Tale of The Broken Sword

Chapter Four : Bittersweet Encounter

20th September, AD 2056

Room 42, Block 35, Highland Park

I woke up in the middle of nowhere. I turned to the left and saw nothing as far as my eyes can see. I shifted my view to the right. All that exists around me is darkness. I felt fear crawling out from my stomach, ready to manifests itself deep into my mind. I wandered around in circles, desperately trying to find a way out. I felt a large humming sound getting louder as the time goes by. I raised my head and in a distant, I saw a trail of light across the empty space; a shooting star. But it was hurling towards me. I moved as fast as I could, trying to avoid it. But it followed me instead, as if it was attracted by something from within me. At the last moment before impact, I shielded my face from the bright orange light it emits out.

“Hey, wake up!” A voice rang out. I sat up from my bed instantaneously and stared at my palms, feeling stunned. Sweat streamed down from my forehead to the chin before dripping down onto the bed. Both of my palms were lathered with sweat. This nightmare used to happen once every two weeks, now it’s getting more and more frequent.

“Another nightmare?” The voice rang out again, this time even softer than before. I recognized that voice. I looked towards the side of the bed and a figure emerged from the shadows of the room. “I’ve watched over you sleep since an hour ago and you suffered nightmares twice already.”

“Janice!” I called out.

Janice flipped her e-pad and placed it on the table. “Kelson.” She placed her hands against her hips. “It’s been a long time.”

I stared up at her in disbelief. “How did you enter into my room?”

She nodded her head towards the door. “Your door passcode is too damn easy.” She winked at me. I slumped my head onto the bed. Janice couldn’t hold it and she laughed. I shoved her away and said:

“You’ve got to be kidding me. God, knock first before you come in. Could’ve mistaken you for a robber instead.” I said.

“…Or a rapist!” winked Janice, making a scary face.

I choked, hearing her saying these beats the crap out of my senses. She was my childhood friend and we’ve been together from middle school towards the end of our high school days. After that, we’ve lost contact with each other. Other a year ago did we’ve coincidently met in the Surface Station. And she happened to be staying a few blocks down the road from here. It was strange how things had happened that way.

“Alright then, we’ve got work to do today.” She continued.

“What do you mean by work?” I asked.

“You didn’t know? We’re supposed to meet up with the guys in the ARDC Building at uh…” She stared at her watch. “Around ten…”

“Ten?!” I jumped out of my bed and raced towards the toilet. I looked at the screen and it displayed the time. Nine thirty a.m., I must have been through a long nightmare to sleep that long.

“Well, good luck in your first start of the day in Detroit!” Janice laughed as she walked out of the room and into the hall. I quickly brushed up and prepared my breakfast in haste.

“What a day” I sighed heavily.

Ten a.m.

The doorman flashed me a smile as he let me into the lobby of the Advanced Research & Development Commission building in the heart of the city. Inside, the modern space with its high ceilings engraved in symbols of circuit boards dwarfed everything on the ground. I walked through the lobby with my feet barely touching the marbled flooring.