Fear Of Darkness A serial novel by Joe Lake.

(So far: Julie’s husband has had an accident and disappears. At the police station Julie sees two people who have no reflection in the mirror. Next, her husband is back but she notices two marks on her neck after she takes a dream-like excursion through the universe. Then, she meets a social worker who says that she is from five hundred years in the future who gives her a ring to travel in different dimensions.)

“Here, let me show you,” said Susan, the social worker. “If you twist the sapphire stone of the ring away from you, you move through levels of the past. You’ll experience a swishing sound and your surrounds will become blurred. One thing you must make sure is that you are on level ground, so you better step outside the van onto solid earth. When you have counted slowly down from three, you turn the ring again. The blur will cease and you will have traversed into the past of a parallel universe that exists right next to ours, like a slice in a loaf of bread. You must step into this other universe and wait until your body adjusts. I wouldn’t attempt to go too far. Shall we try?”

They stepped outside the van, facing the ocean as the waves reluctantly splashed onto Cooee beach where the rising moon hung large before them just above the horizon.

“I’m scared,” said Julie.

“Don’t be. You are chosen. Now turn the ring downwards.”

Julie did, whilst Susan held her tight around the waist. Their view became blurred. Julie quickly turned the ring the right way up, as Susan helped her to take a step to the right.

“We are now in another universe. Each is a slice of reality, giving the illusion of extension, just as a television screen gives the impression of depth.”

“I still see the waves...but hang on, the moon is now far to the right and nearly at its zenith,” Julie said.

“Do you want to go on?” asked Susan.

“No. I want to go back. I can’t believe anything like this is possible.”

“All right,” Susan said. “I’ll put my arm around you and you turn the ring down again and we take one step to the left.”

Julie did. When the ring’s sapphire was turned down, the sea and moon became fuzzy, unreal. Then, as Susan took Julie’s hand and turned the ring, the moon had slipped down to the horizon and the waves of the sea seemed to take on a more distinctive crash onto the beach.

“We’re back”, said Susan. “By the way, you better not try this by yourself until I have shown you a few times.”

“I won’t,” Julie insisted.

“I must go. Some other time I’ll tell you more about the ring.” With this, Susan dissolved into nothing.

Julie was tempted to turn the ring again.

(To be continued next month)