Integration - A New Beginning

Chapter 1 - The Facility

Hello, my name is Shawn. Just a typical skinny 16 year old teenager boy who has a unique upbringing. Raised by my Grandpa named George. Grandpa is quite unique, or how should I put it, a little weird. An thick black framed glasses which also, has thick lens. Gray hair, has that old man smell, but well built skinny body that you wouldn't think much from looking at his frame. Grandma was just the same as Grandpa weird, old, and have the 70's sense of  style. You would definitely think they were "two peas in a pod" as my Grandpa would say. I never got to know my parents. They got into a car accident with a truck in broad daylight. My Grandparents doesn't like to talk about it but, apparently from the News article I found in the library. It has said that the truck driver fell asleep on the wheel and drove into the middle berm and jumped the truck onto front our car. I was quite lucky that the truck didn't go far enough to the backseat. Saved by my baby car seat and sheer luck. I came out of it without a scratch but just being scared. 

It was Grandpa and Grandma who took me in after that incident. Took care of me to this day. We live in an old wooded brown house with brown interior. Shaggy beige carpet, you would think we are living in a time capsule  in the 70's designed model home. Growing up there I didn't think much of it, but I did find a bunch of cool old things that my Grandpa held onto from his time serving the Vietnam War. Something about him being a Tunnel Rat and being Special Forces. He kept  one of his dress uniform that has full of colorful ribbons and medals. But I can't image him being all tactical since he always been gentle, weird sense of humor, and surprisingly wise at times. Grandpa never talked much about his time in the Army, but never kept it a secret when I ask him questions.

It was middle of July in Everret, Wa and the school was out for summer vacation. It was scorching hot summer. I was at my best friend's house couple houses over. We were enjoying the cool A/C and playing with him a co-op adventure video game. John is what I like to believe a normal kid, in a normal life. He was decently built since he does football as a defensive lineman and isn't the smartest kid, but he does decently well in school to get by. Handsome kid. You know the typical blonde hair, and blue eyes. But not the star like the Quarterback but he is still a bit popular at school. "Hey John, what you going to do after High School?" I suddenly inquiry during our co-op battle in the game. John looked quizzically and answered. "Probably try to get a football scholarship and major in engineering or something like that" John quickly responded. "How about you Shawn? You got any plans with that genius brain of yours?". John knew I was a smart kid with good grades "don't know, haven't decided yet. Probably join the Army since I don't know what kind of career I want to get into". I replied. "Does your Grandpa know about your joining the Army and the crazy plans of yours?" John asked.  "Naw" I said. "Still to be determine... I got couple years left to decide" Then the video game and the lights int the room went out. Both of us signed "the power went out" I said as I was looking out the window to the whole block. "I guess the whole neighborhood is out of power" as people started to walk out of their homes to ask around on the power issue. "What do you want to do now?" John asked. Thinking, I remembered an abandon facilities through the woods that some of the High Schoolers was talking about and how haunted it was. Or so the rumors goes. "How about that abandon research facilities through the woods that everyone was talking about?" I asked. "do you mean that haunted facility? I heard that building was making weird whispers and sounds that came from there". John said. "Yep! that's the one!" I said excitingly. "We never went there and I want to see what all the excitement is all about". John doesn't look happy and he doesn't like scary stuff either, but when push comes to shove he is actually brave.  With a reluctant sign John signed "fine... since there is nothing else to do when the electricity is gone but you should know, if shit happens I am going to run and outpace you. Just so you know" I laughed "Alright! lets get going then!"

As we trek through the forest, we found a small walking path that the kids occasionally took to get to the facility. There was a one path that the vehicle once used, but is now over grown with grass, weed and bushes.  It didn't take long to trek through the forest before we came upon a metal fence that has concertina wire on top that surrounded a small concrete facility with a faded signs across the fence line that said with large letters "Warning, Restricted Area". The rest of the sign was too faded to read   It doesn't look much from what we could see. "Welp, it looks like we can't get in" John said as he started to turn around. "Well hold on there John." I quickly replied, as I was scanning the fence line. "ah ha!" I said pointing to the left "there's a the cut fence over there. Lets go over there and quit being a chicken". John snorted indigently and said "I wasn't scared, just  didn't see access through the fence". I said "Yea, yea. Lets hurry up before it gets too dark to see and do a quick look inside the building". You can see John's hesitation in his expression as he follow along through the cut fence and towards the concrete facility.

As we went toward the concrete facility it looked like a military bomb sheltered on top of gravel ground that has weed and grass growing wildly. There was wild growth of plants on and around the facility, with an occasional graphite paints along the wall. We got towards the facility and started to hear a faint whispers. Sort of sound like... a female voice. No, a smooth robotic voice? "Dude, do you heard it?" John said in a whisper. I nodded and I was a bit more curious than scared. Looking at John, he looked like the opposite. Did they leave a computer on or something? As I thought to myself. "John, where is your sense of adventure? Aren't you at least a bit curious  on where its coming from and what it could be?" I asked matching his whisper tone. John looked around  for a quick second and said "No, not at all. Now come on Shawn and lets get out of here before the sunsets. Its going to be difficult to go through the forest in the dark".  "Fine then John, leave then. I am going to continue exploring. Plus you can't be that scared. Its not like you believe in ghost or anything... do you?". John replied, "Of course not. But this is a restricted area as you can see from the sign". "Psssh. Sign is so old, if anything survives that long its probably all dead and decayed. It just might be an old government computer or something that was left on and forgotten. Plus they might have something awesome!" as I continued on looking around the outside of the facility. With a roll of his eyes and a reluctant sigh John followed without say anything. Trying to stay quite they walked quietly as they could on a grassy gravel ground.  

Up-close, the concrete facility had no windows and only a large solid concrete rusted metal door. Another sign on both sides of the door that says "Restricted Area. Only Authorized Personnel Allowed". The door was shut. I try to open the door but it was locked and shut tight. "John, come on help me out" I said. "Mannnn..." John replied. We both pushed and pull but the door didn't budge at all. Exhausted, I sat down and was about to give up on entering the "Fort Knox" concrete facility, till I noticed a continual breeze that was coming through the bottom of the door. The grass and weeds was blowing away from the door, which meant the power was still on and that the air was pumping in. I faintly remember Grandpa would say that the air breeze was coming through the tunnels in Vietnam with an air vents to keep the Vietnamese with constant fresh air through the tunnels, as they stay there for months at a time. Must be the same here but probably has another entrance elsewhere.  I looked around for a mound or something that can be identify as a higher point for air to come in and water out. There was an odd tri-bushes in the back with a small mound that looked out of place from the grass and gravel ground. I started to head over there. "Where you going Shawn?" John said. "Do you not see that over there? Those bushes look out of place". John started to panic and try to hide it in his voice. "No Shawn, your just imagining it. Lets just get out of here.  We did your stupid adventure" Ignoring John I continued to head towards the tri-bushes. I swept the leaves and bushes away. "Viola!" I exclaimed.  "Found, a hidden back door hatch!" Sadly it was locked. Now it my turn to be exasperated "Damn it... Its locked" I said. "Good!" John said with a satisfied look on his face. "Lets head back home now Shawn".