Shelter: The Untold Story

Chapter 3

The simulation I lived in was crumbling before my very eyes, the once beautiful sunset has been transformed into static and cracks. Like the world was created from plates, the sky, no, the ceiling had started to fall and crash to the ground, the same occurrence was happening with the walls. The ground appeared and reappeared constantly like a glitch in the system. The sounds of sirens enveloped the entire space I was in, forcing me to place my hands over my ears.

At my current state, I couldn't do anything but watch the world I lived in for so long reach a state of total destruction. All of a sudden the sounds of twigs snapping and wood crackling behind me was heard. With a sharp turn of my body, I saw the sight of a lone tree broken in two. Before I knew it, I felt a stream of tears escape my eyes as I reach a hand out towards the once memorable tree... In a flash and a zip, everything was black. The heavy sensation and noises of machinery around me coated a new atmosphere. My eyes were closed, and I was afraid to open them. I feared that if I was to open them, all I could see was darkness. My fingers twitched, my legs ached, and my back was urging to be flexed. I assumed that I sat in a chair, with no clothes for 8 years due to this situation, and the reason for my consciousness being brought into a virtual world was because of the heavy machinery connected into my back. It was a strange sensation which slightly tickled, yet felt like a needle that was stuck within me waiting to shower me with pain.

Mustering up courage, I opened my eyes every so slowly. My vision was blurry, but I could make up only darkness ahead of me. My fear was growing stronger by the second, and it took all of my will power not to panic. Straightening my back, I heard the numerous cracks of my unused bones. My vision slowly became clearer, and I was able to make up the sight of little specks of light, but it was enough to relieve my growing fear. My eyes widened to see myself within a spacecraft, looking at a beautiful scenery called space. Space wasn't completely dark, it was filled with millions of millions of stars sparkling brightly across the sky in different colours. There was this occasional orange cloud which moved quickly across the sky, covering the magnificent sight of space. However, the thing which most surprised me was that the spacecraft wasn't moving, it was in a stationary position landed on some kind of orange surface. It was landed almost perfectly, a questionable aspect as I remembered the events which happened to lead to this point.

I stretched my legs and arms before attempting to reach behind me. Holding a thick wire like machine connected to my back, I pulled only to feel a sharp pain causing me to let out a yelp. I winced in pain as I looked at what I was connected to. A huge machine which I assume was the reason I was able to live in the virtual world. I knew that if I wanted to get out of this tight spacecraft, I had to release myself from the technology as well. I took a few deep breaths, mentally preparing myself for my first experience in physical pain for a very long time. I reached behind me, putting myself in an awkward position, grasping the thick wire. I felt it's cold metallic texture, smooth yet slightly bumpy. Crying out, I pulled as hard and as swiftly as I possibly could. This resulted in pain within my spine as I felt the machine ripping and tearing muscles which it had been connected to until today. I collapsed onto the chair, holding the side handles tightly as the pain lingered for another few seconds. I was afraid to find out if there was a hole in my back, so I avoided trying to look or feel for it.

When the pain subsided, I sat back up and stared at the glass separating me from the world outside. There I saw my own reflection looking back at me. My hair was long, messy, and unlike in the virtual world, it was a hazelnut colour. My bare body, thin and pale, my eyes looked drowsy fitting for my bodies current state. A strange sensation of dryness grew stronger deep in my mouth and throat. This must be thirst. Looking around the spacecraft I noticed a chest hidden beside the chair I was on. Opening it I saw clothing, it was clothing made for me. I knew I was alone but, suddenly realising that I was wearing no clothing caused a rush of blood towards my cheeks. I quickly grabbed the clothing to see that there were shorts, a blouse and multiple sizes of underwear. My dad must have thought about the day that I woke up, I would need clothing and that my body must have developed. I don't remember much of how I was like from back in Earth, but I have a feeling that I must have grown a lot. Wearing the underwear I noticed a strange piece of clothing I had never worn before. Then I remembered in one of my dad's videos, this piece of clothing must be a bra. There were many different sizes. I tried out a few and ended up wearing the most comfortable one. Even so, it sure felt incredibly annoying to wear. I look down on myself and noticed the huge bump on my chest. I don't remember it being that large. Shrugging, I continued to put on the rest of the clothing, the blouse surprisingly fitted well, but the shorts, on the other hand, was questionable.

On the left-hand side of the chair I was on, was a backpack filled with water bottles and other equipment. Searching for a button to open the glass, I found a big red button which said 'open'. Just as I was about to press it, I stopped in my tracks. Could I survive outside? Could I breathe? What was the temperature outside? So many factors that I didn't know. I doubted my actions, feeling the anxiety creeping up my body. I wanted to move forward, but how could I do if I have no idea what could happen the moment I let myself go out there. Deep in thought, there was a sudden noise, the slight sound of tapping on the glass. There was a man... a human man was knocking on the glass with a smile on his face. His clothes were casual, he had black hair, fair skin, and if I was to guess, this man must be in his 40s. "Are you okay in there? You appeared out of nowhere!" The man said, his voice muffled because of the glass between us. He was outside and seemed fine, what does this mean?

"I-I-I'm okay," I said leaning closer towards the glass,

"That's great, do you wanna come out now?" He asked,

"It's safe to come out?" I answered with another question,

"Of course it's safe," The man smiled. With his words in mind, I once again reached for the red button. It must be safe, he seems to be fine and he's on the opposite side of the glass. With a click, the glass was pulled up and I was finally free from the spacecraft. I swung the backpack on my shoulders and made hopped off the spacecraft. Now I was face to face with the man, he was rather tall and I was only up to his neck. "I'm John, what's your name?" The man, now named John asked politely, for a man his age he seemed really cheerful and energetic.

"I'm Rin," I said shyly. This was my first conversation since Earth. I felt so happy, yet so wary. "Can I just ask, where are we? How is it that we can breathe here?"

"You don't even know where you are..."John sighed, "You're in Titan, one of Saturn's moons, and the most liveable place in our Solar System right now. Ever since Earth blew up 20 years ago, humanity has travelled and created a society here,"

"What?" I was astonished. 30 years ago? I thought it was 8 years ago... something isn't right here.

"Judging by how you look, you've got to have been born here, so why don't you know the basic stuff," He asked,

"I was never from here, I'm from Earth," I said,

"Earth? You came from Earth and just appeared out of thin air here at Titan?" John looked extremely confused. He had no idea what was going on, and frankly, neither did I.

Unknown to Rin, a different girl, also named Rin has made her way into a city within Titan after waking up from being swallowed by a black hole.