Gateway to Worlds: Plot summary.

Written by DrewDouglas

Desperate to unshackle themselves from the claustrophobic intensity of city life and ultimately save their marriage. Brett and Wendy tap into their spirit of adventure and embark on a sailing trip with two close friends. Their sailing journey was cut dramatically short when the party found themselves fighting for their lives in the midst of a fierce storm in the middle of the notorious Bass Strait. When the clouds cleared it appeared as if the yacht and her crew had disappeared off the face of the earth.

Plot points/Scenes

Scene 1: The early dawn light slowly spread its golden rays across the harbour. The light danced over the water like a million sparkles dancing in the rising sun.
With laboured breaths Brett strode on in the early morning gloom, each stride of his run sent shock-waves through his body. With earplugs connecting his cell phone to his ears and his baseball cap tilted low over his brow Brett was lost in his own world of thoughts as ‘Who We Are’ by Imagine Dragons provided him with background noise.
It’s only 6 am and it’s already steaming hot, the summer sun was rising with fierce intensity. Sweat poured off Brett’s face in a constant stream, it tasted as salty as the water of the glistening Sydney Harbour. Finally he reached Cowper Wharf Road and onto his final challenge, the McElhone Stairs. 113 sandstone steps elevating the pedestrian from Woolloomooloo to Kings Cross and a favourite challenge for runners. Brett loved it, running up those steps was the equivalent to running a mile and a great calorie burner. As he approached the steps he slowed his pace, he sized up the long procession of steps in front of him and carefully began his ascent. His face in steely concentration as he paced each step at a time. Just 60 seconds later he reached the top just as his chest felt like exploding for lack of oxygen, his legs, predictably, felt like jelly. Mercifully the apartment he shared with his wife Wendy was nearby, his running is now over, now it was just a laboured half-stagger like an early morning drunk winding his way home.
When entering their modest one-bedroom apartment Brett saw Wendys handbag draped over a stool by the kitchen bench. ‘She’s had a bad night’ Brett thought to himself. Being an ER Nurse at nearby St Vincents Wendy was regularly on night shifts dealing with the worst of Sydney after dark. If it was a good night she would workout at the gym before coming home. When she’s home early and no workout, that means she had a bad night and she had no adrenaline or energy left to burn. Retrieving a cold bottle of water from the fridge Brett took a long drink of the cool liquid. Cold water coursed down his throat and he felt his body temperature lower. He walked to the bedroom, and there she was. With her bare back to the door Wendy laid motionless but for the gentle rise and fall of her chest. She was fast asleep. Brett stood by their bed and looked down over the woman he loved more than anything in the world. She is his world. Although he worried about her choice in career, she loved nursing, and he could not possibly bring himself to protest the taxing lifestyle it brings her. He knew that on mornings like this it was better to not ask how her shift was when she wakes. It’s better to leave that subject alone until she is ready to talk. But talking was a rare luxury for Brett and Wendy. Communication was limited to the increasingly rare moments they did have together. Both of their professional lives conflicted with each other forcing them to live separate lives. And the strain was beginning to show.
Taking another drink of water Brett looked across the bedroom to the glass balcony door and beyond there the Sydney City skyline lays beyond. The tall structures seemed to be bathing in the light as the sun made its steady rise. Somewhere in that melee is his office, that cold windowless dungeon. With a sigh he began his morning routine as quietly as he could.
Brett showered and changed into his work wear. A deep blue suit, light blue shirt with red tie. He listened to the morning bulletin as he tied his brown suede shoes while taking bites from his toast. ‘Today’s forecast in Sydney is a blistering 38 degrees, so stay indoors if you can, the sun is going to be a scorcher today’, the female reporter’s tone was annoyingly upbeat as she reported the days heatwave with the golden sands of Bondi Beach in the background. ‘This is not the kind of day to be going to work’ thought Brett, but the cool air-conditioned office was a temptation too good to resist. He hated working there, ‘it was a mistake’ Brett constantly thought to himself when he thinks of his workplace. Reluctantly, he looked away from the TV to the bedroom.
Entering the bedroom Brett saw that Wendy had hardly stirred. A thick strand of her dark brown hair slung over her cheek and partially covered her slow breathing mouth. He gently lifted the hair away from her mouth and curled it over her ear. Her hair always felt smooth as silk and she always smelt of Lavender, her favourite flower emitting her favourite scent. Her hair care products were Lavender scented, her perfume had a Lavender-like scent. She even kept small lace pouches filled with dried Lavender in the closet and clothes drawers. Her excuse of course was the old wives tale that Lavender keeps away clothes eating bugs like moths and silverfish. Brett didn’t believe it, but she did, at least she convinced herself and the scent was just a bonus. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her softly on the cheek, she stirred a little, and resumed her deep sleep state. He took one last look at her and quietly closed the bedroom door.
Kings Cross Railway Station is just a couple of blocks uphill from their apartment block. As he made his way to the subterranean station the busy city life seemed to come alive with the ever increasing noise of heavy traffic, sirens and all manner of human noise pollution. With each passing day his distaste for metropolitan life increased. After a few minutes Brett reached the rail platform, the city-bound line that brought tired commuters the few kilometres to the inner city centre. Brett scalded himself for not recharging his phone while preparing for the day, not that it mattered anyway, NRO, the National Research Office, forbade phones or any electrical device within its walls. So employees had to check their devices into little lockers by the front security desk, the place where phones go to die. As he alighted from Town Hall Station the city bustle was beginning to reach its peak and would not let up for the rest of the day. He crossed George Street and made his way to Pitt Street, he looked down the street to the distant Central Station precinct. Not far beyond is Sydney University. ‘I wish I was back at Uni two years ago begging myself to not do it.’
He made his way to the sleek, but sterile foyer area to his office block and proceeded to one of the far-end elevators, the last two of the eight elevators took people below the towering skyscraper, but only for those who held a special pass. Yanking on a chord attached to a lanyard around his neck Brett swiped his pass at the reader beside the floor buttons, he heard the familiar beeping sound and pressed B2. He let go of his pass and it retracted back to the clip in a quick motion, just as it did Martin Quill entered the lift.
'Morning Brett', he said in his usual flat tone.
'Martin'. Brett was not particularly thrilled to see him so soon.
Martin stood right beside Brett. He was young, brash and fiercely career-minded. He was one of those employees that every instinct told others to be wary. The kind of character Brett was not too particularly fond.
Martin swiped his pass at the reader and pressed B1. He stepped back, away slightly from Brett.
'So how's your research work coming along Brett?'
This was a standard question Martin liked to ask. Brett knew that Martin knew that he couldn't be frank about his work. He felt tested, so his reply was always curt and to the point.
'It's fine.'
Martin seemed to hover over him like a vulture waiting to swoop on any fraction of information, which always made Brett feel uneasy.
The ride down to the basement levels was painfully slow. Brett steered his eyes to his watch and then to the floor indicator, careful not to make eye-contact with Martin for fear of initiating conversation. But his efforts were in vain.
'Are you ready for the meeting this morning?' asked Martin.
'Um. No.' Brett was usually the last to learn of any meetings until they were literally about to start. 'What meeting?'
With a smug smile Martin rolled his eyes upwards towards the floor indicator. 'Well, I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.'
The sound of 'ping' reverberated in the small cubicle and the elevator doors slid open.
'See you there, don't be late' said Martin as he exited the cubicle.
The doors slid shut.
'Fuck I hate these games' Brett thought to himself as he frowned and shook his head slightly.

Themes

Our initial introduction to our protagonists Brett and Wendy. Here the reader should begin to gather an impression of their lives before the event.

Structure

Exposition

The setting is initially based around Sydney, Australia and we are initially introduced to Brett and Wendy Harson. The reader learns of events leading to the main plot and subtle hints towards a known anomaly that Brett was alerted to before the event.

Conflict

Brett and Wendy's marriage is in trouble. Their professional lives has forced their relationship apart in terms of time together and rising stressors typical of a busy inner-city life. Things finally come to a head when the couple fight for what seemed a marriage-ending argument. Thankfully calm-heads prevail.

Rising Action

Our couple agrees to an offer from close friends to join them on a yacht cruise to Tasmania and hastily make preparations for a two-week vacation. Being experienced in yachting, this will be their longest journey, which in turn ignites their passion for adventure. Our couple approach this challenge with enthusiasm.

Climax

The event. The yacht 'Windrip' and her entire crew of four disappear somewhere in Bass Strait.

Falling Action

Our protagonists awaken to find themselves adrift aboard a life raft. They manage to paddle to a nearby shore, thinking it is a well known, and populated island in Bass Strait. They soon realise after arriving on the island that it is completely deserted with no signs of human habitation anywhere. After a period they spot a sailing vessel approaching the island. Thinking of rescue they approach the shore where a dinghy lands only to be confronted by huge, strange humanoid creatures never before seen. They are aggressively taken into custody and locked up aboard the ship.

Components

Goals

Our protagonists resolve to return to their world, but to do so, they must work together and place trust in each other. Their goal becomes even more urgent when they realise that the world they are trapped is doomed and the world they belong is under threat.

Moral Quandaries

Brett was aware of the possibility of wormholes before the event that changed their lives, but kept this knowledge from Wendy. Their chance meeting with an ally with even more knowledge on the subject exposes the protagonists with the risk that travelling the wormhole again may not necessarily deliver them back to their own world.

Plot type

Book overview.