THE MAN WHO ARRIVED TOMORROW
CHAPTER ONE: THE MAN WHO ARRIVED TOMORROW
Rain hammered against the rooftops of Evermist. Seventeen-year-old Daniel Hayes sat beside his bedroom window, staring into the darkness.
For seven consecutive nights, he had heard a mysterious train whistle at exactly midnight. Each time, a strange voice whispered his name.
That night, his phone suddenly rang.
"Hello?"
A man's voice responded.
"Daniel, listen carefully. Your father must not leave the house tomorrow morning."
"Who is this?"
"Your grandfather."
Daniel froze. His grandfather had been dead for twelve years.
"That's impossible!"
"Tomorrow, your father will die. You must stop him."
The call disconnected.
Daniel immediately rushed downstairs and told his father, Michael, what had happened. Instead of laughing, Michael became terrified.
Before he could explain, the television switched itself on.
An old photograph appeared, showing Daniel's grandfather standing beside a mysterious man wearing a golden mask.
Beneath the photograph was a message:
ONE OF THEM IS LYING.
Later that night, Daniel noticed a woman standing outside their gate. She introduced herself as Eleanor and showed him a silver pocket watch containing a photograph of Daniel as a baby.
On the back were the words:
PROPERTY OF THE EVERMIST TEMPORAL PROJECT — 2009.
Daniel demanded an explanation, but Eleanor suddenly noticed a black Mercedes approaching.
"Run!" she shouted.
The car crashed through the gate. A strange man stepped out, wearing an old-fashioned black suit.
He raised his hand, and time began moving backwards. Broken glass returned to windows, rain rose into the sky, and the damaged car repaired itself.
The stranger approached Daniel.
"Your grandfather stole something from me," he whispered.
"What?"
"Tomorrow."
He touched Daniel's forehead, and everything went black.
When Daniel opened his eyes, he found himself inside an enormous abandoned railway station.
A golden train emerged from the darkness.
Standing beneath the station clock was an elderly man with familiar brown eyes.
"Hello, grandson," he said.
Daniel stepped backwards.
"Grandpa?"
The old man smiled.
"You're finally here."
Before Daniel could ask anything, a tall figure wearing a golden mask appeared at the end of the platform.
His grandfather grabbed Daniel's hand.
"Whatever happens, never trust the conductor."
The stranger slowly approached.
"Welcome home, Daniel."
Then he smiled.
"Or should I say... welcome back?".
