10.

Melvin sat alone on a wooden chair at a steel table in what appeared to be some kind of interrogation room, and he sat there for what appeared to him to be quite a lengthy period of time though it actually wasn't just as long as it had felt to him to be. A man in military uniform enters the room, walks behind Melvin then around the table. He drops a closed file onto the table and sits opposite to the young man who had been waiting patiently.

Moments pass without a word being spoken. It is almost as if each man is checking the other out. The silence is eventually broken.

'Am I in some sort of trouble here?' asks Melvin.

'Should you be?'

'Not at all, though it does seem that I am being held against my will.'

'No one is holding anyone against their will.'

'So, I am free to go?'

'You are indeed, however, I do have some questions I would like to ask you.'

This man sitting across from Melvin appears to Melvin to be a man of authority, some sort of commander or general perhaps and Melvin would reckon that this man is at least twice his own age. The stern look on this 'general's' face would suggest that he is someone who is not to be messed with or even joked around with.

Melvin would normally be one to pass a smart comment or would be quick to attempt to lighten the mood, any mood, but with recent events and this situation that he finds himself in, Melvin thought it best not to be smart in any way. Besides, that general fellow does have quite the intimidating presence.

'Sure' spoke Melvin ready to play dumb, 'I have no idea what kind of questions you possibly could have for me though I will answer as well as I can.'

'You wouldn't be trying to get smart with me, would you?'

'Not at all sir, I am just being honest here. I don't understand why someone like you would want to ask someone like me anything at all.'

There was a momentary pause as both men stared at one another, as if each was sussing the other out.

'How about we start with you telling me about your friend.'

'My friend?'

Before the general could speak again, a knock came to the door. The door would open slightly and a younger man in uniform, younger than the general that is, peered in.

'Sorry to interrupt but ...' is all this younger man in uniform speaks before he too is interrupted.

Frederick storms into the room and speaks directly to Melvin.

'No one has any right to hold you here so ... c'mon, let's get out of here.'

Melvin stands and looks at the general, if indeed that is what he is, ready to forget wanting not to come across as smart.

'It was nice talking to you but as my ... friend ... says, we are outta here.'

Being eager to find out as to how and where Dan is, Melvin finds it extremely difficult not to ask Frederick anything until they had both got into Frederick's car, even at that, Melvin still struggles to keep quiet. As Frederick began to drive Melvin would finally ask his questions.

'Where is Dan? Is he alright?'

'Dan is fine and he is safe.'

'Can we go to him?'

'I do not think that is a good idea' replied Frederick checking his mirrors.

'Why not?'

'It would appear that we are being followed.'

'Aw crap.'

Melvin turned right around to look the rear car window.

'Don't make it look so obvious that we know, will you?'

'Sorry, can't help it.'

Melvin returned to a proper seated position and looked across at his companion, for he had another question to ask of Frederick.

'I can trust you, can't I?'

'Seriously?' responded Frederick himself now looking over at Melvin, 'after what we both have been through already? I would have thought that with all that has happened, I would be the only one you could trust.'

'I apologise, we hardly know each other, I hardly know Dan too. I just want everything to work out right, ya know.'

'Yeah, I hear you.'

Frederick checked his mirrors once again and began to pick up speed.

'What is going on?' asked Melvin.

'There is more than one vehicle following us and I would guess that they would all be less than friendly.'

Two large black cars pull up alongside of Frederick's car, one on either side and neither of these two cars are all that far away from the car in between them. Before either Melvin or Frederick could think we are in for it now ... things got more than a little bit strange, as if they weren't strange enough already. The already darkened surroundings quickly became all the more darkener. The skies dulled. The winds picked up speed, and a heavy rain began to fall.

Something else which was about to pick up speed was Frederick himself. He remained calm despite what was going on, Melvin however was somewhat agitated. Up ahead not too far in the distance there stood a complete darkness, an odd blackness filled with nothing and everything at the same time. Frederick may have picked up speed but neither of the two cars that had pulled up alongside him had increased theirs, if anything they both slowed.

A rather large bolt of lightning hit somewhere in between the now lone car and the darkness up ahead; two more bolts would hit in quick succession before the car and both its occupants disappear into that darkness.

The following cars come to a complete halt, and the occupants of these vehicles could only question what it is or was that they witnessed for not only did they witness a disappearance but the blustery weather which had come from out of nowhere had almost immediately gone back into that nowhere from where it came.

11.

Melvin awoke a little more disorientated than what he would be if he were just awaking from any kind of regular sleep. The room he is in is a darkened one though there is enough illumination for Melvin to realize that he is in a place to which he does not recognize. A few seconds pass in between the moment that Melvin wakes to the moment of his realization and once this occurs, he opens his eyes wide, takes in a deep breath and sits up rather quickly.

'Steady there now, try and take it easy' speaks a voice that Melvin does not recognize, a voice coming from right next to the bed that Melvin finds himself on. 'Your journey here has been a rough one and it has taken it out of you but do not worry, you are perfectly fine.'

A hand reaches out and is placed in an assuring manner on Melvin's right wrist.

'Who are you? What journey? Where am I? What do you want?'

'Please relax; there is no need to be afraid. You are Melvin, I presume?'

'... Yes, I am. Do I know you?'

'My name is Robert Stanford. We have spoken before.'

'Oh yeah, I remember, through some kind of dark hole, some kind of vortex.'

'Yes, that is correct. Do you remember driving into something which could be described as some kind of dark void, some kind of dark nothingness?'

'Yes ... I think ...'

'Well, that is what brought you here. It is or was quite similar to that vortex which allowed us to speak once before.'

'Just where is here exactly?'

'Don't worry about that right now, it is late. Try and get some rest for now if you can and we will talk some more in the morning, just know for right now you are safe and among friends.'

'Dan, Frederick, what about them?'

'They are both fine and are here too. They are both resting, so just try and relax. I will fill you in on everything soon enough.'

'Alright, fine ... and thanks ... I guess.'

Melvin lay back down on the bed and Robert stood to begin making his way out of the room.

'Goodnight my new friend, talk to you in the morning' speaks Robert.

Melvin does manage to find sleep and when he awakes for a second time in his new surroundings, he is alone. It takes a moment or two for him to remember what happened the last time he was awake. The curtains in this room that he is in are closed though there are fragments of day light finding a way into the room.

Getting up and out of bed, Melvin needs a moment to steady himself for he feels somewhat lightheaded. His clothing is nearby so he gets dressed and makes his way out of the room. The hallway outside this room is spacious and dark despite the fact that it is obviously daytime outside. It is quite obvious that this place, this house that he is in is a rather large one.

'Hello' he calls out. He pauses for a moment and receives no reply. 'Hello?' Melvin calls out again and once again he receives no reply.

This place he is in is totally void of sound and activity apart from what Melvin is making himself, of course. He cautiously begins to make his way down a nearby staircase. Having arrived at the bottom of this staircase, he once more takes time to pause and check out his surroundings.

'Hello there, my friend, welcome to my world, I trust that you are feeling well' speaks a deep and somewhat echoing voice coming from a living room off to Melvin's left.

Melvin is startled by the voice though it is clear that the voice belongs to Dan even if Melvin can't quite see Dan within the darkness of this living room.

'Hey Dan, you made me jump just there. I am alright, you?'

'Yeah, my friend I am fine, back to my usual self.'

'Where are we?' Melvin asks as he moves closer to where Dan is.

'We are in a place that I have been calling home for more than a little while now.'

'So, I can take it that we are no longer on Earth.'

'You can indeed.'

'And I can take it that the year is not what I believe it to be, possibly somewhere in the future.'

'Oh yeah, we are far from the year that we were in when I came into your world.'

Melvin sits and pauses for a moment. This is something else ... a heck of a lot to take in.

'Dan, I want to know your world, I want to know and see everything. I look forward to spending time here though eventually I will want to go home.'

'Oh no can do my friend, my friends here are dismantling the equipment which brought us here as we speak.'

'They can't do that; we must stop them.'

'Relax Melvin, you are in a good place here, you are among new friends. You and Frederick are very welcome here and I am sure you both will become a very excellent addition to our community.'

'Dan, as good as all that sounds, I must get home.'

'This is your home now.'

'Where are your friends? I really need to go talk with them.'

'They are out in the barn ...'