000 —— TWO YEARS AGO
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwOEcMWU6Q
SHE BEGAN HER NEW LIFE HEARING FAINTED VOICES around her, she was disoriented—still unaware those were panicked voices, she slowly lift her lids only to be met with a bright light stabbing her eyes, making her head throb, the first thing she saw was a blue sky and white clouds scattered. She felt grass brushing against her skin on her arms and hands, for a moment, she was afraid to move as she felt her stomach turning and something travelling up to her throat—forcing herself to shift to her side, pushing herself up, face down on the grass and spewed out a gushy, watery substance.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before finally looking her surroundings. She found herself in a vast almost-empty field, there was a boy stumbling as he walked, walked by her, looking confused as she was, it's like he didn't saw her and kept walking in a random direction. It finally dawned on her that she was unable to remember where she was or how she got here. Except . . .
Her name.
Panic drawn her to get on her feet, she stumbled forward as her legs trembled in exhaustion, the ground beneath her feet shifted, landing back on her knees and hands. Almost too dizzy and she stood up too soon. Before she could attempt to stand up again, she once again gazed around, found herself gawking at the distance, in the distance stood a towering stone wall—walls, surrounding the field, all around her—four massive walls.
She slowly stood up as her attention remained on the walls until a strange boy approached her, looking confused and scared at the same time, just like she was, "Hey!" He kept his distance, she blinked as her attention shifted on a tall, blond boy, "Do you know where we are? Do you remember anything?"
She said nothing momentarily, stared blankly as her mind wandered off in a vastness of blank memories, the memory loss was a strange yet terrifying thing. She merely shook her head no in response. She only remembered her name and that's it. Especially the way the world works, simplest things like it is summer right now in this strange place, the entire atmosphere of it— let's just say she wasn't stupid.
Being scared was a normal thing in a situation like this. The blond boy, he was still standing near her, seemingly going through the same as she was, he was confused and scared as she was, "Do you know where we are?" She spoke for the first time and her throat was sore from puking earlier. She paused then proceeded to ask the same thing he asked, "Do you remember anything?"
"No" he was shaking his head, "Nothing . . . I only know my name"
This felt like a nightmare, a terrible dream, dreams can be like this, don't they? To wind up in a middle of a random situation, not knowing what's happening—but go on like you know what is really happening, go on about your day like nothing happened. Only in this situation she was in, she didn't know what was going on and this was too real to be a dream. Still, she wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare.
She finally noticed it wasn't just the two of them in this strange place, she saw more people around them, most scattered around, all of them looking so lost and confused. She too felt lost, unable to figure out where to begin, she could look around, if there's a place she could go to and seek answers. The place was massive that you could probably fit at least four football fields, there was a big forest that stretch between the two corners of one wall, a building with two stories that stood near the forest and a barn in the opposite side of this place. In the middle of the field stood a squared concrete floor about ten feet and on the concrete flooring was a two big steel doors that were shut.
There was also something troubling and perplex she noticed; all these people, all these lost people like her, they're all kids—teens to be precise. Not just teens, they were all boys . . . As far as she noticed. She felt so out of place, she felt like she wasn't supposed to be here . . . Was she?
She continued to scan around, at every person she spotted and yes, all of them are boys . . . All boys and one girl.
She didn't realize she was walking backward, a few steps back, away from the blond boy and away from all of them. Paranoia drenched over her. The blond boy was the only boy who had noticed her and said nothing about it—maybe he hasn't realized yet he just spoke to the only girl in the place. She began to wonder whether she should trust them or not.
"Hey! Do you know what's going on?!" another boy approached her, he was bigger than the blond boy, this one had a brunette hair. He attempted to grab her arm but she pulled back from him as she was shaking her head. His loud and frantic voice brought the attention from another pair of boys as they started to notice her.
"What's going on?" third boy asked in a demanding voice.
"How come you're the only girl here?"
She stopped shaking her head while she kept walking back as they followed her steps. "I don't—" she could ask the same thing, demand answers from them instead. But she got scared, intimidated by them. To see the only girl in this place must strange for them as she finds herself surrounded by boys. "I don't know anything—"
About three more boys hurried over, asking the same questions, and hearing the same thing again and again only had her more confused and terrified. She was also tired, too tired to answer, her head was still throbbing while still taking steps back until her heel hit a stone and fell back. Her glance remained on the boys as her hand blindly reached something heavy on the ground near her. She grabbed the object and shot up to her feet.
"GET BACK!" she shouted as she was ready to swing a rock at anyone who comes too close. "STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME! ALL OF YOU!" the shouting almost made her cough. But the boys halted and stepped away from the girl.
"Whoa! Hold on!" they all had their hands up to their shoulders. One of them, possibly taller than everyone, freckled-face, "Calm down, we're just trying to figure out what's going on?"
"Don't tell me to calm down!" She shot back, still had a stone raised, prepared to hit anyone who comes near, "I have no idea what the hell is happening! I can't remember anything! Why don't you all tell me what the fuck is going on here?!"
"If you haven't noticed, you're the only girl around here, I do wonder that you might know something!" the freckled boy shot back.
"Do I look like I know something?!—" her attention shifted when the blond boy came rushing which only made her pull back and was about to swung the stone at him but he came to an immediate halt and raised his hands up to his shoulder.
"Whoa, wait! Wait!" He made his place between her and the freckled boy. He didn't speak for a moment, he glanced at her then at the freckled boy and the rest of the boys "Listen . . . I think—I believe that we're all going through some kind of amnesia here. We all just woke up and we have no clue how we all got here. The only thing I remember is my name . . . Or is it just me?"
Nobody answered, but the utter silence pretty much answered his question. She remembers her name and assumed the boys remember theirs too.
"She's just as confused as we are, okay?" The blond boy went on, "Suspecting her isn't going solve your answers. Can we just—I don't know . . . take a look around? Seems like a big place to explore, we might find something. Perhaps talk one another first or something before you get anyone hurt, and maybe not bash someone's brains in?"
Finally, someone who is not an idiot, she thought. He looked at her when he said 'maybe not bash someone's brains in'. She can't really blame them for being idiots, to be in a current situation like this, reacting with fear should be expected.
Still, she couldn't trust them.
The freckled boy finally replied, "Whatever, I'm looking around" his tone was bitter and he walked away. And with that, the rest of the boys followed but went in different directions.
The blond boy turned to her, "You all right?"
It was a stupid question, considering what's happening, "I'm far from all right" she replied bitterly and put the stone down but remained gripped in her hand.
He said nothing momentarily, he shifted his gaze around then shifted back on her. "My name . . . my name's Newt"
She was reluctant to say her name at first. Of course, maybe it was because she couldn't bring herself to trust any of them. Her lips parted as she was about to speak, taking a breath in, she wasn't sure why she couldn't say her name. It felt as if the name was a glove that didn't fit her. But it was all she had. All she had. A merely shred of who she was.
"Gale" she finally said. "My name's Gale"
"That's the first time I said my name out loud" Newt said, unsatisfied. "It's so . . . Foreign?"
Gale lightly nodded, wanting to say 'me too'. She gazed around again, then her gaze landed on a lonely boy sitting in an empty and isolated field. She swore she spotted him before in that exact same spot and same position. Seemingly unfazed by everything and looking calm. She never saw him approaching her as most of the boys did moments ago. It was a bit suspicious for that guy not reacting the way the rest do, unless he reacts differently in fear by sitting, remain calm instead of panicking.
Whoever that guy is was doing a lot better than all of them.
There were a couple of boys around the steel doors, scanning and examining it. A few of them digging into the crates and boxes. There were another few of guys checking out the building and another few at the barn.
"Hey, have you checked that out yet?" Newt pointed at one of the walls. Something she never noticed, one of the walls had a gap, revealing a massive doorway, what it looked to be a way out of this place, she stared at the gap in bewilderment.
"What the—" She muttered under her breath, she was curious that she started walking towards it, she didn't realized she let go of the stone and Newt followed. The rest of the boys were there, staring into the doorway, all of them not daring to go out, which she thought so strange of them because that could be their way out. It was until she got closer and realized why the boys were hesitant to go out. She found herself standing behind a group of boys, she was able to see what was out there, she did expect to see the other side of the walls, like maybe a field or a city or something. No, it wasn't, it was a large, massive and dull-looking corridor. Another set of walls, same height at the ones they're being surrounded, on both sides and at the end of the corridor.
"What do you suppose is out there?" one of the boys in front of her questioned.
"A way out?" second boy guessed.
"I don't know . . ." third boy responded warily, "Could be a trap, or a trick?"
"Have you taken a good look around?" forth boy said, "We're already trapped here. What's the worse that could happen?"
Gale agreed with the third boy, and there was something about that corridor that scared her the most than her being where she was standing.
The boys suddenly fell silent, she realized why, they were watching a boy with black hair going forward, he wasn't even vigilant towards his surroundings, he just walked forward, straight ahead, he only looked up like he was walking between two skyscrapers and gazing at them as he strolled.
And nothing happened.
They all watched the guy in anticipation, waiting to see if something happens to him or nothing at all. By then he reach the end of the corridor, he walked to his right and disappeared into the corner.
"The hell—" one boy uttered, "screw this" he followed the guy, then the other followed.
Only Gale and Newt remained behind. She still didn't want to go into that corridor, she still wanted to wait and see if something happens, so she walked away "That's enough sightseeing for me"
"Not even a wee-bit curious?" Newt followed her.
"Believe me I'm very much curious than you think but I'm just not that stupid"
Gale wasn't sure why Newt was following her when he could just go anywhere than where she was going. She was heading for the forest, with everywhere being occupied; the building, the barn, the concrete spot in the middle of the field and the large corridor, she decided to just wait and see. She sat down under a tree and rest her feet. It has been exhausting since she woke up like half hour ago. She wanted to lie down as she still felt sick and lightheaded since she restarted her life.
"What are you doing?" Newt asked.
Gale shrugged, "For now . . . nothing"
"Seems like the best idea that anyone has done around here so far" he sat down as well and remained distant from her.
She wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or complimenting. She didn't care, she just wanted to wait and see, maybe hours. She spent the last 20 minutes merely observing, arguing with these stupid boys, she saw two boys coming back out of the corridor, she saw farm animals by the barn, she could only spot two cows and a puppy. Gale looked over to the boy next to her, Newt hadn't said anything, he buried his face around his arms while hugging his knees close to his chest—like he was some scared little child, not knowing what was going on.
She had to admit, she felt bad for him—but at the time, she was slightly annoyed. She can't do anything for him, her priority was herself, to look after herself and be cautious around these strangers.
She then heard leaves crunching behind them, someone was coming from the forest, the two looked back and saw a boy. An African-American boy, he looked bigger and maybe older than the two of them. Gale thought the boy was going to walk by them, instead he sat down next to Newt, she stared momentarily before shifting her gaze back to the field. The three of them gazed ahead, continually observing and neither of them said anything yet.
The guy let out a loud sigh, didn't offer a word for a moment, until he finally said, "I'm Alby"
Both Gale and Newt shifted their gaze at Alby, Newt replied first, "I'm Newt"
"Gale" she simply said.
"That guy over there—" Alby pointed at the boy Gale saw earlier, the lonely guy sitting all by himself in an empty field, he hasn't moved yet. "He was already awake when I woke up, hasn't said a damn word. I've been up for hours, maybe the second person to wake up and y'all been unconscious for hours"
"So . . . he hasn't moved?" Newt questioned as they looked at the lonely boy.
Alby shook his head, "Not a damn inch, he's just watching . . . here the rest of the idiots, paying attention on the only girl when we—probably should be worried about him instead"
"Maybe he's in shock"
Alby shrugged, "Maybe . . . either way, I don't like him"
Besides Newt, Gale didn't find Alby dumb but his size intimidated her. He's probably the smartest out of all the rest of the boys so far. "Have you seen what's out there?" she asked, since he's been awake for hours, she assumed he had checked the place out.
"I didn't want to get too far and get lost out there" Alby said.
"Get lost?" she was confused.
"It was just another corridor, left and right, then another and another left and right and front and back. It all looks the same. All I can describe it is . . . it's like a maze, maybe it is, I don't know. Like I said, I didn't want to go too far"
Gale furrowed her brows in both confusion and concern as she gazed ahead at the doorway.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXO6yNqbxS
Another hour or so had passed of doing nothing. Gale learned from Alby that while everyone else was unconscious, he counted how many of them there were here—fifteen, he said, including herself. All of them in various teen aged, maybe ages thirteen to seventeen.
"You wanna see something weird?" Alby asked the two.
Gale and Newt exchanged glances, waiting for one another to respond. She sighed, she could use a walk, she has been sitting around for too long "Sure, it's not like it'll get any weirder, right?"
"Bet" Alby stood up and began to wander into the forest, Gale and Newt followed him.
Deep into the forest they went, the sun wasn't shining on the field anymore, it was behind the walls, ready to set for the night, the skies was full of orange sunset colors and in the dark blue sky, stars were beginning to poke through. Gale never realized that noon had already passed long ago and she has been out here for longer than she thought.
They walked until they reached the wall and Alby stopped by the wall. He looked up at it for a moment, seemingly looking for something until he pointed up, "There"
Both Gale and Newt glanced up where he was pointing at, it didn't take long for her to spot it, found herself gawking at a strange object— this strange object was moving, crawling actually, it looked like a bug, It had a silver, cylindrical body about three inches in diameter and ten inches in length, with twelve jointed legs running the length of it's body. A bright, blinding red light is emitted through the it's eye, and there were letters smeared across the torso.
When it started travelling downwards, Gale and Newt instantly moved back, "It's fine. It doesn't do anything besides moving up and down, that is it's routine, just moving and that's it. I don't think it's alive, I think it's being controlled"
"By who?" Newt uttered.
"Whoever put us here" Alby whispered, as if he didn't want to be heard by whoever was listening. "I found at least six of them so far, they're hanging on the walls, likely more of them"
If those things are being controlled and there's more of them around, "Do you think . . . " Gale paused, "they're watching us? The ones who put us here?"
"Been thinking the same thing"
Newt then let out a scoff, he picked up a rock from the ground then threw it at the moving object, it only made a ting sound, exact like something hitting a metal.
"Don't waste your strength on it" Alby implied "I spent like an hour throwing shit at it and it's done nothing"
Then something even more stranger happened.
There was a sudden loud boom exploded in the air, the utter sound made the trio jump, for a moment, Gale thought that Newt might've pissed off that metal bug by hitting it with a stone and whoever's controlling it has responded. The trio started sprinting even though they had no idea why, Gale only started running because Newt ran first. She thought they were running from the wall— from that metal bug. It was until they were out of the forest and saw what was going on; there was a terrible crunching and grinding sounds with it when they saw the gap on the wall began closing in, both side of the walls moved to meet in the middle, sparks and being thrown by the walls sliding against the stone floors. The walls moving made the ground of the entire field shake, reaching from where Gale, Newt and Alby stood. She felt her bones trembling by the sounds crunching and the grinding sounds made her cringe. The last sound it made was another booming sound when the two walls met, an echo of it send through and maybe travelling across the rest of the world for everyone else to hear it.
The whole world fell in a sudden silence. Everyone stared in stun when it finally sealed, all of them have been shut in, now they were all truly trapped inside.
Gale then looked around, wondering if those boys who went out there are in the other side of the walls, locked out, she'll figure it out soon maybe when she counts the boys. She saw that lonely boy up on his feet, assumed he was just as shocked as everyone. What the fuck.
Then Alby broke the silence by saying "Well . . . ain't that something else"
ns 15.158.61.20da2
