The Portal Key
Copyright© 2025 by Duncan7
Chapter 10: Earth
David walked up the stairs to the first floor. After living in a forest, the carpeted stairs felt strange.
He pulled out his keys and unlocked the door to his unit. As he opened the door, he smelled stale air.
David walked inside and closed the door behind him. Soon, he’d be back in the arms of Saria.
He then noted remains of the lamp, along with scorched writing upon the tabletop. His portal key, and the only means of returning to Elyria, was gone!
“Crap!” he said aloud.
David sank down onto his sofa, exhausted and defeated. Mrs. Ellis had been here, and she’d destroyed his portal key.
Some time later, David stirred. He’d fallen asleep on the sofa. He had no more moves left.
The food in his refrigerator was stale. He’d need to get groceries. He felt resigned to his Earthly life.
Then he remembered he no longer had his beat-up Honda. He’d left it in that parking lot. By now, they’d towed it away somewhere. If he really was stranded on Earth, he should recover it. Maybe tomorrow.
David got up from the sofa, checked for his keys and wallet, check. He left his unit and walked outside to find something to eat.
He walked the streets, thinking maybe some fast food, or he could get some groceries. It really sucked, but he had to live in whatever world he was in.
Then he turned a corner and viewed the curiosity shop in the distance.
David’s hope surged. The curiosity shop, where he found his lamp, held the key to Elyria.
He rushed along the street, hunger forgotten.
Approaching the shop, he was slightly breathless, but the lit “Open” sign was a welcome sight.
The door chimed as he entered. Inside, he surveyed the shop.
“You’ve returned!” the short, elderly woman announced as she appeared from behind a counter. “Did you vanquish the Dark Queen?”
“What? You know of that?”
“I gave you the portal key. I chose you to save my people.”
“You’re álfar?” asked David.
“Yes, I used magic to tone down my appearance, to blend in here. My name is Falenas.”
“I’m David.” He offered a handshake, and she drew him closer.
“My, you’ve changed! I sense the álfar on you. Come and tell me all about it.”
Falenas led him to the back, gesturing to a chair, and set a kettle to boil before sitting next to him.
“I haven’t returned to Elyria for ages. Tell me all the details and leave nothing out!”
Falenas made tea for them both.
David recounted his adventures in Elyria to the attentive Falenas.
She stopped him at one point. “From whom did you get that amulet?” she asked.
“I got it from Calantha, Saria’s mother. She said it would protect me from the Dark Queen’s magic.”
“Yes! I made that amulet. I gave it to Calantha’s mother long ago, when Calantha was a small girl.”
“Oh, okay.” David continued telling his tale. He ended explaining that the Dark Queen destroyed his lamp.
“That’s too bad! It was my last portal key,” she said.
“I need to return to Elyria. Is there any other way?”
“No. I don’t have the materials to make another portal key.”
“So, I’m trapped here? I can’t return to be with Saria.”
“Too bad the Dark Queen is gone. She was better at portal keys than I was.”
“Wait! What if she had a portal key? Could I use that?” asked David.
“Maybe. Could you bring it here? Wear gloves so you don’t trigger it.”
“I’ll do that!”
With a new plan, David left the shop and returned home.
David, his stomach growling, picked up something to eat on his way home. Back in his unit, he sank onto the worn sofa, feeling its familiar give.
He picked up the phone and the card that Bob had given him. After a short ring, Bob answered. “Hello?”
“Bob, it’s David.”
“I didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon.”
“I had planned to use my portal key to return to Elyria. Yesterday, I found out the Dark Queen had visited my apartment and destroyed it.”
“That sux. Are you going to stay here?”
“No. I have a plan, and I need your help. Would you have time to help me tomorrow? And can you bring your minivan?” asked David.
“Sure, I’ll help you. I won’t return to Elyria, though.”
“Can you meet me outside my apartment building tomorrow at ten am? Bring two pairs of gloves with you.”
“I’ll see you then.”
“Bye.” David hung up the call.
Frustration churned in his gut that he couldn’t return to Elyria this evening, but optimism flickered for tomorrow.
David went to bed. Sleep evaded him, as his mind was elsewhere. He’d gotten used to sleeping beside Saria. Plus, it was like travel, where you’re in a different time zone and your body is unsure when to rest.
He awoke in the morning still feeling tired. He brewed tea, the steam curling upwards, and waited until Bob arrived.
Outside, the sun was bright when Bob’s minivan rumbled to a stop.
“Hey, David!” said Bob.
David slid into the front passenger seat. “Help me fetch the tapestry from Mrs. Ellis’s office. Then we take it to a shop nearby.”
“That’s all? Just break back into the office and steal her tapestry?”
“Yes, it’s so I can return to Elyria.”
“Oh, okay. I don’t want to get arrested.”
“Mrs. Ellis is gone. She won’t need it.”
Bob drove off toward the city’s ugliest district and the office building.
“Did you bring gloves?” asked David.
Bob gestured to the back seat, where two work gloves lay.
“We can’t touch it, or it might transport us back there.”
“Isn’t that the point?” asked Bob.
“I must ensure it’s not booby-trapped first.”
“Okay.”
Soon, they reached the gray 20-story building. Bob drove around to the loading dock.
David and Bob exited the van and walked around to the front entrance. David made sure they brought the gloves.
“Hopefully, it’s not too busy. We can nip in and out before anyone notices,” said David.
“That would be good,” said Bob.
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