Part one: "Stairing Cases"

California, Year 2017, October

               "Alright fighters! We're about to be lowered down right in the middle of the fiery chaos, I understand that this is your quads first mission so I have one more thing to discuss. There will be no questions, just do as I say and only as I say. If this never happens to you, good for you, don't ask anyone if they've seen them. If you experience it, to everyone else, no you haven't. To get to the point while you're in the national park in the mission, you might at some point see a staircase. It might look like one from a house, from docs, or maybe even an old castle, the point is that they will be staircases. We call them 'Stairing-Cases' here. Now if/when you see these, do not touch them, do not go near them, and whatever you do, please, do not walk on them. You may have a feeling that there's something important at the top, but that's why we're telling you about them now, do not give in. The only thing that waits for you up those steps is death. From people who have barely survived have said, you might have to fight with body and soul but hey, that's already part of the job right? Oh and remember, you may never discuss these staircases with anyone. Everyone outside this profession doesn't know about them so let's keep it that way. Do you all understand?" Everyone looking a little confused nodded.

               It was really strange to hear someone tell us something like that right before going on our first rescue mission. While in the woods running towards the roads with trapped cars, the fire spread in our direction so fast we couldn't keep as a group. I was running deeper into the woods and after about 5 minutes of running, my vision went blurry out of nowhere and I felt light headed. I stopped and fell on my ass feeling panicked while waiting for my vision to focus. When I could see clearly I stood up and glanced around. Right behind me was a staircase. It was made of crumbling stone and twisted around a very old looking oak tree, I couldn't see where it ended because of all the smoke that was clouding above me. I just looked at it, wondering how I could have missed something like that when I came from that direction.

               I whispered to myself, "Is that a... Stairing Case?". After whispering that I heard it. I could hear it clearly, it sounded as if someone ran up behind me and whispered it into my ears.

               "I'm staring at you." I quickly whipped my head around just to see a few leaves settling. I heard someone running up behind me again but they got too close too fast, I couldn't turn around in time to see anything, I felt two fingers jab my back which made me edge closer to the staircase. I reflexively inhale. I heard it again, but with more of an angry tone.

               "I'm staring at you." the weird invisible entity said with two more jabs into my side afterwards. I tried running farther into the forest but after taking two steps it sounded as if a bunch more of... well "it" appeared around me. All of them running at me, jabbing my sides, my stomach, my back and everywhere else you can think of. It felt like people were trying to beat me with poking sticks. It was coming from all over and I'd get pushed back down when I tried to run. After a few seconds of this I heard a loud snap closely followed by my own yelp. This thing had just broken my arm.

               "Don't you want to see the view?". Everything stopped, it was dead quiet except for my own whimpers from my broken arm. I was on my knees while facing the stairs, watching footprints appear within the leaves. With every crunch the leaves made, the fuzzier the sound became and the closer I thought I was to passing out. When the footsteps stopped in front of me I made one last effort to flee and bolted forward trying to attack this weird ghost thing. The second I made a movement though the leaves just flew up as if someone just turned on a leaf blower. I closed my eyes and ended up running into the stone steps, hitting my kneecap. I had to bite my lip to keep myself from cursing my heart out. As I was sitting on the second step holding my knee with my unbroken arm, the moment went by, I almost felt okay, I felt at peace but I didn't know why.

               I hear the voice again, but this time it sounds kind with a seemingly radiating personality. I looked behind me and up the stairs to be met with something that resembles a human figure but... The skin was blue, baby blue, and it didn't have any facial features at all. It almost looked like a 3 dimensional cartoon character looking down at me, smooth but blurry around the edges. It reached out it's blurry hand gesturing for me to grab it, when I did it was like sinking into cotton candy, and my fingers were tingling like I'd been sitting on them for hours. Suddenly I felt tingly everywhere and everything went dark for a moment, but just a moment. The next thing I knew I was looking down at the forest from at least 50 feet above the trees. This blue figure was holding me by the collar of my suit with just my heels touching the top step keeping me from falling. "So these stairs lead to nowhere? Why?" I thought to myself.

               I was breathing heavily, fighting against my urge to skwerm in case I was dropped. We stayed like that for what felt like an hour but was surely only a minute. As my muscles tense and tighten attempting to keep myself from slipping the being begins to speak.

               "Isn't it beautiful? Just watching all the chaos and destruction with no obligation to help, no judgment for observation. We watch and understand, we just sit on our steps and watch from different perspectives just because we like to. We are the observers, and that's all there is. A privilege really. We've seen everything from the tops of our steps. We've seen everything from the bottom of our steps. Teen suicide to wars and natural disasters, you can just watch and understand. We can never be able to help or interact in a dramatic way, but that's what makes it all ok right? We couldn't help if we wanted to, so why really think about it? Being an observer means we can learn who people really are without much trouble, it's not like we're going to gossip about it. I mean that's why I've brought you here. I've seen you. I've seen you alone, with uncomfortable company, with lovers." I struggled a little bit after hearing that last sentence.

               The Observer continued. "You like just being a fly on the wall. I know it. So It's time for you to make a choice. You can't see it right now but their are steps in from of you. If really feel the way I've described, you will start climbing up, looking down the entire time, and not feeling the need to be down on the floor with anyone. If you feel regret or guilt that's when your steps end and your mortal body falls to the ground, the amount of steps you end up walking determines how high your staircase is. And from your personality comes the style and stability. Join our cause up the stairs, I can tell you'll be happy. Or you can just walk off my own steps and die from falling a great height."

               I held my breath, and turned my head as far as I could to look at the observer. After deafening moments of silence, I kicked off with my heel and inhaled so hard I coughed in mid air before seeming to land on invisible steps. And now here I am. Still coughing, I stand up shaking. I think to myself, "I guess I've made my decision." I hear the voice once more. "I guess you have. Hmhmhmhm and I hope you stick to it." I turn around and stare upwards. That liar, I don't need to look down, I'm still on solid ground. I'm reminded by the smoke that I was in the middle of a mission.

               "How much time has passed? I can't believe it was that easy for me to completely forget about all those people who might die if I don't help save them." I say to myself in a monotone. I start walking forward, bringing my head to a 90 degree angle looking down at the ground. As I see all the leaves shrivel up at the sight of the monstrous fire, my suit feeling heavier as my heart rate slows. I feel like I've been walking for about ten minutes. I stop to stair downwards. It's only been ten minutes and... I can see it all. I can see peoples cars trying to get passed the forest, they're being surrounded by fire, slowly closing in on them. But I don't care. I'm fine knowing I can just watch. I smile, shaking my head I whip my head up violently almost knocking myself backwards to look directly at the sun, I keep staring and begin to walk again. It feels like another 5 minutes have gone by and I think I might cry. I stop to fall to my knee. The feeling of my broken my arm had rushed back suddenly, I'm going lightheaded with anger towards myself. I hate myself for feeling no empathy. I'm mad at myself for lying for so long. I can't believe I'm ok with this. "I guess the legend was true. Because it turns out I'm proof". I struggle to stand to take another step, I put my foot forward without anything underneath. I've reached the top of my staircase.