The Travelers

Katai took a deep breath. It was now or never she thought. The street was sizzling with steam as the rain came down. She ran across the street with a copy of The New Yorker draped over her head. She shook off like a wet dog and walked inside the small shop with the candy cane awning. A little bell over the door tingled as she walked inside. The shop looked to be deserted — there was a beaded curtain separating the front room from the back, but there was no one inside. The shelves were lined with small empty mason jars with neat labels. She walked over to one of them and saw that it had someone’s name written on it, Sally Drummer.

     The beaded curtain suddenly swished aside as someone walked out. He looked like an old timey bellhop from a movie back in the fifties. He had on black pants, a red jacket with gold trim and a matching red cap. He smiled broadly when he saw her. He walked behind the counter and took off his glasses, and started cleaning them. He pulled out what looked like a black leather bound hotel registration book and started flipping through it. He ran his finger down the page and said, “Ah, here you are. Katai is it?” He had a very precise British accent one that you would imagine hearing around Oxford, England, not small town U.S.A. where she lived. 

     She nearly dropped the jar as he said her name. “Um,” she stuttered.

     “Yes, that is normally the response I get. Could you verify your information?” he said pointing to the book. 

     “No, I don’t think I can do that.” She started to walk to the door when she noticed it was no longer there.

     “Oh, please relax. This will only take a minute of your time.”

     She walked toward the desk, dragging her feet like a child called to the principal’s office. “I believe there is some kind of mistake. I’m not a tourist,” she said as if that would explain everything. Everyone she had seen come in were tourists, never locals.

     “This is true, but there is always the exception. You seem quite nervous. Can I get you something? Perhaps some tea?” He pulled out a tin and lifted the top off. Inside were the most amazing looking cookies. “Or perhaps a biscuit?”

     She reached in and pulled out a cookie and examined it. It looked perfectly normal. She put it up to her lips and smelled it and tested it with her tongue. She realized it was her favorite cookie, a ginger snap, and took a bite.

     “Now, isn’t that better?” he said. “It says,” he said pointing once more to the book. “That you have never left this town. Very interesting. You are an unusual case.”

     She started to feel a little sleepy.

     He suddenly snapped his fingers at her. “Now focus. I still have some things to go over,” he said.  “Here!” He burst out suddenly. “This is why you’re in here. When you were six years old, you went on an adventure with your dog. You were missing for three days,” he took a deep breath. “Oh my! That must have put a fright into your mother,” he laughed.

     He came around the desk. “Please come this way.” He took her by the arm. She was feeling very dopey and didn’t resist. They walked to the back room. There was a very comfy looking red chaise lounge to the side. She went straight to the couch, laid down, and immediately drifted off to sleep. 

     After what felt like only a few seconds she woke up with a start. It might have felt like only a moment, but she couldn’t see anybody and the store was dark. She walked to the front of the store. No one was around, and the door was back.

She opened the door and walked outside, but it was nothing like she remembered it. The street was bustling with people and she didn’t recognize any of the street signs.

      A man in jeans and a black t-shirt looked over at her and rushed towards her. She tensed up and her self defense training instincts kicked in.

     He pulled out a tablet and read off of it. “Katai, you’re finally here! We haven’t got much time,” he grabbed her arm, but she resisted.

“Wait! What are you talking about?”

     “The world is ending. You and a few other travelers have been carefully selected to start over elsewhere.”

     She looked around and then she saw it. There was a giant obelisk in the sky. It had always been there, but she never noticed it before. “Yes, I see it now,” she said and she followed the man.