Endless

Chapter 1

The space below is indefinite. My heart beats through my chest faster with every movement I make. I'm over five-thousand feet in the air and I could easily slip at any moment - that would mark the end.

I carefully place the tip of my shoe on the incredibly tiny block in front of me. I inch forward, holding my arms out for balance. With a jolt, I push myself through the air and fully onto the block.

I am a little wobbly, but I've made it onto the last obstacle for this level. The edges of my shoes aren't even on the tiny block, they're off the side because my feet are too big to be standing on this.

I dare myself to look down. As I look, I instantly regret my choice. There are only sky and clouds around me, above me, and below me which makes my heart pound in my throat. I start to feel shaky as I am suddenly conscious of how terrifyingly high up I am.

However, with one last push that came from somewhere deep inside me, I launch myself onto the base ahead.

My feet land together on the wide platform, and I go to step on the pad in the centre of the base. I dig the heel of my shoe into the pad and instantly collapse. Anxiety and fear drains one's energy, as I've learned in the past month.

Although I am still unbelievably high in the air in what seems to be this eternal sky, I find relaxation in lying on this large platform, immobile.

"Why am I even here?" I ask myself with an unstable sigh. Except, I know exactly why I'm here. I just choose to be in denial because it helps me cope with the fact that I have yet to understand how and why I am here. But now that I've started thinking about it again, here come the thoughts that flood my mind every once in a while when I allow the barrier holding them back to open.

Our earth had been dying ever since the government completely took over the United States. They possessed too much power and control which led to the people being restricted. Because the people were restricted we could no longer grow agriculture without the government's consent, trade with other countries without government surveillance, or find a job without the government completely controlling one's field of work. This affected other countries too because the United States is one of the most powerful countries which led to our entire earth starting to perish.

The government also controlled human thoughts, decisions and opinions which was barbaric but nobody dared contradict the government. Not with all the power the government owned. So the people learned to live by the government's strict rules and hope that one day something would set them free. However some people - like me - had strong views on what this earth should look like. At the time the government was steering that boat in a whole other direction which angered the few of us who believed change was necessary.

I knew the government could access human thoughts. I just never thought they would attempt to access mine. I never saw a reason why - I was ordinary. Except for my views and opinions on things that I always kept to myself, careful not to reveal any of my thoughts to anyone who could use them against me.

Until Tuesday, July 18th. My family received a letter ordering for my presence at the largest scientific institution in America which was better known as the HTS or the Human Brain & Thought Processor Science Laboratory. The laboratory is situated in the country side in New York State, or basically in the middle of nowhere. There isn't any sign of life for miles out there.

I wasn't allowed to bring anyone to accompany me. I had to be alone - which was nerve wracking. What could they want from me?

When I arrived I realized I had been here before. But I couldn't (and still can't) remember when.

I was given no time to think as I was escorted into the laboratory immediately. Along with a low murmur of dull voices discussing inaudible topics, I was instantly analyzed and assessed. One scientist even attached a small device to the side of my forehead that was connected to a thin tube that led into a large machine. I gulped anxiously.

A man in a bright white lab coat suddenly pushed me forward into a glass tube in the corner of the room. He muttered something that didn't make sense. My heart sped up, what was I being pushed into, exactly?

I looked around frantically, but none of the doctors in the room seemed to have the slightest bit of worry on their faces - well most doctors weren't paying attention to me, really. They were all occupied. Some doctors were holding clipboards, others staring into computer screens and jotting down notes.

The doctor in the bright white lab coat stepped away from the glass tube a bit too fast, which triggered a panic inside my chest. Suddenly, every doctor in the room simultaneously jerked their heads in my direction. The doctor with the bright white lab coat jabbed a button on a control panel to my left, and a glass door sealed me shut inside the tube. "Wait!" I cried, "What's happening?" My muffled voice barely escaped the tube, it seemed nobody heard me.

I jumped forward and banged my fists on the glass to try to communicate with the doctors. Nobody flinched. At that moment, the doctor with the bright white lab coat pushed a large red button on the control panel which made every doctor in the room back away cautiously.

"Help! Stop!" I tried to scream. But I realize now that to the doctors, I appeared as if my lips were moving and there was no sound accompanying it. Suddenly, I felt my body being pulled upward by a suction of powerful wind. My hair whipped around my face and another gust of forceful wind pulled me up. I screamed short excerpts of panic and terror.

I made a move to try to bang on the glass again, but the wind had officially sucked up my body and I was being pulled by a non-resistible pressure up and through the tube.

All of a sudden, my whirling thoughts are interrupted by a cry for help. I bring myself back to reality and shake away any left over haziness.

I jump up when I see Brooklyn on the previous level swaying and holding her arms out to obtain balance, and she was about to be unsuccessful in achieving this. I race over to the edge of the base to grab hold of her hand.

The toes of my shoes are over the edge, and I begin to lose my stability because of a creeping fear of falling in the pit of my stomach. I take Brooklyn's shaking hand and pull back.

However, I yank her toward me too fast, and Brooklyn's foot slips between the base and the tiny block. Her foot is now dangling in the everlasting sky as she screams for more help.

I give another pull but she trips again and now her waist is caught between the platform and the small block. The colour rushes from her face. She she tries to pull herself up onto the base with my minor help of pulling her hand up. My eyes widen in instant fear as I see Brooklyn slipping more and more.

I find her other hand amidst the panic and screams. With one last heave I hoist her up onto the platform with a heavy sigh.

Brooklyn is safely on the base on all-fours. She gasps for breath to try to calm herself but her trembling knees and hands give out. She collapses in front of me. My mouth drops to the ground as I see her shaking hands droop limply. I sink to my knees to help her, but Brooklyn turns away feeling embarrassed of her state.

A few minutes afterward, she attempts to steady her breath, and slowly the colour in her face returns. I try to find words to express myself, but it takes a minute before they arrive. Finally I whisper hoarsely, "I'm sorry I pulled you so roughly."

Brooklyn rolls her eyes, "You saved my life in the end, so ..." I chuckle - only to be friendly - and slowly stand up. I offer my hand to Brooklyn but she waves it off. She quickly gets back on her feet and walks right by me to continue. The rest of the team is already beginning to complete the next level.

I sigh and adjust my red-team jersey, then follow Brooklyn to the start of level one-hundred and sixty-eight. Only three hundred and thirty two more levels to go.