Wes Ellis./ a personal notebook
Technology. Stories. Side projects.
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Short story / Portal fantasy

Lost and Found

A forty-year-old accountant finds a glowing door in the woods, where a few minutes on the other side cost days at home.

Status
Outlined. Writing it here, scene by scene.
Length
Nothing drafted yet
This draft
First draft, October 2026

John Walker works at Rainier Accounting and has drifted a long way from his wife, Rachel, and their kids, Emma and Liam. On a lunchtime walk he finds a glowing door in the woods, and after some hesitation he steps through. The world on the other side is beautiful, and time runs differently there.

He comes home to police at the house and a family worried sick, and he can't stop thinking about going back. The door out of an ordinary life might turn out to be the way back to his family.

THE PLANOutlined April 2025
  • The door, the time slip, and a cover story that doesn't hold.
  • The whole family goes through together, including Charlie, their Airedale, who can talk on the other side.
  • A mirror town frozen in time, and a man called Mr. Stone who runs it.
  • Touchstones: Narnia and Alice for the doorway, Interstellar for the time slip.

Nothing drafted yet. This is where they'll show up as I write them, so check back.

Version history1 draft

Current · October 2026

First draft

The first draft, written in the open. Scenes appear here as they're finished.

This is the only draft posted so far. When the rewrite lands, this one moves down here.