Short Story: Mushroom’s Door

A drop of dark liquid fell from the stalactites hanging above her head, hitting her right shoulder. Its sludgy texture slopped its way down her back, and she had to will her body not to react. Any movements would alert it to her presence. She hoped whatever the substance was wouldn’t leave lasting impairment. One never knew what could happen when you stepped onto another plane. It was always a 50/50 chance that you would come out the other side whole. 

Inedria was the last person who would do something as reckless as this, but here she was, crouching in a cave trying to still her heart from leaping out of her chest. A halforguild, a beast most resembling the evolutionary catch all of a platypus with the instincts of a tiger, was merely feet away from her. The Creators clearly had a sense of humor with this one. 

The beast’s long, flat bill swept the space. She just needed it to make its way to the front of the cave and she’d get what she came all this way for. But it seemed to know that something was wrong. From her research, it goes out to hunt each day at sunrise, but what she needed made its briefest appearance just after that before burrowing and going dormant until the next day. So, she had to already be in the cave when it made its appearance. 

Just as she started to feel an itching sensation following the trail of the sludge on her back, the homeowner did one final sweep before waddling towards the cave’s opening. This was her chance. Just as the creature’s fur-covered tail whipped past, Inedria inched her way further into the cave. Hazy light streaming in from the mouth of the cave coating everything in a grey glow. It was at that moment that she saw it. 

Tucked next to a jutting stalagmite was a cluster of mushrooms that seemed to radiate blue green light. As she got closer, Inedria noted the smell of lavender wafting off the fungi. Checking to make sure her gloves and mask were tight, Inedria reached out and tapped the bulb of one particularly stocky cap. The ‘shroom reacted to her touch by producing a cloud of spores. Yes, they were exactly what she’d been looking for. Taking care, she started to pick the delicate fungi and store them in her satchel. She knew she had to be quick because her mask only filtered so much and these often have psychedelic qualities. If she wasn’t careful, her soul would be floating off to another dimension while her body was left vulnerable for the halforguild’s return.  She needed to stay intact for the task ahead. 

“That should be enough.” She whispered to herself. It had taken her days to prepare for this trek and she didn’t have time for anything to go wrong. A life other than her own was on the line. 

Sweat beaded on her forehead, but she had to resist the urge to wipe it. Inedria made her way towards the cave’s opening. Things were a little too quiet for her liking, but she didn’t see her less than friendly homeowner anywhere. Beyond the cave was the dense forest that brought her here. She just had to get to the portal that would let her drop back to the adjacent dimension where her partner’s body laid in stasis. 

It was less than an hour’s trek, if all went well. Fae often have a way of moving things around when one is not looking.

“This should be easy.” She tried to feel as confident as she sounded. The pine surrounding the cave breathed in her words and whispered back reassurance. This was less than comforting. If the forest knew she was there, so did its inhabitants. 

Inedria checked that her daggers were still at her hips. Things tended to walk off out here. During one particularly thorny visit to this dimension, she spent a week trying to retrieve a notebook full of research that a couple of mischievous gnomes stole from her bag. She had to trade a pair of good leather boots to find where they stashed it. 

At 35 years old, Inedria had a handful of experiences crossing dimensions on her own. Her partner was the more adventurous one. That isn’t to say that she didn’t know how to have fun. She was just a little more strategic about how and when. But she couldn’t deny the rush she felt when she stepped across the border. Her heightened senses went into overdrive, and she often got a boost that gave her enough energy to last at least 36 hours. 

Making sure everything was in order, she set out. The ground was still slightly damp from the rain the night before and the smell of wet earth mixed with the minty sharpness of pine set her at ease slightly. 

After about a half an hour, she noticed that it was eerily silent. Not good. Sweat had started to coat her back leaving her jumpsuit sticking to her skin beneath her jacket. Doubly not good. She thought about the sludge that hit her shoulder and tried to swallow the panic. There were only two things it could be. One, she had a remedy for that would leave no more than a scar. The other, well, let’s just say that the other would mean that it was very likely she’d be lying next to her partner very soon. She prayed to the Universe that it was the former and not the latter before pulling her blades. 

Seconds later she heard it, the halforguild had been tracking her. She had just made it to the midpoint clearing. Despite its size, it used the dense forest to shield itself. She didn’t know how it made its way through the tightly packed trees, but it was somewhere nearby. Easing herself forward, Inedria knew that time was of the essence. 

Just as she made it to the other side, it attacked. Its claws cut above her head taking down the tree she had been passing. Its wails caused a sound tunnel that caught her off guard. She almost collapsed under the weight of the auditory pressure. Quickly releasing her locs from her ponytail and pulling her hood up, she hoped that it was muffled enough for her not to lose her hearing. 

She didn’t want to fight the thing. She knew she couldn’t kill it because it was a vital part of the ecosystem. Without it, this dimension would be overrun by the invasive valpengers, they would tear through the forest eating everything in their path. Inedria wanted to live, but not destroy a whole community in the process. 

Backing up, she squared her shoulders. There was no other choice but to find a way to maim it. Its black eyes were like an endless abyss. It was smart and it was angry. 

Inedria dropped down to a crouch the moment it leapt towards her. Her blade caught its right arm just as she rolled, trying not to crush the mushrooms under her weight. It roared and whipped its large head about before huffing at her. The heat of its breath hit the cool air creating white clouds that would look strangely beautiful in any other circumstance.  It clawed the ground before it took another pass at her. This time she tried to meet it halfway, but instead of charging it whipped its tail around catching her in the midsection. She was lifted off her feet and she attempted to brace for the crash. Her shoulder hit a tree several feet away and she could hear a slight pop before searing pain shot through her left arm. It was surely dislocated. 

With a dislocated shoulder, she did the only thing she could do; run.  Inedria slid one blade back into its sheath, checked that she still had her pack and bolted towards the portal. She could hear its sing-song sound calling her “home.” But the halforguild was right on her heels. Its anger made it less stealthy and more clunky. That was helpful, but she could feel her body begin to slow down. She wouldn’t be surprised if she was going into shock.  

The portal was just past the boulder that looked like a big seal perched on the edge of the forest. Just as it was in sight, the beast passed her and whipped around to get between her and her exit.  

Inedria’s breath heaved as she tried to stay up right. She just had to get on the other side of that thing. 

“Please, I need to get home.” She pleaded with the beast. Tears welled in her eyes, and she gripped her useless arm. Her legs felt they were on the verge of alleviating themselves of their weight. Just when she thought she was going to collapse, something barreled into the halforguild. Its large body crashed into it pushing it several hundred feet away. 

Inedria asked no questions and dashed to the portal. Its shimmering doorlike form welcomed her. Warmth soaked through to her bones and for the first time in 24 hours, she felt some semblance of calm. Lights, sound, colors, smells cascaded around her. Their familiar presence told her she was close. Her love was just on the other side. She just had to survive for the both of them.