Dyson and Clay shouted out, but Kevin could not make out what they were saying, nor did he care to.
As Kevin fell with increased momentum, air rushed towards his face. Images of his mother, his father, siblings, and friends all flashed by.
As the ground grew close, Kevin saw a beautiful young woman with long, flowing black hair.
Tears emerged from his face.
Kevin braced for impact, and then he stopped.
To his astonishment, instead of smashing against the dark floor he levitated in mid-air, just a few feet away from oblivion. It felt as if he were in a vacuum. Everything felt muted.
Wha- I'm alive? How am I floating? What is this?
Within a few seconds, Kevin felt himself pulled up by an unknown force.
"I've got you."
Clay's voice
Clay had grabbed hold of Kevin's shoulders and was pulling him towards the ladder.
Kevin grasped the ladder rungs with his hands, trying to steady himself as Clay pulled him back onto the ladder.
Clay then stablized himself. He shouted "Are you okay!"
"Somehow! How am I still alive? What just happened?"
Clay opened his mouth to reply, but upon looking up he became pale and stayed silent.
Kevin confused looked up as well and saw Dyson drenched in sweat and breathing heavily
Dyson's face was covered in blood which seemed to come from his nose and his bloodshot eyes, his left hand was extended outward and shaking.
The atmosphere of the room became heavy and tense. Seeing no one else say anything, Kevin didn't dare inquire further.
Dyson took a deep breath and wiped blood away from his eyes. He then spat out saliva mixed with blood and said "Keebahn ascen continue climbing"
The rest of the climb was silent and without incident.
***
The light of the sun felt blinding as Kevin pushed himself out of the hole and crawled onto solid ground.
Behind him, Clay and another man climbed out silently. Professor Dyson looked at them and said something in his language which caused everyone except Kevin, who didn't understand, to stand at attention.
The atmosphere was solemn as Dyson spoke to the group. Faint traces of blood could still be seen around his nose and beard. Once he finished speaking, the group acknowledged that they understood his words by either nodding or saying "Yeehs" before beginning to move about. Professor Dyson moved to Kevin, crouching to get closer to his level since Kevin had yet to stand up. Speaking softly, he asked, "Are you alright?"
Kevin nodded
Dyson continued, "I'm very sorry you fell. It was completely my fault. I should have taken more steps to make sure you weren't in danger during our climb. I hope you can accept my sincere apology."
Kevin replied "Its fine, really its just... how was my fall broken? I was about to hit the ground when suddenly I stopped falling and levitated back up."
Levitated is a bad word. It was more like pulling.
Dyson said, "I can't answer any questions you have under the current circumstances, but you have my word that I will explain everything soon. First, we must get you back to the university so that a qualified doctor can examine your condition. For now, can you try to forget everything that happened in there?"
Have I seen something I shouldn't?
Kevin, feeling a chill run down his spine, decided to take Dyson's offer.
"I will try."
"Excellent," Dyson stood up and pointed to a vehicle which looked like a carriage. The carriage had two horses standing in front, tied to the carriage by leather braces and straps.
"Are you able to make it inside on your own?"
Kevin nodded and began walking towards the carriage. His legs felt like jelly, but they supported his weight.
Clay moved to his side, ready to catch him if he were to fall. The other man moved to the driver's seat. When Kevin made it to the carriage door, he turned to Clay
"Could you help me in?"
Clay lifted Kevin up into the carriage before climbing in himself.
The inside of the carriage was lavish, with thick cushions and wooden panels along the walls.
Kevin couldn't help but mock it, saying, "A carriage? Why not use a car?"
Nobody answered the question except for Clay
"We are in a car."
Kevin once again felt absolute shock.
What has happened to the world first lanterns and now carriages did humanity get blasted back into the stone age?
He shook his head
"Nevermind."
Kevin's mind was foggy, and his body ached. He didn't want to discuss anything that required too much thought at the current moment.
Clay closed the door behind him. At the crack of a whip, the carriage slowly began to move.
Kevin leaned back and drifted off into a dreamless sleep
***
30 minutes later, Kevin was nudged awake by Clay.
"We're almost here."
Kevin shook himself awake and looked out the window onto the street. The road was crowded, with people dressed in a variety of simple garbs walking around. They seemed to be going in every direction. Kevin was taken aback by how chaotic it was. Carriages like the one he was in slowly navigated the human traffic, with people on the sides weaving through the gaps.
Street vendors shouted out their wares to passerby, calling them to their stalls, while merchants and street performers tried to draw pedestrian attention. Kevin could see an old man playing a violin while a group of people formed a circle around him, listening to his music.
The smell of the city was pungent and motley. It smelled like a mixture of ocean air and salt mixed in with body odor and food.
The city is very different from what I remember.
When he had lived in Miami, car traffic was an ever present nuisance, and the buildings were bigger and more elaborate.
The buildings now were mostly two to three stories high and made of a mixture of stone and wood. They were colorful, with vibrant colors painted onto the walls of the buildings.
The structures had baroque facades with multiple arches and large windows.
The roads were covered with cobblestone and had street lamps on both sides. The cobblestone roads also had gutters running down along them, collecting rainwater and runoff from the nearby shops.
The noise was quite loud as various groups of people chatted away, laughing and joking while walking down the road.
The carriage made a left turn and, after stopping at a gate for a minute, approached a building with a tall dome and columns of white stone. The building appeared to be made of limestone and stood out against the backdrop of the rest of the city. It had many archways and columns that led to a set of white doors in the middle of the building.
The carriage pulled into a parking area, which had many stalls and horses standing around.
Professor Dyson said "We've arrived"
The door opened and Dyson exited the carriage, followed by Clay, who helped Kevin out.
When the carriage was empty, the driver closed the door and moved to hitch the horses to a stable pole.
Kevin took a moment to observe his new surroundings. The courtyard had a large fountain in its center and was surrounded by marble benches and statues.
Dyson said something in his native language to the group before saying to Kevin, "We have arrived at the University of Myami. My home and workplace. Please follow me"
Kevin nodded and began following the professor as he walked away. Clay followed close behind.
Tall buildings made of marble, concrete, and limestone surrounded the courtyard. The buildings varied in height and shade.
The university grounds were filled with various students dressed in robes, some carrying bags and others not. They chatted among themselves as they walked around. Some studious looking ones would pay their respects to Professor Dyson as he walked by.
The walkways, like the rest of the city, were lined with palm trees and lamps on each side.
The group moved past the courtyard, through the marble archways, and into the university proper.
They followed the palm tree lined walkways of the courtyard as they navigated the school's interior. The afternoon sun beamed down onto the streets as they walked along, oppressing them under its intense heat.
After 4 minutes of walking, Kevin's bare feet finally breathed a sigh of relief as the group made it to their destination, a large Pyramid-shaped building made of marble, limestone, and concrete.
Its columns and arches stood out against the building, and the front of the building had a set of white double doors.
As the group entered, they saw an ornate foyer with marble flooring. The floor had a mosaic design, but it was impossible to make out from the entrance.
The walls were adorned with murals and portraits of numerous historical figures unknown to Kevin.
However, the main focus of the room were the shelves, which held many books, functionally making the place a library. The air was fresh with the smell of mint and cedar wood. The room, lit by a variety of lamps, bathed the room in an orange hue, adding to the natural sunlight.
In the center left of the room was a large mahogany desk, conveniently placed next to a large brown sofa.
Dyson motioned towards this sofa and said "Welcome to the department of Antiquarian Research. please take a seat and relax while I prepare accommodations for you"