"It's just here," said the old lady, reaching into her handbag for her keys as John Doe struggled with her heavy bags. She opened the door and beckoned for him to go in, shutting the door behind him. "And now for your reward," she added, starting to cackle.
"I don't need a reward," said Doe, turning, as the old lady added "Thicken!" Suddenly he felt like he was embedded in Jello, unable to move. The old lady's face seemed to morph, along with her clothing, revealing an attractive redhead in her late teens.
"I know you!" said Doe, "but you're... a fictional character, from that vampire show. Willow something."
"You never heard of parallel worlds where fictional characters are real?"
"Ummm..."
"Now let's see, your aura shows you're under some sort of spell. I'll start by removing that." She waved her hand again, and suddenly Tempus remembered who he was.
"Thank you," said Tempus.
"Oh, it's not for your benefit," said Willow. "Some time traveller blood is just what I need to power me up to deal with my goody-two-shoes doppelganger." Her face twisted again, eyes yellowing and fangs descended from her upper jaw, and she advanced towards him.
Tempus screamed and, feeling the thickening end, backed towards the window and threw himself out. He remembered as he fell that the apartment was on the eleventh floor...
