The Disparate One

Chapter 15 - Metal Door

"I have a question.", Ray said when they walked out of the theatre and are now walking towards to the elevators.

"Go for it.", said Oxford while they were standing, waiting for the elevator to arrive.

"The metal doors, what are they hiding?", Ray let out a question.

"Objects that we found from underground to out space. Monsters and ghosts that haunt the world. Living organisms that we also found from underground to outer space, some of them get identified in short time, some will take longer than a decade, especially if it is unknown.", Oxford stated after they entered the elevator and is now looking down at him.

"Do you show or announce your discoveries to the public?", Ray continued to ask.

"Apparently, no.", Oxford answered while he was looking away from him.

"Why's that? Don't you want to help your species reach its final frontier?", Ray blinked confusedly.

"Final frontier?", Oxford asked a question.

"Space.", Ray replied.

"We do... but...", Oxford stopped in mid-sentence.

"But what?"

Oxford didn't answer nor respond to Ray who just poked at him. Oxford shouldn't let Ray answer that kind of question. He really wants to answer it, but he knows that they are being watched. They have eyes and ears anywhere in the facility. If he said the truth to Ray, the high societies will probably kill him. Ray was staring at the man who was standing still even though Ray called his name for two times now.

"Sorry, but I can't answer it.", said Oxford as he snapped back to his surroundings.

"How come?", Ray asked at the exact time when the elevator beeped and opened its doors slowly.

"I cant answer that either.", Oxford replied before he rested his left hand on Ray's left shoulder.

"I see...", Ray said in a low tone as they are now getting closer to Ray's room.

When they arrived, Oxford pulled out a card and swiped it between the scanner, the metal door buzzed and unlocked. He pulled the door open and held it for Ray who was standing next to him. Oxford watched Ray as he walked into the room. He removed his hat and placed it on the cabinet. He then went to the bathroom, rinsed his face, and walked out when his face is finally dry. Ray noticed that Oxford was still standing in the doorway, staring at him.

"You alright?", Ray questioned as he sat down on the bed, looking at the man.

"Yeah.", he nodded. "Get enough sleep this time, tomorrow will be different.", Oxford added as he was about to close the door.

"I'll try my best.", Ray said in a low tone while he was staring at the metal door that is now closed shut.

His footsteps soon fade away. Ray laid flat on the bed with a sigh coming out of his mouth. His head sank halfway on the pillow as he stared at the ceiling, waiting for the lights to be turned off. He rolled his head to his right to stare at his white general hat that is resting on the cabinet. He grabbed the blanket and covered his body up to his neck. Five minutes have passed, the light is still illuminating above him. He tried to get some sleep but couldn't due to the bright light, he figured that Oxford has forgotten to turn the light off or worse, the light can't be turned off.

He stared at the metal door and noticed that next to it is a switch. He rolled his eyes, thinking that it is the switch for the light. He jumped out off the bed and walked up to the switch and pressed the button gently. The room went dark in just milliseconds, so Ray had some difficulties as he tried to return to his bed. He laid back down again, covering his body with a blanket, and then closed his eyes.

The room was too quiet, so quiet that he can hear himself breathing and his heart beating calmly. He can hear a loud demo hum coming from the left room next to his. He was about to be drifted to sleep when out of nowhere, he heard the metal door creaked open. He opened his eyes and saw the door opened.

"Oxford?", Ray called out, thinking that it is one of Oxford's test.

He stood up from the bed, grabbed his hat, and slowly started to walk closer to the door. He was confused when he noticed that the hallway is different. The last time he saw the corridor, which was just minutes ago, it was narrow, its lights are fixed systematically and it only has one colour and that is concrete grey. The corridor he sees right now is huge, wide, its colour is pure gold and its gothic architecture. He cant find another metal door nearby, only his door.

He glanced into his room for a moment before he pinched himself on his arm, thinking that this is just a dream. He decided to walk around, search someone that might be able to help him. Just meters away from his room, he stood in the middle of an intersection, looking around for signs. He chose to go to his right and just minutes later, he found two large gold doors. He moved closer and before he placed his hand on the door, he saw his reflection on its glossy surface. He gently pushed the door open and was struck by what is on the other side. It seems to be a great hallway and in its middle are ten podiums formed in a circle, each one has different colours, indigo, black, grey, blue, red, orange, yellow, white, brown, and green.

He felt relieved when he found a man, wearing a red general uniform, standing near the red podium.

"Hello?", Ray spoke as he walked up to him.