Part 7: Veni, Vidi, Vici

November 21st, 2013

9:35 A.M.

Michael's P.O.V.

"Well, here we are. The Arcadia D.M.Z." I said to myself out loud, leaving a smile to come across my face. That, however, quickly turned into an embarrassed and pained expression as I visibly cringing at my prior statement. Taking into account the death toll and that I just made a shitty quip about it. I shook myself out of it, grabbing whatever I need from the truck, my satchel, a bottle of water, a notebook and pen and some other miscellaneous objects. Recklessly throwing most of them into the bag. I throw on my sunglasses and sling on my brand new, and by 'brand new' I mean 'recently stolen from an asshole biker at some shitty dive bar yesterday', leather jacket.

Walking on the cracked asphalt leading to the entrance of the construction site was… well, it hit a bit too close to home for me personally. A bit of a feeling of déjà vu to be completely honest. Like it was all happening again. I tried to shrug off the shiver that shot up my spine and proceeded. I looked around and saw a young woman sitting at the checkpoint leading into the inner wreckage of the town. I read up online that the only people that are being let through are journalists, photographers, construction workers and such. So, I quickly put on a smile, grabbed the Nikon camera I stole from the aforementioned Walmart and sized up my mark.

Young, early 20s, bored and annoyed, playing on phone… yeah, I got this. I walked up to the young woman and placed my hand on the booth, getting her attention.

"Sir, this are is closed and restricted, I'm going to have to ask you to le-"

"Grant Silvers, New York Times, I'm here about the Arcadia Bay storm. I, well, I thought that you would've been notified by now?"

"Sorry sir, I've got no information about you showing up today, and the New York Times has already done a piece on Arcadia Bay to my knowledge." She said, brushing me off. Seemingly readying herself for a possible incident as she tenses up.

"Oh, yes I'm aware, but this is a new piece, covering a much different topic. I'm coming here to take some photos for an investigation we're conducting over at the NYT, about Arcadia Bay and the storm that tragically destroyed the town about a month ago. And how this freak weather event may be somehow tied to the events that destroyed Lindreview, New York around a decade ago."

"Well, I-"

"I'm shocked that you weren't given a heads up, how incompetent are the people at the top anyway?" I ask. "Hey, all I need is a few pictures and to take some notes for this piece. I'll even allow an escort, considering that the green light hasn't been given officially yet. Could you do that for me?" I ask her, giving her my pretty boy offensive. If there's one advantage of being both conventionally attractive and a great bullshitter, it's that it can get you just about most places where you shouldn't be.

"I-I" she looks flustered, her face now beet red from her blushing. She swallows down before trying to regain her composure. "I'm sorry sir, unless you have proper documentation, I c-can not let you through. And I must ask you to leave the premises before I am forced to call security."

I sigh and roll my eyes. "Ok, looks like we're doing it the even less legal way..." I mutter. Before she can react I reach up my hand and watch as time crawls in reverse to a point before I had reached the gate. And as soon as I was at the point where I needed to be, I froze time completely. It's amazing how far I've come with my abilities. Considering I really have to push myself before I start to really feel any negative side effects. Besides from nosebleeds, I no longer really feel as though my head is being crushed in an industrial press after doing reversing time or even stopping it.

I take a deep breath and move about a couple hundred meters up the road before unfreezing time. So long as I'm out of the gatekeeper's sight, I believe I can proceed more or less unhindered. Too bad I couldn't bullshit my way past her, she was cute and I'd've like to have gotten her number. I quickly shake the R rated thoughts out of my head as I proceed to my destination.

The town is completely dead. Besides some construction equipment strewn about, and what looks like the beginning efforts of rebuilding the town, it looked almost exactly how you would imagine. Debris strewn about, building collapsed, cars flipped. It was haunting, perhaps due to the fact it was all too familiar. Hell, I'm pretty sure that there wasn't even anything left after the tornado came through Lindreview, but this… perhaps what makes it more chilling is that you CAN still tell there was a town here.

No time to get emotional though, I'm here for a reason. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes, listening close. "There." I say as I exhale the breath that was trapped in my lungs and open my eyes. It didn't take long to locate a fracture. A place where time was fucked with. It has a very distinct feeling about it, almost like a humming sound if you listen close enough, but one I can feel if I focus hard enough. I know, it's confusing but, it's like a sound... that instead of hearing, you feel, but it makes... fuck it. I suppose some things just lack the proper vocabulary to describe them. Like trying to describe an acid trip. More importantly though, this proves my hypothesis. This disaster WAS the result of someone like me. Who, on the other hand, is still a mystery. One that I should finally get to the bottom of.

I then put my hand up once more and watch as the world around me shines bright, flickering and shimmering as though the world were made of crystals. But also kind of blurry, like looking through foggy glass. Everything in a constant motion blur. Jumping this far back in time used to be excruciatingly painful, like I was being torn apart in a thousand different directions. Now tough, it comes as natural as breathing. All I had to do was let go. Stop anchoring myself so permanently to the present, and allow myself to simply drift through time. I watch the scenery change before my eyes. Only to finally see that fateful day when the storm struck this little coastal town. Only for the world to reignite as everything comes back to life. In a matter of seconds, I was no longer standing in a desolate street packed with broken glass, downed telephone poles and a endless list of other debris. But instead, I was standing in a busy road, only to almost got hit by a red truck.

"WATCH IT ASSHOLE!" some douche bag yells at me, punching his horn to seemingly make as much noise as humanly possible to show his dismay. So I politely flip him off, sauntering over to the sidewalk, making my way to the fracture. I made sure that I turned back time ten minutes before the fracture occurred, as to witness who caused it.

Taking in the scenery I think to myself, "So, this is it. Arcadia Bay, a little bit more than a month ago. Four days before the incident." It's time to find out who's responsible for this mess. "So this is where it happened." I say under my breath as I spot a diner a few steps down the road, and a strange sensation washes over me, one that is notifying me that this is the place. Let's go see what happened at the… 'Two Whales.' I walk into the diner, anticipating the arrival of my kindred time traveler.

A/N: Well, here's part 7. I might be AFK for about a week or two, as I'm going back home to Greece to see my family (For the record I'm technically Macedonian because I was born there, but my Father's Greek, so we all movedto Volos and... yeah, I doubt you care). Nonetheless, as a half Macedonian I hope I'm not instantly murderedby backwards Greek peasants so I can finish this story! Wish me luck on my trip home!