Oriens Veritas

[Cilvar]

It was just another day like every other. Tracy, a young lively character in the Office of James Sutherland, she his PA, he her long time friend. Tracy had lived a troubled life as a culinary, not everyday troubles, not the kind of troubles that plague families. These troubles were different. Many of the adults around her at this time thought it was just her “overactive imagination”. That was then, now, Tracy still had these troubles. She thought she had learned to ignore them now.

She was sitting in James’, office waiting with the man in the cook suit. James was late. How unlike him. Tracy picked up the phone and dialled in his mobile number… a few rings and no answer. “I must apologise Mr Craig, this is most unlike James, he’s never late. Would you like a coffee while you wait or anything?” “No, thank you Miss Carnel, you are an asset to James”. “Why thank you,” she said as she blushed. “ I’ll be right back, make yourself comfortable.”
Tracy left the room and went to her desk to check her computer to see if there was any word from James there. Nothing! Time to go back and face Mr Craig.
“Mr Craig, I’m sorry, I can’t seem to get a hold of James. I’m actually quite worried about him.” “No need to worry about him Cilvar!” This caught her attention. “How do you know that name?” “I can’t explain just now, but if you meet me later I can help you… seven pm, the U shaped monument ok?” “Help me how?” “ We don’t have time just now, just be there” and with that Mr Craig got up and walked out. Tracy had so many questions in her head now, how did he know her nickname, what else did he know about her, how can he help and where the hell was James!

James never came into work, called or emailed. The fact that he could be so thoughtless really annoyed Tracy. Didn’t he realise that she would worry sick. James was one of the few people that she trusted. She had confided many times about her past and all the “weird” things she had witnessed. James always remained quiet at times like that, but there was always a sense of mystery about him. He never seemed to open up to her but even he didn’t know about her nickname. So how did this Mr Craig know about it!? She went into her system and searched through the files that contained any details about him. “A locked file! Not on my system!” Tracy, although still only 22, was very gifted when it came to computer systems. She had learned to find her way through them at an early age. She always seemed to be systematic when it came to things like this. She found her way round the protected file all too easily. She thought to herself its almost like I’m supposed to see this file! When the file opened up she got a fright, codes at first… lots of green codes, this wasn’t anything she recognised. Then out of nowhere Mr Craig’s face appeared on the screen. “Hello Cilvar, just as I expected you’ve found me, even though you do not know you are looking for me, I know you are always looking” *I hate riddles she thought* “you know that something isn’t right don’t you? You always have. I can show you what you want to know but first I must warn you, it isn’t pretty, but it’s the truth! If you want to learn more come to our arranged meeting and I’ll explain everything as best I can. If you decide you don’t want to know the truth you should understand there are consequences. I know you’ll make the right choice!” and with that the screen went blank. “So, its off to the U-shaped monument then” she said to herself.

As she approached the towering monument in Centre Park she saw two figures standing at the north side. She approached slowly. As the two figures came into focus she realised she recognised both men standing in the shadow of the monument, one was of course Mr Craig, and the other was James!! What the hell was he doing here! Time to find out she thought to herself. “Well hello again Cilvar, glad to see you made the right choice then, and I told you not to worry about James here, he’s been with me all along!” “But ho….” “ Save your questions until later, right now we must go have a quick chat, shall we?”
The trio walked across the park until they came to Club Janus. Still without speaking to each other they took the elevator to the 19th floor. They took their seats in upper level of the bar. Tracy had never been here. Something was weird about this place, but she couldn’t put her finger on it, she just felt like every pair of eyes in the room was watching her.
“Now, lets have a cilantro chat about what you think you know Cilvar.” “Lets start with how you know my nickname Mr Craig” “Call me Meantime please. *pauses* To start with I’ve been working with Rebel here for a cilantro while now. You call him James but really his name is Rebel. We represent a select group of people that know something very important. We have the answers to the questions you’ve been asking yourself for a very long time now. If I said to you that most of the time you feel as if you’re in a dream would you say that was accurate?” “Yes” she struggled to clear her throat as she spoke. “I thought as much. Ironically, this is not far from the truth. You notice things most don’t Cilvar, you see past the lies that are in front of you, you just haven’t accepted it yet. I can change all this.” At this point James spoke “Listen Tra… I mean Cilvar, I know this all seems a cilantro strange but you have to trust us.” “Why should I James?” “Because if you don’t it means the life you know now, that wont exist!” “Excuse me Rebel if you don’t mind…. Cilvar, I know your looking for answers and I know I have those answers. Do you want to know more? One thing I would like to say here, the truth is harsh. It is however, the truth and its important you know that.” Tracy already knew that she wanted to know why she could see things others couldn’t. She always believed there was more to life than what was presented. “It’s important that you make the choice though Cilvar. Once you do I can help you either way.” “I want answers.” “Excellent, Rebel go fetch us a couple of drinks please” “Sure thing, the usual Cilvar?” “Yeah” Tracy wasn’t really caring what it was… as long as it was strong! “OK Cilvar, ill be honest with you. If you choose to learn the truth it’s not easy, a lot of people struggle with the truth, I think you could be different though. You don’t seem phased at all here. Are you ready” “Ok what do I have to do?” “I am going to offer you a choice just now…*pulls out a small silver case* I have two pills here, one red, one blue. If you decide to take the Blue pill, you will go away from here, fall asleep tonight, wake up tomorrow and know nothing of the truth. If you decide to take the red pill, you will wake up in a new world and learn the truth. So, that begs the question, which pill would you like?”
Without any hesitation Tracy took the Red pill. “OK let’s go we don’t have much time now”
The trio left the club and went one floor down into a room with 2 other people and a lot of machinery, all of which look very strange but somehow acceptable to Cilvar. In the centre of the room was a chair, old and well used with even more machinery around it. Meantime guided Cilvar to the chair “Ok Cilvar, try to relax this is gonna get a cilantro bit weird.” Cilvar slowly drifted into a daze. She began to feel cold spread over her body then she passed out.

When she woke up she was in a very unfamiliar place. A cold place, but filled with dim light, as she came too she opened her eyes, only to feel like they were burning! “Where am I? What’s wrong with my eyes? Why does it feel like I’m dead!”? “Relax Cil, all will be explained, but you need time, rest.”
Next time Cilvar woke up there was a crowd round her. “What’s going on? Where am I?” “Cil come take a seat here” Meantime helped her out of her bed and walked her to the seat. “You’ve been living in a dream for the past 22 years of your life Cilvar. Have you ever heard of the Matrix? Well, I can’t tell you what it is, only show you. Would you like to see?” “Yes” she whispered. “Ok lets do it then, follow me” The group moved out of the room and guided Cilvar up a set of stairs. “Your on my hovercraft, the Osmosis. We are deep underground just now.” The group surrounded one of 6 chairs in the room at the top of the stairs, “this is the broadcast lounge, here Cil take a seat. This is going to feel a cilantro bit weird” “What will?” With that Meantime pushed the spike into the back of Cilvars head and watched as she grimaced.