The Relocation of Nathaniel Woods

Chapter 3

Now I'm really, really freaked out. I have no idea what most of that note was about, but it's clear that Andrew knew something, that someone was after him, after us. So I have no choice but to follow his instruction. If he's hidden something in his car, it's only a matter of time before whoever's chasing us gets to it.

I sprint out of the apartment and I'm caught momentarily off guard by the fact that the hallway has become flooded with people. People, of all ages, just standing there, doing nothing. Not talking, not moving, some of them not even blinking. How they got here when just minutes ago this hallway was empty, how I didn't hear them arrive, why they're here in the first place, it's all beyond me.

It's something I can think about later. In the meantime, I throw common courtesy to the wind and brush past all of them, muttering apologies. It doesn't matter. These people don't even seem to notice I'm barging past them, they're just staring ahead. Glassy-eyed. It's creepy. But I don't have time to think about whatever type of cult shit is happening right now.

I don't trust the elevator anymore, so I instead jump down the stairs three at a time.

When I make it to the parking garage, I'm met with another issue. The ground begins to shake violently, knocking me off my feet. Is this a coincidence? It has to be. Whoever took Andrew couldn't possibly be able to summon literal earthquakes.

Then again... that apartment didn't clear itself out on its own. Those people filling the hallways definitely had something up with them. Maybe we're dealing with something more powerful than I can imagine.

I notice something else weird-- the quake is only seeming to affect me. The clearance bars hanging from the ceiling aren't swinging. None of the cars are even moving. Meaning whatever is happening right now is specifically designed to slow down me and me only. That's not terrifying at all.

I don't really have any choice but to keep going, though, so I crawl towards Andrew's car. Miraculously, the keys are still in my pocket, and I get in the car and jam them in the ignition as fast as I possibly can.

The ground is still shaking, but it's not as bad now that I'm in the car.

As I pull out of the garage, a chunk of concrete falls from the ceiling. I swerve, and it hits the trunk and rolls off. That was close.

Adrenaline coursing through my veins, I drive. I'm not even sure where I'm going. Andrew's note said not to use whatever it is in a crowded area. I don't even know how much space I'll need to use it. Hell, I don't even know what it is.

I drive out of the city and into the suburbs. I still don't know where I'm going. I don't know what I'm running from. But I do know whatever it is, it's way above my paygrade.

Which raises the question-- if whoever, whatever is following me is powerful enough to summon people out of thin air, make a note vanish from between my fingers, cause earthquakes-- then how come it hasn't already torn this car apart and taken away whatever the hidden thing is? How come it didn't take the keys from my pocket?

The ground has stopped shaking. It's not reassuring. It probably means that something much worse is coming. I don't know how much time I have.

I find a vacant parking lot tucked behind a railroad station. The sun's starting to set, and no one seems to be around.

I put the car in park and twist off the weather control dial, my heart racing, glancing around me constantly. I get the feeling I'm being watched. No, screw that, I know I'm being watched, even if I can't see whoever's doing the watching. My wrist barely fits inside the passage, and I have to feel around for whatever it is. My hand closes around something small and circular.

What I pull out is a ball, a clear ball, filled with some sort of dark, shimmering liquid. I don't know what I was expecting, but this definitely wasn't it.

I remember what Andrew said about using it as soon as I take it out, so I get out of the car.

I turn the thing over in my hands. I have no idea what it is, let alone how to use it. Andrew's note didn't say anything about that.

I hold it up to the light, but there's nothing written on it to give me any indication of how to use it. The sun seems brighter than usual. It's actually making it kind of hard to see.

Then the sun races down the horizon at a speed at which I have never seen before, plunging the parking lot into darkness.

Whatever's chasing me, it's found me. I better figure out how to use this thing fast.

But seriously, I don't even know what the end result is supposed to look like. I don't know what it's supposed to do. And I still can't help but wonder why whatever's after me doesn't just pluck it from my hand.

I'm trying to get a closer look at it when the ground gives a ferocious jolt again. I'm not prepared for this and it throws me off balance. The ball flies from my hand and shatters on the ground.

Did I seriously just manage to fuck up the only chance I had at figuring out what the hell is going on? Yes. Of course I did.

Or maybe I didn't. The liquid from inside the ball is spreading out, pooling. The asphalt of the parking lot hisses as the fluid slides over it. Then the covered ground begins to sink, cleanly and smoothly, as if it were being pulled down mechanically like an elevator. Was it some sort of acid? No, that wouldn't make the ground sink so cleanly.

At this point I give up trying to rationalize the absolute batshit craziness I am seeing because I'm going to lose the ability to think if I force my brain to do that.

The ground has not stopped sinking. It's so far down at this point that I can't see the bottom anymore. Was this supposed to happen?

I hear a distant rumbling, and see, far away, whole chunks of street and building thrown up into the air, as if something massive was burrowing under the ground. It's getting closer, and if I don't move soon I'm going to run the risk of getting clocked in the head with a piece of cement.

I'm going to have to jump into this stupid hole, aren't I?

Yeah, I am.

I jump into the stupid hole.

I fall for a lot longer than seems possible. I'm not sure where I'm expecting to land. My brain is sort of just screaming at me for jumping into a bottomless pit.

Still fully feeling as though I am falling downwards, I shoot sideways into a room I do not have time to process, and faceplant into a wall.

I crumple to the floor, which seems to be some sort of metal grate material. Every part of my body smarting, I push myself up onto my knees and take in my surroundings.