Facing Worlds - Chapter 1

Chapter 17

I got back into Chelsee's speeder and set a course back to Chandler Ave. I knew what I had to do: go to sleep. I wasn't sure how I was going to do that, with the knowledge that I may die in the process. I landed the speeder out in front of the Ritz and got out. I took a slow walk up the fire escape and went into my office. It was dark in there. The only light was coming from the moon through the windows, but it was enough to see that there was a man sitting at my desk.

"Who are you?"

"Hit the lights, I'm sure you'll recognize me."

I definitely recognized the voice, but it couldn't be who I thought it was, it just couldn't. I hit the light switch, and my worst nightmare came true. Sitting at my desk was Jules Franklin. He must have left the realm of dreams, Chester said he occasionally left.

"What do you want?" I asked. I was slowly reaching into my pocket.

"You. Well not you exactly. I want Kitunda."

"I won't hand him over to you. I'll die first."

"That can be arranged."

Just then several people came into my office from my bedroom. They were all holding guns right at me. One of them was Anita Simmons another was Cate Michaels.

"Well Anita, Cate. Fancy seeing you here."

They didn't say anything. They just stared at me with a cold face, their guns ready to fire.

"Well, I guess I don't have much choice do I?"

"No, Murphy. You don't," Jules replied.

I reached into my pocket and grabbed the stone, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst. At first, nothing happened. Then I felt Kitunda begin to take over my body. His power rushed through me, and I was no longer in control. I was Kitunda.

"Looks like you've won, Pagunda," Kitunda said.

"Not quite. You're coming with me, back to my realm."

We were instantly transported to the realm of dreams.

"Now, Kitunda. It's time to meet your doom."

I wasn't about to let that happen. If I did the universe may be destroyed. I ran right for Pagunda, and grabbed his throat, but this time I was in control of Kitunda. I never had been before. Then I remembered what Chester had said, I was in control of my dream, now all I needed was the willpower to destroy Pagunda and I would.

I was doing it. I felt the power of Pagunda begin to slip away. It was then that it occurred to me. If I destroyed Pagunda, then wouldn't the realms be just as unbalanced as if Kitunda was destroyed? If so, I was no worse than Pagunda. At that point I realized there was only one way to save the world. Merge Pagunda and Kitunda. I let go of Pagunda's neck. He looked surprised.

"Why did you do that? You could have killed me you know."

"I know, but I've decided, it would not be for the best. We can end this war now if I just hand over the Kitunda stone."

"Now you're thinking straight."

I handed over the stone. The instant Jules grabbed it, it all started. I could see the power of Kitunda and the power of Pagunda, exit their stones, and merge above Jules head.

"You fool!" said Jules, "What have you done?"

It was then that I realized I was in complete control of the dream. A new stone began to form where the two powers met, but this one was blue. It took only a few more seconds before the powers were completely merged. The blue stone fell, directly into Jules' hand. The other two had vanished.

"Thank you, Mr. Murphy," Jules said, "By uniting Pagunda and Kitunda, you have saved the universe from destruction. I'm sorry for everything I did as Pagunda. Rook, the speeder, everything."

"No need to apologize, you weren't in control of yourself."

"Jules might not have been in control, but Pagunda was. Remember I am not really Jules. There is one way to repay you. When you awake, nothing of the past few days will have happened. You won't even remember being here. That way you can live a normal life."

"You have the power to do that?"

He nodded, "Now go."

The realm around me began to fade, I was going back to the waking world.

July 16, 2044

I awoke in my apartment on Chandler Ave. Sweat had soaked my bed sheets. It was the middle of July and pretty much all of California was in a hot streak. The last five days were all around 45 degrees Celsius, and the heat has destroyed many of the air conditioners in the city, including mine. Thankfully at night, when most people were awake, we cooled off to a nice 35 Celsius. I got out of bed and walked over to the window. The street was nearly deserted. Rook had braved the heat to open up his store. Normally, I wouldn't want to visit Rook's unless I had some important questions to ask regarding a case, but the Pawnshop's air conditioner was actually operational. I quickly got on my trench coat and fedora and ran down to the Pawnshop.

"Good morning, Murphy. I take it you'll be spending the day here again?" Rook said his typical tone.

"Yesiree, Rook. Better crack out the old deck of cards again. I feel like playing a bit of poker."

"Alright, but if a customer comes in, go hang out in the backroom. I don't want you scaring them off."

Rook pulled out his deck of cards, and began to deal.

The End