Chapter Two: Building the Foundation
The portal glowed faintly in the backyard, its white light humming with energy like a heartbeat. My parents stood frozen, eyes wide, as if their minds struggled to process what they were seeing.
My father was the first to break the silence."What the hell is that?" he asked, voice low, rough with disbelief.
I didn't answer right away. I let the weight of the moment linger. I wanted them to feel what I had felt—the awe, the terrifying possibility, and the crushing sense of responsibility.
Then, I stepped forward and spoke calmly."This is a portal… to another world. One no one else knows about yet. I don't know everything that's out there, but I've seen glimpses—forests, mountains, strange creatures. It's vast. Primal. Untouched. And full of resources."
My mother narrowed her eyes. She wasn't easily impressed."Kael," she said slowly, "are you sure this isn't some kind of illusion? A prank? A projection?"
I shook my head."You saw it appear. You felt the shift in the air. This isn't fake. It's real. And it's ours."
My father edged closer, cautious."You're saying that little white stone of yours... just does this?"He pointed at the shimmering portal.
I nodded."It's called a Carrier Stone. It creates a portal anywhere here in Terra. But the other end? It's fixed. It always opens to the same place over there."
My mother crossed her arms. "And what exactly is over there?"
"I don't know yet," I admitted. "But I plan to find out."
My father rubbed his jaw, thinking hard."Kael… you do realize what kind of chaos this could cause if anyone found out? Governments, corporations… They'd fight for this. They'd kill for it."
"I know. That's why we can't tell anyone. Not yet. Not until we're ready."
He looked at me with sharp eyes."And what exactly do you plan to do with it?"
"Start a business," I said firmly. "A real one. Based on gathering resources from the other side—wood, minerals, and exotic materials. Things no one else can access. We export in small, quiet batches. Use intermediaries. Build capital and trust without attracting attention."
My mother's voice softened but held a warning tone."This is dangerous, Kael. Not just because of what's on the other side… but because of what this could do to us. Families can fall apart over secrets like this. People betray. Lie. Steal."
I looked her in the eyes."That won't happen. Not if we stay united. Not if we build this on more than just ambition."
She turned to my father."We need structure. Security protocols. Contingency plans."
He nodded."And surveillance. Backup options. And most importantly, control. If we're going to help you… We do this smart."
For the first time that day, I smiled."That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say."
I picked up the stone and shut down the portal. We didn't cross that day. It was too early, too risky. Instead, we went back inside. My father grabbed an old whiteboard from the garage—he called it "The War Room". My mother made coffee like she was preparing for an all-nighter.
My sister, Kalits, looked at us like we were insane.I sat her down and said gently, "I know you're confused, but things are going to get better. Soon."
My dad backed me up."That's right. We're planning something important. You don't need to worry. Just rest for now."
She eyed both of us suspiciously, but the idea of getting better things won her over. She shrugged and headed back to her room, phone in hand.
When she was gone, my mother returned with a fresh pot of coffee, and we got to work.
"There are no satellites over there," I said. "No GPS. No digital mapping. We'll have to go old-school."
In my last life, I studied engineering. Enough to understand land surveying, topography, and mapping basics. That knowledge would now be our edge.
"Good thing we've got the internet," my father said. "We can research everything we need before the first step."
So, we began with a list:
Step One: Location. The backyard was too exposed. We didn't have land of our own—but my grandmother on my father's side did. A large rural property. Secluded. We could build a cellar to house the portal, hidden from aerial view and neighbors. We'd use a cover story.
That's when my parents revealed something that shocked me: they had nearly $20,000 saved—family emergency funds they'd kept quiet about. In the Hispanic-American block, that kind of money was a small fortune.
Step Two: Equipment.
Durable clothing and boots
A solar-powered drone for scouting
Cameras to document and map the terrain
Encrypted walkie-talkies
First-aid kits and emergency extraction plans
Portable solar panels
Multi-tools and survival gear
Basic compass and map training
No GPS for now—traditional methods only.
Step Three: Allies."We'll need more hands eventually," my father said. "I could bring in my brothers, but not yet. Not until the time is right."
My mother raised an eyebrow."Your brothers? I doubt they even know what 'trustworthy' means. If we're bringing people in, my family has a better track record."
I saw where this was going and cut in before they started arguing."Look, you're both right. We'll need family support… but only the most trusted ones. And maybe we don't tell them everything. Just the part about the new land and the business. Keep the stone a secret."
They nodded, slowly agreeing.
"We should buy our land," I added. "If we do this on Grandma's property, people will think they're entitled to a bigger piece of the pie."
That was the final revision. The plan now included:
Buying a private piece of land
Formally founding a business
Organizing a family gathering—our trusted relatives only, guided by our grandparents' authority—to help build and explore the new world.
That night, I didn't sleep. I lay in bed, heart pounding from excitement and fear. The stone rested on my nightstand, glowing faintly. Waiting.
I knew this wouldn't be easy. But if I were going to change the future, it couldn't be with blind hope or fantasy. It had to be earned.