Void Switch

Chapter 3: An Unexpected Visitor

[Indistinct Chatter]

Its 4:30 in the morning. Everyone is waiting in the school hall for the bus. Erich and Azariah both sit across each other with their robot in between them both. Sitting with his legs crossed over each other and his computer over his lap, he works on the robots programming while Azariah makes sure that all the schematics and notes are organized for the judges to see. While she is skimming through the pages, making minor additions to the notes, she looks over at him and subtly calls out his name. He stops typing and makes eye contact.

"Yes beautiful? What is it?" he replies.

"Its nothing" she giggles

"I still feel like I have known you for so long. Why is that?"

"Who knows? Only life can provide that answer. I am also happy that we have met. Honestly you make me feel at ease." he says.

She reaches for his hand, he gently holds hers. One student yawns and asks when will the bus arrive. The teacher responds stating a few more minutes. Everyone is finishing up their final touches they need to make with their designs before lining up to get on the bus. Everyone walking in sync, all with the same blue/black/white uniforms. Everyone is loading their belongings on the bus. Azariah, sitting three seats up from the back, to the right. Erich looks over to find her and notices some guy sitting next to her. Jealousy grows inside of him. He quickly calms his mind. He just sits wherever is open, five seats up from the back to the right. Azariah looking somewhat uncomfortable, maneuvers over closer to the window putting in her earbuds. Erich looking over to check on her, he signals her and shows her a little note saying

"Don't Worry in a few hours you will be back in my arms after this trip".

She shakes her head smiling and closes her eyes. He shifts back facing forward smirking to himself. He then Looks out the window. On the front of a tall fence, displayed "Core Comp Saturday at 8:00 am, Explosive Event, Winning team gets $100,000." He closes his eyes and dreams about how everyone might do at the competition, the ideas that go through his mind settles his body into relaxation.

They have arrived, its 7am, the bus comes to a complete stop as its brakes screech loudly then stop. The teacher directs the students to wake up. From the front view on the inside of the bus they are then directed to look out the window on their left. All the students eyes glare as they see a large dome like building made of hexagonal shapes. Some of the shapes extrude outward, The cracks between each flow upward purple in color. The top of the building then pulses a ray of light to the skies. Erich quickly grabs his belongings along with everyone else. All eighteen students stand outside the building, some stretching, texting, eating a snack or tying their shoes. Entering the building, the view of the inside made it seem as if it were bigger than the outside of the dome. On the right half of the dome, ten relatively large stations for each school to settle in. On the left end, there are ten stations. Each with three battlefields. A few electro songs playing throughout the inside you could feel the bass from the speakers also in shapes of hexagons. One student calls out to everyone guiding them to their station. Everyone is setting up, the energy is focused and relaxed. Every school is in gear and ready, feeling the tension of the competition. Erich and Rose both first drop off their notebook to the judges for analyzation. The boy that sat next to Rose approaches her. He then attempts to flirt again, Erich noticing the same guy from before, steps in. The rude gentleman says...

"This does not concern you four eyes, now step aside. I am trying to claim my boo, I mean damn look at that body."

"First off no, and this lady right here is no boo, she is a queen. Now go or we can take it outside like men." Erich says calmly.