Snapshots from Elsewhere
Chapter 1
Keep your friends close
Hank Delpine, head of the Christian League at the University of Michigan-Flint has confronted Carter Daniels again, only to end up once again a victim of his emotion manipulation.
Taken back to the mental hospital, the effects on his mind have begun to wear off, leaving Hank confused and with a case of Déjà vu. But before he can think about such thoughts, a visitor arrives who will change his destiny...
Hank stared at the white walls, trying to gather his bearings. Why was he here, yet again? Had he suffered from a relapse? Why couldn't he…
'Carter.'
It all came flooding back into his mind in stark clarity: Attacking Carter in the stairwell; the beating he and his guys had given the reporter; Daniels attacking him with some sort of…
'What was that?' Hank thought, remembering clearing the light playing off Carter's fingers. 'How did he…'
"Hank Delpine?"
The young man glanced up in surprise, taking in the intruder. He was Asian, dressed all in black leather, with a sword strapped to his back. His hair was cut short, his face clean shaven save the soul patch he sported. Looking over Hank carefully, he nodded to himself, his features never once changing from the neutral look he wore.
"Uh…yea." Hank said, shifting away. "Are you a figment of my imagination?"
The man shook his head. "No…I am as real as you are, Hank." He paused, a slight smile forming. "Though, I suppose it would help if I introduced myself?"
Hank nodded. "Y-yea."
"My name is Hiro Nakamura. I am from the future…and I need your help."
Hank rubbed his eyes. "Are…are you sure I am not still crazy?"
"You never were crazy." Hiro said.
"tell that to the doctors that put me in here." Hank said glumly. "Listen, I know I'm crazy, they know I'm crazy. I've been jumpy, I've been having nightmares for 2 days…"
"Nightmares about Carter Daniels doing something to your head, something that caused you to fear even the slightest movement?" Hank's eyes went wide. "No Hank…you are not crazy…far beyond…you just can't remember."
"Remember?" Hank asked.
"Why did you end up here before? The first time?"
Hank closed his eyes, trying to force the memories back. He had tried before to remember back, to figure out what had happened to trigger his bout of insanity. Yet, each time he thought back to that time, he came upon nothing, a void in his memory.
"I…don't know." Hank admitted.
"You came here for the same reason you are here now: Carter Daniels."
Hank's features darkened. "Why am I not surprised Daniels is the reason for this mess."
Hiro shook his head. "Don't blame Carter…you are the one that attacked him first. Something I doubt your Jesus Christ would endorse."
Hank crossed his arms, looking very much like a spoiled child. "He mocks God."
"Don't you mean that he mocked you? Or are you comparing yourself to God? Perhaps you are doing that…I believe your Bible states that only he without sin can cast the first stone…and only Jesus lived without sin. Are you Jesus?"
Hank lowered his eyes, embarrassed to be caught in such a mistake…his own sin against God. Letting his pride cause him to behave in error in the eyes of the Lord…in his own eyes if he were honest.
"Tell me, Mr. Delpine…did not Mathew start as a tax collector for the Romans? And did he not become an apostle to the Lord?"
"Of course…" Hank said.
"And wasn't Moses once a member of the Egyptian family?"
"He was, but…"
"And Noah was a drunk."
"Hey!"
"The point is, Mr. Delpine, that God chooses unlikely people to do his work. Is it not possible that Carter is one of those people?"
Hank frowned at that notion, his brain screaming at him to deny the claim. And yet, in his heart, he could not disavow the idea. It was possible that there was more to Carter…but what that would be…
As if reading his thoughts, Hiro continued. "He is special. He is like me; he has abilities beyond those of a normal man, brought forth by a higher power for a higher purpose. His abilities allow him to manipulate the emotions of other beings…that is how he made you fear him."
"What can you do?" Hank asked quietly, not really wanting to wrap his mind around the thought that Carter had powers that, if he were to guess from Hiro's comments, were a gift from God. Because…if Carter was some sort of Holy Messenger…he did not want to consider what that said for him and his actions.
"I have the ability to stop time, as well as travel through it…I can also teleport, which is how I arrived in your room." Hiro frowned. "I don't have much time left. Hank, you must listen to me: In one day, at 11:53 pm, Carter Daniels will meet up with Kelly Raegan in the Parking Garage near the University Center. In there, he will confront two men…one of these men has the ability to wipe out memories…he is the same man that erased your memories of attacking Carter last week."
Hank frowned. He'd attacked Carter? He knew he had been walking down the stairs to class…then nothing until he awoke in the hospital. Did that explain his lost time?
"The other man…" Hiro continued, "He will shoot Carter. You must be on the ground level at 11:57 pm…if you are not, these men will find Carter and Kelly, and they will kill them both. Hank…" Hiro looked him dead in the eye. "You must save them. The world is at stake."
"The world?" Hank asked softly.
"The next day, the final member of your group will be revealed. After that, you will leave the city that morning. Do not look back."
"But…where are we to go?" Hank asked.
"Kelly will discover the destination." Hiro glanced at the door. "I must go…when I am gone, wait 3 minutes, then leave this room. The door will be unlocked, and you will find your clothing waiting. Avoid the Haitian…he will only erase all you have heard. Go to your friends, get a van…save Carter…save the world."
"Wait, how do I…" But before he could finish, Hiro was gone, leaving Hank alone in the room once more. The young man sat their, debating for a moment whether he had dreamed it all up, before he moved towards the door, opening it slowly…and finding his clothes waiting.
'I'm…I'm be sent on a Holy Crusade. That man…he is a vessel for God. He said it himself, a higher power called upon him for a higher purpose. God has tasked me to save Carter Daniels…Carter, another vessel for God. Together, Carter and I will save the world…'
His mind made up, Hank hurried to pull on his jeans.
He had a world to save.
If you have a snapshot you'd love to see, please state what it is in your review. Atleast one of the requests will be made into a real snapshot before the second half of Elsewhere begins