The Watch – Part 191:

(Tom’s perspective)

One second the field was there and then it was gone. I was standing in, from what I could see, a glass box. At first I thought there were no sides and that I was standing on a platform, but I just caught my very faint reflection in the glass. On the other side, I was able to identify that it was a laboratory as it had the typical scientific equipment needed for accurately testing any experiments or theories the person in charge has, if there is a person in charge.

‘What happened?’ I asked Amy, but she wasn’t beside me, or at least in earshot. She was next door to me, but in her own glass box. We looked at each other both with the same expression: shock and scared. Because I wasn’t fully recovered yet, my stomach started to bubble up once more. I was nervous at what might happen next. We both were.

‘What happened?’ I heard Amy’s faint voice through the glass.

‘I don’t know,’ I said not caring that I had already asked that question.

The question of whether there was a person in charge was answered when the door at the far end slid open to reveal a man wearing the usual getup when working in a laboratory: A white long coat that was done up all the way and blue rubber gloves. The only thing that was missing to make his look complete was a blue mask to go over his face. He was smiling as he walked into the room. He was light on his feet as he walked, practically skipping with delight for some reason.

‘Hello,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Oh, please don’t look so nervous, I’m not going to hurt you.’ He took off his rubber gloves and placed them on the long table that ran down the left hand side of the room. ‘Your expressions are telling me that you think I’m lying,’ he continued. ‘Well, I can assure you that I have no intention of hurting you in anyway.’

‘Then why are we here?’ Amy demanded.

‘An excellent question,’ he said, skipping over to where Amy was sitting and explained. ‘I want answers. I know that I’m only creating more questions than anything else, but I’m sure that everything will be crystal clear by the end. Now, like I said, I want answers. I know who you are.’ He looked at me, ‘Tom,’ and then he looked back at Amy, ‘and Amy. The two sidekicks of the one and only, Sebastian Spencer, the owner of a device known by few as the Watch but known by many more as a story told by those who want attention – nothing more, nothing less.

‘Now,’ he quickly moved on before we could react properly. He couldn’t be more delighted for what he has done. ‘My plan is, or rather my prediction is,’ and then he abruptly cut himself off mid-sentence and changed the subject in a single syllable, ‘but first I think I owe you an explanation as to how I know who you are. The simple answer is I didn’t. I truly didn’t know that you were you. All my sensors told me is that three unknown people had turned up out of nowhere. That seems to happen a lot around these parts,’ he then slid over to where I was and continued without missing a beat, ‘and so I set up this place to figure with the sole principle of finding out how they are able to jump from one place to another.’ He then slid back over to where Amy was and continued. ‘Then, there were two people. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t manage to capture all of you before one of you disappeared, but that doesn’t matter.’ He slid over to me. ‘Two were enough. So I captured you and I just couldn’t believe my eyes. I really couldn’t. Of all the people I had to capture, I captured you two.’ He slid back over to Amy. ‘Well, that changes how the game works, doesn’t it? Oh, how excited to finally meet you. There are so many stories. I really want to ask a tonne load of questions, but I’m afraid they’ll just have to wait for I have to get everything ready for when Sebastian comes back. I can’t let him take you away before I get the answers I’ve so patiently waited for, now can I.

‘What are you going to do to him?’ I shouted.

He slid over to where I was. ‘Yep, you’re defiantly you. Haven’t you been listening? I want answers. Just, innocent answers. Nothing more, nothing less.

‘Who are you?’

‘Another excellent question. You see, she’s her alright,’ he said to me before sliding back over to where Amy was. ‘The stories… no, the truths that you must have inside your head of yours.’ He looked at me, ‘and yours.’

He turned his back and skipped away. He was about to exit the room when he stopped, spun around on his heels and said. ‘My name. I’m so excited that I nearly forgot. Sorry. You can call me, Zyalor Vile,’ and he bowed. Then he straightened up, spun around again and walked out. The door slid shut… before immediately opening again.

‘Oh, and the oxygen is on a circulatory system that recycles all expelled carbon dioxide, so please don’t worry about suffocation,’ and then he was gone again…

‘Oh, and you can communicate between yourselves,’ and then he was gone once more. This time, not coming back.

Amy and I looked at each other with wide eyes. We both didn’t quite know what to say. Our wide eyes quickly changed to that of worry as it slowly sank in that we were standing in a glass box in a laboratory.

‘Are you alright?’ I asked Amy.

‘Are you?’

‘I am if you are,’ I said truthfully.

‘I am,’ Amy said, but I had a feeling that she wasn’t being honest. Who can blame her?

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)