The scenery began to change. First the colors muted becoming pale echoes of their former vibrancy. The world took on a shadowy, ghost-like appearance, or were they the ones becoming ghosts themselves? The stars fell from the sky in thin lucent beams with tales that stretched out towards infinity and became blazing bars- a cage of the cosmos. The sun tracked from west to east a thousand times in the blink of an eye.

The only reality was the pain of the Judge’s nails piercing Charles’ cheek, the pain connected them and tied them together. It wasn’t likely that two people taking a Trip would be separated, but it was possible. Legends about people lost beyond the reaches of time and space were common cautionary tales.

Pressure built in Charles’ chest as it always did, but the Judge stayed impassive and in control.

Everything came to a halt at once and Charles felt cold sharp pain like he was plunging through arctic waters or a sheet of frozen glass as they were spat out.

The Judge began to laugh.