Alone Hour

Chapter 4: Launch of the Vortex

       Instinctively, I ducked for the incoming attack I was expecting. Fortunately, I was wrong. Behind me, stood a man in a black suit. It seems he was holding out a hand to help me up. He was somewhat aging, but his hair was trimmed perfectly and his moustache was also at the peak of perfection. He held a wet towel in his hand. "Here," he spoke. There was some kind of Italian accent in his words. "Wipe your face. You're sweating." I obeyed and took the towel from him, wiping my forehead of the beads of water. Then, he turns around to face the rest of the students. "Your reactions have been recorded. Please wait while we process." He turns, then walks away, leaving us pondering what had just happened.

       Almost immediately after the man left, everyone else started barraging me with questions. "What did the robot do?" asked one student. "Were you scared?" asked another. I was getting quite overwhelmed until Victor came forward. "Guys, quiet down." he said in his calm voice. "I believe," he said, facing me. "that each robot we encountered were meant to test our reactions to homicide as well as others like that." He starts looking at me intensely, then says, "Yours punched itself to death, didn't it?" "Yes..." I stammered, unable to keep the astonishment from my voice. How did he know?

       As Victor was about to answer, a booming voice came from the speakers. "Tests have been completed. The following 6 students may enter the Vortex. Students and teachers alike begin shuffling around in anticipation. "Michael, Betty, the two of you have been chosen. Please stand next to the door on your left. A very triumphant Michael and a nervous Betty walked over to the door and was immediately sucked in. "Victor, Abby, the two of you are next. Please walk over to your positions." Victor looked extremely proud, and waved to his twin brothers. They waved back with the almost exact same expression.

       "Finally, we have Ned, and..." The speaker trailed off. In the panel above, we could see two men arguing. Finally, they seemed to come to a decision. "-and Lance Matthews. Head on over to the door."

       I couldn't believe it! I was chosen! I looked over to my partner, Ned, who seemed extremely uneasy. We walked over to the door, and a soothing sensation came over me. When I opened my eyes again, I saw a beautiful landscape, with forests to one side, a lake, plains, and I was looking at it all in a bird's point of view. With me, was all the other 5 chosen students, and behind us, there was a portal like doorway. We seemed to be on a very tall castle tower. "Welcome," said the voice. "We will begin shortly." I looked around in wonder at this beautiful place. I was mesmerized. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6," Everyone looked up. The numbers were appearing in the air above each of us. "5, 4," I took one last look at the doorway. "3, 2, 1. Launch the Vortex."