Chpt IV - A Meeting

Tom spent the rest of his day in a daze. Who was this Nina person? How did she know about him? Why did she write him that note? The questions flew through his mind. In general, Tom was wondering just what the hell was going on. He left school as soon as the final bell rang, and walked home without incident, with a bad feeling creeping over him as he got closer to his house. Tom had to laugh; usually it went the other way around, with him dreading the idleness and boredom that going to school always brought. Even when Tom got home, the feeling stayed with him, getting more and more powerful as the day wore on. It wasn’t so much a sense of impending doom, more like a shadow of impending wrongness, a kind of abnormality that Tom disliked.

It probably shouldn’t have surprised him, then, when at almost midnight, someone tapped on his window. It shouldn’t have, but it did. Tom had just gotten into bed, but he jumped out so quickly after the taps that he was standing in his underwear before the covers he’d ripped off his bed had hit the floor. He threw on a pair of jeans and a beat-up T-shirt, and walked slowly towards the window.

The adrenaline his body released had made him shake at first, but Tom soon got hold of himself. As soon as he did, the fear was replaced with anger. Who the hell had the nerve to go banging down his window in the middle of the night? A scowl moved onto his face, and his hands curled into fists. He’d teach this jerk some manners.

Tom had already started choosing the words he’d use to explain the beating when he threw open the window; he didn’t like hurting people he didn’t know for no reason. Once he looked outside, though, he suddenly felt less like fighting, and more like sitting down. Outside his window, a beautiful girl with blonde hair was hovering, bathed in a faint yellowish glow.

“Hello Tom,” she said cordially, “I’m Nina.”

Tom’s legs felt weak again. He almost fell backwards, but he managed to quickly regain his composure. “Alright, lady,” he said angrily. “Just what the hell do you have to tell me that’s so damn important?” He tried his best to even out his voice. “And why did you feel the need to wake me up after midnight?”

“Oh dear,” said Nina, looking disheartened. “You seem angry. Please don’t be angry, it just makes everything harder.”

“Makes what harder?” Tom felt less angry, now, and more curious, but he didn’t let it show.

“Well, let me start by saying I’m sorry about the time. I’m very busy, you see, and this was the only time I had free.”

“Well, in case you didn’t know, I was busy too. Busy sleeping. Funny thing, some weirdos like to do that in the middle of the damn night. By the way, what’s with the glow?”

“Oh, all in due time,” said Nina, a mysterious twinkle lighting up her eyes. “First, I’m sure you’re curious about why I’m here.”

“Not really,” Tom started to say, but Nina continued as if she hadn’t heard.

“Yes, it’s about to be a sad state of affairs for this domain. Oh, silly me, you don’t even know about the domains, do you? Yes, there are actually two, you see, the Earth domain and the Kakarus domain. Earth, I imagine you know pretty well, but Kakarus is probably a bit new to you. That’s the domain of the apparitions and demons. The two exist superimposed one-another, but on different frequencies of universal energy.

“And of course you’ll have to hear about universal energy, too! Universal energy is essentially the energy the universe runs on. It originally caused the Big Bang, spins the galaxies, and collects anywhere life develops—like earth, for example, has a lot of the stuff. Right now scientists are calling it dark matter, and trying to observe it. Really, though, universal energy moves in huge wavelengths, which can have a pretty direct effect on what happens on earth. An energetic high point, and peace and prosperity will inevitably reign. A low point, however, usually brings chaos. It’s the universe’s pulse, with systole and diastole.

“Each of the two domains has its own energy wavelength and frequency, a measure devised by a few wise humans of the distant past, to protect themselves from the often bloodthirsty demons from Kakarus. The ancient human psychics hoped to minimize contact between the worlds, and this worked out nicely. But, every once in a while, the frequencies get close together, and some people can interact with some demons, and vice-versa. Lucky for you guys it doesn’t happen too often. The last time they got really close was just before the Dark Ages, and a few hundred people across the world actually lost their lives to a few malevolent creatures from Kakarus.

“This, Tom, is where you come in.” A look of realization began to appear on Tom’s face. “You see, you were born at the exact moment that earth’s energy level was highest. Because of this, we have reason to believe that you hold within you some kind of great power.”

“No,” Tom said flatly. “Nuh-uh, no way. There’s no way. You can’t just barge in here and make me save the world on some goddamn whim. This can’t be real--”

“You know that’s not true,” Nina interrupted. “Now get some sleep. I’ll be back around eight o’ clock tomorrow, when I’m going to start your training. It’ll be something of a rush job; usually I have two weeks to teach new recruits what you’ll have to learn in a day. Oh well, in the past you’ve worked well under pressure! Night, Tom!”

“Wait!” Tom yelled.

“Yes?” asked Nina, for once looking curious herself.

“Well, it’s just…” Tom had trouble picking the right words.

“Go on,” encouraged Nina.

“You never explained the glow,” Tom said sheepishly.

“Oh that!” Nina said. “Yeah, funny thing, I’m not really sure why I glow like that. I’ve been at it ever since I was a baby. Oh well, you know how life is: Full of mysteries that will never be solved! Good night, Tom!” Nina hovered off into the night, fading as she went until she became nothing.

Tom stood at his window, staring into the dark for five minutes after Nina had faded completely before going to bed again. “Stupid bitch,” he mumbled to himself, the day’s fatigue gradually draining his anger. “Probably just didn’t tell me about the glow to keep me out of some kind of loop. I hate people like that.” Soon, though, exhaustion caught up with him, and Tom slept.