention I would become ill again, but here we could be ourselves.

.......

I want to expand on this more but literally just wrote this in half an hour on my lunch break! Any criticisms or advice much appreciated :)

[u/serendipiteee11 → u/TheSkinner95]

Beautiful :-)

[u/TheSkinner95 → u/serendipiteee11]

Thank you very much :) x

[u/Throwaway7676i → u/TheSkinner95]

Very interesting! I might move the "Alec you're going to live" part to wake him up after he's passed out. It might up the suspense.

[u/TheSkinner95 → u/Throwaway7676i]

I like that! :) Thank you

[u/Zenbhang]

A bit late, not sure anyone will read this, but had a lot of fun with the prompt! Props to OP!

---

She ran out of the bathroom and grabbed me tighter than anything ever before.

"I found another world! A place where I was a god! A land where I crafted the dirt below my feet..."

I looked at her in total disbelief.

"I found a land where the beings praised me as their benevolent deity, burning pyres and making sacrifices to me!"

I mean she was gone for like 30 seconds to pee.

"You wouldn't believe it! I made the stars out of sand and the sky out of paint..."

At this point she was clutching me so hard I might actually faint.

"You should've seen it! I saw as wars were fought below my feet, heroics and feats fought in the name of me!"

I sniffed her hair trying to see if she had the scent of weed.

"I saw as the world crumbled in the name of greed, the fat needing to feed on the poor, the wicked on the weak..."

All this she had seen from taking a leak?

"So I destroyed it all and created anew,

Made the oceans a boiling stew,

Made a shelter from the ground,

keeping safe only the good few."

...

I then asked "...then why did you come back?

Come back from where you had all the power?

A benevolent deity of the bath.

A land where we also have to shower?

Why did you come back?"

I stared down into her eyes, at my feet she had curled.

"Because baby, even after all of this, you are still my world."

[u/lovelyreganx → u/Zenbhang]

How lovely

[u/Hermit_Lord]

Seeing Maria slam the bathroom door behind her broke my heart, the utter contempt on her face cut straight through me. Such an idiot... I always mess everything up. I leant against the bathroom door tears flowing freely down my face. 'Maria, Baby, come out, we can fix this. I'll change I promise!' you lying bastard. I'll never change. My fingers pull at the locked door handle in a vain hope that it will turn freely and Maria will be in my arms, happy and full of love. The handle jars, turning no further that half an inch. I slump down in front of the door openly sobbing. I love her, I really do. My only hope for a happy future, I wanted to marry her. To have a family. And I still can't keep it in my pants.

What feels like an eternity passes but what I know to only be a several seconds tick by. Despair fills me. Drowning out all other emotion.

A click and the door opens inwards, her sweet perfume reaches me first, the scent of a garden in spring, fills my nostrils and rejuvenates me. A gentle hand strokes down my cheek, sliding under my chin she pulls me up close to her. 'it's okay honey, I forgive you' Yes! The words I don't deserve to hear, I pull her close. 'I'm sorry, so sorry, I can't breathe without you, I felt like I was at that door for an eternity, it was hell, sorry...' She kissed me, her lips first brushing and then pushing against mine sending warmth through my cold heart. She pulled away and leant to my ear. 'it felt more like a thousand years... I had plenty of time to think on the other side of that door, I know you love me and I know you want us to work, but I also know that you will never change. I've worked hard for this moment. It's like another world, I see myself creating a life for us, safe from everything. She kissed me again, pulling me hard against her. The warmth of her kiss halted and retreated as I felt cold steel sliding into my abdomen slicing through my insides the cold steel became hot pain screaming through my body, unable to scream I let out a gasp, she kissed me again. 'Please wait for me on the other side, we can make this work'

-HL (sorry for the formatting, on mobile.)

[u/lovelyreganx → u/Hermit_Lord]

Wow

[u/Hermit_Lord → u/lovelyreganx]

Good wow, or bad wow?

[u/lovelyreganx → u/Hermit_Lord]

Good wow,definitely good wow-thanks I enjoyed the read!

[u/Hermit_Lord → u/lovelyreganx]

Thankyou very much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[u/Heagram]

A tick wracked his body as something broke in the bathroom.

Allie? Darling? Everything OK?

He heard some shuffling behind the shut door. Scraping of fingernails against the white paint and wood.

He hurried to the door and almost had his hand on the brass knob when a hand turned it from the other side and ripped the door open.

Brandon! Oh my god! It's been so long and you're still here! Her eyes were wild and a bit unfocused. I figured you'd be dead, or gone, or at least older! She inspected her own hands before her and frowned. I need to wash up a bit. Small crescents of impacted dirt had built up under her nails.

Alright, alright I'll let you clean up, but did something break in here? Pushing his head inside he did see the mirror piece had fallen and broken into more pieces. Be careful Allie, I need to clean that up. Let me go get the broom.

She paid him no attention. Brown water dripped from the faucet over her hands. Her clothes were fine, at least they hadn't been torn up this time.

In the kitchen he opened a cabinet and retrieved a can of potatoes and snagged the cylinder of propane from the hiding spot behind the washer. Carefully he screwed it into the camping stove and set the pot on top before depressing the ignition a few times. Fortunately the spark caught with only 6 strikes. He frowned- it was getting colder by the day. Two and a half cylinders was not going to last till April. Hopefully it didn't have to. With the pot set, he turned to the closet to get the broom.

Something crashed outside their apartment, further down the hall. The muscles in his heart slammed adrenaline through his veins with an audible tha-thump. His hands were shaking as he whittled the can open with a bottle opener. After turning the can upside down in the pot, he crept to the door and carefully looked through the peephole. He was careful not to lean on the door to keep it from making a sound. It was only now that he heard the shouting and another thump.

His muscles tensed involuntarily. The shouted words barely came through the door- in! Let me in!

Another thudding sound came from the other direction. He craned his head but couldn't see- two men dashed down the dark hallway towards the sound. That's all he had saw before he ducked out of sight of the peephole.

He crawled across the floor to the camper stove and turned it off quietly. His hands could barely maintain a solid grasp on the pot handle as he scurried back to the bathroom to make sure Allie was alright.

She was standing in the hallway. Her eyes had a worried curiosity. What is it Brandon? Everything OK? Her voice was cluelessly loud.

He put a shaking finger to his lips and shouldered her into the bathroom. Shivers were running through his body. The pot clinked in the sink as he tried to quietly set it down. He closed the door and darkness swept over them.

Brandon? What is it?

Shh was the only thing he could utter between his clenched teeth.

It was then that his body began to nearly convulse. As shells screamed out of the sky and nearby explosions rocked the building, every muscle in his body pulsed involuntarily. He curled his knees to his chin and pulled them tight to his chest with his arms. He pulled until it hurt.

In the dark, Allie fumbled towards him. Her warm touch fell softly on his shoulders, pulling him into her with a gentle hug. It did little for the tremors, but Brandon could feel his heart beating lighter.

There there. We'll be there soon. She said quietly.

He could feel her breath on his face. Her cheek against his. He couldn't relax. But he leaned into her. Pressing his face into her neck and chest. He unwrapped his arms from around his knees pitifully hung them from her neck. The sobs came quietly at first.

The air was warm. Grass tickled the bare skin on his arms. A bright sun pierced his eyelids.

Opening his eyes greeted him with a completely unfamiliar sight. Green mountains rose in the distance. Waving grass that flashed red and green in the breeze. As he turned surveying the landscape, he spotted a simple log house nearby.

Are you feeling better Brandon? He turned around. Allison was sitting in the grass behind him. You always drool so much when you sleep. She stood.

Where are we?

She smiled and held her arms out to embrace him. She pulled him close. And whispered in his ear.

Home.

[u/IBangedYourMom69]

"Gonna take a quick shower then hop back in bed, won't be more than 10 minutes I promise!"

Amber rose from the mattress throwing off the sheets and wrapping herself in a towel as she made her way down the hall too the bathroom.

"Don't know if I can wait that long, better make it five."

She turned around with a slight grin "You're cute." She said half-heartedly closing the door behind her.

I checked my phone. 8 AM is too early to be up on a Saturday but not for Amber. She's got me into this whole get the most out of your day thing. Wake up, have breakfast, go for a quick run. I don't particularly mind it, in fact I've gotten used to it by now but I guess it was high time for a stay in bed and do nothing kinda day.

"She'll be awhile"

She always says 10 minutes but by the time she does her hair and brushes her teeth and whatever else women do in the morning we're getting close to 25 and thats being generous. I decided to close my eyes and be with my thoughts for a few minutes, maybe get in a quick post-sleep nap. I could hear the water turn on but the sound of our squeaky shower head was interrupted by a loud crash erupting from the bathroom.

"Amber? You alright in there?" I called out towards the hallway. The door whipped open quickly and an out of breath Amber emerged, hunched over, her arm extended out towards me. I sprang from the bed catching her as she fell. Her face was cut and her body bruised and dirty.

"Amber what happened? Are you alright?" I asked, embracing her limp body.

"It worked, I can't believe it worked!" she gasped choking on her breath as tears begun to stream down her face.

"What are you talking about, all you did was turn the water on."

"How long has it been? How long ago did I go into the bathroom?"

"Like less than a minute. You're beginning to freak me out. What is going on?"

"I... you need to see for yourself I can't explain it to you. Oh my god I can't believe I made it back. And you... less than a minute. I missed you, I thought I would never be able to get back to you. It's been so long."

She reached out grabbing my face pulling me in to kiss me as if I had been gone for months.

"I'm sorry but you aren't making any sense, I just saw you, remember? You said you were gonna shower and the-"

"I never made it into the shower Adrian, you need to come with me, something happened when i turned it on I saw a loose tile on the wall, I reached out to fix it and then suddenly I'm not in the bathroom anymore."

"Have you lost your mind? That doesn't make any sense. People don't just disappear. Do I need to take you to the hospital or something? Did you fall?"

"Adrian I went somewhere. I wound up in this place, I can't really explain it right now but you need to trust me. I was gone for a very long time. You need to come with me, please you need to see this. I will explain everything to you I promise"

She grabbed my hand pulling me in through the door. The shower was still running but she was right. There was an out of place tile on the wall and something was just not right about its appearance. It just didn't look like it belonged with the rest of the bathroom. It had a slightly translucent look to it.

"Follow me ok, this should take us to the same place I got in."

"What place?! Can you just tell me what is going on already?"

"Adrian we don't have time for that just trust me! Please! I promise I'll explain."

"bu-"

"Just shut up and come with me."

Amber reached out to touch the strange tile and just like that she was gone. The squeaky faucet of the shower cut through the silence and I was left alone. I had no choice but to follow her it seemed and so holding my breath I touched the tile.

[u/IBangedYourMom69 → u/IBangedYourMom69]

It's quite an awful feeling really, when you sleep too long after a night of drunken debauchery and the pang of a late afternoon hangover stays past its welcome. I felt like I had just been up for a week drinking and was finally beginning to feel the effects of my poor decisions. When I came-to my vision was obstructed by the intense glare radiating from above. I couldn't see but I could tell that there was sand beneath me. I could feel the coarse grains impacted between my toes. The sound of waves rolling gently on the shore told me that I was on some sort of beach rather than a desert which came as a relief.

"Ah very well sir! Lady Amber said you would be arriving though that was some time ago. What took you so long? I trust you had a pleasant journey?"

An unseen voice called and I could feel my leg being prodded.

"Sir Adrian you mustn't keep the lady waiting please get up she's expecting you rather soon and I was instructed to bring you to her."

As my eyes adjusted to the light I could see the figure before me. A well dressed short, funny little man with a long and well curled moustache. A rather dignified looking fellow.

"Who are you and where am I?"

"My production name is B37NJMN9, you may call me Benjamin. I am a service android owned by Madame Amber."

"The other half of my question please?"

"I was just getting to that no need to be snappy! You are here of course!"

"And where is here?"

"Here! Right here on this beach! Splendid isn't it?"

"More specifically where am I and where is Amber?"

"Who am I to tell you where you are? You need to discover that for yourself! I'm not programmed to deal with emotions and self-actualization."

"Ok Benjamin I'm not playing around here can you show me a map or something where are you taking me?"

"To Madame Amber of course now if you would just follow me, we have some distance to cover and I'd like to arrive by nightfall."

It was clear that I wouldn't be getting a whole lot of information from this guy. Maybe his programming was off. It was still like nothing I'd ever seen. No robot on earth had any kind comprehension like this thing had and so I followed him. It was the only way I'd ever get to Amber so I could finally get some answers.

As we walked the coastline the sun quickly began to set, unnaturally quickly.

"Benjamin I can't help but notice the sun..."

"Ah yes Sir Adrian it tends to do that as the day comes to an end."

"Yes I realize that but it was just above us an hour ago."

"Come along now we're nearly there."

We made our way to where the trees met the beach and Benjamin brought us through to a trail which after a short distance led into a clearing.

"And just as the sun sets we have arrived."

"Theres nothing here though? I don't understand"

"Of Course you don't Sir Adrian of course you don't" Benjamin said with a smile as he produced a device from his pocket and laid it on the ground.

"Now if you would just give me a moment I will get us to our destination. Post haste."

Benjamin pressed the device to the ground and immediately it began to produce a soft whir as it spun in circles. The ground below us disappeared and I stood, mouth agape as all around us the trees disappeared. In moments what was once trees and sand was paved stone. I closed my eyes, completely unsure of what the hell was happening.

"Sir if you would please open your eyes."

The whirring had stopped. The clearing from before was gone. All around us were thatched roof buildings, most of them tall and thin sporting neon signage. Despite the buildings antiquated appearance the people were dressed in a way that one would think that "people of the future" would dress, bright colours and straight patterns. Neo-retro is the only way I could describe it. It was as if we were in some sort of market full of jubilant denizens and no one even so much as batted an eye when we appeared.

[u/[deleted] → u/IBangedYourMom69]

More?

[u/SilentSubscriber → u/[deleted]]

shoot, i always make sure to wait so the entire story is finished, i missed it though

[u/[deleted] → u/IBangedYourMom69]

SEQUEL PLEASE

[u/IBangedYourMom69 → u/[deleted]]

Tomorrow!

[u/[deleted] → u/IBangedYourMom69]

RIGHT NOW!

[u/SadGhoster87 → u/IBangedYourMom69]

Sequel me now

[u/IBangedYourMom69 → u/SadGhoster87]

Tomorrow!

[u/SadGhoster87 → u/IBangedYourMom69]

:D

[u/[deleted]]

Trillian came running out of the bathroom despite only having run in 15 seconds prior to this very sentence. I don't recall her flushing. I didn't hear her washing her hands, either.

'Todd! Todd! I fell into another dimension and what felt like seconds to you was a 1,000 years to me! I now want you to follow me back into the bathroom because I have built a life for you there!' screamed Trillian, in what seemed like a single breath. If what she was saying was true, her lung capacity certainly had increased in that timespan.

I was flabberghasted. I didn't know what to say. I also didn't know how to spell flabberghasted and google wasn't working and my dictionary was broken so I'm not going to look that up.

'A 1,000 years?' I asked. "Wouldn't it just be '1,000 years'?" I remembered that people talking in stories is done with quotation marks and not apostrophes.

She looked stunned. "No, I believe it would be 'a 1,000 years' as in, 'a set of 1,000 years'. It describes a span of time."

"I'm not sure that's true. I can't necessarily disprove it, but it just doesn't sit right with me." I hated disagreeing with Trillian. Not because I thought she was irrational by any means, but because in some cases she was a bit too rational for me.

"Look Josh, you may be right about that, but perhaps in this alternate dimension they use different rules to describe numerical quantities. And, maybe it's been a while since I've used the England language." she explained to me. As if I were a child. Well, I suppose she wasn't necessarily explaining it to me as if I were a child, but it certainly felt that way. I suppose I could just be projecting my internal mental state onto her,...does that mean I speak down to others as though they are children? What does this say about me? I feel like an awful person sometimes. I know I don't deserve somebody as good as Trillian. Wait, did she call me Josh?

"Wait, did you call me Josh?" I said, stunned for a moment.

She thought for a second. 'Well...it's been a 1,000 years. What did you expect?'

I couldn't argue with her. Sometimes she's a bit too rational.

[u/Taluunas → u/[deleted]]

Reminds me a little bit of HHGTTG, especially the name Trillian.

[u/[deleted] → u/Taluunas]

Oddly, I've never actually read it before...though it is sitting somewhere on my bookshelf.

Recommend a read?

[u/Taluunas → u/[deleted]]

Oh most definitely. Like your writing promp, HHGTTG is somewhat random and also hilarious. The structure of the books is very unique and doesn't follow the norm of the dramatic structure.

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys books, if you are more into audiobooks those are good as well. The first book is narrated by Steven Fry and the rest of the series by Martin Freeman who plays the main character in the movie adaptation.

[u/[deleted] → u/Taluunas]

I do like the sound of that--unfortunately I am not into audiobooks, and actually while I do enjoy reading I am not very much into reading fiction...but this seems like an exception I can make. x) Thank you so much for the recommendation! Are you well?

[u/[deleted]]

Donald comes running out of the bathroom shouting: darling!!! darling!!! You wont believe it!!! His wife Josephine replies: i dont want to see the size of your shit this morning, im not in the mood! Donald still super excited says: no its not that, i fell into another dimension and. Josephine interupts: sounds like you fell alright! Fell and hit your head! Youre talking nonsense! Donald replies: just listen i was there for 1000 years during what was only seconds in this dimension and i built a life for us there. I want you to come back with me! Josephine sniggers: it took you 1000 years to build a life, sounds about right because you are 42 years old and you've certainly done nothing with this life! Donald turns red with anger: you know in this dimension i could've had any girl i wanted but i remained faithful for 1000 years! Josephine laughs out loud: sounds like quiet a dream you had! I dont have time for this nonsense. I have to get to work. Josephine turns and starts walking out of the room. Donald follows yelling: it wasnt a dream, listen we have to go, the portal is going to close any minute now!! Josephine ignores donald and leaves the room slamming the door behind her. Donald hears his name being called from the bathroom. He enters and sees a few beautiful women peering out through a portal. One of the woman says: where is your wife, the portal will close in 30 seconds and wont open again for another 1000 years. Donald replies: she isnt coming, she thinks im a fool and a loser. The beautiful women wraps her arm around him and says: ive known you for almost 1000 years, you are certainly no loser and what kind of fool could build a multi billion dollar life for themselves! Lets get back to that life, the girls are waiting. Donald replies: you know what youre right, its her loss. Im going to go back and keep on building on that life. Who knows maybe one day i could become president! The beautiful women replies: yes, lets go, but first, you wont be needing this anymore. She reaches towards donalds hand and removes his wedding ring. She tosses it in the trash can by the sink as they walk through the portal and it closes behind them.

[u/kitoshi_masahura → u/[deleted]]

the potential here is YUGE ;)

[u/[deleted] → u/kitoshi_masahura]

Thanks!!🖒

[u/Hors2018 → u/[deleted]]

I really like it but with your formatting it's quite difficult to read. You could put your dialog in quotation marks and divide into a paragraph or two. But I like the concept :)

[u/[deleted] → u/Hors2018]

Thanks! Haha, i know the formatting is terrible! Just wrote it really quick when i woke up this morning!