THE GATE KEEPER

by JULES GABRIEL

  The biker walks across to the next room and to the main door. Suddenly darkness disappears as bright light fill every inches of the house. At the door the biker comes to a halt. The familiar roaring sound of the capsule had confirmed the capsule’s arrival. The biker closed the door and head for the door of the room where the abnormal activity was taking place.

  The biker slowly takes a peek through the door. Then the biker went across from the hallway to the next room across. The biker brought a lull to his noise as the waiting drag on. At last the return of the nemesis, the biker thought.

  In horror the biker watches the nemesis as he lays vulnerable on the floor. He vomits his stomach out. His back was facing the capsule and the biker as well. Once he regenerates to form, he walks out of the room and to the hallway in exhaustion. Then he walks out of the main door and lock it.

  His nemesis, the biker stand still in pitch black in the opposite room and trace the creak of the floorboards till there was total silence. Out of darkness the biker walks out and head towards the dim light across the hallway to the capsule.

  Finally, the biker thought. The mysterious capsule was there. Answers were what the biker wanted. It look as if it was ablaze as its red illuminative colour give off white smoke and its blue lightning particles dies off. The biker admires the capsule from behind and move to its front. The door of the capsule opens embracing the biker. The biker walks in without fear.

  I was home. I slowly unlock the door and lock it back. I tiptoes through while I search for mum’s where about. I look at the nearby clock on the wall and realise that I was not away for long. I had been there for approximately thirty minutes but it all seems like I had been gone for hours.

  Up the stairs I realised that I had left mum in the bathroom. I come to a halt as I expected her to be either in the bathroom or in her room. I was supposed to be asleep. At least that’s what I had led her to believe. I had no reason to talk to her about what I had experience. She would have called me a liar. I unlock my door as quietly as possible, get in and shut it.

  With exhaustion I fall on my bed. I thought about my unforeseen future. What my destiny had in store for me. I thought about my old self and how lucky I had been. I was lucky to have met myself. Learn about part of my future.

  I thought about the rectification that I shall need to concentrate on. My promises, my hunger to bring my dreams to life and for the moment I was ahead of my future competitors. Those who shall tried to prevent me from reaching my goals.

  I doze off as it all went dark and quiet.

  12

  I was up and getting ready for school. With my school bag on my back I walk down the stairs and take a look at myself in the mirror. I made sure that my blue jeans and white T-shit fit me fine. I did not comb my hair as the ladies appreciate its natural curly style.

  I walk to the kitchen and give mum a peck on her cheek. ‘Good morning mum.’

  She smile and respond, ‘Good morning son. Sleep well?’

  ‘I guess so,’

  ‘What do you mean by that?’

  Long story, I thought. I had wanted to tell her about my unfortunate experience which started with the old man. But I could not. It would have been too complicated and problematic for my future. My future was my responsibility and beside I didn’t felt at ease to burden her with my personal ill, I thought.

  ‘Phil!’ she screamed aloud.

  I blink, refocus my attention on her and acknowledge instantly, ‘Yes, mum.’

  The bell ring, mum left and say, ‘we’ll get back to it later.’

  For a second time the bell rings but in a quick repeating tone.

  ‘Yes! Yes! I’m coming! I’m coming!’ Mum responds.

  From the high chair at the table in the kitchen I could hear mum unlocking the door. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Sorry for disturbing you Ma’am but we’re here to see your son.’

  ‘May I ask who you are?’ I heard mum asked.

  Another voice from outside says, ‘We’re from the Police Department and we would like your son’s corporation on yesterday’s events.’

  How did the police know about yesterday? I thought. ‘Yesterday’s events?’ I quietly asked baffling.

  I could hear her unleashing the security lash from the door and quickly opening the door.

  ‘Thank you ma’am, Is he around?’ One of the claimed policemen responds nicely.

  ‘Please come in. He’s in the dining room on your right. Phil! You’ve got company!’ Mum said.

  I heard multiple footsteps walking in while the door get shut and lock. A mid age man dress in a cowboy jeans, boots, blue jackets and black shirt walk in towards me. In one hand he had a Stetson hat close to his thigh.

  ‘Phil?’ he asked.

  ‘Sir,’ I said.

  Behind him a young man who I could guess was his partner follows him. His partner was dress up in a dark grey suit match with a white shirt and black tie. Mother stands behind both officers of the law and listen. They both withdraw their police badge from their pocket.

  The cowboy officer says, ‘Police.’

  ‘Yes, I know….I’ve heard you at the door.’

  ‘I’m detective Mcneal…’ the cowboy introduces himself, points his hand at his partner and says, ‘…detective Reynold.’

  ‘We would like to ask you some questions,’ detective Mcneal said.

  ‘Please do, have I done anything wrong?’ I asked.

  ‘You tell us. Have you done anything bad lately?’ detective Reynold said.

  ‘No.’

  ‘How about yesterday?’ detective Reynold asked.

  ‘What about it?’

  ‘Mr Smith, right,’ detective Mcneal said.

  I nod and respond, ‘Yes.’

  ‘Apparently we’ve got information from your friends who said you were with them yesterday. All we want to know is what really happened yesterday.’ Detective Mcneal explained.

  ‘So what did they said?’

  ‘Hey you don’t get to ask question we’re the one who ask you the questions. Ok!’ detective Reynold aggressively attacks my views as he draws out his notebook and pen.

  ‘Hey know your place you’re in my house. You don’t shout at my son in my house. Please at least have some respect.’ Mum brush down at him.

  ‘Please, Mrs Smith,’ detective Mcneal said.

  ‘It’s Miss,’ Mum quickly said.

  ‘Sorry Miss Smith. We need yours and your son’s corporation on this matter.’ Detective Mcneal revealed his motive.

  ‘I’ve done nothing wrong. Just read me my right and I shall get myself a lawyer.’

  ‘Listen we either do it the hard way or the easy way. We can take you in for obstruction of justice.’ Detective Mcneal said.

  ‘What do you want to know?’

  ‘You can start with your colleagues who mysteriously got injured by you. Son you may want to leave the science fiction crap for the TV though.’ Detective Mcneal said.

  ‘We can either do this here or downtown. Anyway if we’re not satisfied with your version of the story…, well…., …you’re gonna have to accompany us downtown.’ Detective Reynold sarcastically promised.

  ‘My colleagues bullied me around and I resist them! That’s all there is to the actual fact. Is there a law for not defending my free right against bullying?!’

  ‘Wow, you’ve got a temper and I’ll give you that.’ Detective Reynold said.

  ‘That’s it! My son had told you everything he knows. Can you gentlemen leave us alone?’ Mum sent her frustrating message across.

  ‘Miss Smith, as you can see we’re not satisfied with the story and therefore you both know the score.’

  ‘What do you want from us?’

  ‘Why don’t you visit your son’s colleague at the hospital and ask them why we’re here?! Well for your information they are terrified of what happened yesterday! They were in shock but they managed to tell us how you beat them and put their friend Tony in a coma.’ Detective Raynold lectured.r />
  ‘I want both of you out of my house and come back with a warrant of arrest! In the mean time I shall phone my son a lawyer.’

  ‘Mum, it’s ok, I shall go with them, beside I got nothing to hide and fear.’

  ‘I’ll tell you something about your kid Miss. Smart boy with guts…,’ detective Mcneal said.

  Mum’s face expresses confusion and fear. She could sense trouble though I was about to go on my free will. I stand up from the dining table and walk pass by the two detectives. I give mum a peck on her chick and move on. Behind the two cops follows and escort me to their car.

  Outside detective Reynold open the back door for me while his colleague wait for me to step in. Then he says joyfully, ‘one more thing before we leave. Don’t forget your seat belt. Relax and enjoy your ride.’

  Seeing me leaving for the police station instead of school, saddens my mum. She left the door open until I was in the car. Detective Reynold start the engine of the new state of the art car. Automatically I heard the doors lock itself and from the back seat I could see mum waving at me. She was behind the car but on the porch. I wave back and she went in. Mum shut the door and the detective’s car made its move for the station downtown.

  The vehicle did not head for the normal road to the police station. Instead we went for the highway and off, through an alley road. The diversion lead us atop of an empty and endless sewage passage way.

  I came to my common sense and my curiosity kick in. ‘Are we still heading for the Police Station?’

  ‘Yes we are,’ detective Mcneal replied.

  ‘What are you trying to tell us? We don’t know where we’re going?’ detective Reynold asked sarcastically.

  ‘Don’t you both think that I have been here long enough to notice that we’re not heading in the right direction?’

  Both detectives stare at each other. There was a pause of silence. I begin to question myself about the two men’s real identity. Where they fake? Impossible as my memories brought up the old image of both men displaying their badges at home. The detectives’ badges had appeared to be legitimate. Their photos and police number were also displayed on the other side of their identification wallet.

  ‘We’re taking you to the main central,’ detective Reynold said.

  ‘Which one? Are you now part of the Central Intelligence Agency? You’re both funny.’

  ‘Listen! You don’t have the right to ask any question! You gave up your right yesterday, when you beat up those boys and put one of them into intensive care Unit. If you’re not able to clear our doubts by today you’re gonna leave us with no choice,’ detective Reynold assured me.

  ‘What choice is that?’

  Detective Reynold glance at his partner and said, ‘to read you your rights.’

  ‘What right might this be? Is it for defending myself?’

  ‘How about if you shut up and stop talking shit!’ Detective Reynold arrogantly gave a curt reply.

  The vehicle moves faster and went downhill towards a shut gate. Detective Reynold accelerate the car and push it to its limit. It tore and swings the gate open as it rush through. Inside I found myself unable to sit tight as it became unstable. The seat belt had protected me from smashing my face into detective Mcneal’s chair by breaking down my body’s inertia.

  Detective Mcneal turn to face me while strap in his seat belt and says, ‘I apologise for the arrogance of my partner but please be patient with us as we sort out the procedure for the case. Once you’ve establish your proof of innocence, we’ll take you back.’

  Faster and faster the car moves freely through the openness of the empty sewage. The car feels as if it was floating. Detective Reynold press a button from the ceiling. It glows red and the dashboard also imitates the red glowing buttons which transforms the inside of the car into a futuristic one.

  Sparks of electric fields surrounds the outside of the car. Then it burst particles of volatile lightning transforming the car into some sort of electrical conductor. As the car moves, ahead of the open drainage, a volatile lightning hit the car at the front and open a black hole filled of stars. The apparent horizon vanishes at the blink of an eye.

  Similar effects I had seen while travelling in the capsule appears. The space effects and the disappearance of the physical machine became apparent. Me and the detectives, we could see our body in a sitting position but it looks as if we were floating. Suddenly the interior of our vehicles appears and we all became invisible with it.

  In no time we became visible again. I look at my wrist watch and notice that time freeze, as if it didn’t exist. The car appears and the effects fades as the outside of the drainage road dominate the background’s sceneries. Detective Reynold slows the automobile down.

  The cars come to a halt. Both detectives slowly move their head side to side, cracking their neck and shoulder’s bones. As if they were eager for something. Then they open their jaws wide by extending their jaw’s muscles to its limit. Muscles spasm caught up with me at the upper part of my body. I felt as if I was also hit by jet lag. I could not hear the sound of the engine. My ears seem to have gone deaf.

  I quickly realise how important those simple exercises were for me. I imitate the same technique of exercises. Quickly my body comes back to form as it releases the tension of fatigues. Built up tension of pressures slowly dissipates from my ears. Suddenly I could hear and understand my surroundings again.

  ‘Did you enjoy that?’ Detective Reynold said.

  ‘You should do. That’s why I embrace technology as it’s better than the old one,’ detective Mcneal said.

  ‘What do you mean by the old one?’ I asked.

  ‘The time travelling capsule which were used ten years back, it used to make time travel, quite painful and uncomfortable.’ Detective Mcneal replied.

  ‘Well, the truth is that I shall never know the feeling of it as I’ve never had the chance to experience it,’ Detective Reynold replied as he drives the car off the open drainage.

  ‘This explains how old I am.’ Detective Mcneal said.

  ‘Have you experience it before?’ detective Reynold asked.

  I thought thoroughly about it and pretend that I did not hear him.

  ‘Have you Mr Smith?’ detective Reynold persisted as he glares at me through the rear mirror.

  ‘No, I haven’t.’ I lied.

  ‘Are you sure,’ he persisted once more as he stares hard at my reflection as if to decipher the expressions of lying on my face.

  Detective Mcneal glance at me in the back, look at his partner and say, ‘Of course it’s the truth it would be impossible for what you’re thinking to have happened.’

  The car went off the drain and uphill to a gate which automatically open inward. At the incline I could see different versions of those floating vehicles heading in different direction. Detective Reynold direct the car through.

  He looks at his partner and say, ‘Radio Coms on.’

  ‘Radio Communication is active,’ a voice from the car responded.

  Detective Reynold proceeds, ‘Station, this is gate keeper’s mission genesis. Kindly request permission to fly in. We’ve got the VIP, over.’

  The speaker was on. I could hear the distortion as it adjust itself and becomes clear as a voice from the other side reply, ‘Roger that, loud and clear. Permission has been granted and a quick safe flying route had been sent to your GPS.’

  ‘Global Positioning System had acquired data for safe flying route from the station,’ an electronic voice from the car said.

  ‘Accept,’ detective Mcneal said.

  ‘This is Agent Reynold, requesting for auto driver to take charge on latest GPS data for the station.’

  ‘Request acknowledged and auto driver engaged,’ the electronic voice from the car assures its human driver with its computer interference.

  Fascinating what the future had in store for us. I could hear a low mechanical sound and feel its movement as the car slowly moves up. Operation of the steering wheel
was done automatically. Without any manual effort it turns by itself, move forward and backward in response to the GPS height. I could see the end of the secondary road our vehicle was in. It ends at a highway where all those futuristic vehicles head in one direction in a four lane order. They all ride furiously towards loads of tall futuristic skyscrapers.

  Feet atop, four lanes of different air vehicles hovers in the same direction as the four lanes below. Two more columns of those four repetitive lanes of those futuristic vehicles follow similar patterns as they speed away. As our automobile hovers and climb higher, I could see how each column of lanes branch out to the different parts of what I could consider a city.

  ‘I’m concern about how those vehicles without those side engines are able to float in the air.’

  ‘Kid it all has to do with the cleanest technology available apart from the electrical, sun and water energy’s efficient engines. Anyway, they use electromagnetic fields set up at each side of the road. Then each vehicle which does not depend on carbon emission fuel energy, converts those eco-friendly forces into a positive momentum force. The problem is if it shall last?’ Detective Mcneal explained.

  ‘Why it might not last?’

  ‘It’s all about the greed of the multinational-corporation. They are in control of the oil industry and they desperately want to buy off those technologies so that they can shut it down and remain the sole monopoly of technology advancement. In the end they shall suppress the clean technological advancement by starving it from money and discontinue investment.’ Detective Mcneal replied.

  ‘In the name of profit….’

  ‘Exactly and they do not care about the environment even though they lectured about the greenhouse effect,’ detective Mcneal said.

  ‘Over the past we had manage to fight the injustice of the corporation. That’s why you’re seeing such technologies flourishing but it’s still in its infant stage. We’ve manage to kick them out of government’s control. The next step is to eliminate corruption of any sorts so that they can’t influence decisions of the market or laws, to turn it in their favour.’ Detective Reynold lectures his part.