Out of This World by Douglas E. Richards Read Free Book Online Page A

the fungus will anchor you to the ground and then gradually wrap around your entire body.”
    Jenna and Zachary’s faces curled up in horror.
    “You will remain the unwanted guests of this world,” continued the man with disdain. “Permanently.”
     

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    Escape Route
     
    The two humans shrank back in revulsion. What a horrible, horrible way to go.
    As if reading their thoughts, Hirth continued. “It won’t kill you, that’s the worst part. It feeds off energy produced by your bodies. It will keep you alive for a long, long time, exposing us to your repulsiveness all the while.”
    Zachary gulped. “What happens to the fungus if we reach a portal before it, ah . . . roots?”
    “Nothing happens to it if you reach a portal before then. If you go through a portal before then and leave Orum, it will die instantly and you will suffer no after effects.”
    “Why would you do this to us?” demanded Jenna in horror.
    “I want you off Orum as soon as possible,” replied Hirth. “And yet you seemed to be in no hurry to get anywhere. I believe that you will now be more . . . motivated . . . to leave.”
    “No kidding,” snapped Zachary bitterly. “So tell us how to get to the portal. We choose the one that will get us to our parents faster.”
    “Follow me,” said Hirth, and without another look behind him made his way to the car he had been driving, while the kids and Wyland followed.
    “You don’t have time to make it to a portal on foot,” said Hirth. He gestured to the car. “So take this ground vehicle we were using. The citizens of Orum all share the few vehicles we have, since nobody really needs one.”
    “Why don’t you need them?” said Jenna. “What? Are you saying that you can just, you know . . . magically . . . travel wherever you want?”
    “That is correct,” said Hirth.
    “ Right ,” said Zachary skeptically. “Then why don’t you just transport us to the portal now and save some time?”
    “Because you’re uninvited visitors to our world. You’re lucky I’m letting you use the ground vehicle.”
    “If you don’t need them,” said Jenna. “Why do you have them?”
    “Using magic too often can be tiring,” replied Wyland. “So we don’t use it for everything. We have imbued some devices, like ground vehicles, with magic crystals, so we don’t have to always make efforts of our own. For many trips, a ground vehicle works just fine.”
    Sure it does , thought Zachary in disbelief, but he decided not to challenge them any further. “Okay. Whatever you say.” He shook his head. “But here’s the problem. Jenna and I haven’t learned how to drive yet.”
    “Don’t be stupid,” snapped Hirth. “This ground vehicle responds to verbal commands from whoever is inside. Just tell it what you want it to do and always stay in the right lane.”
    Zachary raised his eyebrows but said nothing. He quickly opened the door and settled into the driver's seat while Jenna sat beside him.
    Zachary cleared his throat. “Lower window,” he said tentatively, wondering if Hirth was trying to make a fool of him, but the car carried out his command immediately.
    He nodded approvingly at the transparent man through the open window. Hirth was still repulsive, but Zachary could now look at him for long periods of time without looking away. And while Wyland looked almost exactly like Hirth, his more friendly nature somehow made his appearance slightly easier to take.
    “Okay. Direct us to the portal,” said Zachary. He was going to add, “and we'll get out of your hair,” when he decided not to. Hirth would just tell him that they were never in his hair.
    Hirth came forward, shoved a pad of paper and a pen into Zachary's hand, and then quickly retreated to a tolerable distance once again. “Write this down,” he ordered. “Continue on the road you’re now on. Six miles from here it will branch into five different roads, numbered one through five. At the branch point