Cedar Creek National Forrest, Jackson County Wy.
October 17th 1997.
The hardest part about the hunting season to some was choosing which part of Cedar Creek to venture into to lock onto the trail of some whitetail deer which were in great abundance everywhere you went in Jackson County. For three friends the answer however was always the same, the deer in the section of the woodlands that the locals called the Vale were somehow different, something always seemed to make them more skittish than the wildlife in other areas, they were extremely difficult to track, and even moreso to get a clean shot at. For Michael Weston, Tommy Langley and Matthew Warren that very challenge was what always brought them back there year after year.
They always came in seperate vehicles, met at the same spot along the same side of Franktown rd, each brought their own provisions, made their base camp in the same spot, every year like clockwork, they got at least one whitetail, every year. This year however as soon as Michael Weston stepped out of his truck something felt different, the fog was thicker than usual, the chill in the air had more bite to it, and the Vale itself was extremely quiet and had a creepiness to it, almost too quiet, when he saw Tommy and Matthew's vehicles pull over to the shoulder of Franktown rd, he managed to push the uneasiness aside for a time.
The three old friends exchanged warm greetings and began unloading their gear and getting ready to head for base camp, halfway down the trail the uneasiness returned, and Michael Weston could feel a knot forming in his stomach, he carefully studied Tommy Langley and Matthew Warren for any signs of discomfort, they both looked very relaxed and confident. They walked about three quarters of a mile back into where they would drop their gear, set up camp, and get ready to make the long trek back into the Vale to find some whitetail sign. As usual it seemed as though they had it all to themselves yet again. They were almost a mile from camp then they split up to look for deer sign, Matthew Warren stopped to look back at them, he raised his hand to wave at Michael Weston and Tommy Langley before turning and disappearing into the foggy woods.
Usually by the time they had gotten a couple of miles from base camp they would begin to at least see signs of deer, this time such was not to be the case, it was approximately one mile from where they had went in different directions when Michael Weston began to realize that there was something definitely off about today. The air drew even colder, the fog was more dense, below his feet he watched as it seemed to move in strange circles, he shouldered his weapon to study his surroundings for a time, he was getting a bad feeling and had seen and felt enough when he finally turned back to the direction from which he came. He'd made it all of the way back to the three fork trail head when he heard Tommy Langley coming down one of the other trails, he had a similar look of confusion on his face soon concern would replace the feeling of uneasiness. There, were no birds, no small game, no deer, no sound, no nothing only the air carried a strange feeling, every small move that they made seemed to echo out in every direction.
They'd waited almost an hour for Matthew Warren to return from the trail that he'd taken into the woods to look for deer sign, he never reappeared. They decided to both make their way down the west fork sticking together the whole time, about a quarter of a mile in they began shouting Matthew Warren's name, there came no answer, now almost panic stricken they both began to hurry along the trail, almost a half of a mile in they found something that made their hearts sink. There resting in plain sight sat Matthew Warren's rifle resting up against a tree. It hadn't been fired. They began yelling his name again at a frantic pace, that odd echo returned and carried their voices out into the Vale in every direction, they strained against the silence to listen for his voice, there came no reply, and then thirty feet from where his rifle sat, they found his supply pack, after that Matthew Warrens trail had abruptly ended, it was as if he'd disappeared into thin air, into the belly of the Vale.
"Matthew!! Matthew!! Matty?"
They would search for another two hours before returning to Franktown road to seek aid. when they couldn't get a cell signal Michael Weston drove to a nearby ranger station while Tommy Langley returned to their base camp. When Michael Weston arrived at the ranger station there was only one ranger on duty, he began to frantically tell the entire story to ranger Aaron Jeffreyes upon hearing what Michael Weston had related to him he agreed to help search the area. Search and rescue was notified, ranger Aaron Jeffreyes would follow Michael Weston back to the base camp, soon the woods would be crawling with people. The search would consume 14 days and 22 square miles. Matthew Warren had completely vanished into thin air.
Michael Weston and Tommy Langley would relive that horrible day for years on end, going over every second, everyday, they would talk about it on local radio interviews, they would go over it time and time again with the police, with search and rescue, they tormented themselves, wondered, often, what they could have done differently. There were people who came and went, over the years, that would point accusing fingers and attempt to cast suspicion on them, and under all the pressure and scrutiny they had stuck to their stories, Matthew Warren was nowhere to be found, and when it was all said and done their friend that they had both known for most of their lives was gone, and as day passed into months, and months into years, it became painfully obvious that he wasn't coming back.
Friday, August 19th, 2022. 5:30 AM.
Along the stretch of highway 21 known as Iserling pass, there had been a total 57 car accidents over the past year, 40 of which that had resulted in fatalities. all caused by the strange swirling, dense fog that would roll out into the small valley from the Vale. It became of major importance to the men and women of the Jackson County highway patrol to be alert when traveling the pass at night. Officer Loren Jeffreyes had been on patrol for only three hours when he found himself on highway 21 heading into Iserling, thick woods lined either side of the pass when he'd reached mile marker thirteen. Two miles west of The Vale. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something moving and he instinctively slowed down and when the lone figure staggered out onto the highway ahead of him he jerked the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes causing the cruiser to veer sideways.
Surprisingly he maintained control and didn't roll it, shaken but unhurt he jumped out of the cruiser and grabbed his flashlight while drawing his firearm with his free hand. He slowly moved the light along the side of the road stopping on the shivering half naked figure of a man lying in the grass.
"Sweet Jesus. This is Patrolman Loren Jeffreyes I'm just past mile marker 13 westbound on highway 21 two miles west of the Vale I need a ambulance and back up units at this location, we have a white caucasion male down on the side of the road who may be injured, there may be a possible assailent nearby."
He moved slowly up next to the pale looking young man, and took his coat off and covered him with it, to the touch his skin seemed cold as ice. and Loren Jeffreyes found himself pulling away from him when he'd felt the small static electrical charge that ran across his cold pale skin, and although it had only started raining moments ago he was already soaking wet, and by the look in his eyes, was quite terrified. In the far distance through the cold rainy morning air he began to hear the familiar wail of sirens.
"Hang in there son, help is on the way."
The sirens drew closer and then he could see the first flashing lights coming around the western curve of highway 21, he knelt down beside the shivering young man, and when he saw his face clearly for the first time, he could feel his blood freezing in his own veins. Something familiar began to tug at him, and as the ambulance slowly rolled to a stop he began to remember something from his childhood, something almost forgotten. something his father often talked about, a cold case that he himself had taken an interest in, it had only been a week in fact since he had last looked at the pictures, He rose to his feet and returned to his cruiser, Loren Jeffreyes watched as they loaded the young man into the ambulance, what he was thinking was firmly within the realm of the impossible, but he would have to re visit the file once again to be certain. He drove back to the station house his mind racing in every conceivable direction all at once.
He called Aaron Jeffreyes who had long since became the chief of Cedar Creek highway patrol, and instructed him to meet him in the cold case room, it took him twenty minutes to reach the station, as soon as he walked in the front door Aaron Jeffries was waiting for him, he held his finger up hurrying down the long dark corridor with the Chief in tow, he turned on the lights, he went right to the folder, his father now puzzled appeared over his right shoulder.
"Dad? did you happen to hear the call that I radioed in?"
"Yeah you found an unidentified man on the side of the road."
"No dad, he staggered into the road, I almost hit him, and he isn't just any man."
"No?"
"No.. We have to get to the hospital now." He threw a picture from the file on the table in front of his father. "The man I almost hit dad, is Matthew Warren."
"Loren- Matthew Warren has been missing since 1997 twenty five years can put a lot of age on a man son, how can you be sure it's him?"
He spun around on his heels the color had drained from his face.
"Dad, He looks exactly the same as he does in this picture, it looks like he hasn't aged a day."
They drove to Mercy General hospital together, each wrestling with their thoughts each in their own way, they discussed how they were going to get in touch with his family, and most importantly to Aaron Jeffries, he was going to need to locate the whereabouts of Michael Weston and Tommy Langley, Matthew Warren's mother and father were now both deceased, He had one brother who had moved to Germany and a younger sister who moved back east, both Michael Weston and Tommy Langley as it turned out were still living in town. It didn't take long for Aaron Jeffries to find Michael Weston's number. He instructed him to find Tommy and meet them at the hospital. He didn't say why.
They entered through the emergency room the morning nurse listened to their story, she led them to the room where the young man was resting, she walked hurriedly ahead of them, her eyes darting every which way nervously, she pointed to room 213. The doctor approached the two officers, motioning them to the side.
"You're here for the young man that they found on the side of the road this morning?"
"Yes we are." Answered Loren Jeffries.
"That one is... Well... Complicated."
"Complicated how exactly?"
"They tried treating him, as they were pulling into the emergency entrance, the whole ambulance lost power, since then, both paramedics were treated for high voltage electrical burns on both hands, and both have been complaining about severe headaches. HE, on the other hand hasn't spoken a word, he just lies there staring at the ceiling. no indentification, we have no idea who he is."
Loren Jeffries stepped forward.
"Well, we think we may be able to help in that regard."
Moments later the forms of Michael Weston and Tommy Langley appeared in the doorway Aaron Jeffries immediately recognized them, after they all exchanged greetings he took them to the side to talk to them in private.
"First of all, thank you both for coming, instead of trying to explain the situation, to which I'm not even certain that I fully understand it, there's someone in room 213 that we need you to indentify for us. if you could both come with us, we can get this over with."
Loren Jeffries appeared beside his father he looked all three men up and down.
"The doctor says we can go into the room but only for a moment. if you will? this way gentlemen."
He walked over and opened the door to room 213 and held it, with some hesitancy Michael Weston and Tommy Langley cautiously entered the room. both men slowly approached the bed, and when they saw Matthew Warren they lost it.
"M.M.Matty? What in the hell?"
They both both exited the room in complete shock.
"What in the fuck is this? Where? How is this possible? He- looks exactly the same?"
Loren Jeffries sat them both down.
"I was on patrol this morning on highway 21. Two miles west of the Vale he appeared out of nowhere stumbled out in front of my car, I almost hit him. I wish I could explain this to you. But I can't, no one can, the only person who can give us any answers is lying in that bed, and he hasn't spoken a word."
Michael Weston's eyes were watering, Tommy Langley was outright crying. Twenty five years, their lives had gone on, they married, they raised their children, they aged, they grieved daily for the loss of their lifelong friend, they aged. He hadn't.
In all the days immediately following the sudden appearence of Matthew Warren, he hadn't responded to anyone, in all of 14 days. He barely blinked, let alone spoke, and in all of those 14 days Michael Weston became a fixture at Mercy General hospital. Tommy Langley on the otherhand was a complete mess, it was too much for him to take, he would keep his distance, to which everyone understood, Michael Weston checked on Matthew Warren daily, he brought pictures of when they were all together, growing up, younger times, happier to be certain. He would sit for hours by Matthew Warrens bedside, talking to him, telling him about all of the things he'd missed. Filling in the gaps of an absent life void of any memories. He sat in a chair across from him, when his eyes became too heavy for him, he drifted off to sleep. He almost didn't hear the timid voice coming from across the room.
"Michael? you look like hell... Go home now... Get some rest."
Michael Weston sat upright in a start. his eyes were wide as saucers. he stared at him in disbelief.
"Matty? do you remember me?"
He stared up at him his eyes blinking slowly, and for the first time Michael Weston could see something was registering, he was still quite weak but now he was aware.
"Matty, wait- don't try to talk buddy, I'm going to get the doctor."
Michael Weston to the staff at Mercy General hospital must have seemed to be a man who had taken leave of his senses. He was running down the hall yelling for the doctor, and when Dr. Samuel Taylor heard him he tried desperately to calm him down, Michael Weston was almost crying then.
"Doc, you don't understand, he spoke to me. He remembered my name."
They both quickly walked back to room 213, and when they went through the door Matthew Warren was sitting up in bed looking more alert than he'd ever been since his arrival. Doctor Taylor gave Michael Weston an uneasy look.
"Good evening, can you tell me your name?"
"Matthew Warren." He calmly replied.
"Mr. Warren? do you remember who this gentleman is?"
"Certainly, I've only know him my whole life, Michael.... Weston, is my best friend."
They would continue to talk for the better part of three hours, with Michael Weston careful not to mention anything about them being in the Vale, he tried delicately to tell him about everything that he'd missed without ever mentioning the date or time until Matthew Warren gave him a puzzled look, he rested his hand on top of Michael Weston's his eyes scaning his face, looking for unspoken clues.
"Michael... Something is different... You look older somehow... Your eye's Michael... They look... Troubled... They haven't aged well my friend... You're holding something back... I can feel It... How long Michael? Tell me the truth... I deserve the truth... Don't I?"
"Matty... You don't remember anything?"
"Bits and pieces mostly... Nothing clear though... How long Michael?"
He nervously looked around the room his eyes began to water.
"Matty... You've been missing for 25 years."
His face turned away from Michael Weston but showed no emotion. Dr. Samuel Taylor entered the room and nodded to Michael Weston. He stood and looked back down at Matthew Warren.
"I'm going to go get some coffee Matty, but I'll be just down the hall if you need me."
Doctor Taylor smiled down at Matthew Warren.
"The nurse is going to give you a mild sedative to help you rest Mr. Warren. it won't hurt, and you'll sleep better."
He nodded. The nurse gave him the shot and minutes later his eyes began to softly flutter he closed them and softly drifted off to sleep. Michael Weston decided to go home and tend to some personal business and maybe get a couple of hours of sleep of his own. at least, that was the plan. He made it home and showered, ate dinner and decided to take a quick nap on the sofa, he drifted off to sleep until the phone rang at 2:30 am, the caller ID said incoming call from Doctor Samuel Taylor. Matthew Weston answered.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Weston? This is Doctor Taylor. Just letting you know, there has been an incident at Mercy General. it's Matthew Warren."
"I'll be right there."
He drove like a madman on his way to Mercy General hospital, he turned on his flashers when he saw Loren Jeffries pull out onto the highway. Jeffries moved in behind him and after seeing the emerncy flashers, turned on his siren to clear the way. They both pulled into the hospital parking lot and jumped from their cars. Loren Jeffries gave him a nervous look.
Mathhew Warren?"
He nodded.
They were met in the lobby by Dr. Samuel Taylor. All three walked down the hall making their way to room 213.
"I got the call one hour ago, the nurse heard screaming coming from Matthew Warren's room, when she got there the lights in the rooms around his began fluttering, he was floating five foot above his bed and the nurse said it looked like he was in the middle of an electrical storm."
They all walked up to room 213, Matthew Warren was once again lying in his bed, peacefully everything looked completely normal. Loren Jeffries turned to face Michael Weston.
"What in the hell happened to him?"
They watched with growing curiosity as the strange men in suits hovered around Matthew Warren's room, Loren Jeffries looked as puzzled as Michael Weston, nobody called in the FBI that they knew of, and the CIA wouldn't give two cents of a rats ass about Matthew Warren. Loren Jeffreyes approached the men slowly.
"Gentlemen? May I help you?"
One man looked him up and down.
"Probably not."
"This man is under quarentine, you need to leave this area immediately, unless of course the thought of being arrested somehow appeals to you."
They both turned toward the elevator. Michael Weston appeared over his shoulder.
"Badges?"
Loren shook his head no.
"No government ID's?"
Again no.
"Reporters?"
"More than likely."
They turned to room 213 inside Matthew Warren was stirring. They both drew in a deep breath when they saw the little blue sparks moving up and down his arms. He flenched against the restraints that the hospital had put into place to keep him securely on the bed. It was becoming more and more obvious that Matthew Warren was not the same person that he was before the hunting trip into the Vale. They both agreed that it would probably be the safest thing if neither of them went into the room for the time being. Michael Weston turned to face Loren Jeffries.
"Coffee then?"
He nodded his approval.
They went into the caffeteria and ordered two cups of black coffee. Loren Jeffreyes carefully thought about his first question for Michael Weston. They both sat at the table staring into their coffee cups.
"So, Michael, what do you remember about that day?"
He drew the cup to his lips.
"I've replayed that day out in my head over a billion times in the last 25 years, and the one place that my mind keeps going back to is the day itself. I should have listened to my gut, they would have followed my lead and none of this would have happened."
"What do you mean the day itself?"
"Everything was off, nothing felt right from the time I got out of my truck, It was quiet, too quiet, almost like death. No animals, no deer, no rabbits, no birds... No sound at all, It's always misty and foggy up there in the Vale, this mist or fog? It lay different, it moved different, like it was alive, hunting for prey on it's own. It didn't lay still, not like normal, it swirled in small circles like a snake, I headed right back to base camp, damn, I knew it was off, Tommy too. When Matty didn't show, we've talked about it a million times Tommy and me, we just knew in our hearts, he wasn't coming back out of the Vale. Can I share something with you Loren?"
Loren Jeffreyes leaned forward. nodding his approval.
"Matty didn't just... Disappear... Something took him that day... Something alive... Hiding in the Vale... That? that in there Loren? that isn't normal."
"When he spoke to you, Did he say that he'd remembered... Anything?"
"Nah, he said he remembered bits and pieces, his name. who he was, his mom and dad, normal shit, but what happened while he was... Missing? he was drawing a blank."
"Do you think he's holding something back Michael?"
"Nah man, not Matty, if he remembered anything he'd have told me so."
They concluded that perhaps it was something that was beyond anything that could be even remotely constrewed as normal, no, after everything they'd seen, if anything it was bordering on the paranormal, and on the days that followed it would only get worse. Until they decided to consult someone on the outside, they decided to call The Rymen Institute. Dr. Alice Rymen at 36 years old barely remembered hearing about the story of Matthew Warren, it wasn't until she was told that he was found alive that her brilliant hazel eyes would light up. She was a paranormal psychologist that came with glowing credentials, and when both Loren Jeffreyes and Michael Weston approached her with Matthew Warren's story, She agreed to meet with them.
The Rymen building wasn't as large as they thought it would be, in fact it was quite small, perhaps 5,000 square feet or so, a two story rather unassuming gray brick structure with a simple small sign in front. They entered through the double glass doors in front until they were greeted by the front receptionist, a tall skinny older woman with grayish blond hair staring at them through a pair of spectacles, she looked them up and down.
"May I help you gentlemen?" she asked.
"Officer Loren Jeffreyes, and Michael Weston, here to see Dr. Alice Rymen?"
Behind them, she appeared through two heavey wooden double doors. She dressed casually her blonde hair was pulled back into a pony tail, her eyes looking over her glasses moved between the receptionist and them.
"It's ok Doris, I've been expecting them."
She reached her hand out and ushered them both into her office. Right away Michael Weston found the whole scene oddly plain, it was a rather small room with beige walls, there was one plant by the door, scant wall decorations, a small bookshelf and her desk, behind her the only thing that stood out was the degree hanging on the wall, the whole scene felt off somehow. He pushed his feelings aside and they told her the story of Matthew Warren, after which she agreed to go to the hospital with them to talk with him. They were met at the entrance to the corridor leading to room 213 by Dr. Taylor nodding them in the direction of the cafeteria. He turned to face them just inside the door.
"Matthew had another episode last night, we gave him a stronger sedative, it calmed him down but it didn't knock him out, he started talking in another language? Clicking noises mixed with words of somekind? Something that I've never heard before, it's the strangest thing that I have ever encountered. I can't explain it."
He paused slightly, the color leaving his face, Michael Weston gave him a concerned look. Dr. Taylor looked away for a second, before returning his full attention to the conversation. He leaned toward Michael Weston.
"I... I don't think it was human, we have to keep this in house, if the FBI gets ahold this, they'll take over this whole hospital."
They introduced him to Dr. Rymen who agreed to try to talk to Matthew Warren. It was just past 5:30 pm when they all returned to room 213, it was dimly lit when they entered, Matthew Warren lye still, staring at the ceiling in an almost trance like state. Unprovoked, when Dr. Alice Rymen sat down beside his bed he began to talk, it sounded like him, but at the same time there was something underneath, In his voice... Trying to reach out..
"We... Are... Not... Alone... Our... Vanity... Our Arrogance... Allows us to believe this lie... But... It... Isn't So. "
"Is someone here with us Matthew?"
"Not here... There... In the Vale..."
"Matthew? October 17th, 1997... Do you remember that day?"
Silence.
Matthew?"
"Yes... I'm walking down the trail looking for deer sign... It's starting to get colder... Everything I'm carrying is getting heavy... I set the gun down in the fork in the tree... Take off the pack... It helps a little but it's... still... so cold... It's so strange... There's no sound here... but... ohhh... I'm not alone... There's something moving... In the mist... I... I... can't see it... But it's there... I want to run away... But I can't move... It's all around me now... lifting me up... off the ground... I'm floating... There's... Something above me... A... Light? Yes... it's so bright... it's blinding me... I want to scream for help... but it won't let me... There's a voice... I can't... See where it's coming from... It's telling me not to be afraid... It tells me.. I'm not the first..."
His head began to turn from side to side his eyes were wide open, dancing around the room.
"Matthew? Where are they taking you?"
"I... I... Don't know... It's black now... I feel tired... So... Tired... Like... I want to sleep... But my eyes won't close... Time... has passed now... Too much time... I can the light again... It's different somehow... Getting brighter... I can see now... I'm in some kind of huge room... There are other people here... Hanging Above me... Some below... they are... lying down... On air... Floating... Like me...Ten... Maybe... Twenty... There's someone standing over me now... They're... Holding my eyelids open..... There's a machine... Scanning my body... I... See things... In my mind... It's them I think... They're dying... They've come here to study us... To harvest our DNA... They need it to save their race... No... I wasn't suppose to see this..."
His head started to swing back and forth slowly, his syelids tightly closed then. Dr. Alice Ryman reached out and held his hand.. he slowly became relaxed and calm again.
"Matthew? what do you see now?"
"It's showing me things... But... Not from their past... From ours... There are explosions... Wars... So much... Blood... So much pain... Needless suffering... The voice is in my head again... It says... We... Don't... Matter..."
"We don't matter Matthew?"
"No."
"To Them?"
"To us.."
"I don't understand."
"We don't matter to each other... Instead of trying to understand that which we don't... We... Destroy... They pity us... We've lost... touch with what's most important..."
"Matthew?"
"Our humanity... If we don't care if we live or die... Why should they?"
The room fell into a dark uncomfortable silence, the voice that they were hearing was indeed Matthew Warren's, but it carried with it an ominous almost alien tone, he spoke in an almost trance like state recounting the events of October, 17th 1997. It chilled everyone present to the bone, in all of the recounting he never once uttered the word "alien" He fell into a restful sleep, Dr. Alice Rymen rose to her feet, obviously shaken, she turned toward the others. She looked back down at Matthew Warren.
"That was real." She said.
Loren Jeffreyes and Michael Weston both walked up beside her.
"Ok. that sounded like Matty, but at the same time, it didn't, was anybody else feeling like there was a slight echo to his voice?" Michael Weston asked.
Loren Jeffreyes interjected into the conversation.
"Yeah almost like someone, or something was talking through him at the same time he was talking."
Dr. Samuel Taylor slowly stood.
"I need a drink."
They all left room 213... Both Dr. Sam and Rymen decided to compare notes over drinks while Officer Loren Jeffreyes returned to the station house with Michael Weston in tow. They sat in the parking lot giving everything that they'd witnessed a going over. they tried to make sense of the small electrical sparks that moved up and down Matthew's arms... The only conclusion that they could reach was that there was no logical explanation for what they had seen, or had witnessed. Michael Weston tried to go back over every little detail and that day back in October of 1997.
"So, there was nothing?"
"Nothing."
"You said that you remembered the fog moving in circles?"
"Yeah that whole thing with fog man, weird, there was no breeze or anything, it was like it was moving independently. almost at will."
"But no lights, no electrical storm.?"
"Nothing but fog, but now that I think about it, there was the whole temperature thing."
"Temperature thing?"
"Yeah, every time we've been up to the Vale? The weather is just freaky up there, it always has been, there 's an old saying amongst the old time hunters who go up there, if you don't like the weather in the Vale? wait five minutes, it'll change."
"Irratic?"
"Yeah, very, but that day? it was way off, high cloud cover, low laying fog belt, but it didn't hang in the valley like usual, it rose up through the trees up into the upper elevations... And the temperature dropped dramatically, it got so cald, so fast, you could see your breath. when we followed the path that Matty took it was even colder there. No thunder, no lights... No sound... Only that cold ass fog."
Sunday, September 4th, 2022, 3:45 am.
He stood silently watching from the dark doorway, waiting, contemplating, he waited untill he knew that the nightshift nurses were on their rounds and he moved along the wall up to the Janitors closet, he slipped inside, there was a pair of sneakers that fit and some coveralls, he took off the hospital gown and put them on and baseball cap that he found hanging on the back of the door, he took it and slipped into the nurses station and took some paper and a pen and envelope. he slipped into the bathroom to write a quick message to Michael Weston, He wrote the name on the front of the envelope and took it back to his room, he placed it on the pillow and waited until he had an opening. He knew the nurses wouldn't be checking on him for another 30 minutes or so. when the hallway cleared again he went to the stairwell, he had another 27 minutes before the nurses would know he was gone. At 4:16 am, Matthew Warren walked out the front door of Mercy General Hospital. The restraints were still attached to his bed.
Dr. Samuel Taylor was notified as soon as they discovered Matthew Warren was missing. They called Aaron Jeffreyes who had sent everyone in a cruiser out to find him. Doctor Taylor himself called Michael Weston. he walked in forty minutes later. Dr. Taylor greeted him as he got off of the elevator.
"Michael, thanks for coming down."
"What happened?"
"He somehow got loose from his restaints, they're still attached to the bed, he waited until he knew the night nurses were on their rounds , he stole some coveralls from the janitors closet with some shoes, The camera shows him walking out the front door about an hour ago. he left this for you, I didn't read it."
Michael Weston took a deep breath.
"He always was the more resourceful one of our group of friends."
he opened the envelope.
Michael,
In a perfect life, a better time, I suppose I could work my way back into having something that would resemble a normal life here. But my friend, as much as I would have enjoyed that fairytale ending I think that we both know that it could never be. My time here has passed, and now it is time for me to face my new truth, I no longer have a place here in this time, I am a relic from the past, and to the past I must return. Don't bother with searching, they won't find me. They are waiting.. I'm going home now, please know Michael, I have always been, and shall always be honored to call you my friend.
Love and respect..
Matthew.
Loren Jeffreyes appeared at his side.
"Any ideas where he might have gone?"
"How did he get loose? Not only from his restraints but from them?"
"You have any theories Michael?"
"I think they let Matty loose, to come back here, to warn us, we the people are our own worst enemies. and we'd better be getting our shit together, sooner rather than later. Call off the search Loren."
"Do you think Matthew is headed back to the Vale?" He asked.
"Matty went home."
They stared out the dark window at the vast mountain tops known as the Vale, they watched for a time as the strange glowing appeared and then slowly grew more distant before fading into nothing.
~Fin~
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