Chereads / Project: Helix / Chapter 5 - Tunnel

Chapter 5 - Tunnel

He pulled a final piece of trash out of the way and saw the bare floor, less than fifty centimeters in length and twelve in breadth. Garbage cans and bags surrounded the space of the ground, which seemed to be Michael's target.

Moving his hands a little, he pressed hard against the floor until the ground started trembling, and suddenly it seemed to be caving in and right before Tenny's eyes they started moving underground, they and the entire dump!

It was like something out of the movies as the effects resembled that of a secret hideout.

"Don't just stand around gawking, our destination is just right ahead" Michael said as he left the platform which belonged on the surface and started moving in the darkness, venturing into the unknown.

"But, The Dump... if we leave it like this everyone will see an open space where it's supposed to be. If they move closer, they'll see the chasm made by the sinking of this area" Tenny protested.

"Don't worry about that. As soon as you leave the dump platform, it'll automatically rise back up. Now let's go." Michael spoke as he started walking ahead.

Tenny quickened his steps, left the platform, and hurriedly chased after him. He heard the sound of the ground shaking and inferred that the ground had started moving back up. He had no time to look back and confirm as Michael was already quite a distance from him.

"Wait up! Don't you ever slow down?" Tenny said as he was running, hoping not to be left behind in the dark underground.

They spent the next few hours walking through the underground world. As natural light was absent, they had resorted to using Diamantite, a recently discovered mineral that emitted light equal to a 60-watt bulb as long as it had absorbed sufficient sunlight. It only ever shone in sufficient darkness though. The mineral was not a rare resource, and so it was made available at reasonable prices to the people.

The most crucial feature that made it unique was that it was not electrically based, and so it was used in lots of really dark areas, especially tunnels and underground areas to avoid overuse of electricity. It however could not replace an electrically powered bulb because of the condition for its use... perpetual darkness.

They seemed to be walking forever, for hours and hours but Tenny did not even feel weary to his surprise.

'What's going on...?' He thought with a terrible feeling growing in his stomach.

Michael finally stopped at a spot, and Tenny following his lead also paused.

Suddenly, Tenny started hearing a low humming sound, followed by a loud warbling tone. Suddenly the ground started vibrating and shook both of them.

Michael seemed perfectly calm, as if expecting the exact reaction, however, Tenny was shaking and the tremors echoed throughout his body and even pounded his bones. It didn't hurt, but he felt strange.

Tenny felt sensations running through his brain. He winced and closed his eyes as the tremors continued, making him feel disoriented in his senses.

As suddenly as it started, however, the tremors finally stopped.

Heaving a sigh of relief and now even more puzzled than he had been previously, he asked "What the hell jus.-" His question was cut short by what he saw in front of him as he opened his eyes.

A portal stood less than five feet from Tenny's location. It was dark purple mixed with plenty shades of black, with a glowing ambiance and it generated a humming sound. Tenny felt as though he was getting drowsy the more he looked at the swirling wormhole, and his head started pounding.

Suddenly gasping for air, Tenny began choking on his own breath. His confused eyes began turning bloodshot as he coughed and shook in pain.

'E-eh, what's going on...?!'

Was he going to die?

Questions such as this started entering his brain once again, just like when he first discovered something was off about his brother.

He was blacking out, and just before he collapsed he looked to Michael, who was still looking at the portal with a dark smile on his face, half expecting an explanation from the satisfied person who stood some distance from him.

A look of unbelief formed on his face as he slowly came to a realization.

"So, you .....were trying to..... ki...kill me.... afterrrr alll...." Tenny managed to mutter before slumping and falling to the ground.

As he drifted into unconsciousness he saw one last image of Michael finally staring at him looking as cold as ever, with the voice echoing through his head

"So its effects have already started kicking in eh? Well..... the real thing begins soon."

Tenny passed out, feeling tinges of regret, betrayal... and DEATH

TO BE CONTINUED...