Hello everyone that reads this almost useless note. I hope you are having a fabulous time.
Here are a few things you may need/want to know. First of all, if you find that I am odd, don't worry you'll get used to me… or have a mental breakdown.
Second, it is a possibility that my story may not be as good as you would've hoped. I absolutely LOVE constructive criticism, and flames are not tolerated. If you have something to say about my story or just random stuff that would make me laugh, go for it. However, just telling me that my story sucks will do nothing to improve it. If you don't tell me what'cha didn't like, odds are, it's probably not going to change.
Okay, that's all I wanted to say. You can read now.
Amy's point of view
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that, the floor really needed a thorough scrubbing. Secondly, I was shivering. And finally, and probably most importantly, I was hungry.
While my head was pounding like a drum, I slowly picked myself off the ground. I was emerged into semi-darkness, so it made it very difficult to determine where I was or what was around me.
I was able to tell that I was in a small room that was eerily quiet, and undeniably cold. There was a small table in the corner and a chair smack-dab in the middle of the room.
Odd.
As I looked around a little more, I heard the humming of electricity that dimly lit the room.
"Hello?" I called out, unsure of what to do, or if I really wanted an answer.
"Is anyone here?" I called, a little more loudly.
"Hello, love. How are we today?" The sudden voice made me jump. I looked around in vain, trying to locate its owner. There was a low chuckle at my creeping panic.
"You won't see me. Just talk to me." I knew whose voice it was. A shudder past through me.
"Ian, w-what's g-going on-n?" I stuttered. I was really cold. A staticky sigh came through a little earpiece that I now realized was in… my ear. Duh.
"You seem to have gotten yourself into a little bit of a situation, now haven't you?" He laughed again. I rolled my eyes, officially annoyed. Then I heard something that kind of confused me.
In the back round I heard a distant, "…idiot… give me… stupid mike… just give it… AGH!" There was a sound that resembled a crash, then static and suddenly "Hi, Amy!"
I stepped back, startled. "Dan?" I asked really confused.
"Yeah, yeah. It's me. Ian was bugging me with his all high and mighty manner. He was all like, 'ha ha, you poor pathetic person. Look what you've got yourself into…" Dan just kept going in an abnormally deep voice with a bad British accent. I patiently waited for him to finish. He didn't.
"…and I feel so sorry for you… ha ha ha, yeah FRICKIN' RIGHT!" these last few words were yelled in his own voice. My eardrum was nearly blown up.
"DAN! Just tell me what's going on," I said in a calm and reasonable tone. I could just imagine his face right now, mocking me even though he knew I couldn't see him.
"Right, right. So, remember when you got really tired and decided to go to bed early. Like, WAY early. Fiske wasn't even home yet." He waited for confirmation
"Yeah."
"Okay, so, when he finally got home he was all like, 'Dan, where is your sister?'" He used his 'deep voice' again.
"And I said, 'in bed'. Then I started laughing, and he didn't get it. He was like, 'what?', and I was like, 'never mind. What was the question again?', and he said, 'never mind." Dan took a breath.
It was getting really cold in here. I was starting to go numb.
"Dan, can you please just tell me why I'm here," I let just a little too much whininess out. Maybe even a little bit of panic.
"Oh, right. So anyway, he started talking about how our Madrigal ninja training was going well, and how it was now time to put all of the branches together because the Vespers are TOTALLY going to kick out BUTT if we don't get going." He started talking faster and faster. My head was getting dizzy.
"… Ekats had created a brand new scenario thingy where you get to test out your ninja skills without dying… or something like that. Anyway, for some odd reason, you and Hamilton got to go first to try out the simulaty thingy and try not to have a mental break down… Hamilton should be showing up soon." My legs were shaking.
Static.
"Amy?" I collapsed.
Beep…beep…beep.
A monitor cut through my unconsciousness. My ears were ringing. I opened my eyes, only to find my little brother staring me down.
I was lying down on a bed in a brightly lit room. A few tubes were stuck to me and attached to various machines.
"Oh, good. You're awake." My brother's sarcasm was a little less than heart warming. I shifted into a more comfortably position. I winced. It hurt to move.
"Dan, what's going on?" I asked tiredly. Before my brother could answer, a voice cut him off.
"Actually, I think I should answer that." I looked toward the door to see Uncle Fiske. I smiled. Good idea.
"Dan, why don't you go check on Hamilton. I'm sure he would like to hear from you." I could tell that Fiske hadn't meant that as a suggestion. Dan didn't get it.
"But I want to stay here." He assumed a hurt expression. Fiske sighed.
"Let me rephrase what I said. Dan, go check on Hamilton."
"Please," he added. Dan got it.
"Oh… okay." He left. Uncle Fiske turned to me.
"How are you feeling, my dear?" He asked sincerely.
"Uncle Fiske, I'm doing fine, but I really just want to know what is going on." He sighed.
"Alright. To be honest, we were hoping not to tell you until you were in the Haze, but as you probably know already, that wasn't our best decision." WTH? He smiled when he saw my expression.
"The Ekats have been working on an invention called the Haze. Basically, it puts you to sleep and you have a simulated 'dream'. There are a lot of complicated details that I could go into about how it works, but fundamentally it's a scenario that is created. You experience it, we create it." He looked at me shrewdly.
"You with me?" I thought about that for a second.
"Yes," I lied. He nodded knowingly.
"I'd be surprised if you actually did." I blushed. He smiled.
"Anyway, this is a way to prepare you for what is to come in the future, without you actually getting hurt. We took you out of the original Haze phase, because you blacked out." I was starting to get it.
"Wait, so you mean, when I was cold, that wasn't real? And, when I felt hungry, that also wasn't real?" He nodded.
"Actually, that was real. Even though you were technically asleep, your body was hungry and therefore, the hologram was hungry." I was confused again.
"The hologram?" He nodded in confirmation.
"While you're in the Haze, a computer takes a 'picture' of your body and 'photographs' it into a 3D hologram. Do you remember the room you 'woke up' in?" I nodded.
"That's the room where you start. Various images will start to appear around you, and then create the scenario." He smiled. My head was spinning.
"I'm really confused," I said helplessly. He just nodded.
"I know. We have to get all of you teenagers in there. Since we pulled you out, Jonah went in, in your place. The next time we can get you in, is with the Kabra boy. How does that sound?" He laughed when he saw my look of horror.
"Yeah, I knew you'd say that. Do you want to go see the others now?" Without an answer, he started walking away, towards the door.
When I didn't follow, he urged me forward. Eh, what the heck? I pulled the blankets away and ran after him.
"So, who else is here?" I asked casually, trying to keep up with his long strides.
"All of the remaining competitors that were in the Hunt and Madrigal agents." I nodded as we kept going.
"So then Nellie's here too?" I asked. Uncle Fiske just nodded.
I took this time to note my surroundings. The place was very clean like a hospital and open with windows showing a bright sunny day up in the woods, somewhere in the world.
We passed various people that I had never seen before. They all seemed busy with something important to do.
"Uncle Fiske," I asked again. He sighed.
"Yes Amy?" he replied patiently.
"Where exactly are we?"
"Ah, do you mean in the building or in the world?" he asked inquisitively, eyebrow raised. I laughed.
"In the world."
"Southern Oregon Rainforest in the USA," He said distractedly. I decided to not ask anymore questions.
We finally came to a white door that needed a pass code to get in. Fiske took out a small card from his coat pocket and put it into a little slit in the wall. A small touch pad appeared out of the wall and gave a set of numbers for him to press.
He turned to me and asked, "Can you guess the five digit code?" I could tell he was joking, but gave it a whack anyway.
"Um… five, two, three, six, zero." He raised his eyebrow and I smiled cheekily.
"Not even close," and with a flourish he tapped in the code and we walked into the secret room.
"Welcome to the Haze Maze."
TA DA! Please review. I came up with this story as I wrote it. I think I did a pretty good job.
Anyway, I am going to put on a two review minimum. Without those two I won't update.
Also, I suck at updating so don't expect chapters all too often. I'm just saying.
And… review.