does not anymore work | Glowfic Constellation

"What's the bar door?"

pen_is_wow

"Door that eat regular doors for going nice bar."

"So there's some kind of transdimensional bar that replaces other doors with its own? Sounds like a sweet gig if you can swing it."

pen_is_wow

"Yeah. But not getting doors whenever wanting unless a Jarvis, or Shell Bell. Usually going by Jane! But no Jane this world, checked."

"And you came through the door to someone else's world--our world--by mistake. Alright. I know no one who works here has found this place, since this is specifically the place where weird stuff even by our standards accumulates, but maybe there's something else. If you saw the house again, would you recognize it? I might be able to talk to the owner to see if they can help."

pen_is_wow

"Could find house but door not there now. Gone, closed. Meaning whoever find bar from there? See if getting many doors?"

"Right. I don't know for sure if the person who owns the house is the person who gets doors, but it seems like a reasonable place to start."

pen_is_wow

Nod nod. "I show?"

"Sure. I'll let Bonnie know I'm leaving so she can cover for me if need be."

pen_is_wow

"Okay. ...Am Peninnah. Pen."

"Hello, Pen. I think you saw my name on the door, but if you didn't, it's Gloria. Gloria Scott."

pen_is_wow

"Hi."

Gloria goes out into the hall and knocks on another door.
"Yes?" calls a voice from inside.
"Can you cover for me? Someone found a lost kid with really unusual circumstances and I need to try to help her get home."
"Only you, Gloria. Fine, just let me finish this thing, I'll be half a minute."
"Of course!" Gloria says, and offers Pen her hand. "It's a bit crowded in the main room, and it wouldn't be the best idea to be separated."

pen_is_wow

"Okay." Pen holds hands.

Gloria leads Pen back out into the brisk autumn night, evaluates the population of the sidewalks, and loosens her grip so it's Pen's choice whether to keep holding hands or not. "Do you remember which way it was?" she asks.

pen_is_wow

"Yes." Pen stops holding hands. "Can fly?" she asks hopefully.

"Can you carry me?"

pen_is_wow

"Yeah! ...Unless you heavier than looking."

"Not as far as I know. Sure, then, I don't see why not. Do I need to do anything?"

pen_is_wow

"Not wiggle."

And then Pen takes off, swoops around, and picks up Gloria, one hand under each arm.

Gloria does not wiggle! She is quite impressed.

pen_is_wow

And Pen gets them up over the houses and flies her a few blocks and then sets her down outside of a particular house. "There," she says, pointing at the front door.

Gloria knocks on the door. It opens, after several minutes, and a bleary-eyed woman demands, "What do you want at this hour of the night?"
"Pardon me, ma'am, but have you had any guests this evening? Or otherwise had someone enter or leave the house within the last few hours?"
"What the hell do you want to know that for?"
"Well, it seems that someone who's used the door tonight got some kind of inter-universal bar instead. And a kid from a different universe wandered into this one by mistake."
"...
You're lucky I'm the one who gets Milliways doors or I'd have called the cops or possibly a mental hospital. I'm sorry about the kid, but I get 'em when I get 'em and I can't predict it."
"Will you take my cell phone number and call me the next time you get a door?"
"Alright, since there's a kid involved, but I don't promise my phone'll be in reach next time it happens."
"That's the best I can ask for." She rattles off her number and the door woman writes it down. "Thank you for your cooperation, and I apologize again for having to disturb you at this hour."
"Yeah, yeah. Can't really help it when there's a kid involved. I'll try to keep in touch. G'night."
"Good night!"
And the door closes.

pen_is_wow

"So, she say when finding again? And hold door for me?"