Ender

Flux

Seven Years Earlier

It was late after my birthday. I was laying bed thinking, dreaming, wishing my dad didn't have to leave tomorrow.

My father's words echoed in my ears as I tried to sleep. I had an amazing day with my dad being home for my birthday. I played with the ender pearl around my neck, feeling it's smooth surface and watching it shimmer with my night light.

I couldn't think of anything else except the teleportation machines down in the basement. If my dad could get them to work he would be able to stay home all the time and I could see him everyday.

I decided to take things into my own hands. Slowly and quietly I got out of bed and walked down to the basement where my dads equipment was. It was super scary but once I turned the lights on it wasn't so bad, a little gloomy and dusty.

I stood there for a moment looking up at the two pods connected to each other. Knowing nothing of how these things worked or how they even turned on. I searched for some sort of switch or lever, something that stood out as a way to turn this on.

I couldn't find anything at all, but that's when I decided to try his computer. I sat down at the desk and pushed the power button on the tower. The computer lit up in seconds, must have been a really good one.

I watched the screen as it took me to the desk top. All of the icons and apps came up ready to be used. I found myself clueless.

"Ugh," I whispered to myself. "Why is this so complicated?"

I decided to just try every folder, maybe something would work and make the machines turn on. A lot was stuff I didn't understand but then I came to a folder titled "Flux" I clicked on it and it opened many other folders.

My eight year old mind didn't quite understand everything that was written but I found something that piqued my interest. I clicked on a folder called "Initiating Flux" when I did, a game opened. At least I thought it was a game, it had a weird interface, kind of like something you would see in the cock pit of a plane.

There was a button that read "Start" so I pushed it. Nothing happened except for a timer that started at ten minutes. A woman's voice came from the computer. She sounded robotic like those smart phone assistant things.

"Initiating Flux distribution," it said.

Another window opened up and it was a note pad document. It explained the Flux and what is was used for. Flux was a special substance engineered by my dad to enhance the mental and physical abilities of humans. However there have been no human trials and the animals they used it on turned rabid.

I looked down at my necklace, my dad said this was made using some of that stuff. I decided I should probably not mess with this so I clicked away with the mouse. The page closed and that's when I noticed a folder called "T.P" this had to be it.

I clicked on it and suddenly the two pods lit up. A purple bright light filled the room, I jumped as this happend a little freaked out by what I had just read. Then the doors to both pods opened, sending another wave of fear through my body.

I looked at the machine, it loomed over me like a giant monster ready to swallow me up. But the fear went away, I wanted my dad to be home. I didn't want him to live at his secret government lab anymore.

I turned back to the computer and saw the blue button that said "begin" bright and calling out to me. Slowly I moved the mouse pointer over the button, holding there for a few minutes. Wondering what I was doing and hoping with all my might that it would work.

I clicked the button.

Nothing happened for a moment but then a hum started to come from the two pods. It sounded like it was charging up energy or booting up somehow.