Michael W Simko

The Doorway Michael W Simko

Clay Dixon's tour of duty is up the following day; he has one more mission. His buddies throw a big going away party the night before. He has too much to drink and they leave him to sleep it off. The following day he learns his friends have disappeared on the mission; vanished into thin air. Clay carries the guilt that he should have been with them back into civilian life. He becomes a workaholic and is very successful, but at the cost of a shaky marriage and recurring nightmares about the fate of his friends. Summoned to the main office for what he thinks is a promotion, instead the promotion is given to the bosses' son-in-law and he is let go. Back at his hotel he causes a big drunken disturbance and barely escapes the authorities. Taking an old alternate route home he skids on an icy patch and crashes. He is awakened by a stranger who helps him and draws out his story of grief and guilt. The stranger offers Clay a one time, no turning back, chance to go back and find his buddies. Clay accepts and goes through a strange portal in the mist. Hearing a strange rustling in the underbrush nearby he doesn't know what to expect. The brush parts and he is faced with the totally unexpected.