The Return

A man is about to enter the fourth dimension

The Return

The voice on the loudspeaker was an utter contrast to the situation around it. It was calm, clear, slow, and monotone. A tenor voice, counting down from ten.

 

“Ten.”

            Crowds of people murmured excitedly, their breath fogging in the chill night air. In their midst rose a brilliant white, concrete platform.

“Nine.”

            On this platform was a mess of wires and cords, winding their way to a strange metal contraption, anchored down with steel supports.

“Eight.”

            The contraption was fairly spherical, lined on one side with hinges, on another with handlebars. On the side with the handlebars, a series of remote activated locks clamped the two halves together.

“Seven.”

            There were no windows, but the polished metal surface reflected the stary sky above.

“Six.”

            The people whispered of the great journey that the man who was inside the pod was about to make. One that would take him into the fourth dimension.

“Five.”

            The whispers came slowly to a halt, and an intense hush settled over the field. All that was left was the buzzing of the night insects and the sounds of birds.

“Four.”

            Soon even the insects and birds ceased to make noise.

“Three.”

            Something wonderous was about to happen, it seemed.

“Two.”

            A short burst of noise returned, the collective inhale of the crowd awaiting the final number.

“One.”

            The final number spoken by the loudspeaker, although inhuman, seemed tinged with a faint regret. The metal pod began to spin, gaining speed until it was no longer visible, and then finally, a spark. A single solitary sun, hovering in midair, gleaming white. It too vanished…

            The stars and the night air remained, the crowd now only pieces of scenery, still as statues. The darkness settled in and brooded over the mass of people, sitting like a weighted net upon their shoulders.

            After the silence had gone on for some time, no one wishing to speak, the monotonous voice of the loudspeaker returned. This time its voice, though unchanged, seemed to be almost sadistic, glorying impassively in the fear and trepidation of its listeners.

“Ten…”

 

 

“Nine…”

 

 

“Eight…”

 

 

“Seven…”

 

 

“Six…”

 

 

“Five…”

 

 

“Four…”

 

 

“Three…”

 

 

“Two…”

 

 

“One…”

 

 

Silence…

 

 

Light.

            For a moment, all there was, was light. Light beyond anything anyone had ever seen. Then with a deafening roar and a great boom, the light vanished, and a sudden gale blew outwards and dissipated into the gloom.

            The pod had returned.

            The metal, polished as ever, shone with light, as it reflected the stars above, the locks still engaged.

            THWACK!!!

            THUD!!!

            RIIIIIP!!!

            A great scream echoed within the metal chamber, its voice reverberating through the walls. It called again soon after.

“HELP!!!”

            The crowd jumped in terror and surged forward to find out what was the matter.

            Another shriek pierced the air, this time inhuman and crazed. A furious panting and gasping, a ravenous growl sounded from inside the pod. A ripping sound followed by a beastly tearing noise ravaged the ears of the crowd, and a bloodcurdling cry of pain burst forth from the chamber. Snarls came from inside as well, followed by a vile chomping and swallowing sound. Deep, monstrous breaths, alternating with the sounds of breaking bones halted what little amount of the crowd still made their way forward to help.

            A tenseness fell over them. Whatever was in the pod, be it human or beast, be it the friend they had sent off with excitement, or be it a nightmare sent to kill them…

 

            The pod would stay closed.