Short Stories

The Old Man

He is, in truth, a very strange person, believed to have been a captain of East India clipper ships in his day; so old that no one can remember when he was young, and so taciturn that few know his real name.

- H. P. Lovecraft

After a year and a half of paperwork at the Institute, I was assigned with a task. Together with three of my colleagues, more experienced and with seniority, we have to check on a possible lead to Subject Zero. The indications given by the higher-ups were vague, to say the least, and could be summed up in a few words: "If you find the anomaly (that's how they refer to someone different) you secure the perimeter and report. That is all."

On my first week at the Institute, I noticed alongside the main hall twenty three chambers for only twenty two test subjects. I read about the missing one when I stumbled upon the official reports of the incident. Subject Zero. A seven-year old boy (he must've turned 8) that essentially is a living time machine. Something I've only read about in science fiction books. The boy's touch can send any living being backward or forward in time, in some cases both, resulting in instant death. For that reason you can see why we are not allowed to interact with him.

My colleagues assigned for the task are Tellerman, King and Ellis. The first two value personal gain over anything else. That is why they are skilled at what they do and why I do not wish to stand in their way in the future. Ellis, on the other hand, is more reserved. Unlike them, he prefers to work alone. Also, he's not too communicative. Only when he's drunk. That's when the real fun begins. But that's a story for another time.

For me it doesn't make sense to send four people that seem to work more against each other than together in order to find a boy. I for one have never been on the field before. Let's see how this goes...

***

Cauldron Town, compared to others, has a small population. So small, that everyone knows everyone. There's Mrs. Kennedy that likes her Espresso long in the morning, there's Mr. Augustus that wants to send his daughter to a good college abroad, and then there's the old man.

In the morning, the old man sluggishly lifts his feet off the ground a few millimeters forward, leaning on his trusty cane with both hands. His beard covers most of his front body. It stops at his big leather belt, revealing his cane. His small circled glasses can barely stay on his thin nose and has to push them back up every now and then. Any moment's his last breathe. His skin is so worn out and old, all of his body it's sagging. See that face? It's full of wrinkles!

Some children like to make fun of his white long hair and beard. The father of Father Christmas is one of the titles they associated him with. Others like to spread rumors of his youth, as ancient as it seems. He is the one that fought in World War 1. He instructed the Egyptians to build the pyramids. He was the first to ride the back of a dinosaur, and many more tales.

The elderly, however, stare at him with dread and wonder. Mr. Taylor, for instance, clearly remembers the stories about the old man his grandfather told him when he was young. (Subsequently, these stories were told to his grandfather by his great grandfather, and to his great grandfather by his great great grandfather.) Yet the old man is still alive, still walking the streets of Cauldron. Everyone aged, only he remained the same - or maybe, aged slowed?

This is the place we have to check. The old man was a bonus. Almost too easy to hear the rumors spreading and also, attract attention. Four men visiting a small town like Cauldron are sure to cause some murmur. Of all of us, I think I stand out the most. My first task... I hope I won't screw up.