The Remain of Havenwood || [3 MIN]

The Remain of Havenwood

Three children stood in front of the Paramount terminus as dawn rose. The district, deserted and forgotten, was nothing but ghastly. At the entrance positioned a colossal, carious iron gate.

Schwarzer, Riverman and Jane were top learners in King's, an advanced academy for the gifted. They spent their free-time not only traversing ancient monuments but also conducting myth investigations. Riverman enjoyed digging into neuropsychiatric reads, Schwarzer could top Alan Turing and Jane desired to be an agronomist.

'Coordinates: precisely,' muttered Jane, her pen busy. 'Myth test No. 6-47: The Remain of Havenwood exists. Structure height: 3.5 m. Structure width: unknown. Set up the Thermal Imager, will you?'

'Already did,' replied Schwarzer. 'We're clear. So... who will do the honours?'

'After you, I insist,' said Riverman.

'Fine.' After having a minute explosive fixed on the gate door, Schwarzer ignited it with ease. A tiny explosion occurred; the gate swung open. 'See? Always work,' the three entered the creepy site cautiously, with Riverman hiding a switch in his pocket.

'It's quite dim here,' complained Jane.

Apparently triggered by her words, all of a sudden, rows and rows of light tubes flashed at the ceiling, immediately illuminating every corner. At once the children found themselves situated in a tremendous laboratory, 20 feet high, with extraordinary instruments stacked on columns of tables. Incredible inventions labelled 'Global Cooler Next Gen', 'Poop-to-food 25300', 'cross-species genetics device'... were operating noisily with engineered mechanics one would never understand. Waves of future stunned the children. Fine plantations flourished all over the walls, permeating the laboratory with refreshing, fragrant incense...

The object that caught their eyes was a shiny silver vault located amid the square. Aged and rusty, a numeric lock was attached at the center. 'What is that?' wondered Jane. She, with the assistance of Schwarzer, was about to destruct the vault when Riverman halted them.

'Let me try,' he told them with confidence. No one noticed the gate at the entrance had shut down automatically.

'Cring!' Schwarzer and Jane stood back and saw Riverman unlock the vault successfully by first attempt, and the treasure within shocked them. In the vault laid a pile of torn documents, with a bold 'Remain of Havenwood' printed at the front.

'Oh my,' exclaimed Jane.

Schwarzer was studying its content when a deep, robotic voice sounded, 'intruders alert – intruders alert –'

The three turned back in panic and saw a half malfunctioning, alien-shaped robotic creature heading rapidly towards them. It grabbed an assault rifle hung on the walls then fired endlessly at its targets. Bullets rained, destructing every tangible in its way, beakers and flasks shattered, hazardous substances spilled and corroded the floor... Schwarzer, Jane and Riverman dashed out without hesitation, the creature hunted for them. The children ran in the hallway when Riverman guided them to a chamber in delight. 'There! Get inside!'

Schwarzer and Jane followed Riverman and ran into the room marked 'Prof. Alex. Schw'. The killer tried to squeeze in, but doubtless to say it was too vast for it. After several failures it gave up and disappeared into the darkness.

Jane was relieved. 'Fortunately,' she panted, 'we are secure.'

Schwarzer wasn't sanguine. 'Those shots never hit us,' he murmured. 'Something isn't right... it's probably due to the low accuracy of firing at its targets... the machine won't hurt its master...'

And there was pause. The two of them turned their heads and stared unbelievably at Riverman, who was beaming.

'To accomplish what my ancestors have began,' he grinned as the door slammed shut. 'You guys will do perfectly.'