There was something very familiar about it, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Max picked up the smell of cheap perfume, beer and urine cakes. Something in the shadows reminded him of another time, another place. "What the Hell is going on!," he screamed. "Light, I need to find a light source." Max realized that he no longer had his flashlight. He needed to compose himself, collect his thoughts. "How could this have happened," he wondered.
Then it dawned on him, look for a light switch. He looked around but it was getting darker. He was almost at total blackness. The door was gone. Max was now sweating profusely. He could feel rivers of water running down his face and his back. "I need to find a light," he remembered.
It was now pitch black. Max was crawling across the floor, trying to find a wall.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
5 Jan 05:35 - A Corridor Found
"Chance favors the prepared mind," thought Max. It was a favorite quote of his. It applied to the unwelcome news he was about to deliver to Secretary McNamara and to the flashlight in his hand which would ensure that the information was delivered in time for it to make a difference.
The flashlight made little headway into the gloom of the perfectly dark corridor. Max moved slowly forward, sweeping the beam in front of him as he moved forward. He was about ten feet into the hallway when his beam revealed a wall in front of him. It was a dusty and grey. This temporary, jury-rigged wall must have been there for at least a decade. "Humph. Guess Pentagon maintenance has not changed much," thought Max.
A monetary surge of frustration bubbled up in him until he made out the faint outline of a door cut into the drywall. It wasn't a proper door, just a piece of drywall held into place by something not visible from this side of the wall. Max pushed he door with his hand and then with his shoulder. It gave way with a reluctant groan.
Max walked through, surprised by the dim lighting that marked this forgotten space. He was shocked by what he saw.
The flashlight made little headway into the gloom of the perfectly dark corridor. Max moved slowly forward, sweeping the beam in front of him as he moved forward. He was about ten feet into the hallway when his beam revealed a wall in front of him. It was a dusty and grey. This temporary, jury-rigged wall must have been there for at least a decade. "Humph. Guess Pentagon maintenance has not changed much," thought Max.
A monetary surge of frustration bubbled up in him until he made out the faint outline of a door cut into the drywall. It wasn't a proper door, just a piece of drywall held into place by something not visible from this side of the wall. Max pushed he door with his hand and then with his shoulder. It gave way with a reluctant groan.
Max walked through, surprised by the dim lighting that marked this forgotten space. He was shocked by what he saw.
Monday, 5 January 0530 (by Jon)
Monday, 5 Jan @ 0530hrs. Upon entering the Pentagon from the metro station Max discovered that yet again, another corridor remodeling project was underway. This time, the corridor 5, the one he used every morning to get to his office was completely blocked off. In a sigh of frustration, he mumbled, “I don’t have time for this...why can’t facility management provide better notification!” He was already late. Secretary McNamara would be expecting him at any moment to deliver the latest intelligence reporting from overnight. However, as with most Pentagon construction projects, a service door was hastily erected to allow workers into the construction area. Max decided, “I’ll go through the service door and take the corridor anyway...surely they haven’t started heavy demolition yet.”
Sure enough, the door was unlocked and the corridor appeared dimly lit all the way down the C ring. However, beyond that it was dark. To get from the C ring to the A ring, Max would have to walk in the dark and find the rear entry to his office area. As a former Boy Scott, Max was always prepared. He pull out a flash light and started down the corridor.
Sure enough, the door was unlocked and the corridor appeared dimly lit all the way down the C ring. However, beyond that it was dark. To get from the C ring to the A ring, Max would have to walk in the dark and find the rear entry to his office area. As a former Boy Scott, Max was always prepared. He pull out a flash light and started down the corridor.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Welcome Inside
The Hidden Corridor was born a few months ago over dinner with Jon and Sonja at our house. We were talking about how to stay in touch while Jon was away this year. After much conversation and much wine, we decided that it would be fun to use this time to develop a blog-based novel, with inputs from all friends willing to participate.
To participate, just read the post preceding yours (and any others you might wish to read as well) and pick up a story line to follow. You can take it in any direction you choose. You can introduce new characters, locations and themes. Just be sure to provide a point of reference so that the story ties together. When Jon gets home, we will print and share the entire story with all participants.
Here is the premise of the story: The Pentagon is perpetually under construction. During one of these projects back in the early sixties, a corridor was blocked off during a a construction project. As often happens with Pentagon renovations, the project dragged on, with amendments to plans and changes in project management. By the time it was all finished, the corridor was forgotten.
It remained undiscovered for several years until Robert McNamara took the helm at the Department of Defense. Max Savage, a defense contractor, came on board as an advisor to McNamara. Max discovered to corridor and began unlocking its secrets while serving as one of McNamara's most trusted advisers. But what he discovered in that corridor shook his beliefs to the core and, ultimately, changed our history as a nation. This is the story of what Max found, what he did and what still happens in the hidden corridor.
To participate, just read the post preceding yours (and any others you might wish to read as well) and pick up a story line to follow. You can take it in any direction you choose. You can introduce new characters, locations and themes. Just be sure to provide a point of reference so that the story ties together. When Jon gets home, we will print and share the entire story with all participants.
Here is the premise of the story: The Pentagon is perpetually under construction. During one of these projects back in the early sixties, a corridor was blocked off during a a construction project. As often happens with Pentagon renovations, the project dragged on, with amendments to plans and changes in project management. By the time it was all finished, the corridor was forgotten.
It remained undiscovered for several years until Robert McNamara took the helm at the Department of Defense. Max Savage, a defense contractor, came on board as an advisor to McNamara. Max discovered to corridor and began unlocking its secrets while serving as one of McNamara's most trusted advisers. But what he discovered in that corridor shook his beliefs to the core and, ultimately, changed our history as a nation. This is the story of what Max found, what he did and what still happens in the hidden corridor.
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