BEFORE THE SHIFT- A Neptune City Background Short

The Shift

Year-2019

Day of The Shift

Denver, Colorado

Alfred grasped the universal remote from the counter to switch the channel to CNN. His TV flickered to life at once as he mashed the power button down with his thumb, as it should since his entire system had cost a small fortune. Although he was only twenty-three years old he already held two doctorates and three bachelor degrees which he had obtained in the span of 6 years. The forever occurring issue with having an IQ higher than that of anyone else who has ever lived was that it left you quite alone. He didn't think he was antisocial, however it was difficult to converse with someone when they weren't anywhere close to being able to discuss anything beyond a societal occurrence. Either way his brain wasn't made for anything as frivolous as wasting the precious seconds of life talking about one person or another. Alfred turned his back on the television grabbing a bowl out of one of the many white cupboards that lined his tiled kitchen wall. His thoughts wandered to his latest project, he had been for the last year discussing with two different research centers about how to best use their device that could measure gravitational waves. After many trials and perfecting machines they had finally began mapping many different galaxies far beyond their own. Now he needed to think about what he could work on next. Given another month the research centers would be able to continue the mapping of their universe without him, therefore he needed a new distraction. Having barely noticed what was being discussed on the news he refocused his attention.

"...these reports are coming in from around the globe, and it appears as every plane and ship on earth has been affected by some unknown mysterious occurrence. So far we have had no word from the White House about what has caused these incidents, however sources tell us that the issue has been with the navigation systems. After inquiring with the FBI they declined to comment. So far no one has been able to explain how every plane and ships navigational systems could be disrupted worldwide. This is Kacey Karter with CNN and we will continue to update you as more information comes forward."

Alfred stared at the screen with his spoon halfway to his mouth. Slowly returning it to the bowl he watched the images that flashed across the screen. A variety of beached ships and burning carcasses of crashed planes flickered one by one across the screen as the reporter continued to talk. All the while the reporter had been talking pictures of crashed planes and beached ships were flashing across the screen. Alfred's mind immediately began to flash through possibilities. Obviously it wasn't an electromagnetic pulse since only the navigation systems were effected. What could cause such a pointed attacked on such a single thing in machines that ran on so many different systems? Why only the navigation systems? 'A new weapon? No, no one is close to something that could be that targeted yet, at least not worldwide like this was. Maybe a magnetic shift in the earth? No, that probably wouldn't have caused this, and if it had every high school scientist around the world would have noticed a change. This seemed more like something to do with gravity changing.' He sat a moment longer before realization. Springing away to his living room he quickly grabbed his phone and laptop, he had to know what had happened, and he had to know if he was right, because then they needed to start figuring out what to do.

Year-2039

20 Years Since the Shift

2 Miles North of Cripple Creek, Colorado

Bartholomew wasn't an old man but the gray at his temples betrayed him to possessing years. He looked at his old-fashioned worn-out pocket watch and studied the ever moving hands of its face. Those hands represented life itself now, all the moments and memories that he had of the last twenty years. He clicked the clock lid shut rubbing his thumb across its golden surface. He considered the fact that he probably should have taken better care of the old timepiece, but there was something to be said of an antique showing its age. This little timepiece was now a piece of human history much in the same way like Big Ben in England had been. He laughed to himself about that fact, it was something that the next generation couldn't appreciate. How long ago had he wandered the streets beneath that glorious tower? He shook his head he needed to forget those kind of thoughts, they could inspire the next generation to try and return. His attention returned to his timepiece, it was plated with gold on the lid with a dragon wrapped around a tree of silver. It represented something at one point in time but he couldn't remember what it was specifically. The clang of the old iron door behind him jerked the present back into his focus. Though the ship like doorway stood his old friend. Bartholomew stood from his seat and squinted into the darkness of the cavern. "Alfred is that you?"

"Aye, it's me you old codger, who else could it be, have you been waiting long"?

"Ah, heck no, I expected you to be late, can't ever rush the goodbyes..." Bartholomew kicked a small rock between his feet as he muttered the last part under his breathe to himself, "especially when they are of the permanent type".

Alfred stepped from the door and into the light, he began walking toward Bartholomew, "Thank you friend I know this is hard for you and everyone else".

"Think nothing of it lad, I still disagree with you but I can see your reasoning on the matter".

The two friends embraced briefly as they met, giving a moment of silence into the room as the weight of what they were about to do pounded down on both of them.

As their embrace came apart Alfred looked at his friend, "Into the abyss now I suppose".

Bartholomew barely could choke back the emotion welling up inside him. He returned Alfred's comment in a scratchier voice then he had before, "Aye, into the abyss".

As one they both turned to the machines chamber in the corner of the room. In silence they proceeded to their respective spots with the importance of what was happening heavy in their thoughts. Alfred stepped into the chamber and placed his arms at his sides. Moments later Bartholomew was closing the crystal clear glass door on his friend. No matter how hard he tried Bartholomew couldn't fight the feeling like he was laying his friend into a coffin. It was a feeling that he had started growing accustomed to these past years. The door hissed from the bottom and soon all that Bartholomew could see of Alfred was his face through the frost that slowly gathered on the glass of the container. Alfred glanced at Bartholomew who forced a smile to come to his lips, a poor attempt to give his best friend courage, but it wasn't Alfred who needed courage he thought to himself.

Bartholomew choked out his last words to his friend, "Good luck lad". He strode to the container and forced his thumb into the button on the compartments side and a whirring sound filled the whole cavern. In seconds the glass frosted the rest of the way entirely hiding from site Alfred. Over the next few minutes Bartholomew stood there his thumb still on the button only finally moving when the machine settled into a dull hum. He was now alone in the chamber, his friend lay in chamber in front of him and there was nothing that he could do to help him now. Reaching into his pocket he grasped his timepiece and hung it on a knob of the container next to the door. Bartholomew looked at the clocks lid before letting it go from his grasp and it clanked against the chamber "Keep him on course you dumb machine, you are about to see more than anyone else ever has or will".

He stood there for an unknown amount of time before finally turning to the only door in the room. Finally Bartholomew turned and began walking briskly away from his friend fearing the longer he stayed the more likely it was that he would convince himself to open the chamber. Before he left he did one last thing. Halfway across the room he stopped at the wall and began to type commands into the computer. He rose from his typing and reached the exit moments later, next to the exit he punched his thumb into a button with the classic power symbol on it. Slamming the door he sealed tight a room that would remain unaltered by time for so many years to come. He refused to glance at the door as he walked away hoping that Alfred was going to be humanities salvation.

(WRITERS NOTE):

For those that didn't read the description (looking at you) then let me explain... This is a short that used to be apart of my original book that is ongoing called Neptune City. It gives a bit of a very vague idea of what happened, and it is possible that the characters here will eventually make an appearance. Hope you enjoyed!

-ZPH AKA THE SCIFY-TYPIST