Twin Earth

I followed Rachel back down the corridor and up numerous flights of stairs, which were surprisingly steep that I had to almost climb up them, until eventually we reached a room at the top of the alien complex. I knew this because the roof was completely made of a transparent glass-like material where you could see for miles across the top of the jungle, all the way to the northern sea, but to me the landscape felt claustrophobic. It was just too much of the same scenery, just jungle over and over again, and for the first time I really missed being back on Earth. It felt like we had been away for months, although I was worried what Earth would be like once we did get back, if we ever did that is.

“What is this place?” I asked Rachel, who had begun to search around for Adom.

“I’m not sure. The Mochuvians seem to hang out here to socialise and relax, contemplate their existence, who knows, but it was where Adom had taken me earlier while you were resting.”

“Adom huh,” I replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Not like that,” Rachel scowled. “I like my men from Earth thank you.”

“Yeah, sure you do. Gives a whole new meaning to the tall, dark and handsome, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Shut up. I can tell you’re feeling better.”

Rachel was right on that score. I was feeling better. My headache had completely gone, and my nausea was no longer forcing me to walk with a slight hunch, but I was still disturbed from what had been happening with regards to Apo.

“I’m just trying to find Adom to tell him that you saw Apo,” Rachel continued.

“And that you did too.”

“Whatever happened, we should tell him. There he is, come on.”

I followed Rachel over to what looked like a bar, where a few Mochuvians were hanging out and chatting, sharing drinks and happily enjoying themselves.

“Are none of these people worried about what’s happening out there?” I whispered to Rachel as we walked over. “I just don’t understand how they can be so calm about everything.”

“It must just be their way,” Rachel whispered back. “Maybe it helps them to think clearer.”

“I don’t think they’re even trying to think about fixing the sphere. They seem more intent on flirting with each other. I seriously don’t think they have any idea what kind of danger they are in,” I replied, but quickly pulling away from Rachel’s ear as we approached Adom who was sat by himself drinking what looked like a green smoothie in a very tall twisted glass.

“Adom,” Rachel beamed as we approached. “I was hoping to find you again. I found Tom.”

“Oh brilliant. I was worried he too had gone missing,” Adom smiled, gently hugging Rachel and beckoning her to sit with him.

‘Cozy,’ I thought to myself.

“Tom’s been having... some experiences,” Rachel continued, looking up at me. “He says he saw Apo earlier downstairs.”

“Rachel saw him too,” I interjected. “He was shouting at someone.”

“Shouting?” Adom replied surprised. “But Apo doesn’t shout. No-one here shouts. It is very much discouraged.”

“Tom says I saw him, but I swear I never saw him. It was just Tom in that room,” Rachel continued.

“What room was it?”

“Err, it was pretty empty. It had a computer panel and a screen that overlooked a circular platform of some kind?” I replied.

“That’s one of our old rooms. We used to store an ellipse in there before the underdeveloped stole it. You say you saw Apo in there? That is most odd.”

“I did and then both Rachel and I followed him to the creator’s ellipse, or at least we were. He just vanished.”

“Vanished?” Adom asked confused.

“He was never there Adom. It was only ever Tom and I. I never saw Apo.”

“Then we came here,” I muttered, starting to feel somewhat of an idiot.

“You say you were heading to the creator’s ellipse before he disappeared?” Adom asked thoughtfully.

“That’s right,” I replied, hoping I wasn’t as mad as I sounded.

“But you never made it there?”

“No. Tom started to feel sick before we could find it,” Rachel replied.

“I see,” Adom mumbled, deep in thought. Then finishing his drink, he jumped down from his bar stool and looked me up and down. “I think I know what’s happened.”

“You do?” I asked.

“You have already reached the ellipse. You’re experiencing a time dilation from entering the ellipse.”

“I’m sorry, what? I haven’t been anywhere near the ellipse. We couldn’t find it.”

“It’s a side effect of the ellipse and one of the reasons why we stopped using them. What you are experiencing, that Rachel is not, is the future. At some point... when did you say this started happening?”

“It was about an hour or so ago,” Rachel replied.

“No, it was earlier than that. The fruit. You said you never left me any fruit,” I replied.

“Oh yes. So, at some point in the future I’m going to leave Tom some fruit? Is that what you’re saying?” Rachel asked confused.

“Yes, although now that you know you will, you may choose not to do so.”

“Thanks,” I replied sarcastically. “I did enjoy it even if you said I wasn’t grateful.”

“But I never said that though did I, or haven’t yet anyway,” Rachel winked.

“Please, continue,” I muttered to Adom frowning.

“So, when was that? About two earth hours ago?”

“Yes, that’s about right.”

“Then you must enter the ellipse within the next few minutes.”

“But this makes no sense,” I replied, rubbing my head. “I haven’t felt the effects for a while.”

“You must have reached a state of time equilibrium. When you enter the ellipse soon you will see the opposite effect.”

“So the past?”

“As well as the present and the future from that point onwards.”

“Ugh,” I groaned.

“But I am surprised you have experienced these effects so far in advance. Normally we only see the effects just before we prepare to enter the ellipse. It must be the merging of the black hole in the other dimension causing this to happen. It is the only thing I can think of. It is most worrying.”

“So what if I choose not to go into the ellipse?” I asked nervously.

“But you have already chosen. It has happened,” Adom replied.

“But surely I can decide not to? Just like Rachel can choose not to give me the fruit.”

“You won’t,” Adom stated.

“So, my future is predetermined? I have no choice? No, I don’t buy it.”

“But Tom you said you wanted to find the ellipse?” Rachel asked.

“Yeah, but not go in it.”

“Well one of us has to. Apo said that the Mochuvians have evolved to be unsuitable to use them.”

“That is true,” Adom added.

“Okay, but aren’t we all forgetting something here. I saw Apo arguing with someone, so if that was in the future then who was he arguing with? And who used the VR headset?”

“He means the viewing lounge,” Rachel explained.

“Someone used the viewing lounge? But it is not safe after the earthquake,” Adom replied with a worried expression. “Who would put their life in danger to do that? It is so unnecessary.”

“Someone who knows Earth that’s for sure,” I replied.

“Earth?” Adom asked confused.

“Tom said it was linked up to somewhere in Mexico?”

“Mexico? I do not know that name.”

“It’s a place on Earth,” Rachel added.

“Well that is most peculiar.”

“Whoever it was, they haven’t done it yet if what you say is true so why can’t we just wait there and see who it was?” I replied. Both Adom and Rachel looked at me.

“No, we must take you to the ellipse,” Adom finally mumbled, deep in thought again.

“Great,” I replied sarcastically, even though Rachel was right. Only moments before I had been desperate to find it.

“At least Adom has no problem with taking us there,” Rachel whispered cheerfully as we followed him out the room and back down the stairs. “I guess it’s your destiny Tom.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

“But...” Rachel continued with a serious tone, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I hope Adom knows what he’s doing,” I replied, but then I stumbled as the stairs began to vibrate. “What’s happening?” I asked, but both Rachel and Adom had disappeared. “What the hell.”

Climbing back up the stairs as the ground began to shake violently, I fell back into the roof-top room we had just left. To my astonishment the room was empty, with glasses smashed and strewn across the floor along with chairs and tables. The ground continued to shake, and I struggled to hold onto anything that was stable. I stared out at the view and to my horror I could see the sea pounding its way towards me, yanking and pulling at the huge jungle trees that lay in its wake.

“Oh my god,” I breathed stumbling backwards as the massive ocean wave sped towards me, but just as the violent surge of water reached the roof-top lounge and everything came crashing down around me, a hand grabbed me from behind.

“Tom, what are you doing?” Rachel shouted angrily, pulling me around to face her. Pulling her off, I swung back round to look at the mega tsunami heading towards us, but it was gone. Instead, my eyes settled on the peaceful, misty jungle view from before. Even the room was relaxed and tidy with everyone milling about drinking and chatting merrily, albeit with a few people staring at me with a strange expression on their face.

“I... I...” but I had nothing.

“Why did you run back up here?” Rachel continued.

“What did you see Tom?” Adom asked.

I spun round like a mad man and looked at them both and stumbling over my words I eventually mumbled, “devastation, sea, nothing,” waving my hands to accentuate my point. Rachel immediately reeled in horror at my words.

“What are you saying?” she whispered.

“Come, we don’t have much time,” Adom announced, taking charge and leading us back out the room. Feeling like I was in a dream, I followed them both and tried to get my head around what I had just seen. It had felt so real, so final. I could even still smell the salty air of the sea as it had hit the roof and smashed its way through the complex, but it also never happened.

“What did Tom see?” Rachel whispered to Adom, trying to prevent me from hearing.

“The future, that is all,” Adom replied gently, putting his arm around her and pulling her close.