New Sight

Chapter I: Utterly Alone

The first sensation was a searing pain. It started in his brain, eating its way out until the agonizing sensation engulfed him. Soleil let out a low groan that wasn't nearly enough to describe the feeling. He knew he would feel some sort of pain, but not like this. His throat felt dry and as he gasped for air, it hit him. Maybe it wasn't supposed to hurt like this.

Something must have gone wrong. The thought was terrifying.

Forcing his eyes open, Soleil expected to see the white room, the scientists gawking at their project gone wrong. They would rush him out and he didn't know what would happen next, but he knew they would give no second chance.

Instead, he was greeted by nothing. He was utterly alone.

Had the plan worked then?

The ringing in his ears died down and he felt a surge of wonder. It had worked. All those years spent on this project hadn't been for nothing. Everything Soleil's eyes saw now were something far from his time and he was the only one he knew who'd ever see it.

His elation didn't last long. An obvious problem was staring him in the eye.

Where was he?

Looking around, he didn't even seem to be in a building anymore, but the pod was supposed to be in the same white room. The door was supposed to be opening for the first time in three centuries. Scientists were supposed to be rushing in, all desperately grasping answers to the past. He was a big deal.

So what was going on?

Hands gripping the side of the cryogenic pod like it was a lifeline, Soleil stumbled out. His legs were shaky, but then, he hadn't used them in a while. He clung to what he could for support as he started through the area, searching for any hint of where he was. He wasn't sure where to even start looking.

One, he was outside; Soleil had realized that before. The chilly air nipped at his bare arms and he guessed-and hoped-that it was around early spring. He'd be able to tell when the stars came out, but he couldn't wait until then. All around was nothing but forest and turning to look at the pod, he found that it was lodged into the ground, as if it'd fallen from high up. What the hell? When had the plan changed from greeting him kindly to dumping his sorry ass into the forest?

Soleil had no idea how he was going to get back to civilization when it hit him. They must have been testing him. This was some sort of hologram and they wanted to see how he'd react. It made sense; they must have wanted to know if his mind was still intact. Once he made his way wherever they wanted him, that's when things would go back to the original plan.

Groaning, he forced himself to straighten up. Their hologram was awfully real; they had things like that in his time too, but it seemed they had long since perfected it. He forced himself to concentrate on the issue. He could gaze in wonder when this was over. Thankfully Soleil was starting to feel better; whatever holographic test they were about to put him through, he didn't think it was going to be easy.

He would do perfectly anyways. He had to.

If he didn't, they might decide dissection was more profitable than listening to the rambling of a mad man.

Soleil thought he'd prefer no one cut his head open.

The first thing to do would be to look around for clues then. Surely the scientists wouldn't just leave him to wander. Somewhere around here there must have been something: a piece of paper, scribbled words, any indication at all. The sun was already halfway to setting and he needed to hurry if he wanted safety before dark. Images of whatever might have roamed these woods at night flooded his mind, before rushing on to the numerous ways he could die out here. To sleep all those years, only to wake and die.

"No. It's a hologram," he reminded himself. His voice came out as a croak; It was only then that he realized how dry his throat was. It had been three centuries after all. The cryogenic pod had only kept him alive, not fed and watered him like a baby.

Okay, then food and water now; clues second.

No big deal. He'd find resources, then return to the pod. It was large and easy to find and if it really came down to it, he could use it for shelter again. He was sure the pod wouldn't mind, having treated him so well the last three hundred years.

With that settled and his mind finally as clear as it was going to get, he dusted off his already clean clothes and was on his way.

It was an estimated half an hour before Soleil had no choice but to give up on wandering until he found something. There was no way of knowing how big this hologram was. He was going to need to think about this. But where would he start?

Soleil had never read much on survival (he'd been an astronomer and too scared to even go camping in him time), and again, he had no idea where to start. He'd taken his chances, but walking mindlessly would leave him dizzy and dehydrated. His throat was already starting to feel scratchy; he could collapse before he actually found anything.

Damn it. What was he supposed to be doing? He hadn't researched survival before he slept; how was he supposed to know they were going to test him, that they wouldn't trust his mind had been preserved?

He didn't even know who 'they' were.

Amber eyes turned up to the sky and the thought struck him. Why wonder? Talk to them.

Yes. If he could just communicate his sanity, it would make things easier for both sides. Surely they must have been watching.

"Hey!"

Or maybe-

"Bring me back in!"

They weren't listening.

"My mind is intact!"

He was utterly alone.

"Take me back!"

Soleil waited, panting from using more energy than he'd had. Yet nothing. All he'd done was waste his breath, when he should have still been looking for water.

He wanted to scream obscenities into the sky, but he figured that wasn't a good way of showing he was sane. Fine. They wanted to watch him?

"Then watch," he spat and walked again.