Chapter 1 [Cleo]

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The screen in front of me turns itself on, it's as blank as nothing, a few codes and numbers starts to appear, but there is no use of examining more as my own body stays still on the chair. The tubes would strangle me if I'd try moving.

"This Test will last for about 20 minutes, we will insert the list of instructions inside your brain. Try not to abandon your team," she tells me, pressing the infinite shapes of buttons on the arm of my chair.

Sweat trickles through me, skin-deep emotions follow. I try holding them back. Mostly at not trying to look that nervous. I don't have a clue of who will grade me, but it's important to not let this smart looking nurse underestimate me.

"Your first time?" She asks, softer this time.

"Yes," I say, breathing harder. "Yes it is."

"You look so sure for this," she says, at first I see a hint of a smirk forming, then it fades away and she's back to her stern look. Somehow, I could never agree of her words. I avoid her eyes and hold still of my shaky hands and sweaty knees.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

The lever pulled and so did the trigger against my arms.

The lights that used to reflect from above shattered into a million pieces of shadows.

As I told myself this is only a simulation, the worst part began to sneak in. My heartbeat flowing feels like it's stopped for a moment, and every nerve attached to me has disappeared. I can only feel these thoughts. For the first time, I'm not in the heat of a human. I'm in the heat of air and nothingness.

-~-

Blinking once and twice, I confine the space of what I know and not know in this situation.

And nothing right seems to come upon me. No knowledge of where I am. No instructions.

The punch of a fist booms through a surge of strong wave around the room. The silhouette of the person forms, his strong arms tighten against it's veins as he tries to desperately–plus uncontrollably–push the button, as if it can work with more force. Eric, as I've already expect, has his eyes grow swollen red.

I dart my eyes around the metal cold room. An uncomfortable feeling glows inside out of me. My body is in that feeling where it's trying to look busy all at once, despite that I had no idea how to solve our situation of escaping inside this crap of metal.

"How would it even work?" Eric said in his low tone energized voice that could shake the room crumbling.

"We shouldn't even touch that thing," I protest, feeling unease if any of my demands were starting to make him feel worst. At least I found my team.

He murmured things as he presses more buttons onto the three meter screen in front of him. It sounded like he was getting it into working, but nevertheless ever listened to my words.

The screen now turns bright red, numbers and letters juggled everywhere, I had to look away to avoid so much stress flowing back into my head.

The beeping gets louder every second, it's causing a painful irritation in my ears, and I almost wish I could scream something out. Only the worst part knows why I'm here: that I'm nowhere in a dream. This is much darker than one. The feeling of being alive illuminates the energy sparking in my body: something never bounded to be in any kind of dreams.

The deep roll of rumbling clicks the sense out of my mind.

Everyone in the room pauses in a heartbeat. The screeching of heavy armed wheels. The loud metal banging in endless stength. This is another thing coming. We were staring back in shock as if in some kind of staring contest, to see who won the most feared looking face. Eric of course, stays right where he is, typing and pressing along the way. I notice a small smile flash across his face. Occasionally, I got terrified in here. Of everything starting from the mystery and a fading past I couldn't reach. Couldn't I be optimistic like Eric himself?

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