Beep - Beep - Beep my alarm blares into the still night.
4AM is a time that should not exist and least of all on a Friday, but this will be the last time, no more. my last day at work at the prison, or as i should say youth detention facility.
the great oak Youth Reform Institute is an imposing yet anonymous building from 1952 in the city, surrounded by building form the early 1960s. we have 5 section; A block intake full of 1st timers and petty stuff (boy), B block the more serious stuff (boy), C and D block a the same but for girls and E block medical, and solitary. as i get ready for work my grey uniform hang haphazardly on my slight frame. it never fit properly this irked my greatly and i had long ago given up making it look neat. as i head out of my blue front door to work the first pale light begins to paint the sky, as i head in to my beat up, old, silver car for the drive. off i go out of the drive and left at the maple tree, and under the old oak. it will take 30 minuets, my mind starts to wonder and i blink.
Crikey that was close!!! my heart pounding in my chest my mind a blur, as i see a truck barrelling though a the red light. missed by a few centimetres. i take a breath and carry on leaving a skid mark on the ground.
i think to my self this would have been the start of a generic Isekai novel! no, don't let your mind wonder !!! you are not dying today! my mind yells at me.
nothing else dramatic happens for the rest of the journey. as i arrive at the austere gates ready for the standard security checks and my last assignment.
"good morning, Max" i say groggily all of the adrenaline from earlier now a distant memory. Max Wheeler is oldest man on site at 63 and the head of gate security. he has always given me the impression of an eagle and a fox, and seems to be able to tell when some thing is wrong or even different.
"morning, Taylor" came a curt reply form Max " isn't this your last day?"
"Yes, and i bare gifts, enough to make every cop for a 100 miles come running" i reply with a grin forming in my face.
"Good, i need to take the toll. one box please" he sated with a thin smile and a wink
"here enjoy, make sure that the others get one and 2 are for you." handing a single box of 12 doughnuts to max
"thanks, stay sharp, stay safe. i don't need 2, i will have a heart attack" max states drily waving me off. he has stated that ever time, it is his mantra. as far as i can tell he says it as a warning. i park up for my last day, i hope it will be uneventful.
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now the next thing to do put the other 5 boxes in the respective brake rooms with a note on top stating take one. then a dull meeting followed by look out duty where you keep an eye on everything and then resident release. this is a tradition where on you last day you send off a resident or two and say "now i never want to see you again". i am going to be there from 10am on till the end of the day. one person is being released today, and the appointment is set for 11 am.
the office for resident release was sparse with 1 pine desk, 2 comfy chairs and 1 small window, slightly a jar on its locking mechanism looking out to the city, there where a few trees, but mostly the concert jungle grey and brutal looks like no major development have happened in the las 60 years. i set up the documents ready for the meeting.
11 am
"Good morning Sir" came the voice of a young man, he is a little late
i stand to meet up with one of our residents who is on the way out. John Rami 37195 is a young and a brute when angry, strong as an ox but mostly harmless. he has matured much since he started. i have been a teacher, father, mentor, and many more to the boy, now more of a man in front of me.
"good morning John Rami. you have done well, one of the best records i have seen here" i stated with a hint of a smile on my lips
John replied sheepishly "sort of"
"non of that, that is a complement. you don't need to come back. keep your temper in check and you will do great. I'm starting the prosses. your pick up will be here in 2 hours, while we wait i will get the paperwork completed" i stated affixing the young man with a warm smile.
he responded with "thank you very much sir" as he began to beam
as i started the paperwork
Boom-Boom-Crash-Bang the sound of everything braking, shifting assaulted my ears with deafening cacophony . while the earth started to shake . a faint glow around everything started to form that became blinding. my eye shut on instinct as i was jostled and shaken for a solid 2 minuets. i fell to the ground with confusion clouding my mind, i yell "drop to the floor" as the only thing i can think to do.
i groaned and open my eyes, then shifted to the window and what i saw made my jaw drop. a beautiful ever green forest, enormous snow capped mountains. i could taste the clean air, hear running water and smell the pine with a hint of curry powder, feel a sight presser on my skin.
i thought this is fantastic!! but where are we? why im i not panicking?
as it sunk in the panic never came instead a professional calm took over, thinking this can't get even worse i said a loud " you ok and in one piece?" - "looks to be a minor earth quake". a groan from behind me tells me that John is alive. good but, why I'm i not panicking yet?
i turn around to go help the boy up, and oh dear. looks like worse goes deeper and deeper!
now i start to panic
FATE, WHY AND HOW
GODs where are we, what is going on!
"Devils above and be low i will rip out your entrails if you are in evolved!" that last on slip out of my mouth
as I work out what is going on, John roll over pushed him self up turn to face me and then he screamed in terror
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!