A Time for Love

Day 21

"You work at Area 51? I thought it was a myth" says David, as we follow her down the underground tunnel. 

"Correction. I used to work here" says the woman. "For about 15 years or so, can't remember. We spent so much time underground here and weren't allowed to track the days."

"I considered that you area Chinese spy. That you tricked Amber into thinking you got a casual government job. I heard you in my room on speakerphone. You lied to your own sister."

"She's not my sister" says the woman. "The real Jade is in Russia right now, about 20 years into the future. I am Mae Lu - you could say I'm their grandmother.It was during the war, right after the Japanese invaded, that I joined."

"Then who was the woman I met in England?"

"That was Jade. She played the part beautifully, did she not?"

"I don't understand... what was she after?" I huffed, as our feet hurried us down the hall. 

"Ernest was abducted by aliens" says Mae, staring at David. "Your grandfather."

"What?" exclaims David. 

"We are not too long before we arrive" warns Mae. "This tunnel is supposed to be abandoned, but they could have recording devices still here. I don't have time to answer all your questions. Here's what needs to happen - I will be running in here, shouting in Cantonese, and making a distraction. You two must run down the hall. There will be a big exhibit with prisoners chained against the walls - including two twins with their hair tied together. You must not look at them. They are inter-dimensional prisoners that are carrying disease. They might try to distract you with their noise. If you succumb to them, you will be sucked into the prison where they will feed off of your life force."

Mae does high-knee kicks, and then she runs down the hall shouting. 

"Damn it! She didn't tell us what to do next!" says David. 

"Whatever it is that she thought, she probably determined that we would end up figuring it out for ourselves" I say. 

Grabbing his hand, we dash down the hallway past Mae.

"Hey! Where are you going?" shouts a security guard. 

We keep running. My heart skids as I see the flashing exhibit ahead. 

We sneak past, slowly, as the guard behinds us shouts to another. 

"They're going past the exhibit. They'll be dead in a minute. Best to not worry."

All at once, a searing migraine hits my temples. I fall to the floor along with David. Whatever is in that exhibit, it seems to approach us out of the corner of my eye. It's the two twins coming closer to the exhibit. 

"Don't look" I croak. 

"It's just so painful!" cries David. "If one of us doesn't, then the both of us will die."

David turns his head to look at the twins, letting out a cry of agony.

"Go!" he yells, before the snakes of the twins' hair jumps through the glass, sliding into his throat, and biting his heart. 

While the twins are distracted, my headache stops. I take off running again. Ahead of me is a glittering portal. I hear the sound of guards running and gunshots. 

I make the sign of the cross over my heart before leaping into the portal. 

I'm falling. Screams fill my ears, before falling onto a grassy hill in broad sunlight. 

"Annie?"

I pass out.