GreenView Estates

By Eldritch Cube

CHAPTER – 1

“The Man with the Magenta Tie

This morning like every other morning in May, I sat there on my windowsill in my apartment, apt – 134, Floor 5. I was enjoying my coffee, noticing the warm feeling as it surrounded my hands on this cool autumn Morning. My cat Sochi came up to me and nudged at my hand wanting to be pet when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye that begged for attention. A sleek black Mercedes G-wagon pulled into the parking lot, A car that stood out between the Trabants and Volkswagen golfs. 4 men wearing Black suits and fedoras stepped out of the car, including 1 but having the distinction of wearing a magenta coloured tie. The four men walked towards our cosy little apartment block, It’s your standard 1980s All white middle European 7 story apartment block, but it’s our apartment block.

The men walked into the lobby and where greeted by a nice older woman. She had auburn hair that’s starting to grey and was wearing an older yellow dress. As the men walked up to here, she greeted them. “Hello there, Welcome t-to GreenView Estates.” The man wearing the magenta Tie turn to the older woman and expresses an ear to ear smile while introducing himself. “Salutations my Fellow Person, my designation is Davin Westgate from the Alterrin Research Foundation.” The woman seemed surprise at who the man seemed to be. “Oh y-you must be those kind men that called me 3 weeks ago.” The man’s smiles widened “Yes, I am that same man, we called you approximately 3 weeks, 6 Days and 7 Hours ago”. The woman was taken aback the man’s way to specify an exact time. The man continued, “Anyway, we have decided that this apartment block that you currently reside in is the perfect are for our future testing. Can you confirm that everything is in place?” The woman nodded in agreement. The man lifted a strange box and placed it on the reception desk, pulled up an antenna and turned a switch. The box made a whirring and humming sound until it started to periodically beep.

I quickly snap out of my blank stare as Sochi continues to nudge at my hand. I go to pet him when I notice one, no four white vans pull into the parking lot. Many men file out of the van, some wearing suits, some wearing strange plastic overalls with gasmasks. Those people stood out as the last place I saw them was at the turn off to a Russian town. Pripy-Something, I can’t remember. Anyway, those men are all filing into the building and as I was watching what the people were doing, I hear a knock at my door.

Sochi and I walk over to the door, unclip the bolt and unlock the door. The door opens to a man wearing a suit greeting me. “Hello resident of Apartment 134, I am designation 2214 For the Alterrin Research Foundation and I’m here to treat you to the Orientation of your new life.” I respond with an edge of uneasiness. “New life?” The man continues “Yes, New life, your apartment has been selected to undergo a Grateful and Very worthy Research Task. In turn, by signing yes on this sheet of paper, Your apartment will be issued $1,200,000 to help renovate it and you will be personally rewarded $250,000. If you do choose to not accept it, you are given 24 hours to Pack your belongings and leave the premises.” I think about it for a moment, I can either join in on this experiment or leave. I’ve been living here for 5 years. “I’ll accept it.” The man hands a clipboard containing a piece of paper with only the words ‘Do You choose to accept? Yes/No’ I circle yes and the man takes the paper and cheerfully says “Thank you for your cooperation on this project, A team will meet you shortly.”

 He then moves on to apartment 135 and greets them in a similar fashion to me. I go back to sit down on the windowsill and watch the ensuing vans and cars file in.