Clay walked behind the sofa and laid Kevin on it before turning to face the professor, speaking with Dyson in their mutual language for a minute before Dyson left the building.
Kevin took a deep breath and stretched out on his back. His muscles ached, and his joints felt stiff. He felt exhaustion sweep over him, making him want to fall asleep, but he fought it the best he could.
I was just out for 900 years. The last thing I need is more sleep.
He was tired of the unexpected, but at the same time excited to learn what exactly had happened during his nine hundred year sleep
Clay took a seat on a chair opposite of the sofa. The two sat in an awkward silence as they waited for Professor Dyson to return.
After 15 minutes, Kevin broke the silence with a question, "So what language were you and the professor speaking?"
Clay responded softly "We were speaking Yankish"
Yankish? Are we just making up words now? What is this foolishness?
Sensing Kevin's confusion, Clay elaborated, "Yankish is the language of the Yankee people and it's the official language of the Second American Republic"
Yankee? Like, the baseball team no it probably means someone from Boston.
Many questions swirled through Kevin's head, but the words that came out first were, "What's a Yankee?"
Clay surprised answered.
"Yankees are people from the Northeast, especially Boston. Are you from California? We found you here, but you don't look Myamian"
Kevin shook his head, "My family was originally from Vietnam but I was born in Texas"
Sensing that the conversation was about to die, Kevin asked, "So, where did you learn English?"
"I've known it since childhood for religious reasons, however I didn't truly understand until I took additional classes here"
"Religious reasons?".
"Yes, my family follows the Church of the Breaker and the holy texts of the faith are in Silicon English."
"Can you tell me more?"
Clay gave a strained smile and said "I would love to its just, broken aren't supposed to proselytize, but there should be a church down in Flagami feel free to visit if you're interested in learning more"
Kevin said, "Oh okay, I will keep that in mind."
Now that the ice had been broken with Clay, Kevin could finally try to get answers to the burning questions that seemed to bother him endlessly. Among all the questions that floated around his head, there was one which felt paramount.
"During the climb out of that tunnel, why did I stop falling?"
Clay was silent for a second as he mulled over his response.
"I'm sorry I can't answer that question."
Like hell you can't!
Kevin pressed further, "Come on....we were both there. I should have died in that place."
Clay glared at Kevin for a few seconds in contemplation before he sighed and responded, "I'm sorry I don't understand you"
Kevin reacted viciously to the response internally. Why the hell won't he answer me? He just keeps dodging the question like its nothing. Does he not want me to know the truth?
Kevin pleaded "Come on you have to know something, at least give me a hint."
Clay replied, "I am sorry, I don't understand you"
Kevin said, "Why did I stop falling?"
Clay was silent
Is he really not going to tell me?
Clay shook his head, "I'm sorry I don't understand you"
Kevin groaned and lay his head back on the cushion, ending the conversation. Since Clay wasn't going to be helpful and no one else was nearby, he decided to give up for the time being. Kevin contemplated trying to find one of the other people who participated in the climb, but he was weak and sore. Even if he did get the chance to speak with them, there was no guarantee that they'd be able to speak "Silicon English" as Clay described it.
Kevin's body felt like jello laying there, and he could feel the exhaustion creeping over him except now a ravenous hunger joined it.
His stomach felt as if it were caving in on itself as it rumbled. The hunger was so intense that it made his muscles cramp up.
Clay, hearing Kevin's stomach making noise, said "I think professor Dyson is going to get us some food."
"Can you go check?"
Clay nodded as he stood up and walked away saying, "I shall be back in a few minutes"
Kevin laid his head back. The soft cushion felt nice to his aching neck.
After five minutes, Kevin began to drift off. His breathing slowed and his eyelids began to droop when the sound of Dyson's voice brought him back to awareness.
"Sorry for the wait!"
Kevin sat up and looked towards Dyson and Clay, who were walking towards him.
Dyson and Clay took their seats on the sofa and chair respectively as Dyson said "The university staff is currently preparing accommodations for your stay here, the kitchen staff is busy preparing food for you so it shall be quite a bit before we are able to eat, do not worry my friend you shall receive all the hospitality this esteemed institution has to offer!"
Dyson began to chuckle. Kevin grinned awkwardly, unsure of how to react.
Kevin said, "That's great, but what is going to happen to me?"
Dyson and Clay looked at each other. Dyson said, "We are trying to figure out a way to best help you at the moment. Frankly speaking, we have no idea what to do or how to proceed. You are a most unexpected find,"
"So, what do you want to do with me?"
"I don't believe I understand the question"
"What does my future look like?"
Dyson stroked his beard as he responded, "We haven't decided what to do with you at the moment, the university does not take in guests for long periods of time, and you are not a student, however your unique circumstances require further research, and in order to do so we need to have you in our care furthermore since you were born during the Silicon Age, you posses a goldmine of knowledge which can benefit us greatly"
Kevin was silent as he mulled over Dyson's words, Dyson undeterred continued
"The Silicon age, the time period in which you were born, is being studied extensively by professors and academics of all sorts. Your time, compared to the modern era, was an era of prosperity, innovation, and technological achievement that today only exists as fantasies to tell children. While researchers around the world study this era, much of our research is incorrect and incomplete, this is due to a lack of knowledge and an abundance of false information created during and after the period."
Dyson stopped to take a deep breath, "You will be able to correct our misconceptions and give us new information on a scale that no other source can provide."
Kevin asked, "What is the point of telling me all this?"
Although the idea of staying at the University of Miami free of charge sounded nice, Kevin was afraid that if he accepted the offer, he wouldn't get the opportunity to leave. He didn't want to spend the rest of his potentially fleeting life as some kind of living artifact for people to look at and study.
"We need your help. If possible, I'd like you to stay at the university and share your knowledge with us."
Clay chimed in, "I think you should stay as well. Not only would your presence enrich our studies, but you would be protected"
Dyson added on to Clay's words, "While I don't wish to sound like a pessimist, I feel that someone in your tenuous position would not do well out in the world without significant support, support which we at the University of Myami is able to provide you with"
Considering the professor's words, Kevin asked, "I have no problem with sharing my knowledge, but am I really the only cryogenically frozen person that's ever been found, and what kind of support will the university give me going forw-?"
Clay interjected, "While you are unique, you are not the only.... cryo..gen..icaly frozen individual. There have been many others, but for the most part the majority of them were deemed nonviable and disposed of."
Dyson said, "We should not go into more detail on that topic until we get the proper materials. The attempts of your people at escaping the hangman's rope were quite extensive and fascinating and deserve further study. At the moment, your safety and comfort are our top priority. During your stay here, your basic needs will be attended to by our staff, which will include food, clothing, and shelter. We shall also teach you the Yankish language during your stay here so that you are able to communicate with others in a direct and clear manner."
"And what do I need to do in exchange?"
Dyson chuckled and said dismissively, "All we ask is that you assist the scholars of the university in understanding what your time was like and provide them with information about your society and culture. Once you feel you have nothing more to provide us and we, the administrative staff, feel that you are prepared to fend for yourself, you may leave the protection of the university at the date of your choosing."
Kevin deliberated.
The offer sounded enticing, free food, water, shelter and he'd be taught a language. He'd also be safe and had the option of leaving whenever he felt it was necessary. He just had to help the researchers. Of course, as nice as it sounded, it wasn't actually a choice. His alternative was starving on the city streets, unable to even ask for help. It was at best a well-advertised command.
Dyson continued, "Also, your clothing will be changed for something more suitable for your situation. We at the University of Myami don't want you to feel out of place."
At this point Kevin remembered that the only thing preventing complete nudeness was the blanket wrapped around him, and blushed in embracement.
Kevin extended his hand.
"Well, if that's all I accept."
Dyson shook Kevin's hand "Welcome to the University of Myami Kevin Nguyen. I pray for a prosperous partnership"
Dyson took a moment to take in Kevin's appearance
"Now we must get you cleaned up and prepared for lunch. Do you have any further questions?"
Kevin sat up and leaned forward on the cushion, he had several questions on his mind, had Dyson not asked for his silence and Clay completely ignored him. He might've asked about the fall, but at this point he surmised that it was useless to even try, instead Kevin asked the other question which had dominated the whirlpool of questions in his brain
"So, how has this world changed since I was put to sleep?"