The Life We Live

4.The Office

Harlow stares at Raven in intense confusion, slightly believing she may have just gone bonkers.

Raven looks towards the hallway seeing her grandfather coming back into the living room.

"You heard her." He says

Harlow turns around to look at Marvin then looks back at Raven. "What do you mean my phone can listen to things I say and report it?"

Raven walks closer to Harlow and whispers "you haven't heard of that before?... the government listening in on you?"

"The illuminati?" Marvin continues

Harlow sits back down, processing what in the world they are talking about. He interlocks his fingers and clears his throat. "Well... yes. But I thought that was just fake news... like just any other conspiracy theory."

Raven looks to her grandfather slightly laughing. Marvin smiles and sighs "I guess we can show him the office..." he slowly turns around and walks into the kitchen.

Raven quickly follows; she looks back at Harlow moving her head gesturing to follow them.

Harlow quickly stands up and starts to follow. His stomach turns causing himself to think he might get murdered. But he overcomes this sudden nervousness and decides to trust them.

They walk down the second hallway with three rooms. One looked to be a storage room filled with random junk and boxes and the other was a bedroom. Harlow assumed it was Ravens room. Then there was another bedroom which looked empty. They walk into the storage looking room.. Marvin then throws a peice of the rug off the floor revealing a trap door.

Harlow stares at it thinking "nope.. nope... if they don't kill me then I'm getting kidnapped.

Marvin opens the trap door and starts climbing down the ladder into a sound proof room. Raven and Harlow look at eachother as if they were telepathically asking who's gonna go first. A few seconds later Raven shrugs and starts to climb down. Harlow sighs following her.

As Harlow gets down and starts to look around the room seeing a bunch of pictures of dead people such as Princess Diana, Tupac, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and many others that he recognized. There were a bunch of papers and files. A bulliton board filled with notes and a map. He then sees a poster that says.. the top things to understand to become one of the most powerful people on Earth.
-philosophy
-physics
-space/astronomy and earth science
-psychology
-religion

Harlow continues to look around noticing another poster which occupies the most occurred questions that no one alive could really know. Not even science knows.
- what happens after death?
- what is the meaning of life?
- what truly existed before the big bang?
- whats the purpose of death?
- if the universe freezes, such as the atoms stop moving. Does time stop or does it keep going?
-how do you know you actually exist?
-why do dreams exist?
-are we the only universe?

As Harlow was reading the questions he started getting a headache and his heart started to race. He sits on the chair trying to catch alittle bit of his breath. Marvin suddenly speaks "your reaction to seeing these for the first time is valid.. take your time. It is in the human nature to be scared or bewhildered of the unknown.. that's why you may say... religion exists.

Harlow continues to look curiously seeing a sign saying "aliens live in area 51." Harlow agrees as he already believes that to possibly be true.

He then notices another poster claiming "time is an illusion."

Time is one of the most confusing things to figure out. As it was created by humans since the beginning of time. It controls your every move and actions throughout the day. It truly does rule your life...

As Harlow finishes looking around the room he sees a huge, a bit quaint, book full of journal entries and theories. There is no electronic thing in here not even actual lamps. The only light source in this room are candles.

Harlow widens his eyes as he turns around to see Marvin and Raven staring at him. "So uh..." he rubs his face "can yall explain?" Harlow starts to feel a little lightheaded. Clearly he wasn't ready for this type of conversation. Raven notices Harlow's pale appearance and quickly goes upstairs saying "im gonna get you some water."

As he waits for Raven to come back Marvin speaks "now... promise me.. you will not speak of this outside these walls. Do not even speak about it with yourself out loud. This type of information and talking can get you killed." He points around at the pictures of the dead people "like them.." Harlow squints his eyes "they knew about this type of stuff?"

Marvin nods "oh yeah... if you look at the theories, and find videos of them talking about sketchy things that give you the impression they're talking about the illuminati.. them theories... are 100% not theories... they're only called theories to assure the people they're fake so the government don't send the illuminati to kill them."

Raven jumps down the ladder making a loud noise; making Harlow jump alittle." Marvin laughs "almost got me too."

Raven gives Harlow the water then asks Marvin "so did you make him promise to not say anything?"

"Yes." Marvin replies immediately

Harlow feels relief after quickly drinking the water. "So tell me... do you guys think you can answer these questions?" He points at the poster filled with the impossible questions.

Raven laughs "maybe someday.. for now were just trying to become masters of these." She points at the list of 5 things to understand to become one of the most powerful people on Earth. "We have brief understandings.. but not really expertise status if that makes sense."

Harlow nods "so.. why did you decide to even show me this?"

Ravens face frowns and turns away looking at the dead people "because... do you know what most of these people have in common?"

Harlow looks at them to think but receives no understanding. He quickly looks back at her cluelessly "...not really."

Raven sighs "they died either being murdered, by suicide or a tragic accident ... but each of their deaths were sketchy not really searched into that much. its as if the government was hiding something they didn't want the people to know."

Harlow looks and feels on edge "okay.. so what's the point here?"

Raven rubs her face quickly; noticeably feeling uncomfortable. "I believe that is possibly how your father died too."

Harlow felt his chest tighten and his mind start to spin. He thinks about it, all the coincidences and the situation at hand.. he starts to beleive her theory. But also in the back of his mind doesn't want to beleive it as it sends his mind to spin even more. "You think my father knew about the illumimati?.."

Raven looks at her grandfather who nods then looks back at Harlow. "Yes.."

Harlow notices the exchange between them; he quickly looks at Marvin very confused.. "you weren't even apart of our convorsation.. how would you already think so?"

Marvin steps foward and stares into Harlow's eyes "because.. I knew him."