[The next few chapters are going to be during simulation #1. Just an FYI.]
"Today you will all start your first challenge. Who knows what awaits? The first team to finish this simulation wins. Good luck."
The door opens, leading to a vast open room. The first thing I notice is trees, then water. Water?
"Can you all swim?" I ask, but my voice is drowned out by a loud noice. It swishes, and twirls, carrying me down the path.
My team follows, and I take in our surroundings. Water, lots of it. We could fish, but how would we stay warm? The fish could be poisonous, but why would they put us in this simulation then? To kill us? The trees would provide comfort and shade, but could also include dangers.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1." The loudspeaker announces. The first simulation has begun.
The pedistal we were standing on, pulls away. The door shuts, and we are left with no choice. We must enter the water.
I dive in, head first. I cut through the water, and pull back up to look for the rest of my team. Callie is struggling to hold herself up. I quickly swim to her, and hoist her up over my shoulder. I swim my way over to the bank, only able to catch a breath of air rarely.
I lay her on the bank, and pull myself up. I cough water a few times, and force myself to throw up the rest. I sit with Callie, and wait for the others to return. After five minutes, both Jamison and Kira are sitting along the bank with me and Callie. I count the crew, only one is missing.
"Rush!" I scream out.
Without any further thought, I dive into the water. I search frantically for him, hoping he is fine on a small island, but this a simulation. There is no islands.
"Rush!" I say, water filling my mouth. I spit it out and continue this process over and over. No luck. I finally feel like giving up, I float on my back waiting to get to the island.
"April!" Rush screams.
"Rush?!" I yell back.
"April!" I hear Rush's voice yell, but closer.
I spin around and look for him. Not to far into the distance, I see Rush's face form. I swim frantically towards him. We get closer and closer, and until I can see his eyes, I will not stop.
"Rush!" I yell and swim faster. He drops under a wave and pulls up barely.
When I reach him, I pull my arm under his and pull him along with me back to the island. He tries to swim, but unsuccessfully does so. Instead, he just let's me pull him along the island.
I drag him onto the island, laying on his back. I grasp what little bit of energy left, and calm myself down.
"What the h-" I start, "What was that about?"
"I'm sorry April." He says.
"You have no idea how worried sick I was that you died! I couldn't have lived with myself! What is wrong with you?" I say, tears forming in my eyes.
"I should have told you I couldn't swim." He says.
"Yeah. You should have!" I say, "You could have died for godsake!"
"I would have figured it out." He says.
"But what if you didn't." I say, "God you make me crazy sometimes!"
"Your like Hazel." I say, not able to hold back my tears, they fall down my cheek and onto the floor.
"Come on, let's set up camp." Kira says.
"We don't have anything to make camp!" I yell, "We don't have beds, a tent, a sleeping bags, anything!"
"Well explain this then." She says and holds up a pack.
YOU ARE READING
City Lights (Book 1)
Science Fiction***COMPLETED*** "Well done April. You have survived the first test" ••• April has always loved the city. Even from a distance, the luminous lights would draw her in. She alway wondered about it, and the people there. April enters the city on her si...
