Teleportation Tech

The doorchimes jingle half an hour before closing time while Fernando helps another customer by retrieving movies. Since he is somewhat distracted by his task, he does not immediately see who enters, but once he finishes up with his other customer he sees two young men around the age of sixteen, seventeen milling about the new release aisle. They wear canvas jackets and dun-colored pants, and their boots track clods of dirt across Fernando's carpets, a sure sign they had been mucking about in the forest at some point during the day.

“Good evening,” he greets them, and they do not respond. Instead, they wantonly pluck tags until they are satisfied to at last approach the counter and spill four of them upon the glass.

“Under whose name tonight?” Fernando asks.

The pair exchanges a glance before the shorter of the two replies, “Mine, I guess.”

Fernando flicks his pen back and forth between his fingers. “And that is?”

“Suriname Elohim.”

Fernando looks the lad in the eyes. “Do you have an account here?”

“No.”

“Easily fixed.” Fernando heads into the office and retrieves a matriculation form, then places it upon the counter and hands over his pen. The young man fills out his name, his city, and his date of birth, then pushes the paperwork back across the counter in Fernando's direction. Fernando, upon reading what his guest had written, saw that he apparently hailed from Pearpound, which lay nearly a three hour drive away to the south.

“I'll need your address, phone number, and a driver's license,” Fernando tells him.

“Oh. I don't have those. I rode here with my cousin.” His eyes dart to left, where the taller member of the duo stands.

Fernando shrugs. “That's fine. Perhaps he could fill it out then.” Fernando retrieves a fresh application and tears up the first. The second young man fills it out and provides eerily similar information, except for the name. Most specifically, the Pearpound residence.

“I'll need your driver's license,” Fernando repeats, for that line had been left blank yet again.

“I don't have one.”

“Hmm. Then how did you get here?”

The pair exchanges another glance, then both leave.