30.07

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Alice sat on the bed and looked at the mecha-quill.

'I wonder if it's broken,' thought Alice, as she held it close for inspection.

The simple Pied Piper logo lay cleanly printed near the back of the mecha-quill.

Walking over to the room-service tray, Alice picked up the juice cup and sat down by the lamp.

As Alice drank her orange juice, she held the mecha-quill up to the light bulb.

Gossamer colors moved slowly beneath the skin of the pen.

As Alice traced one of the blue lights from nib to tail, she heard a thud at the door.

Placing the mecha-quill on the rim of the juice cup, Alice stood and walked to the entrance.

Opening the door, Alice saw the hallway empty save for a folded newspaper.

Picking up the newspaper, Alice heard the door close as she sat down by the lamp.

Unfurling the newspaper, Alice started to read when she noticed the mecha-quill quietly and slowly turning in place along the rim of the juice glass.

"Imaginary North Detected," said the mecha-quill, as Alice raised her eyebrows.

'What is Imaginary North?' thought Alice, as she looked at the mecha-quill.

"Portal calibration initiated," said the mecha-quill.

No longer spinning, the logo on the pen illumined and projected a black semi-circular shadow in the direction that Alice sat.

"What? Oh no," said Alice, as she began to stand up.

"Portal calibrated. Portal creation initiated," said the mecha-quill.

Searing pain surprised Alice as the left-side of her body was flattened and slammed against the wall.

Grabbing the window curtain, Alice pulled with her right hand and arm as hard as she could; the curtain ripped from the top rings as Alice slipped into the dark semi-circular shadow.

"Portal locked," said the mecha-quill.

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