Astral Flow

Chapter 50

Corridors of stark white.

Blinding lights.

The stench of chemicals hanging in the air.

This is the reality that was unveiled to Lily.

Quietly she looked around, easily recognizing it as the place she'd spent most of her life, only ever seeing the outside halls briefly when she was strong enough to walk.

This seemed like the real world, but she wasn't trapped in her bed, so what was this place?

"The Inner Universe." Six spoke up, appearing to her as he leaned with his back up against one of the walls. "A world shaped by your memories, your soul, your thoughts." He lightly holds a hand out and slowly motions around. "Everything that you will see here is caused by your own mind, just remember that."

Lily paused, carefully considering her options before sighing and walking forward, after all chances are the only way out was to beat this test.

Though she hoped this wouldn't pry as deeply as she feared it would.

For if this was a test to see her true self... it wouldn't be pretty or interesting.

Quietly she walked through the halls, eventually making it to her room... or rather where it should've been.

For instead of her room there was another hallway, one filled with countless doors she didn't recognize.

Walking up to one she could see it was marked with the name of a game she'd played years before, a rush of memories returning to her.

Things she'd forgotten about, people who she'd spent time with now residing in a foggy part of her mind.

"Welcome to your hall of memories, the name is self explanatory." Six says as he walks up behind her. "This is where you'll find the memory of your truth, though I wonder what you'll choose? It can be anything really... just has to be something to satisfy Flann out there."

"So he's just going to judge me off whatever memory he sees?" Lily asks, now more worried than before.

"Indeed, though you don't need to worry, there's nothing here that'd make him upset." Six casually says while strolling through the hall. "Though if you want him to really accept him why not open up a little, relieve the first simulation you went through? Show him your first taste of freedom."

"The first taste of freedom? That was..."

Slowly Lily looked at one of the doors and walked up to it, seeing a simple word written on it.

[Sunflower]

Her hand slowly traces along the word, the feeling of sunlight rushing over her already, a soft smile finding its way onto her face.

A small bit of hesitance rushed through her but she braved it, pushing the door open as a bright light blinded her.

As her eyes adjusted she found herself sitting in her room, stuck in a familiar feeling chair with dozens of needles poking into her arms and legs.

"Alright, we're ready to begin... are you ready?" A kind old voice spoke to her, easily identified as none other than Thelman himself.

His kind old face looked slightly concerned as Lily nervously took in a shaky breath.

This was the first time trying this new procedure, it honestly sounded ridiculous, a Fulldive system that could slowly heal her while she relearned how to walk via simulations?

It almost made her want to laugh, but she held off, her father and Thelman had already invested so much into the project... might as well give it a shot.