Chapter 2: The Unknown

The gentle streams rustled, the warmth bathed like the summer skies, while the breeze acted as the perfect balance. Cold and warm, the grass which tickled my bare skin, whistled as they waved like the seas.

I inhaled the air, chewed more than my lungs could ever expand, and out it soothed my mind.

When was the last time I left the surrounding urban skyscrapers? When was the last time I took her out to build castles out of sand, fight with sticks and leaves, or anything together at all? Before I knew, a chasm had already separated us both. Why… Why did I leave her alone within the shell, our house. All alone with her only friend, a computer?

With a crowbar or two, I peered open my eyes from the past, and I frowned. For the first sight on my journey met me with a scorching burn, rainbow halos which seeped past my fingers.

Suffice to say, anyone would cover away as their eyes adjusted to the beauty within the radiance. And so I did, from bright colours… To total darkness...

What happened? I tried to move, but couldn’t. Not an inch, nor an milimeter. Why? I could’ve sworn that I covered my eyes from the dazzling light, and rose from the grass to see where I were. But now, nothing but absence of light surrounded me, and stiffened my body felt as well. As if my nerves and neurons never belonged to me in the first place.

If uncomfortable is not the word, unnerving it is. Being unable to differentiate between eyes closed or open.

But even then, within the dead silence. I still tried to gather my five senses, like breathe and taste the stagnant air. For one who couldn’t move a muscle, there wasn’t much I could actually do. Yet I still searched for the soft green grass which once cushioned me, only to return with cold hard steel.

My heart skipped a beat. Fireworks exploded, or what I believed to be multiple firecrackers from a far. Yet quite unique, more deafening, more rhythmic and sharper as if the crackers ripped through air itself.

Whatever it was, it seemed to close- My heart skipped another beat.

“Stabilisation of body condition has reached 100%.” A digital voice announced, and continued “Commencing injection of dose UF-alpha-6.”

I have no idea what had gotten into me, but the high pitched sound itched and shivered my spine, as if something dangerous extended forward beside my ear. Though I may not be able to identify the source, my brain knew from those few words that a sharp needle was about to pierce through my bare skin.

What if an overdose occur? What if in actually it was heroin or crack? What if all of this was staged?

I wanted to shake my head away from these thoughts, I wanted to think about the positives, like regaining my senses back through this injection. But my actions spoke louder. Breaths grew shorter and heart accelerated towards its melting point.

In the end, fatal or not. The idea alone not knowing anything, scrambled my brain into disarray.

I awaited my fate… Somewhere I’ve never been nor ever knew.

...

Perhaps it was my paralysis. Perhaps I was too afraid. Either way, I felt no pain, nor a gentle nudge. Only silence for the needle that retracted back towards its origins, and only a sigh of relief as my throbs eased itself from a cardiac arrest.

“Injection complete, commencing next phase.”

You can fool me once or twice, the third announcement however, I was mentally prepared for! I boasted. But my heart tensed, cells went quiet as whatever I resided within shook.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

The music of cogwheels rolled forth, while machinery crackled and roared as if old and rusty. Whatever their functionality served, it turned wheels of the platform 90 degrees till I stood upright on a smooth metallic surface that chilled my feet.

“Commencing exit of online. Please be patient as we stabilise the pressure.”

Finally, some words that made sense! Just like how the system announced. Fans ventilated, pressure softened. But I cursed the filtration. Never did I expect particles of dust to fill my chamber, and no matter how much I wanted to scratch my tingling nose. I couldn’t!

The light before me caught my attention wide. Whatever I resided within, slowly and eventually retracted the two screens and revealed the outside world.

Or so I thought, what separated me still, were a window of glass with a word spelled backwards, or rather presumably to be read from the other side. It said, “Online.”

“Stabilization complete, welcome back participant 7-1-3-0”

Participant? And 7-whut? What in hells did it mean.

The glass retracted upwards, and helpless my knees fell forward. It hurt, kneecaps hit the floor, cheeks followed the pull of gravity and scratched against ceramic tiles.

I wanted to scream in pain, yet mouth could not open. Neither could I shudder as the change in temperature engulfed me. Therefore, since gathering dust as I laid stomach first on the floor would not get me anywhere, and neither would the swollen pain vanish anytime soon. I surveyed the metallic wall before me, which glinted off the seeping light from the crackling cracks above.

Where am I? Is this some kind of lab? Why so dark… Unable to move my neck or body. My iris glanced left and right, or in this case, from ceiling towards floor. Questions filled my mind. But most importantly, where is everyone?

The firecrackers went off yet again, much louder, more precise, but what caught my ears more, was the hoarse groans before my very eyes.

You! Hey, over here, you in the shadows! Please help me! I wanted to shout. Even though my sentences was quite rude and inappropriate. Truth be told, be it selfish or not. I’ve had enough of waiting, especially after amassing a pile of questions awaiting for its turn. So having someone lend me a shoulder or an ear, is like striking the jackpot on the lottery.

Either way, with a single glance. My new friend’s body functions still did not function properly. They groaned, staggered, and with their stiff legs they took one prolonged step at a time. I couldn’t imagine how I’d fare myself when It was my turn to walk, nor if I wanted to communicate.

Yes over here! You can do it! Take your time, no rush- I strangled my throat, kept my voice deep within the depths of the abyss, and froze like a pillar of ice.

Rotten meat permeated the air, flies buzzed left and right. And the presumed source entered the light from the crack above. Skin peeled, bones between tissues, organs ripped and brown liquid dripping like blood. It was akin to a nightmare of a movie, which trembled every living atoms within my cell.

“GRAAAaaaaHHHH!”

And so I knew, I had to avoid being bit at all cost.

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Sorry, quite short but had no idea if I should have gone the RPG-fantasy route, Survival RPG, or the sci-fi ^^. Well, after all the rewriting and bashing my head against the wall, do enjoy!