Gregg Chamberlain is a retired journalist (five decades in the trade), who writes speculative fiction and poetry for fun, and zombie filk on a whim. He lives in rural Ontario, Canada, with his missus, Anne, and their cats, who let the humans think they are in charge of the household. He has several dozen pieces of short fiction and poetry in print in venues that include Abyss & Apex, Polar Borealis, and Weirdbook, and also various anthologies.
The portal appeared in the middle of an empty beach. Through the glowing blue upright rectangle a mixed group of half-a-dozen men and women stepped out. The dry white sand crunched slightly beneath their feet. The portal shimmered for a few moments...