On Monday the boyfriend and I went to see Avengers: Infinity War in the cinema. While I did not generally like the movie, there were a few things in it I did like and one of those was the special effects for Dr. Strange’s portal powers. I don’t know what it was, but they just tickled me! So I had an idea of a team of stealthy mages, going into dangerous areas like war zones or hostage situations and getting people out of there, and I wrote this little snippet based on that:
I follow Wise down the darkened streets, darting from shadow to shadow and desolate alleyway to desolate alleyway. The patrols are everywhere but they are loud and clumsy and we hear them from blocks away. We heard about a safe house in the commercial district, an old warehouse for something, from one of the people we got out in the last mission. It took a few days to figure out where to go; the man’s memory was foggy with hunger and trauma, but now we know just the place.
It doesn’t take long to get there, not anymore, not when we’ve done it so many times. The building is just where we thought and though part of one wall and the roof above it have collapsed, the rest of the building looks stable. There’s no sign of anybody living there, but of course we know better. We get in through the collapsed portion, treading carefully and stepping lightly like cats. We could portal inside, but there’s only so much energy either one of us can expend in one night, and it’s more important to get people out than to get us in. Doesn’t hurt to have some juice left after we portal out either, just in case…
The refugees are scared when they see us. They jump up and shout, one of the kids start crying, someone pulls a gun. As I start weaving the portal, Wise tells them we’re from the resistance, that we’re there to get them out. I can see hope tugging at some of them, doubt at others, but they soon say yes. I know their reasoning; even if we’re not resistance, coming with us is still better than staying here. Wise joins my spell, adding the last bit of energy needed for the portal, and rips it open. They gasp at the glowing, uneven edges, at the clearing they can glimpse on the other side. Wise steps through first, showing them it’s safe, then each follows in turn, some carrying packs or children, others barely with clothes to wear. Nine in total, a good night for us by all accounts. I step through last, and reach back grasp the sparking edge of the portal. I take one last look around but no-one has followed us, and then I pull the rip closed, feel its magic coil around my hand and snake up my arm, returning back someplace deep into me until the next time I call it forth.
It’s a very quick little piece, but I sort of like it. I say this so often about my flash fiction posts but: I may do something more with this in future!