Timeline by Michael Crichton | Book Review

The key to understand our history is by literally going back to the past. However, such venture is still impossible without the so-called “Time Machine.”

In one of his undeniably well-researched science-fiction novels Timeline, Michael Crichton finds his way to brilliantly exhibit the process of creating a mechanism, an instrument that hypothetically enable an individual to travel from one time to another. The concept this extraordinary tool had used the related ideas published by renowned Theoretical Physicists of the modern like Michio Kaku, David Deutsch and Gerald J. Milburn. Their ideas were injected by Crichton in his book to bring his readers back to the time when one of the important events in the history of Europe transpired.

Through the characters of his published work, Crichton was able to re-enact the private warfare occurred between the two well-known frontrunners during their times, Sir Oliver De Vannes and Archpriest Arnaut de Cervole  on 1357. These also include Andre Marek, a History professor in Yale who has absolute knowledge in customs and traditions during Medieval Period; Chris Hughes, a graduate scholar and; Katherine Erickson, a former architecture student who shifted her interest in studying history.  

Those people embarked to a dangerous mission to save their project leader Edward Johnston, a Regius Professor of History in Yale who is strayed in the past after being subjected to a beta test of the time machine.

 Johnston and his fellows are group of scientists, who dig historical evidences in Dordogne, a place in France, which is planned to be rebuilt by the their funding company, International Technology Corporation (ITC) owned by Robert Doniger, a Physicist who became billionaire in his early years because of his one-of-a-kind inventions he made in the Physics industry. Doniger possesses the traits of a usual greedy, business-minded individual who only thinks of his company’s interest and who is willing to stake other people’s lives to attain the realization of his aspirations which he thinks it will fulfill the unlimited wants of people.

There comes the time when Johnston detected Doniger’s selfish plan to make profit of their project, and he decided to confront him in the main office of ITC in New Mexico. In there, the History professor witnessed the true fascination of the company that supports their research project.

Meanwhile, on the time when Edward’s comrades are digging on the Dordogne and worrying about the result of his appointment with Robert Doniger, they unearthed a mysterious letter with an inscription of “Help Me!” together with the name of their research leader, Edward Johnston, and the date when it was written---1357.

Believing it was just left by their leader and it is just a site contamination, they ran a date analysis to determine the real age of the letter and all of them were shocked when the result showed it was really penned during 1357. Confusion rose on their mind.To make things clear for them, they contacted the main office of ITC and they have talked to the Senor Vice President of the company, John Gordon.

Gordon confirmed that Professor Johnston was presently on the year 1357. All of them were denial at first. But when Gordon explained how did Johnston go back to that year using the ITC technology--- a machine that sends them to other universe in other time--- the group of Malek, Chris, Kate and David Stern, a Physicist who serves as the technical expert of their group, decided to travel back in the year 1357 and bring Professor Johnston back.

In spite of withdrawal of David on their rescue operation because of his thought that such action is risky, Chris, Malek and Katherine had still valiantly agreed to be projected in the past joined by the experienced time traveler, Baretto and Gomez to be their guide.

In just a blink of their eye as they stepped on the time machine, they saw themselves standing on the soil of the past when there was no car noise, no towering buildings and the air still clean to breathe. Along with that, they have also had a glimpse on the horrifying events happened during those years. Murders. Children hacked to death. Women rampantly raped. As the proof of the perilous state of that period of time, Baretto and Gomez were mercilessly killed upon their arrival.

Carrying only with them their knowledge of the history of the place where they landed, Malek led his group to find Edward Johnston and bring him back to the future. Before they had able to complete their mission, they were stocked in the war between Sir Oliver and Archpriest Arnaut, and in there, they saw the discrepancy of their knowledge as historians and the actual things happened in the past.

In the end, their group had successfully rescued Edward. But as they pressed the button for them to return, one had to stay and prevent the knights in interrupting the process of their coming back.

This Crichton’s novel clearly illustrates that our knowledge of the past is not yet sufficient. This only signifies that we still have to dig deeper for us to understand fully the vital occurrences that had happened during the ancient days which greatly affected the present world where we live in and also for us to use this awareness about the past to make our future better for living. 

The Remedy For The Past

Life is jammed with regrets.

As an eleven-year old Grade 7 student six years ago, Allen had already realized numerous stuffs that he must not be proud of himself. Things that when they came visiting his memory, the first thing he wanted to do was to close his brain’s doorway, stopping them to enter in his consciousness. For the apologetic Allen, one of those was not doing great in school.

Now, at seventeen and still in 7th Grade, Allen did not regret his decision to turn his regret into a meaningful one. He was the one who proved that time could be turned back for a man to correct his faults. However, when someone would want to travel back in his desired time, the currency of fare would definitely be time as well.

After graduating for the first time in his elementary years, Allen who would suppose to enter a new and higher Grade had chosen to go back from the start of schooling year.

Literally, he went back to the 1st Grade to make sure that he had taken up seriously everything they were learning on that year.

At first, when they heard their son’s decision of taking up his elementary years for the second time, Allen’s parents had totally disagreed.

“You don’t have to do that, son. What you have done undesirably in the past, you could change that in the future.” his father advised, hoping that his son was just bluffing about his decision.

“I just want to make sure that I would surely do well. So, please Dad?” Allen begged.

Seeing in their son’s eyes that his seriousness was totally bound to his choice, Allen’s parents could do nothing but let him pursue what he wanted in his life.

Obviously, the eleven-year old Grade one then rejoiced, and promised to himself that he would now do good in school.

Keeping his vow, he minimized playing after his whole day class and used most of his time reading his notes. He took up earnestly all of his lessons. Considering the level of his understanding, unmistakably, he could easily comprehend what his teacher was discussing in front.

Things had sweetened in Allen’s second time in elementary. Consistently from 1st Grade up to 6th, he, at all time, bagged home the highest honors.

Initially for his parents, a student with old age could also have done the same as what Allen did. So, they were not proud of the achievements made by their son. But for million people who subscribed to the progress of Allen in his second time in elementary, the child had done something great. Education specialists and school administrators had been dreaming to propose a law that would put millions of obstinate students back at start of elementary schooling for them to realize the importance of what they were doing in school.

For other people, what had Allen done was something stupid and something extravagant; that Allen was just wasting his time. Instead of entering university, he still played with the students whose ages were half of his. If he just wanted to be popular, unconvinced people said, Allen had achieved it.

On the other hand, whatever people would say about his choice and action, for Allen, he did not pay time to travel back in time just for fun. Instead, it was a journey to correct things so that they be worth keeping in memory.

The Countdown

They had already decided about it.

Dr. Allen, being scientist for most of his life, did not counter any possible pictures about the world’s end. He always thought of those as somewhat imaginable but with his will to live, those are fearfully unacceptable.

Who would want to be scorched by ten thousand degree Celsius heat radiated by the massive, round sun when its flares whip the Earth’s surface?

Well, certainly, that would happen in just a swift moment. Nobody could feel the pricking soreness of our flesh that had been cooked by the gigantic solar matter because in just nanosecond or even lesser measure of time, everyone would be blistered into ashes.

Or on the other way, the most popular zombie apocalypse?

Imagine that would happen. Would someone like to eat juicy and fatty brain of other uninfected persons to satiate your taste bud?

Yummy! Dr. Allen always commented when he thought about it.

Included in possible world destruction lists was the recurrence of the chilly Ice Age.

According to Allen’s colleagues, the once-again building up of mountainous frosts that would envelope the whole world will be the most realistic doomsday they could validate its certainty.

The Earth is tilted 23.5 degree from its Y-axis, and this is because of its wobbling cycle that is happening slowly that no one notices about it. That wobbling movement causes the climate change that gives rise to many weather fluctuations like La Nina and El Nino. That is why scientists like Allen just laughed when they heard that climate change are totally caused by human’s misbehavior on his environment.

Maybe, they might vote for the politicians who were using climate change as their platform to win their positions during election when they say that it is not absolutely because of man.

For every thirty thousand years, our planet will go back to its original zero degree position, repeating the same natural occurrences transpired along that process which includes the Ice Age in which the society where Allen belonged to, believe that had preserved millions of mammoth-sized reptiles that once flourished in the Earth’s ground.

With that way of end for the presently thriving human civilization, everyone would surely feel the puncturing sensation that will be brought by the slowly wrapping coldness to our chill-sensitive physicality. Then later on, like meat put in the freezer, we would be preserved for later cooking. The next generation would call us fossils. For would-be fossils, oil would be the useful transformation we would turn out to be.

They should refine me for Lamborghinis. Dr. Allen joked to his colleagues when they once talked about it.

To blind the people from witnessing any imaginable doomsday, the World’s Committee in Human Existence, a clandestine governing body that was created by the ayes of all leaders of the countries in the planet to allow the group of selected ethical scientists to decide for the human race when the near unavoidable cataclysm would take place, had now come to a decision. A final resolution for the slight goodness of humanity.

We have now reached this choice. This is necessary. Dr. Kurt Allen, as one of the twelve members of CHE, mulled over on his mind while sitting on his privileged seat.

“We had thought of every upbeat solution for this problem. But everything seems inappropriate.” Kayle, the Chief of Human Existence, told to his companions who are sitting on every honored seat situated on the transparent Round Table.

“We still could try one other than this to see the result.” one of the CHE members suggested.

“And if we fail?” Kayle asked in his nearly shouting- voice, feeling annoyed with the disagreement of his colleague.

“Then, let’s try another one. That’s what we do as a scientist. We experiment until we reach the final desirable result.”

“But we are not just a mere scientist. We are scientists belonged to Commission on Human Existence.”

“Yeah. Kayle was right. We’re not a mere scientist who will conduct trial-and-error when lives of million people are at stake.” Dr. Johnson, the oldest member of the Commission, explained in his clear, solid voice.

“But…” Joey, the member who suggested before, interrupted. However, before finishing his statement, he broke off upon seeing the palm-stopping gesture of Johnson. “…Okay. Your decision fellows.”

“Our plan is to activate the virus within the body of the total population of Earth that means including us.” Dr. Kayle continued explaining the ultimate plan of the Commission.

“What virus?” Dr. Joey asked.

“The dream virus.” Kurt Allen answered.

“Uh-huh. The one you made?”

“Yes Joey. The one that I made.”

Joey pouted his mouth while nodding, showing his doubt and disagreement.

“It’s not important who made it. As long as this is the best, we must trigger it in any moment.” The Chief of CHE interfered. “ Since, you are more knowledgeable about this virus, can you please explain it to us, Allen?”

“Okay…” Allen obeyed. “As CHE members, you are aware that we had spread numerous kinds of minute organisms that will enter the human body not to infect them with diseases but for their benefits in the future.”

“Don’t tell what we already know.” Joey butted in.

“Will you stop that, Joey!” Kayle shouted to his interfering companion. “Okay, Allen continue.”

The dream virus’s creator cleared his throat. “Once we activate the dream virus, as the name suggest, everyone will be put into sleep and will enter on the REM stage. The stage when dream occurs. It’s not the usual two to eight hours of being on that period of sleep but this virus will enable dreaming stage to last a decade.”

“But why do we have to put people on that point?” Salina asked with her melodious tone. She was the only woman CHE member. In her forty years of age, she was also the youngest member. Most folks in the Human Existence were on their retirement time of sixty’s but their age intensified their wisdom in making decisions, except, a little, for Dr. Joey.

“Our planet,” Dr. Kayle said “As we all witnessed, had escaped several cosmic tragedy. One of that was the 2014 incident in which a meteoroid as huge as half-size of the sun had nearly bumped with the Earth. That was just lucky that our planet missed that. Or else, considering the size of that meteor thing, our beloved Earth would shatter into pieces. ”

All of Kayle’s associates were silent and nodded in unison when he said something that they were aware of.

“And as the prevalent coming of several space disasters that might greatly devastate our planet, we are here to propose that we should blind the people in any unwanted scenarios. To do that, we must put them to sleep and create a projection that shows utopia, and that the dream virus would do.”

“How can we wake up again?” Salina asked.

“The virus I made has time limit. Once it reaches that span, then we would back again into a reality. Let’s just hope we would still see that.”

“Why are you saying that?” the woman CHE member asked.

“Well, who knows if we are not lucky anymore to escape from… uhm…” Allen shrugged.

“Let’s just be hopeful and think for the best folks.” Dr. Kayle advised.

“Okay. When we will activate it?” Dr. Johnson asked.

“Now.” the Chief announced.

Everyone in the round table, except Allen, inhaled heavily. It was like someone punched their diaphragm.

“What’s the rush?” Joey probed.

“The sooner we do this, the sooner we prevent people from panicking.”

“It’s this what the Rilevare tells us to do, Kayle?” Johnson asked the Chief.

Rilevare is one of the most advanced machines in CHE that detects any prevailing unwelcome catastrophes, and only the Chief had access on it.

“Yes, that’s what it implies us to do.” Kayle said.

The deafening silence inside the gray, titanium-walled Conference Room of the Commission in Human Existence troubled the people sitting in their seats. Everyone was thinking of other alternative ways to save humanity, but as they thought deeply about it, the dream virus was the only ethical way.

“Okay. Let’s do it now!” Joey initiated. “For humanity.”

Everyone looked at him. No one expected him to say that first.

“For humanity.” The CHE members said in chorus.

Dr. Kayle, then, as the Commission reached their final decision, showed a silver plated brief case, and opened it, revealing a slightly big, red push button that looked like the one used in the Deal or No Deal gameshow.

“To activate the dream virus, this button must be pressed by all of us. This must recognize our individual thumb prints before it moves down, sending signal to the dream virus that will put everyone into sleep.” Kayle explained. “So, is everyone in?”

Kayle’s companions had reached finality for their decision. Seeing their approving smiles, the Chief knew they are in.

“Okay, let’s press it.” Joey ordered.

Everyone put their thumbs on the button. Allen was the last one to lay his thumb.

“Still having doubt with your virus Allen?” Joey kidded.

Allen just smiled then put his thumb to the activating button.

As soon as Allen press the push button with his thumb, a voice inside the brief case talked.

“Thumb prints recognized. Activating dream virus in five… four…”

“See you in dreamland fellows.” Kayle said, and everyone laughed.

“Three…”

“Two…”

“I was wondering what dreamland looks like.” Joey uttered. “Did you make sure it is really a utopian type, Allen?”

“Yes, I did Joey. Because I knew you would ask that.”

“So, we don’t have to worry about it.”

Yeah, it is a world no one ever seen before. Allen assured to himself.

“One…”
…

…

…            

…

…

Hibernation

Prediction is definitely immiscible to accuracy. Only one thing can act as an emulsifier for the two to meet at the same point---an undying hope.

Human, five years ago, fearfully yet with great confidence enumerated how the world would end. One is the worldwide diffusion of lethal biological particles that would sculpt humans to become walking dead. Another is the swift whipping of flares of the hot massive sun that will completely combust every tiny dust around the globe turning them to absolute ash. It was eight years ago when people expectantly anticipated the end of Mayan calendar. December 21, 2012. Scientist theorized it might be also the world’s end. But as the date passed, people in the field of science considered it only as one of the historical phenomena in the cosmos for it was the time when sun would align with the center of the universe.

All of those were just mere predictions about the conclusion of world’s existence brought by humans’ curiosity about death and nothingness. It is somewhat stupid to think of those statements in the midst of waiting for the ending. I could not help but to laugh about the fact that in spite of the differences, still, there is tiny but full of impact similarity among them---the result.

And now, we,  the so-called “Leftovers”, who survived from the incessant biting of cold and continuously heating up ourselves with our will to be preserved  for almost five years since the Worldwide Freezing transpired, are still patiently waiting until the final stage when Earth will enter on its hibernation.

Here in the place we call “Winteria”, a place where Leftovers can only live because everywhere in the globe is beyond tolerable due to thick housing of ice, everyone is warm to each other. Being cold will intensify the loneliness of waiting.

We, everyone of us, already admitted where we would be going when the Earth is about to sleep. All we could do about is to jest about it.

“What do you think will happen when Fermi level comes?” Calvin, my Canadian friend, asked. Fermi level is the word we coined for “end”. Because according to Prof. Charles, one of the Leftovers who was a Chemist before, this is the coldest state when no one, even atom, can move an inch because of tremendous coldness.

“I guess we will become fuels for the flying cars of the new civilization.”

“Are you talking about reincarnation?”

“Nope. I’m talking about science.”

Winteria, the supposedly kingdom of heaven, which we call oppositely as the “warmth hub”, is the only place in the world at present that is iceless. It had provided the most important thing we need to partially survive---warmth. Victuals are sufficiently enough. No problem with that.

With its area that could accommodate hundreds of thousand people during its golden age as one of the famous stadium in the world, a once home of utmost cheers of fans supporting  their much-loved soccer teams, I inversely felt overcrowded inside me seeing only hundreds of people roaming around with this nearly unrecognized stadium just to kill their boredom, and thinking when will be the total coldness come putting everyone into indefinite time of preservation.

As I sit in once most privileged front seats of this sports arena with Calvin, in the middle of the pitch,

“Hey! You, two!” the girl pointed at us. “Come on! Enough of sentimentalities and let’s play!” It was Casey. One of the persons who fades my boredom away. She clutched a soccer ball in her waist with her hand. All of her girl companions stopped to invite us also. Calvin and I playfully stared to each other. Then, shrugged followed by an outrageous running to the group of women who called us.

As we reached the middle pitch,

“Whom I team up with?” Calvin asked like a drooling dog waiting for his food.

All the girls smiled with my friend’s obvious pervert action.

“You join our team,” Casey pulled Calvin on their group. “ And this Mr. Messi... “ looking at me “...will be with Zoe’s”

“What’s the catch?” I asked, directly looking on Casey’s hypnotizing blue eyes.

“If you’ll lose, I’ll kick your balls.” Calvin muttered.

“And if we’ll win?”

“So, there’s no ball kicking.”

“Sounds fair.” I switched my glare to Calvin to appear more sarcastic

With only ten of us, the twenty meter long and eight meter wide space which is the only good playing spot left from this vast wrecked pitch, the game would like be, still, a normal one.

After Zoe tossed the coin favoring us to do the kick-off, Jenny, one of my teammates, back-heeled the ball passing it to me as she saw the other team approaching. The familiar ball touched my dominant right foot as I received Jenny’s skilful pass.

As Calvin swiftly dashed to get near to me, I calculatedly tipped the center of the ball. Letting it through between my friend’s strode legs. I  propelled my foot racing  on his left side to pass through and meet the ball behind Calvin where I intended to set it.

Before he could recover from my tricky move, I drove the ball forward facing two opponents as they blocked my way to goal line. Casey on my left. Cautiously predicting my next move. On my right, Joss readied herself to tackle the ball from me. Before they could execute their strategy, I turned my back from them seeing my teammate who followed my trail waiting for a pass.

On my back, I felt the two girls made their chase to the ball as I faked-pass the ball. They took the bait and my plan worked. Before they could realized what I was about to do, the ball was already passed through them as I back-heeled it, and I glided for a swift pursuit of the ball overcoming Casey’s and Joss’s defensive blockage.

Only eight meters from the goal line, I positioned myself to take my perfect shooting stance raising my right foot backward. Slightly slanted my body to intensify the force that would hit the ball to give it a lightning speed on its travel toward the goal. As my foot touched the ball, an extreme contentment reigned on me. The greatest feeling I’ve ever felt.

Shocked by the tremendous quickness of what was happened, everyone was silent while the ball gave a swish sound as it touched the goal’s net. Without a second, the uproar of celebration from my team colonized the entire stadium. Throwing back what was this pitch used to witness.

“Good job captain.” my teammates praised.

“That was nice.” Casey complimented. Joining us in our celebration.

“Thank you.” I smiled while looking at her. The glowing of his blonde hair petrified me. Seeing her pinkish lips warmed my long time frozen body.

Before the next kick-off tipped, everyone of us felt a same sensation. A sensation that we have been waiting to corner us. And as we felt the cold bit stronger than before signalling that the complete preparation of Earth’s bedtime had finished,

“Let’s continue this next time.” Casey said.

“Yeah, next time.” I contentedly smiled.

As I looked, for the last time, my co-Leftovers’ relaxed faces, facing the cold reality was become easier for me.

As the total coldness consumed the globe, the Earth’s hibernation had begun. . .

Where Motivation Dwells

 “Ambitious!” a young, haughty female teacher jested. This was when I shared to her my dream. A dream of becoming a published author someday.

Though it seemed to be a joke for her, but deep inside, I did not feel it the same way. Especially when my narrow, immature mind was definitely hurt, deprecated with the adjective she had chosen to address my aspiration.

I tried to throw the word out of my mentality while walking in a rough, coarse road going to my flat. However, still, the powerful, disparaging impact of the word that teacher uttered dominated. It was continuously drilling in my mind, hurting it like a real puncturing on my brain without any anesthesia to sublime the pain.

I heavily sighed as I arrived at the door of my simple, little flat before unlocking its cold knob. Even though there were no tiring tasks I had done for the day I still had the feeling of being totally exhausted. All I wanted was to lay my worn-out body. I felt sleepy so I went up straight to my small, inviting bed of my room.

As I strode my first step on my on my room’s floor, a wind of freshness blew in me, extinguishing the weariness of my presence. My body felt a little chill of composure. My mind became clear. No agitation. No tension. No distress, only tranquility and peace. My mind had finally relaxed.

It was not new to me the kind of relaxing sensation given off by this bedroom. A place equipped with bed that possesses a sponge-like softness which cushioned my stiff body.

My bedroom was also installed with a sturdy bookshelf that housed piles of novel tome which I read to escape, for a little moment, from the absurdity of reality. Adjacent to it is the humble, sympathetic chair and table who bow for support in time when I have to exude the foul feeling within me. On top of the table was a silent, blank paper which served as trash bin for my wasted emotions. I hadn’t even missed to use its talkative partner which I used to scribble everything I want, my pencil.

Every time I was in this room together with my inanimate buddies, I had this preference to stay here all the time if it is just possible.

I pushed myself to sit on my chair which offers companionship. It helped me to loosen my stiff muscle for me to start rewinding what was happened the all day.  Obviously, what had ruled on my mind was the last word I heard.

Ambitious.

However, the effect was now different. It was not deprecating as the first time I heard it. Instead, the feeling of being motivated had pumped within me. It was like the ambiance of inspiration in my room had totally diffused, and I exhaled them all.

I tried to recall what I had said during my conversation with the teacher who thought I was ambitious.

“Someday, the world will read the most exciting novel ever written. And the author of that will be me!”

 I peeked on my writing desk and seen nothing on my paper. I realized that was an ambitious one to utter a dream without doing anything to achieve it. But looking at every corner of my room aroused my creativity. It felt like it was telling me, “Keep writing and you can do it!”

That inspirational thought in my mind was intensified when I momentarily looked on my favorite author’s piece in my bookshelf.

Together with the reverberation of motivation, I yelled to my mind, Time to write the most exciting novel! It is time to make fantasy a reality!

Break Out

A bellow wakes me from my soundest slumber.

I hear a man’s rumbling voice thundered from the living room. “Where is she?!”

My eyes quickly open. My sleepy mood abruptly turns alarmed with the disturbance. I set myself to pure alert. It drives me anxious of what is happening outside my room. I was like a child hearing his parents fighting.

But I am sure, that growling voice is neither my father’s nor mother’s. Both of my them are gone for a trip, and they will return in three days.

I suspect intruders have entered in our house. I guess two in the afternoon is an unusual time for burglary. The sun’s still up, shining brightly in the sky. Surely, people will see burglars at this point of time.

I get up slowly from my bed. Stealthy enough to avoid making the squeaking sound of my cot. Just for safety, I search for a weapon to grab.

I let my eyes wander around the room to look for something that is stone-hard and long enough. I can’t see anything like that. But thank God, I remember the baseball bat I am keeping beneath my mattress. That will suffice, I hope. So, I fetch it and grip the metal bat with my both hands.

With the long, metallic bat on my hand, I walk toward the door. Cautiously waiting for the next to happen, I silently listen  for another sound to come from the living room. And I hear the same voice, but not grumbling this time.

“Someone from my faction informed me that Tris is here, and she’s alive,” the man said. The sound is like a whisper. But I can clearly perceive the resonance from his vocal cord with solidity and firmness like it’s just a normal voice quality.

“I don’t know your point. I just came here because the code directed me here,” another man said. A more mature than the other voice.

There are two of them, and I guess, they don’t know each other. It can be discerned it with their conversation. There is the sound of confusion on it.

They mention about something. If I am not mistaken, it’s about the name Tris  and an idea pertaining to a code.

But what they are talking about?

I have to get out now, and to know the situation out there.

I exhale heavily to gather the bravery within me. Then, I touch the knob to open the door.

Two men, a middle-aged and a man still in his teenage years, maybe seventeen or eighteen,  standing two meters apart stop when I emerge.

They both look at me with surprise the way people react when they see something unexpected.

“Identify yourself!” the teenager, wearing a black leather jacket and fading dark-blue jeans, ordered peremptorily. His stance tells that he is always ready to fight. Fists closed. Eyes are sharp like a falcon. His manner implies that he was likely trained in military.

I grip the bat  in my hand,  ready it  to swing anytime.

Ignoring the younger man’s command, “Who are you people?” I asked them.

The middle-aged man who wears a gray suit and pants like many corporate men dress on their workplace said he is Robert Langdon. I have the assumption that despite of his attire, he is not a businessman.

“I am a Professor from Harvard,” Langdon said. “ And I am in a mission to save the humanity.”

“Mission to save the humanity?” the teenager frowned.

Landon glanced at the younger man. “Yes. That’s why I am here because the code led me in this house.”

“Wait..wait...” I said. “Save from what?”

“From extinction. I am searching for the vial that contains a virus. A virus that will kill the population of the world.” the middle-aged answered, feeling worried.

“Uh-huh,” My only response. “How about you? Who are you and what brought you here?” I asked to the teenager.

The young handsome man cleared his throat. “I’m Tobias. Tobias Eaton  But on my faction, they call me Four.”

“Four? Like numbers? What happened to number Three then?” I joke.

The teenaged man looked deadly serious. “Did you know what happened to the person who asked me that before?” He glares like a dragon, piercingly scary.

“Um...It’s better to leave the answer alone. But why are you here?” I asked to change the subject.

“I learned from the other Dauntless that Tris is here, and she’s alive.”

“Tris? Who’s Tris?”

Before Four could answer the question, the room in my right opens. Casey, my younger sister appears then. She was holding a small glass tube. “Sam? Did you...?” she asked loudly then quickly stopped as she saw us. “...My books?”

“Tris!” Four said to Casey.

“The vial!”Langdon peering on the thing on Casey’s hands.

I see the shock on Casey’s widely open mouth.

I ask Four and Robert to wait for a second for me to explain to my younger sister everything is happening (though I do not understand it yet).

To talk  about this subject,  we go back to Casey’s room. I tell her everything. She then inform me about Four and Robert Langdon. She told me that they are fiction characters. We don’t know how that was happened.

In the midst of our confusion, we hear two thumping sounds from our living room. Then, we go back. But Four and Robert Langdon were nowhere to be seen. Casey’s missing books entitled “Inferno” and “Allegiant” are the only materials appeared on the exact spots where the two fictional protagonists were standing.

My younger sister and I look each other, and then, I shrug. We both fall into silence. There is a broken and sizzling sound coming from Casey’s room. The sound crackles the way how huge amount of electricity bombards. When it stops, another thumping noise follows like an object fall to the floor.

At snail’s pace and with a little fright, we walk toward Casey’s room. A frail creature emerged on the side of her bed. Its back is turned on us. We see the mold of its spinal column on his back which is covered with pinkish coarse skin. On his waist is a dirty rug that covers one-fourth of his lower part. When it faced us, wide eyes and sharp teeth were exposed.

And in raspy voice, it says, “My precious!”

K. L. Allen
2017 COPYRIGHT
All Rights Reserved