Chapter 4: A long time ago

"Hank stepped into the room off the tunnel, his shoes moving from dirt to steel as he entered what looked like an operating room. Everything was steel, floor, walls and ceiling, and in the middle of the room was one chair, blood red, standing out from the room like a murder scene. Taking all of these new surroundings in, Hank completely forgot about the hand that guided him into the room. He was not alone. He turned 180 to see what that hand was attached to.
 
It was a child, maybe a year older than Hank, wearing pop bottle glasses, a grey jumpsuit and cloth covers over his feet. The strange boy let out a wink, made massive by his powerful prescription of his glasses.
 
“Where are we? Oh wait, first things first, who are you? No wait, who are the “they” we’ve been hearing about. Um, how about who are you, are you one of them, and what is going to happen to me. OK, your turn to talk.”
 
Hank stared at the boy, his bald head shining off the metallic room like a mirror. He opened his mouth and nothing came out for what seemed like eternity. Then a whisper.
 
“Answers. I am Kalihai. They call me Kal. Yes, I am one of them. And what is going to happen to you? I’m not sure. I am not a chosen one. I am only a guide. What happens to chosen ones is not for me to know. Guides are only here to do one thing. To introduce you to your new home, to help get you settled. But rest assured, when they are ready they will come for you. When they are ready."
 
"Follow me."
 
Kal started to walk toward the red chair, turned around and realized Hank was not following. “Follow me” he said once again. Hank stood his ground. Then the floor lurched, made a gear grinding sound that made Hank cover his ears, and suddenly, while standing still, Hank was moving, or more precisely the floor was moving toward the red chair.
 
“If you won’t come when I ask you will regret it. Now they are moving you to the chair instead. But I would do as they say from now on.”

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