Kael woke up. It was night now.
He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"I slept too long…" he murmured. His body ached—not from exertion, but from the unfamiliar stiffness of the straw-stuffed mattress and the sheer exhaustion that had caught up with him.
Kael got out of bed and thought about something.
He tried to open the portal. And a black portal appeared.
Hmm... so I can open it anywhere. Good.
Kael entered the portal.
He ran a hand through his hair, scanning the basement. His grandfather's collection loomed around him.
There are a lot of things here. Should I exchange them? No, that wouldn't be right. These could be useful to me later. Also, if I sell them on the black market, I can get a lot of money.
Then Kael left the basement.
It's day now. As I thought.
He glanced at his phone. 2:17 PM. That meant it was still nighttime in the other world. No point going back yet.
When Kael first went to the other world, it was night on Earth. But in the other world, it was day. Now it was night in the other world, and it was day on Earth.
Since it was day now, Kael could see his grandfather's old house well. The house was already very big, probably the biggest one in the entire area. But years of abandonment had taken their toll.
Outside, the yard was overgrown with weeds. A rusted mailbox leaned sideways.
He stepped out onto the gravel road and looked back at the house.
"If I want to live here long term," he muttered, "it's going to need serious work."
He did some mental math. Roof repairs. Plumbing. Electrical systems. Insulation. Exterior walls.
"Fifty thousand dollars at least. Maybe more. And I bet construction workers will charge extra just to come all the way out here."
He sighed.
"I need money. A lot of it."
Kael decided to walk back the same way he had arrived. The town's edge was about a half hour away on foot.
The sun was high overhead now, bathing the world in golden warmth. Birds chirped in the trees. Insects buzzed in the grass. It was peaceful.
As he walked, he saw signs of what the town used to be. A rusted road sign with faded letters. An old playground overrun by vines. Crumbling driveways that led to empty lots.
Finally, after thirty minutes of steady walking, he reached the outskirts of the town—the place where the bus had dropped him off the day before.
It was quiet. Too quiet. As it is a remote area, it's normal. Most of the shops had long since closed or been abandoned. However, Kael saw a shop open.
It looked very old.
Kael walked toward it. He saw some bicycles outside the shop. So he decided to go to this shop. His intention was to buy a bicycle from here.
Because it was a long way from his grandfather's old house, his legs would hurt when he walked. So he wanted to buy a bicycle. The bell above the door jingled as he stepped inside. It was like a grocery store, but there were many other kinds of products here.
"Is there anyone here?" Kael said.
A rustle came from the back room, followed by a voice both rough and kind.
"Who?"
An elderly woman appeared from behind a curtain. Her hair was a snowy white, tied back in a loose braid. She wore a wool sweater, and her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Kael.
"Who are you, boy? I've never seen you before."
"I'm new," he replied. "Just arrived yesterday."
The woman leaned on the counter. "You look familiar, though. Where are you staying?"
"I'm living in Theodore's old house," he said. "Theodore Lancaster was my grandfather."
The woman tilted her head slightly, processing the information. Her eyes drifted somewhere distant, as though pulling the name from a long-sealed memory.
"My goodness…" she murmured. "I haven't heard that name in… You look just like him. That same serious look."
"You knew my grandfather?"
She smiled, warm and wistful. "Yes, we went to school together. We were good friends back then. But after he left the area… well, we lost touch. That must've been forty years ago now. But where is Theodore now?"
"He passed away recently," Kael said softly. "He left me the house and land."
There was a pause. She didn't cry—there was too much time between now and the last time she'd seen him for that. But her expression shifted—subtle, reflective.
"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "We weren't close in later years, but… it's strange, isn't it? Hearing someone you knew when you were young is just… gone."
Kael didn't know what to say to that, so he just nodded.
After a moment, she straightened and offered a hand. "Name's Martha, by the way. This shop's mine."
"Kael," he said, shaking it. "Nice to meet you."
"So, are you going to sell the land here?"
Kael shook his head. "Not for now. I'm planning to stay for a while. Maybe fix the house up."
Her brow furrowed. "That house is barely standing. How are you going to stay there?"
"I've managed so far. But it's too far from town. My legs are killing me just walking back and forth."
She chuckled, then looked thoughtful. "There used to be a lot more homes near there. But your grandfather bought most of the land around it before he left. Demolished a few of the old buildings. Said he wanted space. Also, since it is a remote area, over time many people have moved to larger cities."
So there's a very large piece of land around that house that's mine. I haven't looked at the documents carefully. Hmm... should I sell it? I can get so much money. I should read up on this and think about it.
"Actually, I came here for a bicycle. How much for one of those out front?"
Martha waved a hand like it was nothing. "Forget it. Take one. That old green one still rides smooth. Put some air in the tires, and you're golden."
Kael blinked. "You sure? I don't mind paying—"
"You're Theodore's grandson," she said firmly. "That makes you family in my book. Besides, those bikes have been gathering dust for years. Might as well go to someone who needs 'em."
He smiled, touched. "That's… really generous. Thank you."
She nodded toward the back room. "Take that saddlebag hanging on the hook too. Has a patch kit, wrench, some snacks, and a flashlight. I pack it every winter thinking I'll use it and never do."
Kael grabbed the bag from the hook, examining it. "This'll help a lot. I appreciate it."
"You hungry?" she asked. "I was about to make some soup. Nothing fancy, just lentils and vegetables, but it's warm and filling."
He hesitated. His stomach growled in betrayal, but his mind was already pulling back toward the other world .
"I wish I could," he said honestly. "But I've got something I need to take care of today. Maybe another time?"
Martha gave him a long look, then sighed. "Alright. Rain check. But I'm holding you to it."
"I'll be back. Promise."
She followed him to the door, watching as he wheeled the green bicycle into the sunlight.