Austin waited at the doors of the railway carriage, his finger poised to hit the open button as soon as it lit up. There had been a delay on his journey, and if he wasn’t quick, he would be late for his appointment. The train slowed down as the platform appeared, and Austin waited impatiently for the lurch that signalled the train had finally stopped. There it is, he thought, as he was jolted in time with the squeal of the brakes. The button finally lit up, and he stabbed at it with his finger.
The door hissed open, and Austin jumped out onto the platform, tossing his bag onto his shoulder and fumbling in his coat pocket for his ticket. It’s weird being back here after a whole year, he thought, but I had to come. I couldn’t not. The time hole is pulling me here. Even from hundreds of miles away. There was nobody at the station exit to check his ticket, so he stuffed it into his pocket again, and checked the time. Seven thirty, he thought. I’ve got just enough time to get there, if I get a move on.
Austin started to jog down Railway Approach and turned left into the High Street. From there he continued to run, his breathing regular, a testament to all the running practice he’d put in over the past few months. He’d made a decision to become a fitter person once he’d moved house, and kept himself to that resolution admirably. He’d been determined that his new school would not see him as Austin the nerd, but Austin the all-rounder. Although this hadn’t quite worked out (no matter how hard he tried, he just wasn’t much good at sports) he wasn’t being bullied, and he had plenty of friends.
As he jogged down the High Street, he undid the zip of his coat, as he was quickly getting hot. The rush of fresh, December air felt great. A solitary milk van drove past him, and the first shop-workers arrived at the doors to their shops. I wonder if Mum and Dad have found out I’m missing yet, he thought. If they have, I won’t have much time before Mr Pilgrim sends someone out to pick me up, if they’re not already waiting for me when I get there.
He turned left into Pine Street, which led him down a row of old chimney-potted houses which had once been council properties, a long time ago. He passed a postman delivering letters, and he glanced at the door as he ran past. It was Number 13. He checked his watch, and realised that there was precisely 13 minutes to go before he reached the time hole. Mathematical Synchronicity, he thought, and kept running.
At the end of Pine Street, he turned left again into Oak Road and increased his speed. I need to be there before the event, he thought, or Jordan won’t know what’s going on. I can’t let him down. I mustn’t. He continued on round the corner until he reached the last stretch of his journey, and then he saw it and came to an abrupt halt. Up ahead, parked outside the new Number 13 Oak Road, was a black van. Damn it, he thought, why do they always have to interfere?
Glancing at his watch, he saw that there was two minutes forty-nine seconds to go. He did a quick calculation; There’re sixty seconds in a minute, so two minutes forty-nine must equal 169 seconds, and that’s 13 multiplied by 13. They’re getting more frequent, he thought. He looked to his right and saw a narrow alleyway between the houses. I wonder if it leads to an access path to the back gardens?
He was about to look when he heard the side door of the van opening, and two men in black suits clambered out. He knew he was far enough away for them to be unsure about his identity, but then again, he was the only teenager about at this time of the morning, so they wouldn’t have too much trouble figuring out who he was. He ducked down quickly, as one of the men turned his way. Crouching low, he made his way into the side alley, and then rose up to full height once out of sight.
Austin felt his heart thumping in his chest, and his breathing became quick. This wasn’t a matter of fitness any more. This was a mixture of excitement and fear. Please let Jordan appear today, he thought. Let this nightmare be over. He smiled to himself as his guess proved correct. There was an access path that led behind the houses. It ran all the way down past Number 13, and divided the neatly plotted rear gardens of the new properties from what appeared to be an allotment.
He made his way to the back entrance. There was a brass number on the gate, which was waist height to Austin. He remembered the first time he’d been here, and how the number one had fallen off the front door. He’d been drawn towards the place then, and he felt the same attraction again today.
It doesn’t look as as if anyone lives here, he thought, as he made his way down the garden path towards the back door. I wonder if Mr Pilgrim owns the place? I bet he does, and I bet he’s made sure the place is empty for today, too.
Austin looked in the kitchen window and saw that the place was indeed empty, but realised that the kitchen layout was different than he remembered. They didn’t keep to the original layout, he thought, and started to panic. What if Jordan materialises in a wall or something? He looked at his watch. 13 seconds to go.
He watched in agonised silence as the countdown continued until the alarm on his watch went off. Damn! I forgot I set that, he thought as he fumbled with his watch to turn it off. He looked back through the kitchen window, and felt a tingling sensation that started in his toes and worked its way up. The hairs on his arms stood on end, and then he thought he could see something moving in the air. It wasn’t visible, but it left a ripple. Then he heard a hissing sound, like white noise, coming not from inside the house, but from inside his head. The white noise tried to shape itself into something that Austin could understand, but before he could decipher the sounds, they abruptly ceased.
For a second or two, Austin couldn’t hear anything at all. Even the wind and the birds and the traffic stopped, and then he caught the echo of the sound, and it was unmistakable.
‘Austin!’ it cried. ‘Aaauusstiiin!’
‘Jordan?’ he said, but the voice had gone, and with it, Austin’s hope for rescuing him. He sat down on the back step and put his head into his hands. That’s it, he thought, that’s all I can do. I’m sorry, Jordan. I’m really sorry.
He brought out his mobile and looked at the home screen. There were 13 missed calls, all from his mum and dad. He accessed the recently dialled numbers and called them back. His mum answered the phone within half a ring.
‘Austin?’ she said. ‘Is that you?’
‘Yes Mum,’ he said, ‘I’m on my way home. I’ll explain when I get back. I’m really sorry. I promise it won’t happen again, and I’ll accept any punishment you want to give me.’
‘Where are you Austin? We’ve been worried sick!’
‘I’ll be back by lunchtime, Mum. Don’t worry. Love you.’
Austin stopped the call, then turned off the phone and put it back in his pocket. He thought carefully for a few moments, and then made up his mind. It was something he’d been pondering for a few months, and now it suddenly felt right. No time like the present, he thought. I just hope it’s the right thing to do.
He took a deep breath then stood up and made his way back down the garden path and out into the street. The black van was still there, so he walked towards it. The driver quickly got out and stood waiting for Austin as he approached.
‘Are you Mr Pilgrim's men?’ he asked, as the side door slid open, and two more men came out.
‘We were warned you might show up,’ said the driver. ‘You’ve got a nerve, boy. I’ll give you that.’
‘I was hoping you could take me back home,’ said Austin. ‘I only had enough money for a single.’
The driver laughed. ‘I’ve heard it all now. We’re not some bleedin’ chauffeur service, y’know.’
‘I know,’ said Austin. ‘But you caught me, didn’t you? Mr Pilgrim would be pleased. You can’t just leave me here. I’m important.’
The driver looked at the other two men, who merely shrugged. He stared at Austin for a few seconds, and Austin wondered what was going through his mind. He doesn’t look that stupid, he thought. The driver reached into his pocket and brought out a mobile. He pressed a number and held it to his ear.
‘Mr Pilgrim?’ he asked. ‘We’ve got him, Sir. No, no, he’s not
hurt. No. The other boy’s not here either. Okay. Sure. Will do. Bye.’
‘Looks like you got yer lift, then,’ he said. ‘I suppose you’d better get in the front.’
With that, he nodded to the other two men, who clambered back inside and closed the side door, grumbling under their breath. Austin went round the front of the van to the passenger door and opened it, then climbed up into the passenger seat and fastened his seat belt. He had a vision of putting his head into a hungry lion’s open jaws, but he dismissed it. Decision’s made, he thought. He looked across at the driver who was just starting the engine. The driver looked back and smiled, then shook his head and put the van into first gear.
‘Bloody nerve,’ he mumbled, and the van roared off down the street.
I can’t see any other way, thought Austin. I’ve got to do this. He recalled a book he’d read during the Summer which had set him off on this train of thought. It was a spy thriller, and the first page had been a quote from the Chinese philosopher, Sun-Tzu. It read, simply, “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”.
And that’s just what I plan to do, thought Austin.
The Hive
Monday 3rd November 2036
‘What do you mean, close them down?’ exclaimed Jordan. ‘Aren’t I going back through?’
Austin’s declaration only moments before had seemed a little too final to him; closing them down’ll mean I have to stay here, he thought, grimly. I can’t be doing with that.
‘No, mate,’ said Austin, ‘it’s not quite as simple as that. You’ve got to understand what’s at stake here. It’s not just you and me anymore, Jordan. It’s not about us. It’s about the whole fabric of spacetime; it’s become so unstable, and so full of these holes, that it’s in danger of unravelling completely.’
‘Says who?’ said Jordan, ‘cos if it’s you lot, then why should I believe you? You’re probably just lying again or something.’
Ron came forward. Jordan thought he looked very guilty, and quite ashamed. ‘Jordie, I’m sorry, but it’s true. I went along with what they were saying, because I’m as desperate to fix things as they are.’
‘Why should I trust you?’ said Jordan, wrinkling his brow, ‘you probably ain’t even my dad; just someone they made up to be like him or something.’
‘Jordie… Who sat up night after night when mum died, singing It’s a Wonderful World to you? It was the only thing that would calm you after a nightmare. You know it’s me, Jordie. You feel it, I know you do. You feel it in your bones.’
He’s right, thought Jordan, I do feel it in my bones. Jordan shrugged and looked at the floor. Ron gathered him close and gave him a hug. Jordan let himself go and relaxed into his father’s arms. ‘You’re going to save the world, Jordie,’ he whispered, ‘Jordan Baxter; Superhero!’ Despite himself, Jordan laughed. He imagined himself flying through the air, cape flapping in the wind, searching for time holes which he would shut with a blast from his laser-vision. Ron let him go, and he stood back to look at them.
His father; so old and grey, so rickety with arthritis. Only this morning, he saw him twenty-six years younger. Austin Baker; earlier today he’d been his worst enemy. In the space of a few hours, or twenty-six years (depending on how you were looking at it) he’d become an adult, a father, a husband, and now his friend, of sorts. Amy; whoever she really was. Austin seemed to think he knew her, but there was something very weird about her eyes. And finally, Mr Pilgrim; to Jordan, he appeared to be the big, bad Bond villain at the centre of his secret lair, but Austin knew him, probably even worked for him. So did that make Austin a double agent, or a villain, too? Whatever he was, they were all his reality now, and they were all telling him the same thing. I could save the world. Me, Jordan, could make everything all right again.
‘Okay,’ he said, looking each of them in the eyes, ‘so what do I have to do?’
As Amy led Jordan, Austin, and Ron out of the meeting room, Jordan glanced back to see Mr Pilgrim disappearing back into the room from which he had come. They walked down the corridor to a lift. Once inside, the elevator began its descent to the ground floor. Jordan looked round at the plush carpet, and the elegant panelled walls. There was a fresh, pine-scented smell wafting through the lift, and if he closed his eyes, he could imagine he was standing in a wood somewhere, because where music would normally be piped into the enclosed space, there were, instead, the natural sounds of the forest. It’s a lot better than the first two lifts we went in, thought Jordan. The whole experience was designed to put the passengers at ease, and it was working, at least as far as he was concerned.
‘Almost there,’ said Amy. ‘Prepare yourself, Jordan, because you’re going to be astounded.’
‘Why?’
‘We’re going to examine what you just saw ‘up close and personal’ as they say.’
‘What was it? It looked like a giant metal tree.’
‘We call it the hive,’ replied Amy.
‘The hive?’ repeated Jordan. ‘Why’s that?’
The elevator came gracefully to a stop, and the doors hissed and then started to open. Immediately, Jordan was bombarded with sounds of activity in all directions, and as he stepped out of the lift, he tried to take in everything happening around him. There were banks of large, semi-transparent computer screens dotted at regular intervals, with men and women bustling round them, interpreting and correlating the data at alarming speeds. They appeared to be oblivious to anyone or anything around them, including the enormous central column that loomed over them all. Now he was at ground level, Jordan could see far more clearly what the smaller sections were, which jutted out at regular intervals from the base of the column. They ended in an egg-shaped protuberance, which was black and shiny, the bottom of which emerged in a mass of metal tubing which disappeared into the floor. They look a bit like toenails on a giant metal foot, he thought. But above all the noise and bustle, one thing could be felt above all else; an overpowering metallic hum which invaded his every bone and muscle; it made his skin tingle and set his teeth on edge. His stomach lurched and knotted, and he felt as if it was pulling him towards it.
‘I can see why you call it the hive,’ said Ron. ‘All these people milling about. It’s just so busy!’
‘Come on,’ said Amy, and walked towards the central column. The four of them followed her, and as they drew closer, Jordan could feel the hair on the back of his neck bristle. His head began to pound. He looked over at Austin and saw that he was sweating. Austin caught his eye and nodded to him, as if to say, yup, I’m feeling it, too.
‘You’d better stop there,’ said Amy to the both of them. ‘Don’t come any closer for now. I can see it’s effecting you already.’
‘What’s affecting us?’ said Jordan. ‘What is it?’
‘You know about the hadron collider?’ said Amy. ‘Well, this ain’t it. This is something that’s grown out of the hadron collider. It’s been adapted for our unique needs here, and the reason you’re feeling as you do, is because you’re at the eye of the storm, gentlemen. This is where it all ends.’
‘But what do I have to do?’ asked Jordan. ‘Will it hurt?’
‘No, of course not,’ said Amy, and tapped one of the black egg-shaped ‘toenails’. ‘It’s completely painless. The answer to your question lies inside one of these.’
‘What are they?’ asked Jordan.
‘They’re cocoons,’ said Austin.
‘Cocoons?’
‘Austin’s right,’ said Amy. ‘Here, I’ll show you.’ She came to the front of the cocoon and detached a remote control from a small panel. She placed two fingers lightly on the surface, and spread them gently apart. The cocoon’s surface became translucent. It was as if a cloud of ink was dispersing into water.
‘Is there something in there?’ said Jordan. The surface continued to clear until all traces of the blackness had disappeared. Jordan’s eyes widened with astonishment, and he gasped.
Inside the cocoon was the body of a
woman.
A Ten O’Clock Appointment
Monday 16th June 2014
Austin stood outside the Crown Prosecution Service building at Ludgate Hill in London, looking at the entrance with trepidation. It loomed over him, and he suddenly felt very small indeed. Ever since the letter of confirmation had come through the letterbox, Austin had been nervous about today. He knew that the job had been his for over a year, but to read that he would be starting so soon after leaving school was still quite terrifying. He also realised that Mr Pilgrim had probably pulled a few strings and called in a few favours to get him this job, which just increased the pressure to succeed.
He walked in and went up to the reception desk, told them his name and that he was meeting Mrs Fellows at ten o’clock. The receptionist consulted her computer screen and clicked her mouse a few times before asking him to take a seat in the waiting area. He sat down, then looked at his watch. He was 13 minutes early. Typical. He watched people coming in and out of the building, and tried to imagine what it would be like working in such a place, but this just made him more nervous, so he cast his mind back to when he’d first met Mr Pilgrim and the reason why he’d chosen to work with the enemy.
It had seemed the only logical choice, although at the time it wasn’t something he’d wanted to do. Working with the Department of Missing Persons, under the watchful gaze of his nemesis, was the only way he’d be able to keep track of the situation with the time holes. He also hoped to be able to find Ron Baxter, so that when Jordan re-appeared in nine years and five months time, the first person he’d see would be his dad, because he, Austin, would ensure that he was there to meet him.
Whether this plan of action would ever be carried out was a constant source of concern for him. For a start, he wasn’t entirely sure whether he’d ever be trusted enough to gain access to that sort of information. He’d been every inch the model citizen since that day in December almost three years ago when he’d hitched a lift back with some of Mr Pilgrim's cronies. He’d worked hard both at school in his studies, and at home to rebuild his relationship with his parents. Slowly, he’d convinced everybody that things were back to normal. He’d even enjoyed living at their new house, and he was glad that his mum and dad were happy. He’d made new friends and did everything that was expected of him.
What they didn’t know was that every night he would write in a secret diary, and cross off another day in the long countdown towards J-Day; the day Jordan would come back. It was the only way to ensure that he didn’t let it fade from his mind. Sometimes, late at night, when he lay awake in bed, he would wonder whether it had all been a wild fantasy. Perhaps the fiction he’d concocted for his parents was true after all, and his memories were the invention of a 13 year old boy who read too much science fiction? But then, he would remember the last time he went through the time hole: how a man’s hand had followed him through, and how he’d had to leave Jordan’s dad behind. Then the guilt would bring him back to the inescapable truth; he was on his own, and he was the only person he could trust.
He took out his phone and glanced at the time. It was nine fifty-nine. He unlocked the screen, and tapped an icon, which brought up a live news screen. He tapped his left ear, which turned on his discreet bluetooth earpiece, and he listened to the latest news headlines. Nothing about disappearing or reappearing people, he thought. Amazing how it’s all kept out of the media. The Department does a neat job of keeping the lid on the time holes. But for how much longer?
Austin watched the news for a few more minutes, then a shadow fell across him and he caught the scent of perfume. He looked up and saw a young woman, about his age, looking down at him. She had long, brown hair, beautiful hazel eyes, and a petite nose, but it was her smile that caught his attention most. He quickly turned off his earpiece and put away his phone. Then he rose from his chair and held out his hand.
‘Hi there,’ he said, ‘I’m Austin Baker.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ she said. ‘I’m Zoë.’
No Going Back
Monday 3rd November 2036
‘You’re not going to put me into one of those things!’ exclaimed Jordan, backing away from the cocoon.
‘It’s okay, Jordan, really,’ said Amy, ‘she’s just sleeping.’
‘How long has she been in there?’ asked Ron.
‘About a week,’ she replied. ‘She’s perfectly fine, and now that you’re both here, we can finally sort this thing out.’
‘I think both Jordan and I could do with a bit of… reassurance,’ said Austin, as he walked up behind Jordan, who was still backing away from the cocoon. He gently put a hand on Jordan’s shoulder, and Jordan looked up at him, a look of panic on his face.
‘I don’t want to go in there,’ he said. ‘What if I never wake up?’
‘Can you waken one of… them?’ asked Ron, gesturing to the figure of the woman resting in the cocoon.
‘That would seriously delay the outcome of this experiment,’ said Amy, ‘and we need to act now.’
‘Surely a few minutes won’t make any difference?’ said Austin. ‘You kept us waiting at the farmhouse for hours.’
‘Merely a blip in communications,’ said Amy, walking towards them. ‘Now please, let me explain what I need you to do.’
‘I ain’t going in one of them cocoon things,’ said Jordan, ‘and that’s final.’
‘Look,’ said Amy, and walked over to one of the large, semi-transparent computer screens nearest to the cocoon. She tapped the screen and it demanded her password which she quickly tapped in on the console beneath it. There was no visible keyboard, and Jordan edged forward just enough to look at what was going on.
‘It’s a virtual keyboard,’ said Austin. ‘We’ve all been using them for years now.’
Amy glanced up from what she was doing. ‘We’d all be using thinkput technology now if it wasn’t for the floods. It’s delayed tech advances by years.’
‘Thinkput?’ said Jordan.
‘It’s where your thoughts are translated into data and transferred to the computer via a unique algorithm only you can encrypt,’ said Amy.
‘Do what?’ said Jordan.
‘You think, the computer hears,’ said Austin.
‘Cool,’ said Jordan, ‘but I still ain’t getting in there.’
‘Come and see,’ said Amy.
Jordan, Austin and Ron walked over to the computer screen and looked at the display.
‘This is the woman’s heartbeat,’ said Amy, pointing at a window on the screen with an electrocardiogram readout, ‘and as you can see, it’s quite regular.’
Jordan looked at the green line as it travelled across the screen, making zig-zag marks and bleeping quietly as it went. Jordan had seen these plenty of times on the television, so he knew they could be faked.
‘Doesn’t prove nothing,’ he said. ‘That could be anybody’s.’
‘And this here is the REM monitor,’ said Amy, pointing at another window. ‘The whole thing is monitoring the condition of this woman’s body and mind whilst she is in her dream state.’
‘She’s just dreaming?’ asked Jordan. ‘For a week?’
‘Time passes differently whilst you’re asleep,’ said Amy. ‘When she wakes up, she’ll assume that only a night has gone by.’
‘So how long will the experiment take?’
‘We don’t know, but you’ll be taken good care of, I promise,’ she said. ‘With any luck, it shouldn’t take longer than a few weeks.’
‘A few weeks?’ said Jordan. ‘Why’s it going to take that long?’
‘You won’t know it’s taken that long,’ said Amy. ‘For you, it’ll be over in a moment. One second, you’ll be feeling sleepy, and the next you’ll be woken up.’
‘How do I know you’re telling the truth?’
Amy fell silent at this point. Jordan looked between her and Austin, then turned to look at his dad, who smiled reassuringly. None of them know what’s going to happen, he thought. I might as wel
l ask the woman in the cocoon. She’d make more sense… and she’s asleep. But one thing seems to be certain; if I don’t get into one of these cocoon thingies, then the whole world might end or something. It’s certainly in a big enough mess right now.
‘Are you going to get in one?’ he asked Austin.
Austin nodded. ‘We’ve got to, Jordie. It’s the only way.’
‘But why us?’
‘It’s your DNA,’ said Amy. ‘It’s been altered by your time travel. Only you and Austin are left now. We’ve got everybody else here already. ’
‘You mean all these cocoon’s are full of people like us?’
Amy nodded. ‘Yes. It’s taken us a few years, but we’ve tracked them all down now, thanks to people like Austin and Zoë.’
‘Zoë’s part of this, too?’ said Jordan.
‘Yes,’ said Austin. ‘I met her when I first started work at the Department of Missing Persons.’ Jordan opened his mouth to say something but Austin shook his head. ‘It’s a long story, Jordan, and when we come out of this, I’ll explain everything.’
‘But what’s going to happen to me? How is going into one of those things going to close the time holes?’
Austin turned to Amy. ‘Do you want to give that a go?’ he said. Amy nodded, smiling. Oh no! More boring science, thought Jordan. Why did I ask?
‘Well,’ Amy began, ‘I’ll keep it quick, Jordan, but if we’re right, then hooking up enough people who’ve been through the time holes and linking their dream states together should provide us with the raw data we need to shut them down. Your DNA will also be analysed and compared to the others, to enable us to understand the changes you’ve been through.’
Jordan frowned. That seems too simple, he thought, but I suppose it’ll have to do. ‘Is Aurie going into one of these, as well?’
Austin nodded. ‘She’s already in,’ he said. ‘After we went through the ante-chamber, Zoë went straight to the nurse, who gave Aurie a sedative.’
‘Is she okay?’
‘Yes, she’s fine. So, you see, I’ve got to do it, haven’t I?’
Jordan nodded. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘I’ll do it, too.’
Amy breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. ‘Thank-you, Jordan. I’m so glad you made the right choice. Now come with us. There’s no time to lose.’
Amy handed the remote control to a nearby technician, and as they all followed her, Jordan glanced at the Cocoon as it blackened out. Suddenly, he felt scared again.
‘Will I be asleep when it blackens out?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ said Amy. ‘Don’t worry. It’s state of the art, as they say. Developed for NASA for deep space exploration. It was never used, though. The floods took care of that.’
‘NASA?’ said Jordan. ‘But they’re American, aren’t they? What’s it doing here in England?’
‘This is a joint venture,’ said Amy. ‘Time holes aren’t just affecting England, you know.’
Austin looked over his shoulder at Jordan, and smiled. They’re still keeping stuff from me, thought Jordan, but I don’t think it’d matter if I refused to do this. I think they’d make me do it anyway.
‘Here we are,’ said Amy, and waved a hand at the empty cocoons in front of them. Jordan’s heart beat faster, and he felt little drops of sweat form on his forehead. Mustn’t let them know I’m scared, he thought, I’ve got to act grown-up now.
‘I’ll get in first,’ said Austin, moving forward to one of the cocoons, ‘then you can see it’s okay.’ He removed his leather jacket and galoshes, and Amy summoned two technicians to take them away. One of the technicians returned with a set of steps, and Austin mounted them quickly, then stepped into the cocoon. He saluted to Jordan, smiled, then laid down. There was a hum, and the lid of the cocoon gracefully descended until Austin was locked inside.
‘Can he breathe?’ said Jordan.
‘Of course,’ said Amy, ‘just come and look.’
Jordan went up to the cocoon and climbed up the steps beside it. Austin smiled back at him from the comfort of the cushioned interior, then gave him a little wave of his hand.
‘Can he hear me?’ asked Jordan.
‘No,’ replied Amy, ‘the cocoon is completely sound-proof. Now watch, he’ll fall asleep any moment.’
Jordan watched as Austin’s eyelids began to droop. Austin smiled dreamily, then stuck his tongue out at Jordan, before his eyes completely closed and his head dropped to one side. That doesn’t appear to be too bad, thought Jordan, as he climbed back down the steps. The technician came forward and moved them to the next cocoon. This is it, thought Jordan. There’s no turning back. Jordan looked around for his dad, who came up to him and held his arms out for a hug. Jordan extended his hand instead, and Ron slowly shook it. ‘You’re a brave young man, Jordie,’ he said. ‘I’m proud of you.’
‘See ya later, Dad,’ said Jordan, and removed his shoes before climbing the steps and nimbly leaping into the cocoon. The interior was soft and giving, but as he wriggled around in it, he discovered that it moulded to his shape.
‘Lie down now,’ said Amy, ‘and don’t be alarmed when the lid shuts. You may have to swallow as it pressurises. Bit like taking off in a plane.’
‘Okay,’ said Jordan, and lay down inside the cocoon. No sooner had his head touched the floor, then the lid began to shut. Despite the comfort, Jordan felt a little panicked, but he took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. The lid pressed shut, and there was a pop as the cocoon pressurised. He felt his ears block, and swallowed hard. They cleared straight away, and he breathed in. The air was sweet, and he was sure he could hear the buzzing of bees on a summer’s day. He looked out of the cocoon lid and up at the central column. The sky outside was dark now, but he couldn’t see any stars. Then he caught a glimpse of something moving high up. It was some sort of platform moving out from the side of the dome towards the central column. He started to feel a bit woozy, and his eyelids began to droop, just like Austin’s. But he blinked hard, and tried to focus. There’s a figure on the platform, and it’s waiting, thought Jordan. It’s holding a stick in its hand. The platform connected with the column, and the figure disappeared into the side. Must’ve been a door there, thought Jordan. So sleepy… was that… Pilgrim? Can’t stay… awake…
The Department of Missing Persons
Monday 16th June 2014
When Zoë shook Austin’s hand, he suddenly felt very self-conscious. He smiled bashfully at her, then found that he couldn’t maintain eye contact for long, as it was making him blush. Oh God, he thought, I mustn’t make a fool of myself. Not on my first day.
‘Em, if you’d like to follow me,’ said Zoë, and let go of Austin’s hand a little too quickly. Austin forced himself to look up at her and caught a glimpse of her reddening cheeks as she turned away from him. Oh God, he thought again, she’s had the same reaction as me. Did I make her do that? Oh God, how embarrassing.
Zoë led Austin out through the front entrance and onto Ludgate Hill. She turned to him and said, ‘We’re not in the main building here; our offices are in another street nearby. We’ve got to cross now.’
So saying, she grabbed Austin’s hand and they crossed the busy London road. They quickly turned into a side street, and Austin glanced up to see what it was called. He gasped when he saw the sign, which read Pilgrim Street. Zoë followed his gaze and laughed when she saw what he was looking at.
‘Yeah, that surprised me, too, on my first day.’
‘Is Pilgrim his real name?’ he asked.
‘It makes you think, doesn’t it?’ she replied, which wasn’t an answer at all, but Austin didn’t much care. He’d managed to strike up a conversation with her, and for that he was grateful.
Presently they came to a discreet black entrance door, which led into a porch-way, into which they both stepped. A second door greeted them, and Zoë pressed a button on the intercom. ‘Stay still,’ she said, ‘you’re being
scanned.’ They waited a few seconds in awkward silence, then a buzzer sounded and the inner door opened of its own accord. They stepped through into a narrow corridor. It was dimly lit by a single shadeless bulb, which hung from the high Victorian ceiling by a frayed wire.
This is odd, thought Austin. First of all, they have a high-tech scanner disguised as a simple intercom, and then this.
‘You’re probably wondering about the state of the place,’ said Zoë. ‘Mr Pilgrim's orders. It’s gotta look unkept. Hides the real reason we’re here. Right, up we go.’
Zoë led Austin up a flight of stairs which creaked with every musty step they took. The next door led them into another narrow corridor with doors on either side.
‘These doors are just for show,’ said Zoë, as she walked along the corridor. ‘Mr Pilgrim bought the entire floor up here, which stretches right across all the other places.’ She stopped outside the fourth door, which was missing a handle. Austin couldn’t quite stop in time, and bumped into her. He apologised, and blushed again. Zoë smiled, then placed her open palm on a small metal panel. It glowed, then the door slid open, and they walked through into a busy, open-plan office space, which seemed to go on forever.
‘Wow!’ said Austin. ‘You’d never know this was all here. You must have some serious sound-proofing.’
A tall, elegant woman, dressed in a black pinstripe suit, walked up to them, smiling. ‘Hello, Austin,’ she said, ‘I’m Mrs Fellows. Welcome to the Department of Missing Persons. Come on through to my office and we’ll get you sorted security-wise. Then you’ll be working with Zoë here for a while, just to get used to the ropes.’
‘I’ll see you later, Austin,’ said Zoë, and walked off towards her desk.
Austin couldn’t believe his luck. First day on the job, and already working with the most beautiful girl in the building. He followed Mrs Fellows into her office, which was at the far end of the floor. Everyone they passed looked up and smiled, waved, or said hello. They all seemed to know who he was already, and he was made to feel very welcome.
But Austin refused to be taken in completely. I’ve got to remember why I’m here, he thought. These people aren’t my friends, no matter how nice they are to me. I’m here to keep an eye on things until J-Day. Of course, it hadn’t escaped Austin that they would be doing exactly the same to him.
‘Take a seat, Austin,’ said Mrs Fellows, as she walked round to the business side of her desk and sat down. Austin sat down and watched as she tapped away on the desk. He looked closer and saw there was a touchscreen panel embedded in the desk surface, and on it was displayed a virtual keyboard.
‘Pretty impressive gear,’ he said.
Mrs. Fellows looked up. ‘Nothing but the best for Mr Pilgrim's team,’ she said. ‘We’re years ahead of the main sections in the Department, and considering what we do here, well… we need to be.’
‘Yes, I suppose you do,’ said Austin.
‘You’re our youngest employee, with the exception of Zoë.’
‘How long has she been working here then?’
‘Zoë was brought here by Mr Pilgrim two years ago. Her parents disappeared one night. She witnessed the whole thing, apparently. But I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it.’
‘Oh, I see,’ said Austin. ‘How horrible.’
‘Yes, bless her heart. She’s a good worker. Dedicated. Just like I think you’ll be, Austin.’ Mrs. Fellows picked up a hand-sized tablet from beneath her computer screen and handed it to him. ‘Place your left palm on the surface,’ she said. ‘It’s for your security clearance.’
‘No retina scan?’ asked Austin, light-heartedly.
‘Mr Pilgrim doesn’t like them,’ she said. ‘We have a full body scanner in the entrance porch-way, as I’m sure you’re aware. The palm-print scan is purely for internal doors.’
‘Oh,’ said Austin, and made a mental note not to make any more jokes. They’d be wasted on her, he thought.
Into the Wall
Dreamstate
For a while, Jordan felt a feeling of weightlessness, as if he were floating in space. He could barely feel his limbs, and then suddenly he felt as if he were falling. This sensation continued for a while, although Jordan could not tell how long it was. Then, he became aware, not that he was stopping, but only that he had already stopped. Jordan didn’t question this, as he knew it to be true.
He was back inside the farmhouse where he’d been taken after his emergence from the time hole, only this time the bedroom where he waited with Austin, Zoë and the girls was populated with things from his own bedroom; his game console, his bed, even posters on the wall. He sat down on the bed, and it even felt like his bed. He became aware that he was sitting on the bed, but also watching himself sitting on the bed, but he didn’t question this, as he knew it to be true.
‘How you doing, Jordan?’ said Austin, from behind him.
Jordan turned to see Austin talking from a poster on his wall which depicted him in a blue suit with a frilly white shirt. His name was emblazoned in front of him in gaudy purple letters.
‘Groovy, baby,’ replied Jordan, before he knew what to say. ‘Do you wanna play footie?’
‘You know I don’t play footie, Jordan,’ came the reply, although this time Austin was beneath the duvet, ‘but you could ask mini-me.’
‘Oh, okay,’ said Jordan and turned to face the door as it opened. Austin came through the door in full football kit, carrying a ball under his left arm. He was twenty-six years younger again, and Jordan scowled at him. ‘You can’t play football,’ he said, ‘go and read a book or something, will ya?’
The younger Austin looked crest-fallen, and lowered his head with disappointment in his eyes. Then Jordan saw that he was carrying a pile of books instead of a football. Austin dropped them on the floor, and one of them bounced across the carpet and leapt onto his lap. He looked at the cover, which showed a close-up of a front door with boards across it at different angles. There was a gap between the boards, though, and there were two brass numbers staring out at him. A one and a three. They looked so real, that Jordan reached out and touched the ‘one’. It fell off, leaving only the impression of where it had been.
‘That’s weird,’ he said, and reached through the gaps in the board to try and retrieve the number. Instead the door creaked open and he fell through the gap into the house beyond. The corridor in front of him smelt musty and damp, and was strewn with old newspaper and empty beer cans. A mouse scurried away in front of him as he started to tip-toe his way along. It made him jump, and he laughed nervously. ‘It’s only a mouse, idiot,’ he said.
At the end of the hallway were two doors. He opened the one to his left and Austin was there, staring back at him. ‘What are you doing in - ’ began Jordan, then he stopped when he realised that Austin was copying his exact words and movements. He reached forward to touch him, and found that it wasn’t a room at all, but a mirror. He saw to his horror that he was both Austin and Jordan at the same time.
‘Don’t go through that door,’ said his reflection, pointing to the other doorway, ‘you won’t like it at all.’
‘I’ll do what I like,’ said Jordan, and slammed the door in his reflection’s face. He opened the next door which revealed what was left of the kitchen. As he went through the doorway, a strange sensation came over him. His vision blurred, his stomach knotted, his head burned, and his muscles went taut and then relaxed, which made him fall forwards onto the kitchen floor.
‘What the hell was that?’ he said, as he picked himself up. He carefully dusted himself down until he looked almost immaculate again, then realised that he was looking almost immaculate. ‘What am I doing?’ he said. ‘Wait a minute, those aren’t my hands!’
‘You’re not you anymore, stupid,’ said his voice from across the kitchen. He looked over and saw that he was standing in a pool of water, streaks of mud over his face, half in and half out of the house at the same time. ‘In case you hadn’t realised, I’m future
-you, and you’re Austin-you.’
‘What?’ he said. ‘That’s impossible.’
‘How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?’ said another voice.
Jordan looked over at the back door. It had just opened, and a deer-stalker wearing, pipe-smoking Austin, although this time twenty-six years older, came through.
‘Why are you dressed like Sherlock Holmes?’ said Jordan.
‘That’s not the question you should be asking,’ came the reply. ‘You should be trying to figure out a way to get back home.’
Jordan turned to look at the door he’d just come through, but found that it didn’t exist anymore. In its place was a blank wall. He looked back at Austin, but he was gone, as was his future-self, and the kitchen. In fact, everything had gone: No floor, no ceiling, no kitchen sink, no window, no door. Then a faint knocking sound came from behind him. He turned again to see that the wall stretched as far as the eye could see in both directions. The muffled sound of voices came from the other side. Although they were muffled, he knew that they were calling his name. The banging became louder and louder, then older-Austin appeared beside him. He offered Jordan his hand.
‘I ain’t holding your hand!’ said Jordan. ‘What d’you think I am? Some sorta baby?’
‘It’s the only way,’ said Austin, with Jordan’s voice, ‘We have to jump together.’
‘Into the wall?’
‘Yes. Into the wall.’
‘But why?’
‘Just do it!’ shouted Austin, this time with many voices all at once.
Jordan held out his hand to Austin, and Austin grabbed it. Their hands fused together, and he looked into Austin’s face. ‘After 13,’ he said, and began to count. Jordan couldn’t help himself, and joined in. Their voices became louder and louder, until there was nothing but noise. Then they jumped towards the wall and collided with it.
But instead of falling back from the impact, they kept on going through the wall, and Jordan could see it all in slow motion. The wall contained memories. Not his, but memories from all the other people who had been through time holes of their own. The memories came thick and fast, and as they passed through him, he absorbed them, one by one.
And then he knew the horrible truth.
Chapter 11
First Day at the Office
Monday 16th June 2014
Time Holes: 13 Page 11