4338.214 · August 2, 2018 AD
Welcome to Clivilius, Gladys Cramer
Strangers walking through bedroom walls establish rules quickly: answer vague questions, accept returned Portal Keys without explanation, leave before grief gets complicated. Leigh delivers what Claiborne stole, mentions Cody's intentions, then vanishes when informed Cody's dead. Snowflake disappears too—likely through the Portal during the chaos. Wine says you've nothing left to lose. The Portal Key agrees. Some crossings happen from courage. Others from having nowhere else left to go.
Morning in Beatrix's bed becomes kaleidoscope explosion when Portals open through walls and Egyptian Guardians emerge asking about missing sisters. Leigh knows Beatrix, knows about dangerous work, knows enough to make Gladys suspicious. But he also has her stolen Portal Key—taken by Claiborne during the burglary, passed to Leigh for reasons unexplained.
"I'm certain Cody wanted you to have this."
The name lands like a stone. Cody, who's dead. Cody, whose intentions don't matter anymore. Leigh doesn't know, leaves instructions on activation, steps back through swirling light before Gladys can process the conversation.
Then: Snowflake's gone. Vanished during Portal chaos. The beloved white cat who'd been the only uncomplicated warmth left. Gladys searches under beds, behind curtains, finding nothing but dust and absence.
Wine bottle on the dresser makes suggestions. Portal Key in her hand makes them possible. "You've got nothing left to lose, Gladys."
Slide finger across button. Prick of blood. Explosion of colour against ordinary bedroom wall. "I'm sorry, Beatrix," whispered to a sister who isn't there.
Step through threshold into stillness unlike anything before. No scent. No sound. Just presence in her mind—neither warm nor cruel, just there.
"Welcome to Clivilius, Gladys Cramer." Automated. Emotionless. The voice of crossing points between worlds.
