37 Years Ago

21 year-old Gordon Walker had been behaving strangely. His mother, now in her late 60s, would visit him in his small apartment room every so often to see how he was doing. He would rarely acknowledge his mother at all, with the exception of nodding to a simple yes or no question. The death of his brother Craig undoubtedly traumatized Gordon, but Mrs. Walker never would've imagined that it would affect him like this--and for such a long period of time.

Mrs. Walker pondered if she should even visit him at all, or just let him be, and wait for him to confront her.

"This is the last time," she thought as she grabbed her heavy winter jacket and purse. She opened the front door, and after locking it up she drove about ten miles in her junky old Mustang. The engine sounded like it constantly sputtered and sounded like it was choking, but she didn't have much money at all, and ever since she divorced her husband Jonathan, she only saw a huge drop in their money savings. She had asked Gordon to get a job about a month ago (and many times before), and he had said nothing; his expression blank.

Mrs. Walker knocked on the rusty door to apartment 28. After a few moments, the door creaked open loudly, and Gordon's pale face came into view. He said nothing; only giving her a weak, unfeeling smile. She smiled back, and he opened the door for her to come in. She took her jacket off and sat on his dirty blue couch. She sighed, knowing it was going to be a long night.

"So how's it going?" she said, trying to sound casual. He said nothing, only slightly smiling, why, Mrs. Walker didn't know. He was wearing a long black hooded robe, which was very strange.

"Nice outfit." Mrs. Walker said. Gordon glared, his smile immediately fading. It seemed to Mrs. Walker that time itself had frozen.

"The New Dawn is nothing to joke about." Gordon said gravely.

"…What was that?"

"I believe you've heard me. Neither sarcasm nor mockery will be tolerated in The New Dawn."

"What's that?" Mrs. Walker asked, completely puzzled.

"It's my life."

"Can you be more specific?"

"My leader has requested secrecy, and I shall not fail."

By now Mrs. Walker was completely freaked out.

"Gordon, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Call me Gord from now on. My leader likes that name better."

"Who is your leader?" Mrs. Walker said, her voice noticeably rising in tone.

"I will not tell you. The New Dawn is coming, and I will meet my tragic doom if I fail to obey my leader. I cannot allow even the faintest of clues regarding this matter to come from my lips. I have had enough of your constant bickering, and I would very much appreciate it if you would leave me now."

Mrs. Walker sighed, grabbed her jacket, and slammed the door, infuriated.

What on earth was The New Dawn?

Present Day

The rumble reverberated through Hitomi's ears. How was she expected to escape this small cellar when the walls were closing in? Was she even expected to live? Why would Gord even consider it "testing" if there wasn't a way to succeed? She frantically gripped the walls, searching for some kind of clue. The room was now reduced fifty percent, and Hitomi still couldn't find an answer. Hitomi suddenly heard a shrill scream, and the walls began to move slower. The intercom suddenly came on,

"Hang in there, I'm coming!"

It was the voice of one of her clones. She couldn't believe that she would happen to come at just the right time, but she did. A seemingly transparent door suddenly opened up in the wall to her left, and a Hitomi clone stood there, extending her arms.

"Jump!" she yelled, as the walls now brushing against the real Hitomi's hips. She lunged, and grabbed her clones' hands, who pulled her out of the room just as the walls impacted each other. Hitomi just lay on her back, gasping desperately for air. She couldn't believe what had just happened, but she was extremely grateful.

"Thank you…thank you so much." said Hitomi, forcing a smile.

The clone smiled back.

"No problem. I don't want that man hurting any of us again."

"Where is he?" said Hitomi, slowly standing to her feet.

The cloned Hitomi sighed.

"I don't know. I came in here, he was facing the other way, and I heard you screaming. I had a vision too--I think I saw what you did."

Hitomi was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw walls…all closing in. It was really quick, like five seconds, but I could tell that you were in the middle of them."

"…How?" was all Hitomi managed to say.

"I'm not sure, but it sure helped, didn't it?" the clone asked, smiling.

"Yeah." she said.

The clone hesitated, and then continued,

"I punched him in the back of the head. He fell over and he screamed. I didn't think that would him, honestly, but apparently it did. But after that…he just vanished."

"That really pisses me off. He keeps running. I mean, I'm glad you weren't harmed, but he keeps getting away from us."

"I know what you mean." The clone replied.

"Where are the others?" Hitomi asked.

"I know that one is at your house, but two are missing. I was running after them. They ran down some alley and they were completely horrified. I lost them when I rounded the corner."

"What will people say if they see two identical girls running around the streets?"

"I don't know, maybe they'll just think they're twins." The clone responded.

Hitomi couldn't help but laugh at the surprising calmness in her clone's voice.

"Let's go to the house, meet up with the other one, and go from there." Hitomi said. The clone took off her blue sweatshirt she was wearing and handed it to Hitomi.

"You probably need this more than I do," she said, smiling. Hitomi put it on.

"Thanks."

The two Hitomis hugged, and headed to the house, seeking some kind of answer.