"-that is all. This is Noah Williams, reporting."
"-and... Cut."
At the announcement of his cameraman, Noah sighed. Finally! they are done recording!
He tiredly loosened up his tie as he walked to his cameraman, Cyrus, to see if they need to redo something or not. After he got the affirmation that everything is good, he heads inside their network vehicle. Cyrus followed after him and took the driver's seat and started the ignition.
"Um, Noah, if you don't mind, I think you should take a rest for a while. It will take us half an hour to get back to the network." Cyrus said, looking up at the rear view mirror of the vehicle.
"Thank you for the concern, Cyrus, but don't worry, I'm fine." Noah assured Cyrus, though he looks like he would drop dead any time.
Cyrus shook his head and stared straight ahead while keeping his conversation going on the clearly tired reporter.
"Dude, take it up. Although it may look like as if I am overstepping my boundaries here, your health is important. Noah, if I must say, you look like a sleep-deprived ghost if I will ever see one." At that, Noaht snorted and laughed at the ridiculousness of the comparison.
"Yeah, with the bags under my eyes and all. But seriously, I'm fine. I still need to finish some papers and pass the edited version and then I'll go home." Noah said while checking his phone to see his schedule. Cyrus still have a disapproving face but nodded.
They continued to drive back to the head office.
Arriving at the head office, Noah sets off to his working area and began editing his news for their online portal. Though blurry eyed and sleep deprived, he is still nimble in his work.
After an hour or so of the repeated cycle of checking and revising, he is finished. He stretched from his chair and after getting some of his bones pop, he began packing his things. He walked down a series of stairs as he doesn't like the elevators, to the basement and to his car, starting it, and then driving home.
The drive home was quiet. It gave him some time to contemplate the events of his day. He sighed. He sighed not out of exhaustion, but to the mundanity of his life. Sure, he enjoys his career as a reporter, but the constant pressure of time and efficiency often crawls up in his skin. He isn't complaining though, he loves his job and the people around him, but he wants one that is more in-depth. Maybe a documentary or something regarding some of the pressing issues of the society.
As he mused his life, he hadn't noticed that he arrived at his house. It's nothing of extravagance. A simple house fitting a simple man. He parked the car on the garage and and unlocked the door. He entered his dark and empty living room. He hadn't bothered turning the lights on as he ascended the stairs into his own room.
Flicking the lights on, he noted the mess on his desk.
"I don't think I left my desk like that this morning..."
Shaking his head, he noticed the pinned news report on his corkboard. He walked to it and examined its content.
"A book that can predict a person's death, causes public attention... What the hell? Do I really have to make a cover story for this one? Clearly, this is all just the classic 'paranormal' stuff people believes in these days..." He said with a raised eyebrow.
He just pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt the on coming headache.
"My salary should be raised if I have to deal with this thing just for a cover story."
He thought as he prepared for bed, not noticing the misplaced folder of the said article.
The next morning, Noah woke up a little bit early than the usual. He got up from his bed and heads to the bathroom to wash his face.
"I really do need to take more rest. Cyrus is right. I do look like a sleep-deprived ghost."
After a while, he finished preparing and heads to their network building. He noted the perfect weather, the not-so heavy traffic, and the general atmosphere of their office. He began to feel uncomfortable.
"Am I hungry? No... I ate breakfast. I cooked it myself so I don't think I upset my stomach with it. Is... is something going to happen? I hope not." He thought as he got out of his car and walked off to meet his cameraman, Cyrus, to record their cover story.
"Morning, Noah." Cyrus, the 39 year old man that likes to wear khakis and short-billed caps, greeted Noah with a jovial grin.
"Good Morning to you too, Cyrus." Noah greeted back as they got inside the network vehicle.
"So, where were we heading off?" Cyrus asked, starting the car.
"We need to go to the Smith Research Institute in Tallahassee. Its for the weird book that can predict people's death." Noah said while opening his laptop. Cyrus nodded.
"Do you believe in those things? Ghost, supernatural entities... Paranormal stuff."
Noah had a thoughtful look as he ponders the question. He's right. Even now, science still hasn't uncovered most of the world's mysteries. Leaving the world an open place for such things.
"Maybe. You see, before science came, everything is a mystery. Yes, science answer stuffs, but it still hasn't found answers to some of the world's mind boggling questions. But if you would be talking about the book that predicts people deaths, no. I don't believe in such craps." Noah answered with a laugh. Cyrus also let out a chuckle.
"Yeah, I have to agree with you."
Their car pulled over in front of the pristine white building. Noah walked out of the car first and walked inside the building, Cyrus following after. They went straight to the reception desk.
"Welcome to the Smith Research Institute! How may I help you?" The lady at the reception asked.
"Hello, I'm Noah Williams from Florida Broadcasting News Network, and this is my cameraman, Cyrus Crawford. We are here to conduct an interview with Dr. Arthur Faust." Noah said, handing the reception lady his I.D.
The lady handed back Noah's I.D after confirming his appointment with the said doctor and checked her computer database.
"Dr. Faust is in the second floor, room 203." The reception lady smiled and gave them visitor passes.
The two men nodded in acknowledgement and proceeded to the said floor and room.
After a few minutes, they arrived in front of room 203. Noah gently knocked on the door and a faint "come in" was heard inside. He turned the knob and opened the door.
Sitting inside the room is a middle aged man with graying, slick-backed hair and a lab coat on. The man noticed their presence and stood up to meet the two.
"Good Morning, I am Dr. Arthur Faust, head of research in this institute. You two are Noah Williams and Cyrus Crawford respectively, am I right?" both men nodded. "All right. You are here to interview me and personally film the mysterious book. Please have a seat." Dr. Faust offered. Noah sat down while Cyrus sets up the camera and finding the good angle for the interview.
"It is an honor that you allowed us to interview you." Noah said while he prepares his questions. Dr. Faust laughs.
"Yes, I assume you heard about how I refused the other offers of interviews?" Noah nodded.
"Yes I did. So I got pressured and nervous when I formally emailed you my request." At this, the doctor loudly laughed.
"Well, how can I refuse the newscaster who also happens to be my nephew?" The doctors eyes turned soft as he looked at Noah.
"You have gotten tall now. Last time I saw you, you barely reached my knees!" both men laughed at the memory. A cough caught the attention of the two and signalled that everything is ready.
"Okay. 3, 2, 1... Rolling!" Cyrus announced. Hearing this, Noah donned his professional face which surprised his Dr. Faust, but he still smiled proudly at his nephew and fixed his posture. Time to get professional.
"Dr. Arthur Faust, can you give us details as to where you have found this book?" Noah asked, his eyes unwavering.
"Me and my research team went to Sicily, Italy where we recieved a report on a family of fortune tellers, who were said to be able to accurately predict a person's last day on earth and show them how this will happen." The doctor said while showing a picture of the family. Noah's eyebrows rose when he heard the last sentence.
"It shows people how their death will be? How can that happen?" His eyebrows are furrowed in confusion. Dr. Faust kept his straight face on and continued.
"The book, which we called as Death's Record, is a blank book. It doesn't contain any written information on what it is about or as to who is its creator. It seems that when people first looked at it, they will see their own names slowly appearing as if someone is writing their names on it, together with a specified time and date, then the vision of their deaths occur. They also noticed that after the "vision of death", a day or two had passed. It all depends upon the person. After that, the book becomes blank again. You can say that it is a one time thing." Dr. Faust explained.
"I now understand, please continue."
"Okay. Going back, the family was then shunned and was later persecuted by the people in their area as they thought of them being involved with witchcraft and demons. The local priest, Father Alberto, took them in and, considering that Father Alberto and I were friends, he called me and my research team over." Noah nodded and wrote it down on his notepad.
"So, I am assuming that you have gotten permission from the family to take the book with you." Dr. Faust nods in affirmation.
"Yes, they did. They even begged us to take it as far away from them as possible. They considered the book as cursed." At this statement, Noah's curiousity slowly takes over.
"Cursed? May we request to see it?" the doctor stood up and motioned for them to follow after him.
"Yes. But please take your courage with you and brace yourself as to what you will see."
They entered a dark room. Noah assumed that it is made this way to reduce the risk of getting the book's pages destroyed by the harsh light. Noah was about to take a good look at the book, but the door suddenly flew open.
"Stop your recording and put your hands up and put it behind your head. This is MTF Lambda-5. That book is anomalous and is to be contained as per protocol. Step back and you shall not be harmed." A voice boomed inside the quiet room, followed by sounds of guns being prepared to shoot if needed.
Cyrus immediately stops his recording and puts his hands behind his head, Noah and Dr. Faust follows after.
One of the armed men walked to whom they presume as the commander whispering something that they cannot hear. The commander nodded and ordered his men, pointing at Noah.
"W-wait...What's happening!? W-weren't doing anything w-wrong!" Noah uttered while two of the armed men took him by the arm.
"You did. But it doesn't matter. You won't remember the details, anyway. Men, take him away from the building and into the helicopter. For the rest of you, leave the building and start administering class-A amnestics." The Commander ordered while he and his team slowly leads both Dr. Faust and Cyrus into the lobby, where the rest of the institute employees who have seen them has gathered.
Dr. Faust looked around and he saw the familiar faces of his co-workers, but none of his nephew.
"Where is Noah!? Where did you brought him!?" Dr. Faust asked in a panicked voice.
The Commander looked at him and gave him a blank look. Well, as blank as the mounted visor of his helmet can give.
"He would be safe with us. After all, we SECURE, CONTAIN, and PROTECT. Men, deploy the class-A amnestic!" And a suspicious cloud of gas entered the building and sounds of falling, unconscious bodies are heard. The Commander beacon a man to come near him.
"Agent Horn, make sure to delete the footage from the camera. Make sure that everything is cleared."
"Yes, Commander Flynn."