Chapter 6C: Survive

The sun started to dip below the horizon. It stayed well hidden behind the thick clouds though. The rain didn’t let up any bit over the last few hours as Alex sat on the tree while shivering uncontrollably.

She thought to herself, “This is bad, my body temperature is dropping. I need to find a dry place and start a fire to survive the night. Why have I been just sitting there doing nothing for the past few hours?”

The water was flowing gently underneath her as it ripples in the rain. To get from her current position means she would have to swim to get anywhere, but due to the lack of light, it may be far too dangerous to do so. The current may swallow her up, or she might get snagged by a stray root and drown.

Alex sighed and looked up at the canopy above her. She needed to climb up higher in order to get a view of her surroundings before the light of dusk fades into the night. As she moved her body, her joints started to creak and rattle. Sitting in a tree for several hours was not comfortable. Initially, she thought the rain would come and go, but it just seemed endless now.

After some light stretches, Alex began to climb up towards the canopy. The bark was thick with dew and moisture. Each time she gripped the nubs of the tree, there was a feeling that she might slip at any moment. After several arduous minutes of climbing, she finally made it above the canopy.

Looking up, she saw a grey sky with a tint of orange between the cracks in the dark clouds. In front of her eyes was a sea of treetops. Countless miles of green leaves created a blanket of lush in this bleak rainy world. Suddenly, she spies a hole in the dense canopies of trees. There was a single tree towering over the rest in that hole. It seemed close by, but it would still take her about an hour to get there by foot. By then the sun would have fully set, and darkness would have enveloped the world. Traveling in such conditions will be unwise. But the tree looked large enough to provide shelter as there was a significant opening in it. As long as she can get somewhere dry, she perhaps might be able to get a fire going.

Alex sighed to herself, “If only there were a way to travel through the water quickly.”

Taking note of the location of the giant tree, she climbed back down to her branch.

“If only I had a portable light source.” She thought to herself.

Many what ifs went through her mind as the cold seeped deeper into her body. The shivering was uncontrollable now as the temperature dropped. Alex curled up, hoping that it would conserve more body heat.

“I wonder what time it is…”

Suddenly, a brilliant blue monitor appeared in front of her.

“This…”

The ethereal monitor displayed the time of day as well as the time remaining in her trial. It was only six in the evening, just six hours since the start of her trial. Still very long to go.

The only good thing was the blue monitor provided light, although it was dim and barely stretch over a few feet around her.

Alex pondered over the monitor. What other functions did she have in this world? Suddenly, she had a thought.

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“Map.” She whispered under her breath.

The blue monitor vanished and was replaced with a green monitor. It displayed the areas she had set foot in a colorful topographical map. The rest remained an unknown blue fuzz.

“It works!” Alex cheered. Although it may not help her reach the giant tree, it could at least help her retrace her steps in case she gets lost in the mangroves.

Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, she spotted something gently flowing along with the current. It was a massive leaf, far too large to come from a regular tree. It was nearly three meters in diameter. Such a large leaf must come from a tree the size of a skyscraper. Perhaps it came from the giant tree off in the distance.

“Maybe…”

The gears in Alex’s mind started running on full blast. With an idea in her mind, she quickly climbed down near the water’s edge. She took a branch she found along the way and try to pull the leaf closer to her, but it was far too big to be moved by the thin branch. Alex knew she what had to do, but to do so would perhaps mean endangering herself and burning all the bridges as she moved along.

Taking a deep breath, she jumped.

With a slash, she landed on the leaf. It was barely able to support her weight and stay afloat. Alex quickly spread her body mass as she lied down and stretched her limbs. If she could disperse her body weight across the leaf more, it would have a better chance of floating. Her quick action was rewarded as the leaf didn’t sink anymore. But she couldn’t steer the leaf. The current swept the leaf away from the tree she was taking shelter in. Alex quickly opened her map as she saw the area she traveled slowly reveal in brilliant light. She was heading towards the edge.

But what was at the edge? Just how big was the test area she was in?

Her question was quickly answered as she heard the thunderous roar. Barely lifting her head, she saw what lied awaiting her shortly. A sheer cliff.

“Shit, it’s a waterfall.” Alex panicked and cursed.

She had to get away, but the surrounding area had become a raging river with no trees or mangroves nearby. Her actions earlier just doomed herself. All the hindsight in the world couldn’t save her now. The leaf that was her beacon of hope had now become death’s ferry towards certain doom. Alex rapidly approached the edge. She could only grip tight to the leaf and pray.

Suddenly, a bold idea came to mind. In her desperation, Alex just might try anything. She quickly got into the water and held the leaf above her head. Just as she went over the ledge, Alex gained a footing on the ground and leaped. Instead of being carried down the waterfall and being decimated by the jagged rocks below, she instead put all her hope in the giant leaf. If it could act as a parachute and at least soften her landing, she might be able to survive.

It was a gamble and may cost her, but it was the only thing she could do now.

Alex closed her eyes as the wind and rain blasted her face along with the sting of the chill. But realizing she had to see where she landed, she forced her eyes open. The leaf did slow her descent, but the drop was still too steed. Although she may not hit the waters below at terminal velocity, it still will hurt like a bitch.

Just as she was about to break the water surface, Alex closed her eyes.

Pain, pure unadulterated pain shook her entire body. The shock nearly obliterated her consciousness. Alex screamed as water entered her throat. She quickly closed her mouth and tried to cough. It didn’t work.

But there was one good thing to pain; it meant that she was still alive. If she had stayed on the leaf and rode it down the waterfall, it was almost a guarantee that she will be impaled upon the rocks below. Alex quickly spread her body across the leaf as it became afloat again.

Suddenly, a red bar appeared in the corner of her eye.

“I see…so this is my Health bar.” Alex sighed as she noticed the words HP hovering beside the bar.

The crimson red bar was flickering with only around a tenth of it left. She nearly died, but in the end, perhaps due to sheer luck, she lived.

Under the bar were several icons. Alex looked directly at them as the description of each popped up. She was cold and wet, with hypothermia setting in. Her body was bruised all over from her tumble. It was a miracle she didn’t break any bones, but with her current statuses, she will not recover any health until she finds somewhere dry and warm.

With the dangerous situation passed, Alex took a sigh of relief. It had only been eight hours into her survival test, yet she already nearly died.

“This will be a lot harder than I thought.” Alex couldn’t help but curse at the sadistic AI Mother who put her in this situation. But honestly, there was no use getting angry. Her luck was just that bad.