The Days Beyond

By Mark Hernandez

Once hidden away in the foothills of rural Arkansas, an abandoned, Cold War–era laboratory has been discovered by two high school students. Mark and Nate never imagined that anything they would do in their lives could have such far-reaching consequences. That all changes after they unwittingly stumble upon the remains of the MIRAGE project, a machine originally designed to unravel the secrets of teleportation. What happened to the band of rogue scientists responsible for its construction? What could such a revolutionary breakthrough mean for the future of humanity? Before they get any answers, the two friends are torn from their boring existence and hurled into the unknown, plunging headfirst into a broken world and a conspiracy that took root before either of them was even born. When they awaken in the middle of nowhere, the boys find themselves in a wild frontier inhabited by hostile natives, mutated creatures, and unfathomable dangers. Now if they are to solve the greater mystery behind their disappearance and find a way home, they will have to become men that master steel, fire, and their own worst fears, because when the wolves are howling for blood, there is no place for the weak or the foolish.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644626214

Book preview

Chapter 1

Running Scared

The moon was full and bright, and the sky was dotted with stars. The grass would sway as a slight breeze blew down from the mountains like the sigh of an angel. All the while, the crickets chirped their lullaby without a care. Much of the world at large was asleep now, though the hunger of war never rests and the darkness was often known to hide unseen predators.

When viewed from a great distance away, one could have easily mistaken the scene for being nothing more than a lively evening in an otherwise sleepy castle town. However, the situation at hand was anything but calm, and those who were there to experience it firsthand truly understood the meaning of desperation.

Tall fires and falling embers illuminated the nighttime landscape. A dense, lingering smoke made the air difficult to breathe. Screams and loud shouting filled the night. Swords flashed in the flame and the noise of clashing steel rang throughout the surrounding forest. The bastion of Norfare was under attack and had been so for several days now.

The wolves of Goutrania emerged from the darkened tree line like violent shadows. Determined to have their victory, this overwhelming force had only recently succeeded in bringing the engines of war to bear against the stone walls, securing a breach.

The city defenders took valiantly to the battle as heroes should, but the enemy numbers were too many. This was the final stand. The blood of the fallen cried out for vengeance.

Within the temporarily safe confines of the castle’s command center, a man by the name of William Ieamar was struggling to hold his keep. Along with a few of his captains and council members, his wife was also present with their two young daughters. There could be no large-scale retreat from this place. He was surrounded on all fronts, and any possible reinforcements were days away. The best he could think to do was to order his men to lock shields and hold the line in the streets.

Sir, what should be done? Our defenses will be overrun within the hour!

The lord’s eyes shifted to and fro as he quickly set priorities. He knew what was coming. Saervace, I need you to take my wife and my daughters. I need you to leave this place at once. Take the passage hidden within the castle library, and seal the door behind you. This will lead you outside the castle walls, hopefully out of sight of the enemy. Take them to Riverstown. Find the Duke of Tilmund. Tell him of this treachery. We will hold here as long as we can. Hugh, Thomas, Borras, go with him. Take care of my family.

But, sir—

The woman called out to her husband by name. William! Don’t—

The lord of the castle turned to his wife and their infant daughter, whom she held in her arms. Ireane, please…go. Take the girls, and go. I will cover your escape and defend this stronghold to the last man if need be. I cannot leave Norfare, but I can at least have peace knowing that our children will go on to live. Go now. We’ve run out of time. If we never meet again in this life, remember me fondly.

Daddy! No!

William knelt down and embraced his eldest daughter one last time. Mya, my dear, I will always love you. Take care of Amanda and your mother, okay? The world can be a very ugly place. I know it doesn’t seem fair, but someday, you will understand. I will always be with—

The tender moment was interrupted by the shattering of glass. During the past half hour or so, the enemy had somehow broken through the castle’s inner defenses and had found their way to the center of command. The wolves began to pour in through the windows and doors like dark water.

The lord of the castle quickly stood up and turned his little girl around to send her on her way. The situation had suddenly become all the more urgent. Go!

William drew his sleek dual swords and began to do battle with the beasts. The guards in the room assisted him.

Daddy!

William!

Saervace, Hugh, Thomas, and Borras quickly escorted Mya, the baby Amanda, and Ireane out of the room, down the long halls, and on toward the library. All around them, the beasts were storming the castle. Men fell, beasts fell, debris and arrows whisked by hither and thither, fires were kindled, blood was spilled, iron and steel clashed, and the shouts and cries of battle were ever present. Everyone had now begun to retreat to the fortress interior. It was here that the fight was now being waged. Ireane ducked low and held Amanda tightly to her breast until they had finally reached the grand library.

M’lady, we must hurry.

Ireane had doubts regarding her current course of action. Could she truly leave William to die like this? Was she being the coward? Hold. I must go back, Saervace. My husband needs me.

Nay, m’lady. Your daughters need a mother. Please. This is not the time for such sentiment.

Mommy…

Ireane looked at Mya and Amanda, whom she held in her arms. A tear rolled down her cheek as she contended to keep her emotions in check. She looked at the ground and shook her head in sorrow.

My children. My husband. My home.

William’s battlecry echoed through the grand halls. It was barely distinguishable over all the commotion, but Ireane heard it. There was a sound of a great struggle.

Daddy! screamed little Mya. Baby Amanda began to cry.

After taking a brief moment to find it, Saervace pulled the lever hidden cleverly in one of the books on a nearby bookcase. The hidden door slowly swung open, and Hugh and Borras escorted everyone into the dark passageway. They took with them a number of torches from their sconce, and the secret door closed behind them. From this side, Saervace lowered his head and reluctantly barred the door shut. No one else would be following them.

Everyone quickly ran single file down the narrow torchlit corridor. It was a while before they reached the end of it, and when they did, Saervace motioned everyone to be silent. He climbed the long ladder in front of him and slowly opened a hatch, cleverly disguised as a tree stump on the outside. He peeked around, surveying the immediate surroundings. It was dark, but he heard no sounds nearby, nor did he detect any movement otherwise. Once he was sure all was well, he climbed out of the tunnel and into the night, ushering everyone else to follow.

Once all were safely out of the hole, Thomas closed the hatch. What now, sir?

Saervace glanced behind him. Beyond the tree line, the castle burned to the ground.

We get m’lady and the little ones away from this place—quickly.

Right, sir.

It happened so quickly. A figure leaped from the darkness and onto Thomas, knocking the armor-clad man to the ground. His helmet came free, bouncing and rolling away to where it would be of no use to anyone. The light of the torches revealed the attacker to be one of the wolves. The four remaining men drew their weapons, but they were not fast enough. The beast savagely bit into Thomas’s unprotected head, ripping off flesh and crushing the skull. He was killed almost instantly. There was nothing that anyone could have done to save him.

Merciful gods! Borras shouted.

Saervace was now fully aware that his judgment had failed him. It was unknown how many more wolves might be nearby. If any action was to be taken, it had to be done in all haste. Stand away, m’lady!

Another beast leaped from the woods, taking a stance next to the one that had killed Thomas. Both stood on their hind legs as men, and each carried a long serrated blade.

One of them spoke with a growl as he wiped the blood from his mouth. What have we here? Where did you come from, I wonder? No matter. We’ve a job to do. Time to die, fools!

Hugh would have none of it. You first, scum! he shouted as he lunged forward with his blade.

Mya screamed as she fled the scene in terror. In that instant, there could be no reasoning with her. All she wanted to do was get away. It didn’t matter where to, so long as it was anywhere but there. AAAIIIEEEE!

Ireane called to her daughter in vain. Mya! The terrified woman was short on options. It would be dangerous to chase her little girl into the woods while she had the baby in her arms, and she would be defenseless while her personal guard were preoccupied fighting off their beastly assailants.

Amanda once again began to cry. Without another moment of hesitation, Ireane gently set her baby in a small pile of leaves and ran to where Thomas had fallen, picking up the man’s sword. Knowing the battle must be ended quickly, she joined the fight.

*****

Mya was running out of breath. She was completely panicked, but her little legs could carry her no farther. She slowed her pace, finally stopping to catch her breath. As she looked around, she realized that running from her mother might not have been such a good idea. She had no sense of how far she had gone or where she was. The only thing keeping the woods from being engulfed in total darkness was the light of the moon. The shadows were looming and seemed to be creeping through the night as if they were alive. Mya was afraid of the dark, and with good reason. The sound of leaves and ruffled foliage stirred in the background.

Mommy?

Mya’s call was to be answered by a quiet growl. A wolflike beast emerged from the shadows and stepped into the moonlight. Mya wanted to scream, but she was frozen in horror. No matter how far or how fast she ran, she could not escape. Young as she was, she understood well the concept of death. Now, it was looking to claim even her, and she was powerless to resist.

The wolf slowly made his way toward the little girl. With one powerful arm, he gently lifted Mya by her neck, looking at her in curiosity. He sniffed her for a bit and finally began to growl, baring his fangs.

Mya held on to the wolf by its hairy arm. Moooommmmyyy!

Having quickly grown annoyed with the shrieking child, the wolf deemed her insignificant, casting her aside headfirst into a nearby tree. She promptly lost consciousness, and the creature ran back to the woods to seek out more worthy prey. In an act of providence not to be witnessed by anyone, innocence would save a life that night.

Chapter 2

Salem, Arkansas, October 29, 1999

It was a dreary autumn day. The gloom, however, was somewhat offset by the brilliant display of leaves on the trees. It was a Friday, and the school bell was to ring in five minutes. Mark and Nate knew exactly where they were going after class was out: Pilot Knob.

There was a wooded hill that stood in the middle of Salem, Arkansas, and if you were to pass through the town today, you would undoubtedly see this prominent landmark. At the top of said hill, there was an abandoned radio station, an abandoned picnic area, several radio towers, and an old house that was rumored to have been haunted. It was this old house that was of particular interest to Mark. Nate had been promising his friend that he would take him up there to show him around.

When the bell finally rang, the boys rose from their desks and threw on their jackets, all too eager to get out of the classroom. They made a quick stop by their hallway lockers to put their books away before finally leaving the school building.

Along the way, Mark accidently bumped into one of the underclassmen, who happened to be far larger and more athletic than himself.

Watch it, retard, the other boy threatened, trying to impress some nearby girls.

Not wanting to stir a scene, Mark apologized and went on about his business. Such was the way of things. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to this kind of rude behavior and had even been guilty of it himself. It was a matter of survival, and if someone else happened to be getting picked on or bullied at any given moment, better them than him, as the saying goes.

After meeting up in the school’s parking lot, Mark and Nate loaded themselves into Mark’s blue Toyota pickup truck. Mark started the small-sized vehicle and slowly followed traffic out to the main highway.

You’re awful quiet, he said to Nate.

Nate appeared indifferent on the matter. Yeah, I’ve been up there before. Trust me, there’s not much to see.

C’mon, dude. I’ve never been on the hill before. I just want to take a look around at least. You told me you can see everything from up there! It’s not like we’re staying all night or anything.

I’d rather play my Playstation, Nate thought to himself.

Mark drove through town, and it wasn’t long before they arrived at the base of the hill, Tower Road. Mark drove up the road a little ways and pulled off to the side where the pavement ended and the dirt path began. He turned off the truck, and he and Nate stepped out. Taking nothing with them save for the clothes on their back, they began their ascent up the steep slope.

So we’re just going to look around for a bit, right? asked Nate as the dirt and gravel crunched beneath the weight of his footsteps.

Mark rolled his eyes as he turned around to look at his friend. Right. You know, you should show a little more enthusiasm. If I’m not mistaken, this was your idea.

Nate sighed. Mark was right, and it was too late to go back on his word now. In hindsight, Nate figured the whole premise of this endeavor originated from a slip of the tongue. He couldn’t even remember the conversation that led up to it.

They continued along their way until they encountered a simple metal gate that spanned the entire width of the road. On this gate hung a sign that read: No Trespassing: Violators Will Be Prosecuted.

See? We should just turn around right now and go to my house, said Nate, who merely wanted to spend the weekend playing video games.

Mark clicked his tongue in a defiant manner. Was this place always closed off? We’ve already come this far. You’ve got to show me the haunted house. It won’t take long. C’mon!

Nate shook his head. Fine. Whatever you say.

Without further ado, the two easily ducked under the metal gate and continued on their way. Beyond the foliage on their right flank, the panoramic view was lovely. The highway and far side of town could be seen from where they were, and from that elevation, things in the far-off distance looked to be the size of mere ants. It got a little windier walking up the hill, and the footing was at times unstable, but they eventually arrived at the top. A light drizzle spawned from the mist.

Wonder how long this place has been abandoned, Mark said to Nate, glancing around the hilltop clearing.

With a steady hand, Nate wiped away the accumulated moisture on his face. Your guess is as good as mine.

The area had the appearance of neglect and misuse. Broken beer bottles were scattered about on the ground. Tall grass grew in wild, unkempt patches. The low stone wall was crumbling. There were also remnants of where a picnic area had once been, but the only real signs of activity up here were the live radio towers and their bright-red beacons shining at the top.

The radio station itself did not appear exciting enough to explore. The doors were locked anyway, and neither of the boys were intent on breaking and entering. What actually caught Mark’s attention was the old two-story house that sat behind the abandoned radio station.

Well, there it is, said Nate.

As if having been mesmerized by some compelling presence, Mark approached the old house. The place had probably been four to five times older than he was, maybe older. It had endured many years of rain, snow, neglect, and the occasional party that was held there by some of the more popular local teens, a group that he and Nate didn’t really associate themselves with. The windowpanes and shutters were about to fall off, if they weren’t already lying on the rocky ground. The front door was missing, and the walls were riddled with holes. Through the passage of years, the concrete walkway that led to the house was slowly breaking apart, overgrown with weeds and grass.

Mark approached the front doorway and walked inside.

What are you doing? asked Nate, who had already had enough of the place.

I’m going inside.

And you’re doing this because…?

Look. If you don’t want to be up here anymore, just wait for me in the truck or something. I’m going to have a look around. This is gonna be cool. If you don’t feel like waiting in the truck or standing in the rain, then get in here.

Fine. Just remember that I told my mom that we’d be here for about an hour. We’re supposed to be home no later than four.

Nate kicked an old beer can that rested near his feet. He then followed Mark into the house, careful to watch for any late-season snakes that might have been slithering through the weeds.

Chapter 3

MIRAGE

The interior of the house was not in any better shape. Windows were broken, and glass was strung out over the floor. Some parts of the walls were rotted, creating an ideal habitat for mice to live. It smelled of dampness and mildew. There were curtains in a few of the windows, but they were tattered, faded, and barely recognizable. The boys had to be careful where they walked, lest they fell through a weak spot in the creaky floor.

Well, here we are. What now? asked Nate unenthusiastically.

Mark gently squeezed the bridge of his nose in frustration. I just want to walk around a little. This won’t take long.

Fine.

So without wasting any more time, Mark began to search and explore the old house, minding his steps as he walked. Nate remained near the front door, ready to make a quick escape in the event of a sudden structural collapse.

Mark walked through the front room and into another room behind it. This appeared to be the dining area. There was a dusty old table in the center, the rotted chairs having been previously scattered all over the place. There was a broken chandelier hanging from the ceiling, but there was no telling how long it would be before it would fall to the floor, perhaps through the floor. Streams of rainwater trickled through some holes in the wall and cracked plaster overhead. Mark found himself beginning to lose interest. The first floor, at the very least, did not appeal to him at all. Maybe Nate was right. Maybe this venture was a complete waste of time.

Something about this house had a very sad feel to it. Somehow, it seemed to mourn the loss of its youth and former beauty. Had it the ability to speak, perhaps it would have told of how it resented the fact that nobody cared about it anymore. All it could do was sit there as the paint on the outside continued to fade and flake away, and strain as the nails that had held everything together for so long persisted to rust away ever so slowly. Mark walked back into the front room.

You ready yet? It’s started raining, asked Nate.

Yeah, I guess. I’m not even going to try going upstairs. I don’t think the steps could handle the weight of a fly landing on them. Let’s—

Mark was unable to finish his sentence as the floor collapsed beneath him. He fell straight through to a hidden basement beneath, landing with a hard thud. A cloud of damp dust filled the air, and Nate quickly ran to where the hole was. He got down on his hands and knees.

Dude! You all right down there? he asked in hopes of receiving a quick answer.

Mark coughed as he rolled over and regained his bearings. Unnh. Yeah. I’m fine.

Hold on. I’ll get you out of there, said Nate, wide-eyed.

As Nate stood to his feet, the darkness below receded, lit up by the buzz and crackling light of a suddenly revived fluorescent bulb. He could clearly see his friend now and continued watching as Mark slowly stood to his feet. After taking some time to pat himself off, Mark walked away, leaving Nate’s line of sight, a look of intrigue was on his face.

Hey! Where you going now? Stay put!

Uh, I think you should see this, Nate heard Mark say. Hold on, there’s a ladder here.

Mark returned to the hole with a ladder. He propped the implement up so that his friend could come down in a more safe fashion. Nate hesitated, but his curiosity would soon get the better of him. He climbed down to the basement and took in the surroundings. Mark wiped off his glasses with his shirt.

Looking around, Nate was stunned by what he saw. The room that was previously thought to be a basement now appeared to be a laboratory of some kind. There was a computer and a printer set atop a desk near the spot where he was standing. There were wires, cables, and pipes everywhere.

In the distant, flickering shadows, there was a transparent glass tube that housed a luminous blue crystalline orb. The crystal was obviously something foreign that neither of the boys could rightly identify. Smooth and spherical in shape, it was roughly the size of a baseball. Stranger still, this same crystal seemed to hover weightlessly within its glass container.

Connected via metal facets and couplings, the glass tube was securely attached to a gigantic circular steel vault. As an educated guess, the interior of the vault was probably large enough to hold perhaps a dozen people. Altogether, the whole assembly must have weighed several tons on its own. The heavy door facing forward was closed shut, and there was no telling how long it had been since it was last opened or what was inside. There were other pieces of equipment scattered throughout the room, and who could have known what any of it may have once been used for? It was unlike anything Mark or Nate had ever seen.

There were a few chairs and papers strewn across the floor. Mark picked one up and tried to read it. The text was mostly blurred and illegible, but he did manage to pick out a few key words: Project MIRAGE.

Nate, he continued, I think we’ve found something big here. I don’t think this stuff was put here by any local drunks.

Nate continued to stare in awe. Project MIRAGE? What does that mean? If this is some kind of project, has it been completed? Why would someone just up and leave all this stuff here? And how is it possible that no one has found this yet?

Well, said Mark, the only way I was able to find it was by falling through the floor. I sure didn’t see a door with a welcome mat anywhere.

Nate took a closer look at Mark’s forehead. His friend was bleeding. Great, you’re cut, he said, stating the obvious.

Mark put his fingers to the wound then looked at them in a dismissive fashion. I’m fine.

You just fell through the floor of an old house, you’re completely covered in filth, you’re bleeding… And you say you’re fine?

Yes. I am okay.

Nate shook his head. Look, I don’t know what any of this stuff is, but it’s probably not safe to stay here. Let’s go. None of this junk even works anyway.

Just then the computer turned on and the entire laboratory came to life. The cylindrical vault at the other end of the room now emitted an ominous blue glow and billowed forth a gaseous burst of sealed air. The boys jumped back.

The pipes in the room started to hum, and there was a sound of cranking gears. All the machinery in the lab was now indeed functional, though not likely near as reliable as it may have once been. Mark and Nate stood motionless. What did we just do?

A few seconds later, some words and numbers that Mark didn’t understand popped up on the computer’s monitor. Something unknown was calling out to them, begging to be heard:

Code: 79865-9X-245

System: MIRAGE 908978-101098 1001011010100111101001010

Well, I think that computer runs this entire lab, said Mark.

I…I…um…don’t think I should do this, but … Nate slowly approached the computer desk, picked a chair up off of the floor, and sat down. He couldn’t resist the temptation. With one hand, he brushed dirt and residue off the black and green monochrome screen so that he could better see. Truth be told, it was a miracle that the thing still worked at all.

Nate, the tall, lanky, dirty blond, had long held a fascination with computers and had taken up typing code in his spare time. It was his hobby, and one of his goals was to someday create his own video game. In fact, in his high school computer science class, he often knew more about the subject than the instructor. Sometimes he had to teach the teacher how to program.

Mark stood off to the side. Look at that! Does any of it make any sense to you?

I don’t really know, Nate answered. I’ve never seen a computer boot up this way. I can tell you that those numbers on the last row are binary, though.

Computer language, right?

Correct. The most basic form.

Mark, the short brown-eyed, brown-haired one, did not understand why or how Nate did what he did. He was surprised that Nate still had better eyesight than he did and was not required to wear glasses like he was. Nate spent more time in front of the computer than the sun did in the summer sky.

Some more words appeared on the screen:

Date: 10/29/99

Good day, Mr. Cleinlein.

MIRAGE - Matter Displacement Engine - online (Program?) (Test?) (Data)

Matter displacement engine? Mark scratched his head. You have any clue what that means? Is it some kind of a weapon, or what? See if you can find out more. I can’t believe this.

If you say so, Nate replied, eyes bulging in anticipation. Amazing! This thing even still has an accurate clock. Hmmm. I wonder what powers all this machinery? It must be tapped directly into the town electric company or something! But…never mind. Let’s check out data. Nate used the mouse and clicked on Data. The screen changed.

Entry: 4/20/78

First Trial Run: MIRAGE Project

Subject Name: John Ray Grady (USA)

Destination Planned: 5 feet from desk

Actual Destination Reached: 5 feet from desk

Time of Departure: 9:15 a.m.

Time of Return: 9:20 a.m.

**Notes**

Success! Great joy was brought to us following the first trial run involving a human subject. When Grady returned, we were overwhelmed. Upon thorough examination, the volunteer exhibited no physical abnormalities or apparent negative side effects due to his time spent outside of his materialized form. So far, so good. We are standing on the precipice of something magnificent. When our work here is completed, it will be the next giant leap forward for all mankind. The implications of our discovery boggle the mind. Celebrations are in order. Chronomonic synchronizer requires adjustment.

Next>>>

Nineteen seventy-eight, huh? said Mark. You know, I may not be an expert on the matter, but from what I’ve managed to glean from this little segment here, it sounds like they were trying to build some kind of teleportation machine.

That’s what it looks like, but I can’t really say. This is way ahead of its time and way over my head. How could it possibly have remained abandoned and undiscovered? said Nate as he clicked on Next. Another set of data was displayed on the monitor:

Entry: 4/23/78

Second Trial Run: MIRAGE Project

Subject Name: Lyle Dez Snyder (Aus.)

Destination Planned: 5 feet from desk

Actual Destination Reached: 5 feet from desk

Time of Departure: 7:01 a.m.

Time of Return: 7:55 a.m.

**Notes**

We were once again very pleased with MIRAGE’s performance. This project is going quite well. Progress is better than we’d anticipated. However, neither Snyder nor Grady could describe how it felt to be dematerialized. Shortly after reassembly and examination, Snyder requested a cigarette. He appeared a little shaken but nonetheless enthusiastic. Chronomonic synchronizer still seems inadequate. Needs work.

Next>>>

This is crazy, said Mark. All this happened over twenty years ago!

Yeah, said Nate, let’s see how things went. Nate clicked once again on Next.

Entry: 4/30/78

Third Trial Run: MIRAGE Project

Subject Name: John Ray Grady (USA)

Destination Planned: 20 feet from desk

Actual Destination Reached: 20 feet from desk

Time of Departure: 6:32 A.M.

Time of Return: 8:12 A.M.

**Notes**

Something is very wrong with the time delay. It is increasing with each trial run. We thought we had lost Grady. Team cannot figure out what problem is. Possible solution: volume. Perhaps if more people were to enter the vault simultaneously, time delay would be decreased. In doing this, there is a certain risk involved, but we have all come to an accord and have agreed to give it a try. We will draw straws to see who stays behind to set coordinates, monitor particle tracking, and record observations. MIRAGE has not failed as of yet. We have faith that this may be the answer to our problem.

Next>>>

Nate clicked on Next.

Entry: 5/2/78

Fourth Trial Run: MIRAGE Project

Subject Name: *A&(!)10m0100001010nm0010010101090A%$#<>?

Destination Planned: 5111fe0100et000f1011romd00e1*sk****

Actual Destination Reached: ????Error????10m01001010010001010nn0imm

01001

Time of Departure: 5:14 a.m.

Time of Return: Warning!

**Notes**

The boys glanced at each other and froze. They found this final piece of the record to be rather unsettling. Nate eased his hand off the dusty mouse. He looked at the large cylinder-shaped structure a little ways in front of him. Mark did accordingly. The ominous blue glow now seemed ever more threatening.

They all went in at once? Nate cringed. Th-those guys never returned! That’s why all this equipment has been abandoned! The crew disappeared! This house was actually a secret laboratory for conducting some sort of teleportation experiments, and no one ever knew it! They somehow goofed, and now they’re somewhere…somewhere… Well, who knows what happened to them!

So should we tell the police or something? asked Mark.

Uh…wait a minute. We have no clue who these guys were, why they chose to work here, or who they might have been working for. Think for a sec. If we tell the cops what we saw, we might be putting ourselves or our families in danger, answered Nate.

All right. Mark was beginning to get nervous. He became so flustered that he was nearly tripping over his own words. What do we do? There’s a huge hole in the floor I fell through—far too big to cover up. If we leave now, someone else might find this. And come to think of it, remember that No Trespassing sign? We’re not even supposed to be up here. Tell ya what. Let’s shut it down, first of all. Then let’s hightail it out of here. It doesn’t really matter if someone else finds it, does it? I mean, who cares? As long as we’re not around when they do.

That sounds like a pretty good idea. Doesn’t look like we have too many other choices, anyhow, said Nate as he began shutting the system down. This is your fault. We never should have come here.

Frustrated, Mark shook his head and threw his arms into the air. We’re not really gonna do this right now, are we? He walked around the computer desk and decided to take a closer look at the impenetrable vault and the glowing blue crystal that was contained in the glass cylinder.

Nate was now at the menu that displayed the three primary system commands (Program, Test, and Data). Mark called out to him, disrupting his focus. Hey, what is this glowing blue crystal? What do you think is inside this vault?

I don’t— Nate looked back at the flickering computer monitor:

Project MIRAGE testing procedure now in progress

10010111011110101001000001011011101010101111101010

System Failure! Warning! Loss of life imminent. Evacuate Immediately! Error!

Nate shot Mark a quick, nervous glance. Mark was paying no attention at the moment, though, as he was occupied by the bright-blue glow inside the cylinder. The vault began to make a whirring sound. The fluorescent fixtures responsible for lighting the facility began to flicker even more than they had been.

Great, Nate thought to himself. Just what we need. I must’ve accidentally hit a wrong key or something.

Yo, Nate, this thing’s doing something it’s probably not supposed to. Mark then looked at his friend and could quickly tell by the panicked look on his face that something was very wrong. The heavy vault began to quake. What did you do?

Hit a wrong button. I think we had best be leaving now.

Nate rose from his chair and began to make a run for the ladder. Mark responded in kind and took after his friend in hot pursuit. Seriously? You had one simple task to do, and you fatfingered the keyboard?

Mark? This is not the time.

Close as they were to the exit, Mark and Nate did not make it to the ladder before the time-worn, rusted vault locks ruptured. The massive door burst open, and a mighty vacuum flooded the room, pulling the boys and various debris toward the cylinder-shaped machine. There was nothing to hold on to. The two shouted for help, but to no avail. They were both swept off their feet and sucked into the blue light of the science project gone mad. Following the critical malfunction, the vault door slammed shut, silencing their screams in passing.

Once inside the vault, the boys lost sight of one another. All they could see was light. Everywhere was pure white light.

Mark seemed to be flying. He was afraid that he was alone and that Nate was lost somewhere, if not dead. His hair was blowing. It was very loud and windy. He had no idea what was happening. All was chaos. Then it was black. Pitch-black. In that moment, he was afraid that he had gone blind. Then he noticed a dot in the distance. He felt his body burning and stretching. It felt as if he were being pulled apart in a vat of bubbly seltzer water, but oddly enough, there was no pain.

Spinning. He was spinning. Falling. The white dot was growing larger. It continued to increase in size until he was totally engulfed in white light yet again. Then there was a flash.

His body struck something with a great impact, and he felt his glasses fly from his face. He struggled for a short time, but soon after, he would succumb to the sheer shock of it all.

Chapter 4

Disturbing Occurrences

Cold. There is something cold running over my foot . Mark slowly opened his eyes, blinking several times to adjust them to the environment. The sky was the only thing he could see. High above, the clouds raced quickly along as if they were caught in a jet stream.

He sat up slowly and rubbed his head, which hurt considerably. After a quick assessment of the situation, he could see that he had come to rest on the banks of a small stream. This same body of water had an odd red tint to it. He lifted his foot out of the weak current and set it on dry ground.

Doing this sent pain up his body.

Ow! he thought. Great. Now my shoe and sock are wet.

His body was very sore, and his mouth felt very dry. He looked around, only to discover that he was now in an entirely different place than the last location he remembered being in. It was no longer raining, and it was a fair bit warmer outside than he remembered. In the distance, he could see high mountain peaks and a vast expanse of evergreen wilderness, features uncharacteristic of his north Arkansas hometown. Where he was now sitting was in the middle of a field next to a brook.

The ground around him was inexplicably charred black. Fighting through the aches and pains, he stood to his feet.

He then heard footsteps in the distance. Someone was running. He turned in the direction of the sound and saw someone appear over a small grass-covered knoll. The figure stopped in its tracks and, after a few fleeting moments, resumed running toward him. He remained standing where he was, and when the figure was near enough, he recognized Nate.

Nate approached his friend and ducked down into the tall grass. He grabbed Mark’s hand and pulled him down too.

Wha—

Nate put his hand over Mark’s mouth and whispered aloud, Shhhh! Just whisper, okay?

Mark slowly nodded his head, and Nate released his hand.

What’s going on here? What was that all about?

Look. Something’s wrong. We’re in trouble.

What? What are you—

Shh! Follow me and stay down. I’ll show you. You’re not going to believe this.

So they stood to their feet once again. In the process of doing so, Mark saw a glint of sunlight reflecting off something shiny on the ground. As he bent down to pick it up, he recognized his glasses. He cleaned them off as best he could and put them back on his face.

C’mon, let’s go! whispered Nate.

Mark followed Nate through the tall grass as they climbed the knoll. Once they were atop the grassy hill, Nate ducked into the grass, pulling Mark down with him.

What? whispered Mark, taken aback by his friend’s restless, uneasy demeanor.

Nate parted the grass in front of them. Look.

Mark looked out of the grass and into the shallow valley before him. What he saw was a scorched plain with about a dozen or so lifeless corpses strewn about. In the midst of the carnage, smoke billowed forth from what appeared to be the remains of covered wagons.

What the—What’s going on? There’s bodies everywhere down there! Are they…are they dead? Where are we? Where’s the lab? asked Mark, somewhat frantic.

Yeah, I don’t know, whispered Nate as he wiped his mouth. I don’t know where we are. All I remember is going into that MIRAGE thing and then coming out here. I saw all kinds of weird lights and junk, and when I came out the other side, I remember getting thrown through the smoke and then straight into the ground. When I finally got up, I started wandering around, looking for you. That mess down there was the first thing I saw. It looks like a massacre.

A massacre? Mark looked around, frightened and equally confused. Where’s the police? The fire department? Where’s the news reporters? There should be people all over this place.

Well, there’s not, and that’s not the end of it. Come on.

Nate slowly rose to his feet while looking cautiously in every direction. He then began making his way to the valley below. Mark followed.

We need to get home and tell someone what’s happened. I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep this a secret. That MIRAGE machine could be dangerous, and the guys that built it were probably dangerous too. If they are still out there somewhere, who knows what they are capable of.

I’m afraid that machine was more dangerous than you think, Nate replied. Oh. And about just simply going home and telling someone about this? You’re probably gonna find that to be a little difficult, too. C’mon. I’m sure you’ll see why.

They began their descent in a direction upstream from where Mark had awakened, finally reaching the upper part of the scorched valley. As they arrived on the scene, Nate stopped walking and remained standing where he was. I’ve seen enough already. Go on, I’m going to let you check it out for yourself. I don’t think I can handle it again.

Dude, I don’t want to see a bunch of dead people. This is creepin’ me out. Let’s go.

Go where? I want you to see what I’m talking about. Believe me. It may be freaky, but you need to see this and understand our predicament.

Against his better judgment, Mark shrugged his shoulders and started making his way toward the smoldering wagons. As he got closer, the smell of decay became more and more overwhelming. He covered his nose and mouth with his jacket collar to keep from gagging.

He