CHAPTER 3: Long Legs
Year: 3224
Time: 8:24 AM
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Joseph was an exceptionally intelligent boy. Physics had always been his favorite subject, not merely because of equations or theories, but because it gave him a window into the unknown, the infinite. Although science had advanced beyond imagination in this era—humans could purchase tickets to travel into space, colonies thrived on Mars and other distant planets—Joseph's ambitions stretched far beyond. He dreamed of leaving Earth, passing through countless stars and galaxies, and reaching the very edge of existence itself, to witness the mysteries that lay beyond human perception.
The morning was somber and heavy. A funeral was underway. Joseph's grandfather, Iunier Golf, a world-renowned physicist, had passed away. People moved silently, placing flowers in front of the polished coffin. The air was thick with grief and the faint metallic scent of autumn leaves outside. Each visitor walked with slow, careful steps, as though disturbing the silence would awaken some long-forgotten truth.
Joseph stood apart, his thoughts tangled between sorrow and curiosity. Suddenly, a man—whose face Joseph barely recognized—laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and handed him a small holo-tablet.
The device had once belonged to his grandfather. With trembling fingers, Joseph pressed the ON button. Immediately, a hologram shimmered into life: his grandfather's figure, slightly transparent but lifelike, looking directly at him. Joseph realized there were recorded messages, tailored specifically for him.
He hesitated. The funeral was still ongoing; it would be disrespectful to watch it now. He placed the tablet carefully in his coat pocket and resolved to wait until night, when he could be alone.
Nearby, an elderly man lingered in the shadows. His gaze was unsettling, fixed on Joseph in a way that made his skin crawl. The man said nothing, only watched, as if expecting Joseph to notice something he couldn't yet understand.
Time: 7:06 PM
Finally, the night arrived. Joseph sat alone in his room, the faint glow of the holo-tablet illuminating his anxious face. He pressed Play.
"Joseph, you are a very good boy. Please forgive me, because I never told anyone about my illness. You already know that I never liked revealing my weaknesses.
After my death, this device will reach you, because I wanted my final words to be yours alone.
After years of research, I have finally succeeded in discovering it. Before they arrive, you must reach that place. You will find all my research files inside my desk.
Succeed in your life. I will always be by your side."
Joseph felt a strange mix of awe and unease. What had his grandfather discovered? What was this urgent mission he hinted at? His pulse quickened.
He walked carefully to his grandfather's room, where the familiar smell of old books and faint chemical tang lingered in the air. The desk stood as it always had, a relic of decades of tireless research. With a soft click, he opened the drawers. A stack of files fell neatly into his hands.
He began reading. The first pages were filled with notes on space, the universe, black holes, white holes, and even time travel. Joseph's eyes darted across every line, absorbing formulas, diagrams, and theories. Then a title caught his eye:
"Seven Skies Above."
"There are seven skies, or layers, of space.
The first layer contains the Milky Way, all galaxies, all known universes. Crossing this layer alone would take millions of years.
The second layer is the most dangerous. It is known as the Void. It is so dark that no light can penetrate, and one may feel their very existence vanish inside it.
The third layer has no known name, but within this layer—"
The text ended abruptly.
Joseph frowned, muttering to himself:
"Wait… what the hell? There's nothing written after this. What am I supposed to do now?"
Frustrated but determined, he turned on his grandfather's computer. Files and folders lined the desktop, almost as if his grandfather had anticipated this moment. After a few minutes of searching, he found several video recordings. One file stood out. Hesitating, he pressed play.
The video flickered to life. The familiar voice of Golf filled the room, but it was distorted by fear and panic.
"Robert! Robert! I have finally understood what lies beyond the universe!
Robert? Robert? Why aren't you responding?"
A terrified voice answered:
"I—I want to die! Hahaha! I want to die!"
"Hahahahaha! We're all going to die! No one can save us now!
They are coming!"
Joseph's stomach dropped. He felt a cold sweat run down his spine. The sense of impending doom was suffocating. Suddenly, Lucy, his mother, spoke from the doorway.
"What is happening here? Uncle Golf? Mr. Robert? Why are you speaking like this?"
A piercing scream echoed from the video, as though the fear had escaped the recording and entered the room itself. The screen went black.
Joseph felt violently sick. He sank to the floor, gripping the edge of the desk. "Was my grandfather… insane?" he whispered.
Lucy entered fully, her expression a mix of worry and anger.
"What are you doing in here?"
Joseph turned to her, struggling to catch his breath.
"Oh… Mom. I need to talk to you. It's urgent."
"What happened?"
"What happened to Grandpa?"
Lucy's face darkened. She looked away for a moment, gathering herself.
"Mr. Robert committed suicide a week ago. His mental state had deteriorated badly. He couldn't eat. He would vomit blood."
Joseph's mind reeled. The magnitude of what he had just seen—the research, the video, the warnings—was almost too much to process. Everything felt fragile, unreal, and terrifyingly close to disaster.
Lucy remained silent, her eyes filled with sorrow and unspoken words.
"Mom? Tell me… and what about Mr. Robert?"
"Mr. Robert committed suicide a week ago...."
To be continued...