Sanctum 8 (working title) Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

         When a person isn't satisfied with his or her life they  sometimes wish they were walking in someone else's shoes. This was the case in River Mclay and her twin brother, Max's, situation.
         For most fourteen-year-olds it would be nice to have parents that didn't bother you or tell you what to do. But River and Max only wished to have normal parents that didn't work all the time and come home only to ignore them.  This was worse than having to behave your parents.
         Their house was always messy with heaps of junk and papers piled on every table top. One of bathrooms had a toilet  that stopped up weeks ago and no one had time to unclog it. With everyone carelessly continuing to use it, needless to say things got pretty nasty with that toilet. There were stains on the carpet and dirty dishes laid in every part of the house conceivable. This house was a complete disaster. Of course, that would be the way a house would look if the parents weren't there to clean it or give the children chores.
         However, this story isn't about a clogged toilet or messy tabletops. It isn't even about dirty dishes or chores. It is about the adventures that River and Max were about to embark upon one night as they talked before they fell asleep.
         “Do you ever remember Mom and Dad having time for us?” River said looking over at Max in his full bed. River was the oldest of the twins by four minutes. Her long black hair accentuated her pale skin and blue eyes. She was an optimist and never let things get to her. One time at school, someone had stolen her lunch money out of her locker. She just sat through lunch never complaining. When the other students asked her why she wasn't eating she told them “I don't like chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes,” but the truth was that was her favorite food in the world.
         “Maybe when we were kids,” He replied. “I might remember something about Dad tickling me.” Max was almost the total opposite of his sister, not look wise but attitude wise. He wasn't necessarily a pessimist but was always suspicious about everything. When he had lost his stuffed frog, Maynard, when he was younger he kept accusing River of taking it and putting it in the blender. His thoughts were full of anger and he almost hit is sister in the mouth. Just as he drew back his fist in the middle of their argument, their mom walked in and threw the freshly washed frog at him and left to get back to work. Later he apologized to her but it never stopped him from thinking the worst.
         River sat up in her bed. “I wish we had different parents.”
         “I wish we lived somewhere else besides this awful, grimy house,” Max added before a long sigh of discontent. “If only we lived somewhere fun.”
         “I would settle for just a little less boring.”
         Max turned over in his bed and pulled the sheets up over his shoulders. “That would almost be good enough for me too.”
         “Goodnight Max,” River said sinking back down into her bed.
         “Goodnight Sis.”
         The funny thing about saying something after “I wish,” is that it never really comes true except maybe by coincidence. And even as the Mclay twins laid in their beds, they never thought that the indirect wishes that came out of their mouths would actually come true.
         As the children started their sleep process they heard the front door open and then slam. Their parents often came home pretty late so this wasn't out of the ordinary. Though, in the moments that were to come they would actually find it very out of the ordinary.
         Max rolled over on his back and sighed. “I wish they'd at least have time to come up and say goodnight like normal parents.”
         By that time River had dozed off to the point where she had heard what her brother said but was to tired to reply. After not getting a reply, he rolled over again only to be amazed by the bedroom door swinging open. The light from hall seeped in around a tall dark outline of a man standing there.
         “Dad?” Max called out. Of course somehow he knew it wasn't their father. It would've been out of character for him to tuck them in.
         River opened her eyes and squinted to see who was standing in the doorway. “Is that you mom?”
         “Your Mother and Father aren't home, my young comrades.” The shadowy figure replied.
         The children quickly sat up in their beds. Their hearts pounded with fear. Could this have been a burglar? Or one of their parent's many co-workers that would come over to run errands. They tried to remember what to do in the case of a burglary but their minds went blank. Only one thing popped in to their panic-stricken minds.
         We're going to die.
         “Who are you?” River shouted as she jumped out of her bed and join Max in his, which was the furthest from the door.
         “Don't worry comrades, I'm here under orders to take you to Sanctum Eight.” He dark figure said with a proud voice.
         “Yeah right!” River shouted. “You're just here to rob us!”
         “Oh there will be no robbing,” The figure replied. “I come here in peace to acquire and escort you to Sanctum Eight.”
         “Sanctum Eight?” Max said. “Are you crazy?”
         “Come comrades, we haven't much time.” The figure said ignoring Max's suspicion.
         As fourteen-year-olds, they were old enough to know not to go with a stranger. Even if the were offered candy or a cute little puppy. But this guy was completely off his bonkers. Maybe this was a joke their parents were pulling. Then again, their parents wouldn't have had time to pull a prank on them.
         The light flickered on and revealed the shadowy figure. He was tall man with a little black patch of hair on his chin. He wore goggles over a brown pilot's cap that been worn ragged. There was a strap wrapped around his leather coat that held a ridiculously large sword on his back. His black boots came midway up his shins over a pair of brown pants. Maybe this guy was crazier than first suspected.
         “Ahhhh!” River shouted in fear of being murdered. “Who are you?”
         “The name is Stormarm, Remington Stormarm,” Remington Stormarm replied. “You can call me Stormarm.”
         “Where did you come up with that name?” Max said, still in suspicion of Stormarm being a crazy butcher.
         “I guess my mum and dad came up with it,” Stormarm replied to yet another question of suspicion. “But no time for talking about our names, I have to open the portal.”
         “What are you...” Max said but was quickly interrupted by a large glowing ball of electricity that popped up in the middle of their room. Inside the ball looked like a water drop with millions of colorful waves swishing inside of it.
         “Hop in, comrades,” Stormarm said waving his hand to signal the Mclay twins to jump in.
         “Are you crazy?” Max said. “That could kill us! And why  should we trust you?”
         “No it wont kill you,” Stormarm said. “It's been around for years and it never hurt anybody.”
         “I've never seen it before!” Max said. “So how could it have been around years?”
         “Maybe this guy isn't joking.” River said.
         “If you don't jump in peacefully, comrades, I'll have to throw you in!” Stormarm said becoming impatient.
         “Let's just do what he says,” River said finally giving in.
         “Are you stupid?” Max questioned his sister.
         Before Max could talk her out of it River ran and jumped in the portal and completely vanished. “Noo!” Max shouted for sure his sister had just met her doom.
         “Come on, comrade.” Stormarm said giving Max a persuasive look.
         “No!” Max shouted and leaped for a baseball bat leaned up in a corner. “You'll have to get through this!”
         Stormarm drew out his abnormally large sword and, with a quick step and swoop, sliced the bat clean in the middle. He then, calmly, returned the sword to his back. “I don't want to have to force you in, comrade.”
         “Fine I'll go.” Max said inching toward the portal. With each step he grew more and more nervous. Something was about to happen for sure. Whether it was death or adventure, Max had no clue. But there seemed to be no other choice.
         As he stood in front of the portal, he contemplated about running and trying to get away. He couldn't shake the thoughts of River. Was she was in there alive? Or was did she voluntarily meet death? Maybe this Stormarm guy wasn't joking and his sister was right. Maybe he was crazy. There was just too much pressure to think about every possibility.
         Max didn't have too long to think before he felt a push from behind him that pelted him head first into the portal. Stormarm's patience had apparently ran out.
         Max's first emotion was anger that was pointed towards Stormarm. His anger soon turned into excitement. He felt like he was on a roller coaster. The wind rushed in his hair and butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He should have felt afraid but for some reason he felt the most excited he had ever felt.
         It must be this portal, he thought. His happiest memories popped into his mind with out trying. He could hear songs that made the atmosphere feel alive. Every inch of his body tingled with adrenaline. He never wanted to stop. But He did stop.
         After a bright flash of white light, He went from the feeling of flying through the air to hitting the ground. It wasn't a pleasant landing. He struggled to his feet and dusted himself off. The atmosphere of his destination made him feel as cheerful as the portal did.
         He looked around in awe. Hills, covered in rich grass, rolled out as far as the eye could see. In the distance he could see the edge of a forest. The air seem to radiate joy and happiness. He spun and spun, as he looked, until he was almost dizzy. Then his eyes settled on River.