To Overthrow the Guardians

Chapter 18: Two Times Exist at Once

Beth turned a corner in her black car and saw that her friends May and Cynthia had parked in an otherwise-empty parking lot in front of a massive light gray building. She had been following them, so she parked her car in there as well and got out. The building stuck out amongst the trees and grass; it was uniform and industrial while the area around it wasn't.

"Look!" Cynthia said, pointing to the building.

"Yeah, I see it," Beth said. "What's so special about it?" May looked at her with wide eyes.

"We drive on this street all the time," May said. "You know our house is down at the other end. But we have never seen this building before. Ever."

"So?"

"It wasn't here before today!" Cynthia said. "At least, I don't think it was..."

May raised her eyebrows. "It wasn't. We would've noticed it by now. We drove right through here just a few days ago, and this giant thing wasn't there.

"Buildings don't just randomly appear, May," Beth said. She was beginning to question her friends' sanity. Buildings didn't just do that. It would be impossible.

"Well, it wasn't here before," May said, and she ran to the building's front doors.

"What are you doing?" Cynthia called.

"If someone's making stuff appear in our town out of nowhere, we have the right to investigate it," May replied. "Come on you guys!"

Beth stayed right where she was. "Is this a game?" She stomped her foot. Her friends had to be playing with her; there was no other explanation. And yet, she had been through this part of town a few times before, and she couldn't remember having ever seen it herself. She sighed and went over to where Cynthia was.

"No, I promise!" May said. "Have I ever played a trick on you before?"

Beth shook her head. "No."

"And come on, Cynthia!" May said.

"But it's not ours!" Cynthia protested before joining them.

May turned the handle and pushed one of the doors open. In front of the three friends lay an exceedingly high-ceilinged and broad hall with light blue walls. It was completely barren. There was nothing- no sights, no sounds, no smells, no anything- to indicate that there was any form of life present.

"What is this place?" Cynthia questioned. There had been no signs outside to indicate the building's purpose.

"I have no idea," May replied, a hint of awe in her voice.

"Oh, come on guys," Beth said. "It's not that cool." She did have to admit, however, that this place was a little strange- or rather, the fact that it lacked people was strange. Such a large building should certainly have at least some workers in it on a Monday morning.

"May, what are you...?" Cynthia began. May had begun to walk toward a garage door-looking thing at the end of the hallway.

"Investigating!" she called back with a dramatic point in its direction. Beth sighed and entered as well.

"We shouldn't be in here!" Cynthia said before following suit.

Beth woke from her dream with a cold sweat and the itch all over her body. What the heck had been going on in that dream? It didn't make sense...