She was feeling she was both falling and being pressed from all directions at once. Geoffrey's arms came around her. The moment his arms circled her, and she turned towards him instinctively, the world around her settled. Her face was against his skin. She was fighting nausea.
“Are you okay?” He said.
“Yes,” she answered.
He gently set her on the ground. She pulled away from him to steady herself on her own feet and opened her eyes. It was a red, dark desert. There was a small abandoned tent nearby, so they walked towards it. Inside the tent, robes were folded in a row next to some containers with water. Geoffrey handed a gown to her as he put his own. The robes matched the color of the earth. It was cold. She was happy to have the clothes covering her. They almost didn't feel like enough. She realized that there was also no sunlight. The stars were so bright they were illuminating the landscape.
“No moon,” she said.
“No sun either,” he said. “The planet circles around the sun every thirty thousand years. It gives the inhabitants a chance to always study the sky and every planet and star within it.”
“Shouldn’t we freeze to death with no sunlight to warm the surface?”
“The inhabitants are the most technologically advanced species in the universe. No one can match them. They have figured out a way to place huge heating cells under the surface that create a very dense atmosphere. This is why we can breathe. Due to the size and the rotation, it has a manageable gravity, similar to the one on earth. The gate system is limited to planets that have a viable atmosphere. They have the advantage of knowing how to create a viable atmosphere anywhere.” Geoffrey answered.
“It is always dark?” She asked.
“Yes.”
"Where are the inhabitants of said land?" Emily asked, looking around.
As Geoffrey pointed, she saw it. A couple of miles away was a spectacular city made of crystal.
“Wow!” Emily said. “Who lives here?”
“The Sentinels,” he said. “They are the watchmen of the universe. They know everything that is happening and everything that has happened. Their data science is so impressive that they can even predict what will happen with a degree of accuracy.”
“Why are we here?” She asked.
“Because this is where I was born,” Geoffrey answered.
“I thought you were human.”
“Mostly human,” he said. “Ready?”
As he said this, he extended his hand. Emily took it, and they began the walk towards the city.
TJ56823
Journal 1
Tristan woke up to Agandana, looking down at him. He immediately sat up, fearful he had broken some rule, and she was here to hand out punishment. The moment of confusion past as she spoke.
"They left a short while ago. If you want to catch up, you better hurry." She said, and started walking. He jumped off the couch and followed, nodding to the family, looking at him from a kitchen. They were awed by Agandana. It looked as if they had never met her before. Tristan had seen those expressions in Los Angeles when people saw movie stars.
They arrived at the edge of the cliff.
“How am I supposed to get out there?” Tristan asked.
“I’m going to take you,” she said.
Tristan laughed, disbelieving her words. He would certainly die. Maybe it was their punishment. He had seen so much in the last few days, nothing really surprised him. He saw the opening on the floor and the folded robes next to the opening.
"It is the only way to get through," she answered. "You can always wait here until they return. There is always the possibility they will not return through here. I have a feeling you'll like this new location, though."
“Why?”
"All the answers are there, and you look like someone who likes to know everything," she said as she walked over to the hole and took off her robe.
Her body was very human-like. The color was off. No human was that solid white. No skin had the pearly sheen hers did. Obviously, the webbed hands and feet were odd. She smiled, and Tristan looked away, actually feeling embarrassed.
"You may look," she said, laughing. "I already did."
He walked over and took off the robe, finding himself yet again naked in front of this woman. This was not how he imagined life would be on other planets. He was aware he was being used, but he didn't know the purpose. It intrigued him. She stepped into the water and held out her hand. He followed into the water taking her hand in his. The skin was so delicate, he expected it to tear as he touched it. He didn't want to hurt her, and that bothered him.
Before he could take a deep breath, she swam. It was the fastest he had gone within the water or on land. Before he could miss the lack of oxygen, he was out of the water and surrounded by darkness. He felt the invisible walls crashing around him. The pressure in his head and in his body was unbearable. He felt himself scream, but he heard no sound. He felt he was dying. His heart was beating desperately within his chest. He tried to calm down but was panicking.
He felt a body next to his, pushing against him. Tristan grabbed on for dear life and found himself blending into her body with a desperation he'd never felt. As her body merged into hers, his heartbeat settled. The closer he got to her, the more he opened to her, the more intense his desire, and the pain decreased. The pressure subsided as he gave his whole focus to that woman. As he felt his body give, she was gone. He was on the ground on his hands and knees, catching his breath. He felt tears falling down his face, and he was mortified.
He couldn't make his body move. The red dirt between his fingers was slowly turning into mud. The cold finally forced him to move. He saw the tent and the robes some distance away. He looked around for the woman, but she was nowhere. Profound grief hit, knowing he was now on his own. He forced himself to stand, feeling unsteady. As he entered the tent, he saw the water and drank half the bottle without thinking. He turned immediately and threw it up. The water was spilling out of the bottle because his hands were trembling uncontrollably. It was a burning cold within that felt as if he had come back from the dead. He wondered if he had died in that darkness. He thought about the woman and knew she saved his life. As the memory of the tunnel entered him, his whole body felt it would break without her. Tristan fought for control and won.
He grabbed the clothes folded carefully and put them on. He sat down on the ground, placed his head in his arms, and sobbed.
EB26392
Journal 1
As Geoffrey and Emily walked into the city, Emily took in her surroundings. The city was constructed almost entirely of glass. The population was sparse, considering the size of the city. She was expecting streets like Los Angeles full of traffic and people filling the sidewalks. The city was completely modern and way more technologically advanced than earth. There were glass trams carrying people from one place to the next. The people on this planet wore the red-brown robes like the ones that Emily wore. Their skin was pale and thick. They had almost transparent blue eyes, much larger than human eyes. Their arms and legs looked longer than humans. Their hands and feet were covered by their robes but looked longer too. They were rail-thin and walked with grace as if they were supermodels on a catwalk. It was impossible to distinguish gender. It took her a little bit to realize that they had no mouth. They had a nose.
Emily followed Geoffrey, who behaved as if he had a pre-determined destination. The people around her did not make eye contact. It looked like they were zombies, completely unaware of their surroundings. Emily found it disturbing.
“You were born here?” She asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Isn’t it a little cold?”
"The Sentinels are not meant to be warm or emotional. They don't have emotions like we do. They hold the universe in their hands. The responsibility is too great to let it be polluted by unnecessary emotions. They have no family because they are all one family. The Sentinels have no need to eat because they can absorb all the nut
rients they need from the surroundings. They don't have to talk because they can look into any mind in the universe and know everything around them. They don't reproduce like all species because they have mastered genetic coding, unlike anyone else. They know exactly what they are getting when they set out to create." Geoffrey explained as he walked.
“But you are human?” She said.
“Mostly,” he replied. “I am human, but I was created by them with enough of their genetics to make me just different enough.”
“You can’t die. You need very little food.”
He nodded. "The human body wasn't designed for very long life, so I am not eternal. Eventually, I need to move on. My body won't die, but it becomes unbearable to inhabit it."
“Why did they create you?” She asked.
“Maybe curiosity?” He shrugged. “I think that they wanted someone like them and not like them on the ground watching over their work. Maybe it was an accident at first that they found useful. They find useful important.”
Emily had a thousand other questions but wasn't even sure how to approach them. Why did he bring her here?
“A bastard,” she said quietly.
“Yes,” he replied.
He took her hand and walked into a building. It was full of books as far as the eye could see. He stopped at the entrance. Several Sentinels sat at desks looking up at them. Geoffrey nodded at them, and they returned to their work. They were looking over all kinds of texts, organizing, sorting. They were like journals. Emily understood that this was why Geoffrey kept journals. They would eventually belong here. It was a first-person recorded history of everything. Emily felt goosebumps crawl up her back.
“Why am I here, Geoffrey?” She asked.
“I need you to see,” he answered. “I need you to understand before…”
“Before what?” She interrupted.
“Before everything changes,” he answered.
“Your journals? The journals you are encouraging me to write? All belong here.”
“Yes,” he said.
She looked at the endless shelves. It felt overwhelming, surreal. Something was not quite right. It felt as if everything lay naked for these Sentinels. She shivered. Geoffrey put his arms around her, but it didn't feel comfortable. It felt suffocating. She shook him off.
“Do you think I am like you, Geoffrey?” She asked.
“Come! Let me show you something else.”
He took her hand and led her out of the library. They were back on the streets. Emily wanted to scream. She stopped while holding on to his hand and refused to move. As she was about to tell Geoffrey off for his insufferable arrogance, a very human voice called his name.
“Geoffrey,” a man called.
Emily turned towards the voice. It was not what she expected. The new human was tall, very handsome, and built like a professional athlete. His skin was light brown, and his black hair was speckled with gray and cut almost to his skull. His brown eyes smiled, seeing Geoffrey and warmed considerably.
“Goliath,” Geoffrey answered. “How?”
Geoffrey let go of her hand and walked towards the man. They embraced like long-lost friends. They were both laughing excitedly. Goliath was a preposterous name, but oddly fitting. Emily guessed that it was another of Geoffrey's friends, but at least he was pretty sure Geoffrey hadn't had sex with this one. Agandana was a whole other matter, and a subject worthy of discussion in the future.
“How?” Geoffrey repeated.
“She came out of hiding. The daughter.” Goliath answered.
“Is she safe?” Geoffrey asked.
“For now,” Goliath replied. Goliath turned to face Emily and smiled. He walked up to her and extended his hand. “I am Andres Montenegro.”
“Emily,” she replied. “Why Goliath then? Just to confuse people?”
Emily saw Goliath or Andres, whatever his name was, exchange looks with Geoffrey.
“Is it almost time, my friend?” He asked.
Geoffrey glanced almost fearfully towards Emily and nodded.
Goliath looked from one to the other and grew serious.
“It is your first time here?” Goliath asked warmly.
"Yes," Emily said, aware he hadn't answered her question.
“It always takes everyone by surprise. This is the first time I am bringing Scout here. She is with them now.” Goliath pointed to a large building that screamed city hall.
“We better head inside as well,” said Geoffrey taking Emily’s hand.
"Emily, if you need anything at all once you are back on earth, don't hesitate to contact me. I would give you a card, but if you came via MD877, you wouldn't be able to carry it back. I live in New York City. I am sure my contact information is somewhere in Geoffrey's hiding place." He extended his hand, and Emily shook it, aware she was blushing.
TJ56823
Journal 1
Tristan stood up, wiped his face on his sleeve, and prepared for a new adventure. He saw the city and smiled. This was something he could handle. Civilization. He shook his hopeless grief and walked purposefully towards the destination. He looked at the sky and was unnerved by the closeness of the stars. The shapes of the galaxies were so clear, it was like being inside a planetarium. There was no sun and no moon. He hurried his steps towards the city.
As he entered the city, he regretted he had not brought one of the water bottles with him. He was dying of thirst and exhausted. He stepped into a street and didn't go further. Tristan stood at the edge, looking at the weirdness of it. He had one foot on the red desert and one foot on a city street. There was no middle, no gentle suburbs in the outskirts. No natural growth of a city. It felt as if someone decided this was where the city belonged and grew it to its full size in one go.
A voice interrupted his thoughts. It came in through his ears and to his brain as voices usually did. He turned to face the voice.
“I know it is utterly weird,” a kid said.
Tristan studied him. He was wearing an old pair of jeans and a sweater. It was the kind of sweater a mom buys to keep her kid warm. He was probably twelve. His voice still sounded like a boy. His face was freckled, and his blue eyes and wavy brown hair looked rather unremarkable.
“You don’t look like you come from here either,” Tristan said.
The boy stood up and walked over to Tristan. “Darcy Darwin Alexander.”
Tristan burst out laughing and took the boy's extended hand. "I am so sorry."
"I know. My parents thought they sounded cool. For a while, I thought I'd try Double D."
"Then you realized it was a bra size?" Tristan asked, smiling.
Darcy nodded.
“Life sucks,” Tristan said. “Tristan is my name. Nice to meet you, Darcy. What’s this place about?”
Darcy shrugged. “I came here with my best friend and my mom’s boyfriend. My friend went all weird a few months ago, and now here we are.”
“Where are you from?” Tristan asked.
"New York, Manhattan, Upper East Side," Darcy said.
“I’m from Los Angeles. It is nice to see a friendly face here.”
“I didn’t think there were other humans here. How did you get here?” Darcy asked.
"I followed some people I hate trying to make a quick buck. Instead, I found myself being chased by a flying lizard, falling into an underwater city, fucking a fish woman, and now I'm here."
Darcy laughed.
"I wish I could say I was making it up," Tristan said, looking towards the city.
“I believe you,” Darcy answered. “Trust me.”
“Which way to everything?” Tristan asked.
Darcy pointed toward the large building in the center of the city.
“That is where my friends went.”
“You don’t look thrilled by their decision,” Tristan said.
"I expected it to be more exciting than waiting for them next to some old buildings surrounded by really creepy people who can read your mind," Darcy repli
ed.
“Do you want to come with me?” Tristan asked.
Darcy shook his head. “I better wait for them.”
Tristan waved goodbye and continued into the city.
EB26392
Journal 1
Emily stepped into a large foyer full of Sentinels., and quite a few other species. Geoffrey and Emily were the only humans in the lobby. A Sentinel walked up to her. Geoffrey still had not answered any of her questions. It was becoming such a pattern; it was annoying her. She was angry. This Sentinel looked basically like any other. As he approached her, she felt her brain being scanned, and it was awful. She instinctively stepped back. Then a voice rang within her mind.
Dance of Life: The Belief Chronicles: Book One (Chronicles of a Planet's End) Page 12