Part I: The Discovery
On one afternoon when Mr. Herrington was not at home, Dameon went into his father’s den in search of whatever might interest him. He did not believe his father would be truly upset with him for merely poking around the study. Mr. Herrington was a good father and mild-tempered, too. The usual punishment for breaking house rules was being sent to bed directly after supper.
“I’ll take my chances,” Dameon thought to himself as he proceeded to wander around and snoop. Dameon enjoyed sitting in his father’s big leather chair, pretending he was a big-honcho oil tycoon with business deals to close. He looked around the room, paged his imaginary secretary for paperwork, and took the box of paper clips out of the desk drawer. As Dameon closed the drawer, he accidentally bumped the box of paper clips, sending them scattering to the floor.
Reality came rushing out of nowhere, and his heart pounded. “My father is going to be real mad if he finds out I have been in his study!” Dameon said excitedly. He quickly hopped off the chair and started to pick up the mess. While on all fours, Dameon noticed a shiny object underneath the center of the desk. It did not budge; it looked, oddly enough, like a door handle. He had never seen a door handle on the floor before. After backing up, he noticed the outline of a trap door and wondered where it led. The basement? Underground? His imagination ran wild.
“I’ve got to call Kyle,” Dameon whispered, and left the room.
Part II: The Duel
Dameon and Kyle were two young children who seemed like any other at first glance. Dameon insisted that Kyle stop by one afternoon to see the trap door. “Where does it lead?” Kyle asked. “I’m not sure,” Dameon replied, “but my father said never to go in the den without him, or the wrath of God would fall upon me.”
Kyle, knowing the “wrath of God” in his own house as a mechanical wooden spanking machine that would not stop, understood the danger. But curiosity won out. After the chores were done, Kyle searched his own house for the fabled spanking machine. He checked dusty boxes in the basement and the cobwebs in the attic before finally heading to Dameon’s house.
The sound of footsteps coming down the hall painted an image in Dameon’s mind of a murderer quietly stalking his prey. The doorknob turned, and bang! Dameon smiled as another villain was shot dead by a finger-gun.
“I didn’t have a chance to draw!” Kyle said sharply. “I challenge you to a duel!”
They fought with a modified tennis racket and a broom handle, dancing around the room like hummingbirds until they fell to the floor in a fit of laughter. Dameon’s room was a sanctuary of safety but nothing could prepare them for what was under the trap door.
Part III: The Descent
After a dinner of “yummy dishes” provided by Mrs. Herrington, the boys seized their moment when she left to run errands. Dameon led the way to the den. The heavy, dark wood door reminded Kyle of a dream where an evil force was trying to break out.
“I don’t think we should go in,” Kyle whispered. “We have to see what is behind the door,” Dameon proclaimed.
Dameon opened the trap door. Below was a shiny aluminum ladder leading ten feet down to a small white room with a keypad on the wall. After a quick game of Paper, Rock, Scissors, Kyle descended first. Inside the small closet, they found three-piece suits, white uniforms, goggles, and a face mask with an air tank.
“Lock the door, Kyle! Push the buttons!” Dameon instructed. Kyle created a melody of tones on the keypad. The red display lit up: 1969.
Part IV: The Shift
The room began to vibrate. The trap door slammed shut. Suddenly it was cold, dark, and the boys’ screams were hushed as they fell to the floor with a thud. When they regained consciousness, every movement was a struggle. They sobbed in the dark until they could only hear the sound of their own breath.
Reaching out, Kyle put his glove covered fingers into the dirt. It felt pebbly like Barney Rubble’s abode “The Flagstones (1959)” knowing the tactile representation was muted. Dameon was having a hard time catching his breath. It’s not that he did not have air, but the sense of unfamiliarity was jarring to say the least. Still not able to see each other, they both got up and started to explore together, reaching out and moving forward.
With each step the earth provided support. The duo did not take this for granted and wished for a return without uncertainty. While their home was fresh and foremost on their minds, their separation from it was not something planned or wanted. Both knew their parents would be asking questions.
“Where are we?” Dameon proclaimed! Kyle in an attempt to make light of the situation said, “We’re on a roller coaster waiting to take a ride”. Dameon hissed. “No idea, eh?”, “Not one”, Kyle muttered. The blind leading the blind as the cliché goes.
A tinnitus earwig begun to take hold in each boy’s ears which added to the cacophony of unexpected experiences and ungrounding of what was normal to each. Like the unsteadiness of walking across a bridge made of rope, and the feeling of constantly being on the razors edge.
A sound came from nowhere and everywhere. It was the familiar sound of Dameon’s mom stating supper was ready. In Dameon’s house, this could include many wanted and unwanted treats from soup, fish, meat, or pasta. Kyle loved visiting as Mrs. Herrington always made the best dishes. Kyle’s mom was challenged to even cook to his chagrin.
“How can this be?” Dameon said. Kyle tried to look around but still could not see anything and decided to move toward the voice. “Dameon, Kyle, follow my voice!” Mrs. Herrington shouted. The boys strutted along trying to find their way home. After a brief time of Marco Pollo, they found the aluminum ladder and started their ascent. As they begin their climb, alarms and lights were flashing and each boy were cast down and sprayed to prevent infection to others. They attempted the ascent again and came out of the door on the floor into Mr. Herrington’s den.
Dameon and Kyle slowly crawled out of the door under the desk only to see Mr. and Mrs. Herrington anxiously waiting. Kyle thought, “I am screwed”, and Dameon thought, “I am screwed more”. Not following their parent’s wishes was not working well in their defense at the moment. Each boy knew they may have to succumb to the spanking machine with nails in it, but Kyle was ready with an armor covered plate that covered his ass. Kyle and his dad laughed at the absurdity of it all. Dameon struck up his greatest defense and realized that not everything as it seems.
Flash forward.. It was a sunny spring day and Dameon and Kyle had their heads up and peddled as quickly as possible enjoying the breeze and wanting for the next adventure from the door on the floor.