Discovery of a Lifetime
Chapter 1: Sean’s Desire
Sean Phillips was a normal kid...more or less. He liked fishing, hunting and climbing rocks...big rocks...he also liked crawling through caves, sometimes so small that he barely fit through. But to him seeing new places and things were their own reward, and once his friends saw him go missing for 2 days and found him stuck inside a cave where he tried to force his way through. They never left him forget that one, and to this day he laughed at the chance to die stuck between two rocks walls somewhere.
But he went on and left messages saying where he was going...just in case...and as he walked through a new cave some one told him about lately, the air seemed to whistle past, telling him that there was an opening ahead, and that was exciting, because it basically meant this was a short cut through the mountain, and he’d never heard of anything like that before.
But he went on and as he stepped into a larger opening, his eyes popped at the sight ahead. There, not 5 steps further, was a path, well worn and open and it went down a tunnel and out of sight into the distance. The tunnel was brightly lit, how he didn’t have a clue, but the blue light held his attention like some moth watching a flame.He stepped onto the path and the air whistled around him and he smiled and walked on and after maybe 100 yards, he stepped out into an open field of green grass, and a brilliantly blue sky.
He tried to remember what was on this side of the mountain, but try as he might he swore that a highway and some old oil fields were over here, but this was not that place at all. A person walking through the field below him looked up and rushed to see who this new person was, and as Sean watched him come running up he decided then and there he had walked into a movie set, and he decided to apologize if he messed up their shooting, even though he didn’t see a cameraman anywhere around.
The man was older, maybe 40 and was tall, and had bright blond hair and large pointy ears, so large and pointy that Sean decided they had to be fake, and that maybe this was some cos play movie or something, and he looked around for anyone else to try and explain this.
“Welcome stranger.” The man said with his hand out, as Sean smiled his best smile and shook it.” Did you come through the Tunnel just now?” He asked as Sean admitted he had.
“Then welcome indeed! Its been ages since anyone came through, my village elders will want to meet you right away, please follow me.” he said and he led Sean down the hill and into a small valley where a town sat next to a river, and people looked around in awe to see this young man walking along, with his big smile and a large backpack on his back with his belongings in it.
They were all like this one, tall and good looking with those pointy ears. Dozens of people who went about doing their normal routine and watched him walk past out of the corner of their eyes.
He was led to the center of town, and a meeting with 4 older males who looked very surprised to see him.
One old man stepped out and put out his hand and smiled and Sean smiled back and shook it, as a few others gathered to see this oddity.
“I am called Pen...” the man said as Sean smiled and said he was called Sean, and everyone there nodded happily. “Did you come through the caves just now or have you been wandering around for a while?” he asked as Sean admitted he just now came through.
“Did you see anyone else or touch anything coming through?” One man asked as Sean said he didn’t, he was exploring a cave and just ended up here. “Another oddity then.” The man said softly as the group around him gave him a sour look.
“ Where am I anyways?” Sean asked, “ I don’t remember ever seeing any people like you before.” He admitted as one man nodded sadly and they took him inside for a long talk.
“We are the Lost Ones...” He started as everyone agreed.” we came here hundreds of years ago, when a mine on our world opened up into a cave with bright lights in it. The temptation to see where it led was incredible, so many of us came through to see for ourselves. We found this new world and went back and brought others through to explore. But then when we returned after some time...the cave was gone. Our side now only opens on rare occasions and only one or two come through from other worlds. Usually...” he admitted as everyone looked sad.
“Usually? So others have come through in greater numbers?” Sean asked as the oldest man stood and told him of the time that a few humans came through, and saw the new world and the friends there, and went back and returned in full force, with horses and wagons and dozens of people both men and women and now they have their own city, New Hades...some 20 miles further inland from their town.
“They thought they could come and go as they pleased, but they too got caught here.” Another added as everyone agreed. “So now they have a big city, hundreds of people, and their military is something to behold. They gave us the task of watching the cave, and if anyone comes through we need to tell them at once, or face their wrath.” He said as Sean looked sad, but agreed.
“So..they’ll be coming then.” Sean said like it was a fact, and the oldest man apologized, saying they were always looking for new people, and being a Human he would probably be treated well by them.
“But what if the cave is still open, wont that cause troubles for my people then?” Sean asked as the older man admitted they should check, just to be sure. So together they marched up the hill and he and Sean stepped inside to see the cave lit up blue and leading back the way he came.
“This is you last chance...” The man said pointing, if you don’t go now it’ll close and you’ll be trapped here too.” he sad softly as Sean saw him giving him a chance, and he shook his hand and smiled, and ran back the way he came.
The lights started to flicker and the man stepped back outside to see a group of men on horseback riding up to them.
“Where is the new comer?” One man demanded,as the old man just smiled and said he was just a boy, and when he found out they were here he ran back through, and the cave closed behind him. The officer didn’t like that a bit, but he walked up to check and behold, the lights were gone and he nodded it was true.
“Just a boy huh?” He asked as everyone there admitted it was true.” Very well then, continue to watch this place. I’ll return and report to the King.” He said and they rode away and the other men gave the older man a dirty look and asked why he didnt stop Sean from leaving.
“This is not his world.” was all he said as he turned and walked back down the path and everyone else followed him down to the village once more.
Chapter 2: Wheel of Fortune
Sean ran back a few meters and looked back to see the lights starting to go out, from the other end first and working towards him. But he wanted to know something for himself. He felt he was being watched, and so he stood there watching as the lights went out and a wall of rock was now where the lights had been. but as it approached he turned and stood, very stubbornly watching it come until it got just 10 feet from him....and it stopped.
“I thought so!” Sean said loudly and his voice echoed through the cave behind him.” this is all too easy... too convenient.” He said as the wall moved a tad, and he stepped forward then and it fell back a tad.
“I know you’re here, come out!” He called and after a long minute a light approached him from off to the side and a old man with white hair and thick glasses walked up, glowing from head to toe.
“You’re a different type aren’t you?” He asked softly looking Sean up and down.
“You run this place?” Sean asked as the man admitted he did.” Why do you trap people on that other world where they have it hard, and even fight each other for control? Why not let them return to their own worlds instead?” He asked as the old man sat down on a rock and Sean leaned against the wall waiting.
“They have no worlds to return to.” he said softly as Sean looked surprised.”I find people from worlds on the brink of disaster and let them find their way there. Its a fine little world, lots of food, water, good air to breath, so its not too hard on anyone really. What they do once they get there is not my problem.” He said as Sean looked surprised.
“Their worlds are gone?” He asked as the man cleared his throat to explain.
“The worlds are THERE... but not in any condition to hold life...at the moment.” He said as Sean looked shocked. “One, from a series of volcanic explosions, hot ash fell from the skies for weeks killing everything. The other, a collision with a comet...half their world was wiped out instantly, and the atmosphere hasn’t had time to settle back to normal yet, maybe another few hundred years for each of them, then I’ll let them return if they want.” He said as Sean looked very thoughtful. This man gave the survivors some place to go, and watched over them from here...some place out of Time and Space...if Sean was right.
“And you’re sure you’ll be here when the time comes?” He asked as the man just smiled and nodded he would be.
“My people control Time, or did, even we have some fools in our midst, and now my world is beyond sustaining life as well.” He admitted as Sean just nodded he understood, if he did or not.
“So my being here was just a fluke then?” Sean whispered to himself, while the old man looked sadly away.” I mean my world has people watching things, for asteroids or comets and volcanic activity even.” he said as the man nodded that was true.
“I see it all...” He mentioned as Sean looked sick.” in two years your world will undergo a massive war, and will not support life for hundreds of years after that.” He admitted as Sean felt like throwing up.
“Who will start it?” Sean asked as the man shook his head no.
“I can not tell you. It’s written in Time and I am not allowed to do anything to change an entire world. Saving a few people is all I am allowed , even that was stretching it a bit as I’ve been told.” he said as Sean looked him up and down again, and then smiled.
“How many of your people are here?” He asked as the old man laughed saying he wouldn’t let his own die for no reason, but he got yelled at for it even now, when they knew he was right.
“Enough...” he admitted as Sean got a huge grin. This man saved his own people and then spent God knows how many centuries watching and helping others. “Go tell your people the End is coming and that there is a way to escape the disaster. Many will not listen but some will, better a few then none.” he said as Sean agreed asking if he could come and go as he wished for a while and the man stood and started disappearing right in front of him.
“For a while, but not for long.” He said and was gone.
“And only open it for me, no one else.” Sean called after him, as he heard a soft, uh,huh.
Sean turned and walked back towards the mouth of the cave and as he did it got darker behind him. But he knew now he could return later, maybe a few times, and his only thought now was: How do you tell a world the End is coming, without seeming like a fool or a crazy person?
And even now, he had no idea.
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