"You haven't seen him?!"
A look of fear crossed Sam's face. His brother had been gone for days, with no note, texts or calls to indicate where he'd gone. While at 18 Sam was certainly old enough to handle himself, his brother had always taken the lead on organizing his life. Alex was the one who tended to the house, Alex was the one who bought the groceries. Alex was the one who made sure Sam didn't forget his lunch on the way to school.
"You mean you've been home along this whole time?" Matt looked at the shaking young man. The news that Matt had no clue as to Alex's whereabouts still sinking into Sam's mind. While intellectually Matt knew Sam was old enough to handle himself, in his mind the 18 year old would perpetually be Alex's kid brother.
Matt first met Sam 6 years prior, on The day Alex and Sam's parents passed. Matt and Alex had both been 18. Sam was just 11. A boy.
"I'm fine, really" Sam replied, a single tear gently cascaded over his lightly sunkissed cheek "Its Alex I'm worried about."
Matt eye's followed the tear. An image Sam's 11 year old self popped into his head. Just after hearing his parents died; eyes despondent, tears rolling down his cheeks. That day, Matt had became part of Sam's makeshift family. Without any other relatives, the task of telling Sam the news fell to Alex. A heavy burden to place on an 18 year old. Before Alex broke the news to his little brother, he'd gone to Matt. Alex wasn't sure he had it in him to tell Sam. Matt came that to make sure he did. Since, he'd been a constant presence in Alex and Sam's parentless household. Giving the boys company to quell the silence, listening supportively as Alex nervously came out for the first time, and generally proving Alex the strength, he needed to be the father figure Sam needed.
"Come inside, its cold out." Matt said, ushering Sam into his apartment. At 25, Matt was well out of college and had settled not too far from where the boys grew up. As the pair entered the kitchen, they spied Matt's roomate Eric in the living room playing video games.
"Have a seat" Matt said to Sam, "I'll make some tea and we can work this thing out"
Sam nodded, sniffling, and sat. Wordlessly, Matt tended to the tea while the tense music of a boss fight blared from the other room.
Setting a pair of cups on the table, Matt sat across from the boy.
This is the last thing he needs in his life. Alex better be ok. Matt and Alex were the closest thing two friends could be without being lovers. Alex had once built the strength to ask Matt on a formal date, being straight, Matt declined. The two still went for burgers, but as friends not potential lovers. To this day, Matt loved to playfully tease Alex about the uncharacteristic puppydog eyes he'd had when he'd asked. The jokes were never mean, always playful. Matt would never joke if he knew it would hurt his friend.
"It'll be fine I'm sure" Matt said, trying to fill the silence. He doubted his own words.
"Alex's never just disappeared. He rarely goes out as it is, let alone vanishes for multiple days" Sam replied, eyes taking on that same despondent look Matt remembered six years prior.
Gently, Sam picked the cup up and took a sip. The warmth of the Camomile felt nice, a small comfort in the face of his overwhelming anxiety.
Matt opened his mouth to speak, he knew he had to say something. But he didn't know what exactly that something was. He hoped his own words would tell him.
A sudden, deafening pop blasted through the room. A burst of light briefly blinded the boys and the power flickered off and then on again.
"FUCK!" came Eric's voice from the other room "I was on the last level!" Matt ignored him. Eric was often dramatic when gaming and Matt had grown used to the outbursts. Thankfully, since Eric got his new girlfriend, the outbursts had mellowed. Eric was a chill guy in general, but something about the games just brough out his jock side.
"What's that?" Sam asked, staring at a strange crystal that had materialized on the table. Its insides were luminescent, a cloud of swirling bursting dust.
"Dude! Where'd THAT come from?" Eric said, pacing into the kitchen.
"I-I'm not sure" Matt responded. Reaching out, he tried to touch the stone. A spark danced from his exterior, causing Matt to recoil. The room suddenly darkened, the crystal offering the only light.
"The fuck" Eric said
DO NOT WORRY. A deep, masculine voice filled the room ALEX IS OKAY! HE IS JUST IN ANOTHER WORLD
The boys looked each other in the eyes. All were confused, Sam - somewhat relieved.
YOU MUST GO THERE TOO. FIND YOUR FRIEND AND MAYBE YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS.
A steady, gusting wind had picked up in the room - the dust of the crystal seemingly snaking out. Something of a storm began to form in the kitchen. the wind traveled in an even accelerating swirl around the boys. Caught in the gust, the smoke formed a cyclone around them, picking up kitchen objects in its wake. A bag of flour burst against the wall, some papers from an old notebook scattered in the whirlwind. The noise quickly became deafening.
"Hold onto something!" Matt yelled, voice trying to overpower the wind. A crack of electric blue lightning flashed, its spiderlike tendrils dancing around the dusty wind. Looking up, the boys saw the roof was somehow missing, replaced by the same luminescent clouds of the crystal swirling in a violent hurricane-like pattern. Matt grabbed the edge of the table, trying to steady himself against the gale. Looking over, he saw Eric desperately gripping a counter, legs suspended in the air.
"Fuck! I can't hold on-" Eric yelled. His fingers gave way and he was suddenly swept upward into the spinning malestrom above.
"Matt!" Sam shouted as he too was sucked away.
"Shit" Matt said, feeling himself rise. Closing his eyes, he let go, falling upwards into the unknown.