The Discovery of Manipo (Part 7)

The Decoy House

In one of the earlier chapters, I told you that I would revisit how I was able to create a hole in space - and now I have. And that's the good news! On to the bad!

If there is a word beyond my vocabulary to describe being frustrated, that's what I remember feeling when Drew appeared before me. People seemed to be able to interact with me, but I couldn't do the same thing. It just wasn't fair.

Putting my bitterness to the side, it was still pretty cool to see Drew, a fellow time manipulator, find a way to make contact with people in the past. I started to wonder if he'd train me. However, as with most of my inner desires around that time, I became disappointed that Drew was simply a manifestation designed to keep me from advancing time forward. Of course, I didn't know that initially. So, I tried to force my way past him multiple times. Each time, I'd get blown back into the present day, but not before an image of a black house with a red door flashed before my eyes. At first, it was blurry but became more vivid after every attempt.  

Casting my ego to the side after a few more attempts trying to get past Drew, I resolved to figure out if the image of the red door was even real. Over the next few weeks, I scoured the internet, nearly giving up until I finally found it. Located at 3505 Generation's Avenue, the fake building, as it turns out, blends in with its environment seamlessly. So much so that many don't know it's just a false front. For those who do know, the place is shrouded in mystery. It has been there since anyone can remember and is often associated with various conspiracy theories, including some involving aliens, a government lab, a CIA black site, and even a portal to another universe.

Usually, fantasy and reality never really align, but in this case, those who speculate it might be a portal to another universe are the most spot-on of the conspiratorial bunch. But it was so much more than that—something more that I was about to discover.  

When I first arrived, I felt my heart race. Chills regurgitated throughout my body, and I thought, "This was it." I was finally going to get some answers. I was going to meet my birth parents for the first time. Everything I needed lay beyond that door, and I wouldn't waste a moment.

I walked up to the red door and knocked, anticipating an answer. I even reached for a doorknob that wasn't there, hoping by some miracle that the door would open. It never opened. I had to find a way inside using an unconventional method, but numerous law enforcement officers surrounded me before I could attempt it! The way they came up on me, you'd think I was an escaped convict or mass murderer. First, there were the sirens, then the police cruisers, followed by the actual officers, who all pointed their weapons in my direction.

"Freeze!" multiple voices said at the same time.

I complied, but I got caught up in the shock factor of the moment. It wasn't until they attempted to arrest me that I remembered my abilities. I just rewound time to the point before I decided to advance to the front door.  

Deductive reasoning told me they must've been surveilling the place for reasons I will soon uncover. But all I could think about was how I would get into the building without being noticed. Then I remembered Drew and how he had stopped time altogether. Could I freeze the moment the police had me surrounded? All I could do was try.

In the end, I produced nothing. Absolutely nothing.  

I tried concentrating as Drew had done, but nothing I did worked. It was frustrating. Stopping time should've been as easy as moving it forward or backward. I was overthinking things. Maybe it was because I doubted myself a little. Or perhaps I needed to put myself back where I was almost arrested. If I were desperate enough and fueled by adrenaline, I'd manage to accomplish my goal. The worst thing that could happen is for me to rewind in time again. I kept living the exact moment repeatedly until I achieved my desired outcome. It'd be like starring in my version of "Happy Death Day' but without the death part.... or the birthday.

Swallowing my nerves, I advanced toward the front door and knocked again. Anticipation gave way to anxiety, which gave way to sweat and bated breaths. I couldn't remember a time I had ever been so nervous, especially regarding my abilities. I was always surefire. Confident. Maybe even arrogant. But with everything that had been happening lately, doubt and I were slowly becoming intimate. What if it didn't work? How many times would I have to keep trying? How many blows would it take before my ego would be shattered? I operated under the assumption that time was limitless. But lately, I've borne witness to its many limitations. There was Yahweh, David, the cherubim, gravity, doubt, and even me. After all, I'm still human. Perfection doesn't exist for us. It's relatively easy to forget that.

"Freeze!" I had heard the cops say again.

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't realized how far along I had been in getting arrested. The next thing I knew, cuffs were strangling my wrists, and the concentration I knew would be hard to maintain evaporated. All I felt was desperation, doubt, and anxiety. I needed to stop time. I had to stop time. But I couldn't. Then the situation got worse.  

A car door had opened. A dark-skinned mysterious figure stepped out, dressed like an extra from Men In Black. Somehow, his presence had calmed me. Albeit temporarily. But long enough.  

"Try as hard as you like," he had said before removing his glasses. "Your powers won't help you this time."

What? I wondered what he meant. Why wouldn't my powers work? Who was this guy? How did he know about my powers? What the heck was going on? I didn't know, but I knew the guy was bad news. I could tell that he had powers, too. As to what they were, I could only surmise that it might've had something to do with nullification. However, his glowing red eyes made me think otherwise. Either way, he was a man who should never be trifled with.

Bearing that in mind, I returned to face the door and took advantage of my sudden calm by concentrating as hard as possible. Stopping time was the only thing that mattered. And even though I could focus, I could hear the words of hopelessness being delivered by that alien crime stopper. His determination to instill a spirit of defeat only made me more determined.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on my immediate surroundings until I picture everything in my head. Then I kept repeating the words 'be still' - over and over and over again until I felt a rumbling sensation beneath my feet. "Is this what stopping time feels like?" I remembered asking myself. A familiar sound - the rumbling grew louder and louder! The officers began to panic! Visions of the fight between Drew and Eric began to take over. 'Be still,' and that's when I knew. I could manipulate gravity, too!

The pressure I was building mounted to the point of near eruption! That's when I heard that red-eyed freak say, "Oh, shit!" But before I released my newfound power, someone grasped my arm with a firm but gentle touch. The energy emitted from whomever it was made me open my eyes. There was now a portal in front of me. Startled, I tried turning to my right to see the owner of the friendly hand, but mid-turn, I found myself already in a different space.