Authors Note - Hey all, I started West Lake Vally many moons ago under a different pen name, fir which I no longer have the login for. After suffering with some severe writers block I thought I’d attack this storyline again, but try and tell the story I wanted to tell now my writing style has improved. I’ll try and update as I can, but not gonna promise any regular schedule
Jon and Karyn made their way over to the door with the number 38 painted on it in red blocky figures. There was a small electric lock next to it, and above it was a yellow sign with the image of one of the watch-like devices they had on their wrists being pressed against the lock. Karyn shrugged and held her device to the lock, which beeped once, flashed green and the door slid upwards allowing her in. Before Jon could follow her through it slammed down again and the lock flashed red. Jon grumbled as he held his watch to the lock before following after Karyn.
On the other side of the door was a smaller room in which stood another boiler suited man stood next to a dark grey minivan. He had a walkie-talkie hanging on his belt with a wired mic clipped to his chest. He was stood so uncannily still that if Jon couldn’t see him breathing, he would have thought he was a mannequin. The van was parked facing a set of shutters, above which hung a digital display showing the number 4. There was another beep behind them, and they watched the number change from 4 to 3.
“Jon!” They heard a small voice squeak as the locked door slip upwards, allowing Jon’s younger brother Mikey into the room. He hurried over to stand by them as the door quickly shut. Almost immediately after they heard a beep and the number on the display changed again to 2.
“Oh good, I’m glad the family isn’t completely separated” Jon’s mom, Linda, said happily as she stepped through the door and joined them.
“Who do you think the last two will be?” Karyn asked Jon, “that’s clearly counting down everyone in our group”
“Who knows, maybe your mom and dad?” Jon replied with a shrug. They didn’t have to wait long as there was another beep and they were soon joined by Susan MacMillan. She looked around the small room, passing her eye of Jon, Karyn, and Mikey, before giving Linda and curt nod.
“Linda,” she said as she tilted her head upward slightly her eyes glancing down her nose, “Always a pleasure”
“You too Susan” Linda replied bluntly as Susan moved out the doorway and stood apart from the four of them. After a few more minutes there was another beep and the countdown changed to zero. They all turned to the door as it opened revealing Sarah MacMillan, who was currently talking to someone out of sight, a boiler suited woman was stood impatiently behind her.
“Well just come find me as soon as you can ok!” She said sternly, “do you mind! I’m saying bye to my boyfriend!” She added as she was gently pushed through the doorway by the woman behind her. She finally turned to face them all as the door slid shut behind her.
“Oh great” she muttered under her breath as she walked past Jon and Karyn,
to join her mother, “Dork and Dorkette”. The man in the room with them finally moved, and opened the sliding door on the side of the mini van, revealing two rows of three seats on either side of the cab. Susan and Sarah climbed in first, taking two of the forward facing seats, Susan making some excuse that travelling backwards would make them both car-sick. Linda rolled her eyes and climbed in after them taking the third seat on that side. Mikey, Karyn, and Jon climbed in next taking the three backward facing seats. Boiler-suit man stood still again, seemingly waiting for something. After a few moments the walkie on his belt crackled to life.
Iris Drive Occupants accounted for. Prepare convoy for departure said a tinny voice. Boiler-Suit Man reached up and pressed the speaker button on his chest mic.
“Copy that control. Preparing to depart” he said in a gruff voice. He reached out and slid the side door closed before moving round and climbing into the driver seat. They could hear the sound of the shutters rolling upwards, and Boiler-Suit Man started the engine. The walkie crackled again.
Iris Drive Convoy, you are clear to go came the tinny voice, followed by the several other voices one after the other at regular intervals
Iris 35 away
Iris 36 away
Iris 37 away
Boiler-suit man waited a second or two then pressed his mic
“Iris 38 away” he confirmed before pulling the van out the small room and into the bright daylight outside.
