Squinting with forced concentration, she focused on a section of light directly in front of her. It’s closing! She watched with stunned curiosity as it began to contract.
Ever so slowly, the illuminated strap drew in upon itself, gradually tightening about the Earth’s midriff like a gigantic belt. Her surroundings bowed and curled, taking on the form of an enormous hourglass. And she was but a small grain of sand on the base, gazing up into the black mouth of the mysterious beyond.
The line pulled tighter and tighter, shrinking until it was merely the size of a child’s hula-hoop. It seemed suspended and fixed as it hovered above her—a window or doorway separating her from what lay beyond. But it was alive, pulsing, and breathing, a separate entity in itself.
Other colors entwined themselves around the slender ring, coiling and twisting like the metrical motion of a slithering snake. Dense strands of painted vapor radiated toward the middle, melting together into a large, shimmering miasma of metallic brilliance. Reds, yellows, and purples danced and swirled amongst each other, creating a dazzling kaleidoscope.
Mesmerized by the undulating hues, Cheyenne momentarily forgot her fear. She sank to the ground with wispy grace as her mind began to reel, careening dangerously on its axis. Unblinking, she stared at the dancing colors, letting the captivating patterns lull her into a deceptive impression of serene peace.
She felt as though the Earth was moving beneath her, shifting, roiling, yet she remained motionless. Unconsciousness crept into her head and her eyelids began to sink. But she resisted, wanting to see what might happen next.
Without warning, the suspended portal exploded like a gigantic firework of confetti sparklers. Cheyenne screamed throwing her arms over her head as the mass enveloped her in its vivid blaze. Her lids fluttered closed and a curtain of darkness fell upon her as she was pulled into a dazing whirl of vicious motion.
