Pick Us Up

Entrance Fee

"Oh, come on! I thought you liked summer camps?" Alexa sped up and continued to ignore the various turn-back signs, her eyes focusing only on the last one at the end of the road. It only had one big arrow pointing straight down.

"Are you out of your mind?!" I screamed at her while clutching the seatbelt as firmly as I could. However, she didn't stop, even when we drove off the cliff down to the sea below. She wore her poker face like how some girls wear their makeup, beautiful yet unnatural in a way. I shut my eyes, knowing what was about to come.

With a massive splash sending shivers down my spine, my heart sunk, just like the car. Yet somehow, the engines were still up and running. Her cheerful voice broke the deafening silence like the bubbles popping around us.

"What an extraordinary entrance fee, wouldn't you agree? The price is free, but the cost is your life. Really brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, pay with your life..."

I opened my eyes, about to retort back, only to be greeted by the sight of sudden darkness. Oh gods... A sea mine was floating by, just inches away from my window. What was Alexa doing? Just casually drifting around it like it's another Tuesday night.

Hundreds of sea mines in front of us almost gave the impression of lollipops just jabbed in the sand without any order by a silly child who had nothing better to do. Furthermore, behind us stood a graveyard, filled with heaps of cars sandwiched on top of each other and impaled by the sharp edges of the reef. Was this place a popular suicide spot, I wonder?

A sudden crack pulled me back into reality.

"On 3, reach the sound and whack the source!"

"Wait... what?"

"1..." Alexa cut open my seatbelt because I wouldn't let go.

"2..." The white cracks grew and formed more and more webs covering the entire window.

"3..." With a loud thump, the widows burst open, turning the car into an aquarium.

I pushed myself onward towards the ringing melody, then almost broke my fist while punching everything I could reach. Unable to open my eyes, I only heard the pounding of a door closed shut and the sound of bubbles. My hands ran through the glass, checking my surroundings. I felt air bubbles at the top of the enclosure I got trapped in and immediately swam upwards.

I could finally breathe! Air bubbles started to slowly circulate inside, filling the entire booth and a dazzling crimson light flashed above was enough to blind me upon opening my eyes. I was standing inside a telephone booth. When I came to my senses, the beaten telephone on the ground spoke up in an 80s tone of voice with an irritating buzzing in the background.

"Congratulations on your admission to our annually held interdimensional survival camp! What a breathtaking performance indeed!"