The VOID

Ch 2 (L. Bates)

I dug through my bag, taking out items to set up my GoPro. I turned it on and placed it on my head. I started to organize my backpack and put items back into their place. I continued looking up to see my UNIT rushing around to put their stuff into the truck. I turned my head to look at Angus, sitting on the forest ground, leaning back on his backpack. He must be taking a small nap before we enter the VOID and get to work.

He did stay up during the 15-and-a-half-hour drive to Colorado from Los Angeles. I drove 6-and-a-half hours and he drove 9. I slept about 4 hours today, but I'm okay. I'm still functional, but Angus barely had any sleep. I've never been to Colorado before and the GPS was acting stupid, so he gave me directions the whole time.

I shifted my gaze away from my friend and noticed the blond-haired man, Byron, roughly securing straps on the back of the truck.

“Please be very careful with that!” I watched as a Burnet rushed over to him waving his hands frantically, “I told you before, this is extremely sensitive equipment and it’s irreplaceable.” His hair was completely different from the picture, but he was the only man left that I didn’t see until now. He had to be Jacob and from his attitude, I knew I was right.

“Can’t you just buy new ones?” Byron asks, extremely confused as to why his 5’3 friend is shouting at him.

“Buy new-? No! No! What do you even think irreplaceable means? I made these! I made them by hand! You can't buy them anywhere!” Jacob exclaimed with an exasperated huff.

I turned away again to Jules, the dark blonde woman with a long bob. She wore simple blue jeans and a black T-shirt, but she looked good in them. She leaned down for a moment to zip up her medical bag and as she stood up she combed her fingers through her hair before securing her short hair in a low ponytail. In her picture, I knew Jules had to be petite, but she was much shorter than I had anticipated; about 4'10.

She paused for a moment, noticing me watching. She smiled and waved lightly, earning a small wave from me.

“Ready to go?” Melody raised her voice to capture all of our attention, “It’s almost 15 hours. Get up and get in the truck you lazy bums.” Angus groaned next to me as I stood with a grunt, grabbing my bag. Angus passed me, bee-lining it to the truck. I checked over the full bed of the truck to make sure everything was secure, not that I didn’t trust Byron, who was 3 times stronger than I was. I get into the truck and wait for Melody to start it.

Feeling paranoid I forgot something, I checked my bag a third time. Angus sat in the truck to my left trying to place his abnormally large duffel bag on his lap as he tried to shut the door. I stuffed everything back into my bag feeling relieved I didn't forget anything. Upon hearing all the doors shut, I sat up and watched Melody and Jules discussing something silently upfront. Byron and Jacob sat quietly in the bed of the truck, and I could see and hear them from the small window in the back.

I glanced back at the two of them. Jacob gazed at the floor of the truck with a somber expression. He looked lonely, almost sad. Angus mumbled anxiously about something to my left. I pat his shoulder discreetly and he nodded, taking some deep breaths.

Melody started the truck and shifted it into gear. As the truck moved the wheels cracked the branches that fell from the trees above. Upfront I watched as two guards stepped away and pulled back the tape, which marked the entrance of the VOID.
I sat forward in my seat to watch as the EMF detectors on the dashboard went haywire.

"That's impossible," I mumbled to myself, "I heard it was crazy, but this is truly interesting. The feeling of getting closer is strange. It's indescribable. Almost otherworldly." I saw Melody glance at me for a moment only to look forward again.