Beep, Beep, Beep, Light bleeds through my curtains like a spotlight. I awake to foggy eyes and the usual dampened adrenal response of a wailing alarm.
Threads of last nights recently departed dream linger just beyond my focus. I reach out for them as they slip into obscurity. Dancing around the edges of my memory.
A fleeting recollection flashes before me. A feeling of fulfillment flooding my thoughts as I remember. “I remembered my dream!” I say to an empty room. This is not a normal thing for me. What’s more is the dream might even be useful! During my slumber I surpassed a new milestone! Inventing a tweak to my bosses spreadsheet formula that let me complete more change management reports a day than previously thought possible!
To me, this was the pinnacle of success. A thought that had disturbingly becoming a more frequent experience than I would like to admit.
Reflecting for a moment on just how much comfort I derived from a 2% efficiency improvement in assessing change management cases was haunting.
“Maybe I should take that trip”. I mumble while wiping sleep from my eyes.
Slipping on wireless headphones I queue up my morning playlist. While my mind wanders I go about the day. Autonomously completing tasks like the well programmed robot I am.
Before I know it I’m dressed, lunch packed, and opening the door to my beige green 1986 Toyota Corolla.
With the characteristic whining of loose belts and squeaky starter motor bearings my trusty steed awakens from her evening slumber. Called to arms once more to aid in the fight for daily survival. “To Work!” I cry at my valliant vehicle while pulling into traffic. Joining the conga line of ants as they march towards the hive like city towering before me on the horizon.
Glass spires catch the glimmering haze of the morning sun. Like a bug zapper drawing in a never ending supply of fodder with its tantalizing display of colours and lights.
I reach for my coffee and bump the radio, accidentally tuning into the commercial reeducation platform. A government subsidised subliminal reprogramming station for citizens who wish to improve their usefulness to society. As I absentmindedly mop up the spilled saturation of blend 43 and raw sugar, I unintentionally begin humming along to a familiar tune in the background. My mind begins to wander, I blink and open my eyes.
I’m no longer driving 58 km/hr on the highway to work. No, here I sit opposite my office in an on street parking bay.
“Ding, Dong, Ding!” a tune plays on the radio followed by a soothing female voice. “Thankyou for tuning into reeducation radio, we hope you have enjoyed today’s session.”
I smash the off knob, silencing the brainwashing machine for good. Who knows what ideas they just implanted in my psyche. Still shuddering at the thought of being unwittingly manipulated by whatever corporate entity was pulling the strings. I muster up the courage to press on.
I leave my car and walk across the courtyard bordering the entrance to the lobby. A familiar group of people huddle around a table at the coffee shop, occasionally laughing at something on a phone screen. “Do those slackers ever do any work?” I mutter under my breath as I enter the lobby lift. Coffee breaks are one thing but spending 2 hours every morning looking at memes. Maybe I should join them. Just as the doors trundle the final feet before safely barricading me from an inevitably awkward social situation. A slender arm gauntleted in an impressive array of bangles darts between the steel jaws. Clank! the doors collide against her. For a brief moment it seems as if the armor might give way to the hydraulic pressure. A buckling sound comes from somewhere beyond sight and the door’s release. Oh no. The only thing harder than steel in this office is…
As the metal payne slides aside a figure of pure menace assaults my mind. 5 foot 4 inches of bureaucratic terror. Her soulless eyes stare back into my own. Unblinking. Unbreathing, she falters at the precipice of the lift, as if waiting for me to invite her inside. The soulless feind within her unable to cross a threshold without invitation.
“Good morning Myriam” I mutter into my coffee.
Her gaze tracks from my eyes to my finger. Still firmly held against the close door button on the panel next to me. Without saying a word she steps into the cart and turns to face the mirror. While she fidgets with her eyes I shrink away from the panel into the nearest corner. Firmly gluing focus to the scuff marks on the tips of my boots. Conscious that my newfound attention of the floor would draw hers towards my unkempt footwear, I decided instead on a diversion. I’ll attempt to make contact. If only to offer a distraction from my shoes screaming another reason to fire me.
“So Myriam, I hear we are getting a new watercooler this week. Is that one of your corporate morale improvement initiatives?”
Myriam, her mind elsewhere, seems to be focusing far too intently on hey eyebrows to have even noticed my question.
Eventually she responds. “Hello” pauses for a moment then in an emotionless tone mutters a simple “Yes”.
In what could only be described as a miracle breakthrough for humanity. I had successfully made contact with Myriam. Perhaps this could be the first stepping stone in uncovering why she was so evil. I always just assumed she was lonely.
“Did you have a good weekend? I saw the weather was great, you’re into hiking right?”
Another pause.
“Stephen, I don’t care if the orphans won’t get to eat until the construction is complete. I didn’t marry you for your moral perspective. Do your job and get it done or I’ll find someone who can!”
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My heart fell through my chest as she pulled the white cordless buds from her ears, obscured by her meticulously sculpted hair I hadn’t even noticed.
“Ding!” the doors swing open to reveal a bright 13 embossed on the wall opposite. Myriam, without even a glance in my direction strolls off towards her office.
The doors trundle close while I stand frozen in front of them.
“Bloody Airpods” I mumble while hitting the open door button and navigating the maze of corridors through to my desk.
As I pass the office printer I notice the aforementioned water cooler. Freshly perched besides enough cyan toner to weather an apocalypse of clip art. I pause to consider. “Eh, what could it hurt”, I say to no one at all while reaching for one of the styrofoam cups in the attached dispenser.
I fill the cup to the brim and with meticulous precision tip toe towards my desk.
As I round the final corner of the labyrinth. Having successfully avoided spilling a single drop so far. I collide with someone power walking in the opposite direction.
Looking around in confusion, unable to locate the source of the impact I feel a pressure against my chest. Dark, bloodshot eyes stare up at me through matted damp hair.
“Myriam” I proclaim in startled exclamation. Her eyes follow me as she turns back towards her office. Calm, collected, and without saying a word she’s around the corner before I’ve finished processing what just happened.
Still speechless I look down at the remaining water in my styrofoam cup.
I take a swig and walk the last few paces towards my desk, urgh tastes like waiting room.
I set the cup down. Ready to begin another day of change management assessment.
After last nights dream not even a run in with Myriam could dampen my spirits.
I fired up Excel and got to work tweaking the risk calculation formula. Imagining the look on my bosses face when I tell him how my new method would crack the efficiency bottleneck.
I lose myself in the work but after a time I can’t make the new formula work. It’s as if the pieces just aren’t falling into place like I remember.
Out of frustration I fire up Wikipedia and start delving into government conspiracies and alien cover ups. Hoping the momentary distraction might let me see the problem from a new angle. Boredom creeps in, worming its way into my mind like a parasite needing to be fed.
10:28, the clock screams from across the office. It’s abusive crimson type flickering just beyond the edges of my perception. 62 minutes until lunch... until freedom.
I know counting the minutes is not an effective strategy for passing time but it never stops me trying. Once more the clock face changes, snapping those ugly red blocks back into the foreground of my focus. Keeping me from falling into the state of trance required to effectively ignore my daily duties.
My earlier interaction with Karen had left a sour taste in my mouth. Initially I tried to power through but after receiving a suspiciously targeted email from one of her HR lackies regarding an outstanding “Acceptable Business Behaviour” e-skills course, my interest in improving efficiency for a superficial pat on the back started to wane.
Begrudging humanity's conception of time I settled back into my faux leather office chair. The familiar creaking of loose bolts another parachute slowing my ritualistic descent into madness.
Thumbing through my music library I hit play on the latest masterpiece from todays lil rapper of choice. “Lil Listeria”, sick name. I chuckle to myself as the repetitive waves wash out the background flurry around me.
Mysterious water coolers aside. Nothing about this friday morning was all that out of the ordinary. To most that might seem like a good thing. But to me? Dr Cham, corporate change manager. It’s just another nail in the coffin. Not the final one, not yet.
I stare down at the detritus strewn across my desk. Shapes filling my vision but never fully solidifying into recognisable objects. “What was I doing again?”. The edges of my vision are starting to darken, like I’m looking through binoculars. I try to peer around the room but nothing will come into focus.
My mind feels disconnected from my body. Reality, like a thin veneer over something else. I reach towards it, to pierce the veil. I can feel the fabric of the world stretch and deform around my fingers. A feeling of euphoria engulfs my senses, completely disoriented from the sudden shift in perception I unconsciously begin flailing around.
My hands reaching for purchase on anything they can find, as if the thought of tactile sensation alone could anchor me to reality. No luck. Time melts away and a warm, comforting brilliance engulfs my conscience.
Time passes
I’m drifting in a void. Sounds and lights rush over me in roaring waves. Everything feels distant. Like I’m underwater.
The waves of sound and light are getting louder, more intense. I try to open my eyes. What I see can’t be real. Impossible.
I’m floating in space, looking out upon an endless sea of galaxies.
But this is merely the backdrop for the scene.
Heading towards me with alarming speed, outside my estimation of size swims a behemoth of terrifying proportions. Propelled by some unseen force the monstrosity sails towards me, increasing in scope beyond anything I thought possible.
The light of the universe vanishes as I pass beyond the horizon of its gaping maw. My very existence entirely at the mercy of this great being. Roaring flashes of sound and light are now at such extreme intensity I can’t tell them apart.
With a start, the onslaught to my senses ceases. Silence fills my ears and mind. All I can do is gape with slack jawed wonder while a voice forms in my mind.
From all around me, and within me its staticy scratch sounds neutral to my ears. More like something synthesized by a computer than a person.
“Curious” it states plainly in that meterless monotone.
My mouth unable to form words, I respond through my inner monologue.
“Where am I, and who, what are you?” Sounding more confident than I felt I waited for the god like behemoth to respond.
“We are, the Traveller.
Once we were like you Dr Cham, long, long ago. But in time we came together, bonded as one to form this body. Pursuing our one true calling as a species”
“Far out man, that’s some high concept sci-fi right there. How are you communicating with me right now. Is this real? Am I really here?”
“I assure you this is very real Dr Cham. While your physical body exists slumped over a desk in your office. Your mind has been transported here. Into this temporary vessel through which you are able to communicate.”
“But how was my mind transported here?”
“Our kind unlocked the secrets of the universe long before your species had legs. From then on we have dedicated our existence to the pursuit of knowledge and experience.
Roaming the cosmos on stellar winds, riding gravity waves wherever the chaos takes us. In this time we have learned how to manipulate the fabric of reality to accomplish our ends. Suffice to say, the normal barriers keeping your mind isolated from external influence were disrupted. This allowed us to interact with you as we are now.”
“Wow, this is all a bit much. I suppose my next question is why me?”
“For the same reason we were able to transport your mind here. Typically you would be protected from this but something has disrupted the barrier preventing access to your mind. This has opened you to other life trying to gain a foothold on our layer of reality. It’s not your fault mind you. You didn’t choose this existence, or even understand your role in it. Fortunately we were able to get to you before anyone else. Your co-worker, Myriam was not so lucky. She has been consumed by one of the Others.
Your life is now in great peril Dr Cham. For the enemy is close at hand and time escapes us!. Only you can stop the Other’s before they gain a permanent foothold in this galaxy. You must kill Myriam before she can open the way for more of her kind to follow.”
To aid you in this quest I have granted you a boon. Augmenting your senses to see beyond the normal realms of human perception. May this new sight help guide your actions and keep you safe on the path to enlightenment."
In a final fading echo the Traveller whispers in my mind, “Remember, you’re more like us than you know Dr CHAM”
Once more I'm engulfed by a cacophony of light and sound. My consciousness breaks away and I fade into the cosmic background of the universe.