Chapter 2.0 The Warning

All I see is blackness, but almost like a safe blackness. It will take care of me and I understand it. Unlike in other dreams, I know for a fact I’m dreaming. I also know that I’m meant to be somewhere, it’s important and I can’t miss it. I walk forward and the blackness turns into a dead looking garden, thorns growing up around the dead flowers.

As I move forward an old hut comes into view, it looks completely abandoned, but I know in myself that someone is in there.

I move forward, pushing the door open with my shoulder. It creaks open and I brush away the spider webs.

 Inside is an old man, leaning on his walking stick staring out the window.

I waited for him to notice me. I looked around, the hut was tiny, a small chair stood in the corner and a bed to the side and that was all.
 “I knew you would come,” the man says turning to face me.

 He looks familiar, I’m sure I’ve seen his face, but when he was younger.
 “Where am I?” I ask slowly, looking around at the strange place.
 “Some would call this a fantasy world, others something else. The people who live here call it Zaran,” he tells me.
 “Why am I here?” I ask next.
 “I called you, against the wishes of many,” he started, then I gasped I knew who he was.

 “You’re my grandfather, Michael Darvill but your dead. At least they say you are,” I interrupt.

 “I’m not dead yet, but I will be soon. They allow me to stay here until my time passes, though they expect respect. I’m an ant amongst giants, and when the time comes to get rid of the ant farm, what can a tiny ant do?” he says, sounding almost lifeless.

 “So why call me here?” I ask again, feeling sorry for him.
 “To deliver a warning, it’s the least I can do after abandoning your mother. Such dark times await you. Something is on its way, something light and dark, and something bad but not evil. My poor Drea, everything is made to be broken and you will be broken indeed,” he tells me and then the scene fades away, to be replaced with blackness.

This time though the darkness doesn’t feel safe, I feel as if it is suffocating me.

I wake up screaming,

Leon comes into my room.

 I tell him I’m fine, and walk to the bathroom. It was just a dream; I reassure myself, just a dream.

At least that’s what I thought until I spotted the dirt on my feet, and two thorns sticking out of my socks. It can’t be, but what if it was true.

 That was the day my memory started to blur, when I was thirteen. Up until then I had a flawless memory. It’s not like I can’t remember I explain it like this. The future to me is like black pen on a white page and the past a yellow pen on a white page. It takes a little more effort, is all. Though the dream and my realization that maybe it was a real place, is the only memory that shines through with golden clarity. The warning terrifies me, because what is that something? I can see my future and it looks fine to me, or at least I make sure it always looks fine.

Chapter 1.19 The End

Project Air may have taken Alexander’s life, but he gave it willingly for his children. No matter how loud he screamed I never left his side, not once until the life drained from his eyes.

Victoria was put in prison, Nicholas they never found. Once the public found out, Project Air was put away forever. Then the scandal was all on us, Sims in Arms had been operated outside of the government. The whole base was shut down and everyone was given jobs at different bases. Alexander was named a hero, after giving his life to stop it. A lot of good that did him.

Drea and Leon were exposed, but instead of dying they lived on. It seemed they truly were immune, like I would have been. Though Project Air didn’t leave them completely unscathed, they came out with what some might call superpowers. Drea saw the future or could if she wanted; normally she respected people’s privacy. Leon didn’t have the luxury, when he came into contact with people, he would instantly know big things that had happened in their past. Braden told me never to tell anyone, not that I need him to tell me that.

“You knew this was going to happen,” I accused him one day.

                   
He shrugged and said, “It’s what had to happen.”
“You could have done it or me,” I snapped at him.
“Angel, you had to live to bring up to children, it would have taken too long to explain to you. If the twins had been in there any longer they might not have escaped. As for me, I can’t die here. I’m too important and I’m sorry if that sounds insensitive but it’s the truth,” he said slowly then walked away.

 I had listened on quietly because these were words that hurt. Anger was what I felt when I thought about Braden, he left a few weeks later. Then I began to reason, that he gave me the choice, he had told me the choices those around me make he couldn’t stop.

Slowly time began to heal the wounds that had been opened. It was now known as the great Twinbrook disaster. I stayed in military village; I think it was to be able to hold onto my memories of Alexander. We were the only family that still lived there. Ariel and John separated, Ariel wanted something other than the military and John didn’t. I remember going over there one day, finding Ariel on the floor in her nightdress just repeatedly asking, “Why is there so much blood?” She lost her baby and that hit her hard. She moved to Appaloosa Plains, and brought some horses. Victoria’s twins are ferried between their two grandparents.

I decided to do the one thing I knew how to do. I took a job at the hospital, which Olivia managed to get me. A roundabout journey it was, just to end up being a doctor again. Drea became very reclusive; she only remained friends with Daniel and Leon. It wasn’t that she couldn’t make friends, it’s almost like she didn’t want to. Leon went the other end of the scale, he and Daniel got into sports and turned out to be a popular jock.

 

This will be my last entry; I decided to give this journal to Drea. I don’t know why maybe because a girl is more likely to write in a journal. Although in all honesty I think I’m giving it to her, because she tends to bottle up all her feelings and maybe writing it down will help her. When I look back on my life, I don’t think I would have changed it. Be it that I was destined to live this life, or that it was by complete chance, I’ll take it gladly the happy points and the bad.

Chapter 1.18 A Reason To Die

“This is the back entrance of Room 232,” Braden told me as we went through a door at the end of the corridor.
 “How come nobody notices that all this is abandoned or that the base is way bigger than anyone is ever told?” I asking, wondering how I had never noticed.
 “People have a bad habit in believing what their told, sometimes they forget to be curious,” he replied. We kept walking and I was left wondering how we were going to see Nicholas without him knowing we were there. Braden stopped suddenly in front of a door and I nearly walked into him.
 “Just agree with everything I say,” Braden whispered before he walked through the door, I followed him. 

The room was an office and in it was Victoria and Nicholas and it looked like we had interrupted their reunion.

 Victoria stepped back and said, “Braden, I didn’t think you would be so quick.”
 “Well I was, so is everything ready?” he asked giving me a look.
 Nicholas nodded, looking me up and down, “As long as she’s ready?”
 Braden was looking at me and I knew I was expected to say something so I muttered, “I am.”
 “Then we’ll prepare Project Air for full-scale exposure, to be honest I didn’t think you would get her to agree,” Victoria said.

 Braden nodded, “Me either, let’s go.”
 Nicholas shook his head and smiled, “You go; I just want to talk to Angel for a bit.”

 If Braden was worried he didn’t show it, just nodded and walked out with Victoria. As for me I was freaking out considering I had no idea what was happening.

 “So how’s my brother he certainly doesn’t know about this. He has such concern for people and I hear I have a niece and nephew,” he said, all I was thinking was I don’t want to be here.
Why should I even trust Braden, but I did that was the problem. From the moment I meet him, I trusted him completely.
 “No he doesn’t know,” I said, refusing to talk about Drea and Leon with him.

 “So why are you here? I know for a fact you’re not here for the reason Victoria thinks. So do let me in on the secret, I won’t tell anyone I promise,” he said and I started feeling sick. There was something about him that I just couldn’t take.
 Since I had no idea why I was even here, I decided to tell him the truth. “Because I trust Braden,” I told him.
 “Interesting,” then he grabbed my arm, pulling me out the door, forcefully.
 “Let go of me,” I cried. What did he think he was doing anyway?

 He didn’t seem to hear me at all, just kept pulling me. The more I struggled the harder he held me. He pulled a door open and then pushed me into a room; I fell down against the wall hard. Nicholas slammed the door shut, I ran up to the door screaming and hitting the door with me fists.

 Finally I decided just to wait, I sat down. It seemed like hours had gone by, but in truth I didn’t really know. I shook my head waking up, I didn’t even realise I had been asleep. How long had it been? I really hoped the twins were fine, where was Braden wasn’t it time he came and saved me, from wherever I am.

 The door opened and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it was Alexander at the door and not anyone else.
 He came over and hugged me, “Angel I’ve been worried all night.”

 “You and me both,” I muttered.
 “Braden said we have to go meet him. He told me what was happening last night, about the full-scale exposure and stuff,” Alexander said.
 “Wait, I’m confused, why was I locked up. What do they mean full-scale exposure?” I said trying to process exactly what was happening.
 “According to Braden Nicholas said you were a liability and that he would do your job. So he locked you up so you didn’t warn me. As for full-scale exposure, that’s what Nicholas and Victoria have been working on. They are going to expose everyone in the base; apparently Nicholas is convinced that if lots are people are exposed, it’ll work. Braden on the other hand, said it’ll kill everyone, and I’m inclined to agree,” Alexander explained.

 “What was my job?” I asked him.
 “You were meant to open the cage that holds Project Air before everyone came in. Braden really didn’t tell you anything did he?” Alexander said.
 “No that big circle opens?” I asked.

 “Yeah but we have to go now, before Nicholas opens it Braden has already starting getting everyone out of the base, then he’ll meet us. Though if Nicholas opens it, someone has to close it in the room,” Alexander said and I got the point that person would end up being exposed.

 We found Braden waiting for us, just up the hall. “Nicholas doesn’t know I’ve evacuated the base, but he will. Victoria’s already gone to call them in for the meeting. Sorry the quickest way is to go through Room 232,” he explained quickly.

I was confused, weren’t we already in Room 232 but when we entered through the door I understood everything. I think the first thing that I heard was the noise I held my ears it was so loud. People screamed from beds where they were being held down. Braden headed through it and I keep my head down. Who were these people? When we finally made it out I breathed a sigh of relief, but I wasn’t happy to come face to face with Nicholas and Victoria. 

“Who were those people?” Alexander exploded. Victoria answered,

“They were merely homeless people, whom we gave a reason to die too.”

 “You’re sick,” I said disgusted.
 “No you are for ruining my plan, but don’t worry payback comes back easily. It’s opening,” Nicholas said shooting us all an evil stare.

 “It will shut after it’s fully open,” Braden said looking down.
 “Too bad, you’re twins are in their to be exposed. You taught them to be far too trusting,” Nicholas said. No, that can’t be right. My sweet innocent twins couldn’t end up like that.

 “Someone has to turn it off,” Braden said.
 “I’ll go,” Alexander said without thought.
 “You can’t, I can’t lose you,” I said.
 “I’m the only who knows how to do it, I love you,” he said giving me a kiss, and then he was gone.

 “No,” I cried but it was far too late.

Chapter 1.17 To Guide, Never To Change

After we had dropped off the twins and me repeatedly telling them not to go anywhere and that I’d be back soon, I was glad they were going to start school next week. Braden lead me to a part of the base I had never been before, it looked completely empty. Even the walls were bare I had tried asking Braden where we were going but he hadn’t answered.

Although to be completely honest, I sort of knew he wasn’t going to answer.
 “Okay this is it,” he declared standing in front of one of the many doors we had passed.

 “I really hope this still works,” he muttered more to himself as he put in a key. He smiled to himself when the door opened. 
I followed him in; confused the room was bare except for a cheap chair and a bookshelf. Braden when straight to the bookshelf, shifting through the various titles.

Finally he found what he was looking for; he pulled out a brown book and handed it over to me.
 “What am I looking at?” I asked him staring at the book in my hand, it had no title and it seemed well really old.
 “Angel, you ever get that feeling that your whole life was decided for you. I do, still do although my reasons are a lot clearer than yours would be. What I’m saying is you’re going to read that and then well the rest is up to you,” with that he sat down on the floor burying his face in his hands. I didn’t understand what he was talking about but I decided to trust him. I sank down on the chair, and opened the book.

  The Origins of Project Air Though it is firmly believed by those who have studied Project Air that it is from this world. I’m sure from my study of the radiation that it emits, that it is not of this world. In my personal study, I have determined that because of how strong it is, it comes from a place where they have learnt to effectively control and use the radiation. Not to be immortal though, but to gain other powers from it. In explanation a thing this powerful that can kill people this suddenly, must have more power than simply killing someone or allowing them to live on until someone kills them. I believe that if people were exposed to Project Air in smaller doses that it would lay dormant in their mind. The people who have died due to exposure, not only did their blood change suddenly but an unknown substance was found in the brain. In my thoughts I think that this was the cause of their death, if on the other hand they were exposed to only a small bit of Project Air it would not kill them. It would also not have the power to do anything else either. Though it is possible that it would make them immune to Project Air and later on they would be able to be exposed to the full thing. Not only do think I this is possible, but I think that it has happened before. 
From studies around the world, I have found several objects that had the same or very similar radiation to that of Project Air. To the others who studied Project Air this has served to prove that it is of this world. In my opinion this only tells me that wherever Project Air comes from it and the people who know it have been here for a very long time. These opinions have not come though without thought, but already hundreds of died while we have tried to chase this futile dream of leaving forever. How then have others in history been able to take pieces of Project Air and insert them into objects such as necklaces and other sorts of unimportant objects.

 The rest of the book went to go on about the objects and the reading of the radiation compared to Project Air. I was more interested in the fact that whoever wrote it was right about it not having an effect in smaller doses.
 “Why did you get me to read this?” I asked him.
 “I wanted you to know about Project Air, before we moved on from here,” he told me, taking the book from me and putting it back on the shelf.
 “The person who wrote this knew about the smaller doses. So Nicholas ad Victoria knew it probably wouldn’t have an effect on me,” I said.

 “The man who wrote this was before their time, he studied it when Project Air was somewhere else. He was removed from Project Air and then he came to work here. This was his old office, Nicholas and Victoria won’t even know about this. Though in my opinion he was the only one who knew what he was talking about,” Braden said.
 “So you believe it’s not of this world?” I asked nervously.
 “I’m not sure but I do believe that people have been able to manipulate it, what Nicholas did was just goes to prove that,” Braden told me.

 “So Nicholas is back?” I asked him.
 “Are you sure you want to know that? Once I tell you the answer to that, you’re going to get the answer to everything,” Braden said.
 “If I decide I don’t want to know, what will you do?” I asked, already I already knew what I was going to do in my mind.
 “I’ll work here for a few months then leave again,” he said shrugging.
 “So I have to do something but you don’t,” I said a little annoyed.
 “Angel, my job will always be to guide, never to change,” he told me.

 I didn’t understand what he was saying and I don’t think I ever would. Yet I knew this was important, otherwise he wouldn’t have come all this way.
 “I want to know….everything,” I said, slowly. “I know you do, so follow me again. Just remember you chose this not me, I can guide you but never force you. The choices you and those around you make have nothing to do with me."

Chapter 1.16 The Book Never Lies

Every Saturday was a picnic day and it had been for the last few years. It was hard to believe the twins are four, nearly five. Together they loved to make trouble and they annoyed Alexander and I to breaking point. Separately their personalities had bloomed. Drea is and I think always will be daddy’s little girl. Every night he has to read her a bedtime story and if he doesn’t do it, then she won’t sleep.

She is the thinker but is rather nervous around strangers; she walked early and started talking early. She also has an amazing memory like no one I’ve ever seen. Leon on the other hand, is my little boy. Each night before bed we have to play games.

He is the bravery and strength, loves people but took a little longer to walk and talk than Drea. Though I love them both the same.

Nothing new has happened life continues on as it always. Well, add a few promotions and its basically the same. Of course Drea and Leon’s blood test came out fine as we all thought they would. “No eating grass, Leon,” I called over to him as Alexander and Drea played over by the stream. “Mummy come get me,” he said with a smile on his face.
I ran over and grabbed him, “Got you ,you little rascal,” I said tickling him.

                                                               
“Sorry, sorry,” he screamed between laughs. I laughed kissing him on the forehead and picked up my phone as it rang.
“Hello,” I asked, trying not to laugh.

“Good, Angel I got you,” said a voice I recognized as Victoria’s, I struggled to keep myself from groaning, “Anyway I want to let you know that Braden Smith is now working for us. He asked if he could live with you and I told him it was fine. Expect him tomorrow morning, that is all,” she said curtly and then the line went dead. She didn’t even give me a chance to say no, plus she knew tomorrow was the twins fifth birthday.

“So, are you okay with it?” Alexander asked me as I told him about Braden after we had put the twins to bed.
“Well,” I began wondering how I was going to go about it. The truth was since the last time I saw him I had been dreading when he was going to come back. I knew I needed to talk him if he did, but what if what he told me was something I didn’t want to hear.
“I guess its fine,” I finished; I couldn’t exactly tell him he wasn’t allowed here.

“Okay I’ll guess we’ll see him tomorrow morning,” Alexander said.
“Thanks,” I said.
“For what?” he asked.
“Everything,” I replied, giving him a kiss.

“I feel awful, you know I wouldn’t have come until Monday if I’d known you were having the twin’s birthday,” Braden said, as he finished unpacking.
“It’s fine, you would have been invited anyway,” I assured him.

              
“Well, in all fairness I wouldn’t have had to come if you had done your job,” he said, giving me a hard stare.

                                          
“Excuse me?” I said stepping back a little shocked. What in the world was he talking about?
“You’re excused,” he told me as he headed up the stairs to talk to Alexander and see the twins I assumed. I didn’t know what he was talking about and I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to either. I went back to packing up the things to take to their party.

It was being held in our spot. “You know you are the handsomest five year old I ever saw,” I told Leon, giving him a hug.

                       
“You have to say that mum,” he said rolling his eyes.
“Doesn’t mean it’s a lie,” I told him.

Again he rolled his eyes and went back to play with Drea and Daniel. Victoria of course had been too busy to come in fact, nobody hardly ever saw Victoria anymore. Her twins spent most of the time with both their grandparents, poor girls.

Braden came up to me and smiled saying, “You did well with them, honestly.”
“Thanks, but you and me we need to talk, about everything,” I said, hoping he wasn’t going to try speaking in riddles again.

                               
“Why else would I take the job, well that and another problem that’s going to touch down tomorrow sometime,” he said looking at his watch.
“What do you mean?” I asked, just a little confused.
“Don’t worry, because we’re not going to talk. I’m going to show you and then you’re going to do your job. For that I’m saying sorry in advance, because this was never going to end well,” he whispered miserably.

That sounded bad, I was about to ask him what he meant but he walked away muttering to himself, “The book never lies.” Now he had me worried, but I decided I could start worrying, when something bad happens, after all Braden was slightly crazy right.

  “You ready to go?” Braden says appearing almost out of nowhere the next day. Alexander had gone to work and I hadn’t because Victoria had called me mysteriously saying I had the day off. Now I could kind of guess why.

                
“Where?” I asked.
“Were you not listening yesterday, I’m going to show you the answers to all of your questions. Also my problem arrives exactly where we’re going, so it’s like what’s that saying, killing two birds with one stone,” he rambled, walking towards the door.

                                                                   
“Wait, what about the twins?” I asked, knowing they were upstairs and I couldn’t leave them by themselves.

 “Already told them to come down, we’ll drop them off at their old playroom. That’s where they were going before right?” he asks.
“Yes, so what’s your problem anyway?” I asked, waiting for the twins to come downstairs.
“You know him, goes by the name of Nicholas,” he called.
 I gulped; I was really hoping that didn’t mean Nicholas was back.