Not long ago, in a world almost identical to ours, people bustled about their lives. Always busy with some goal or another, or vacationing from that work. Some people hated the never-ending system or their current position and sought to seize their reality in their own hands. One day someone succeeded.
"What's wrong Caleb?" Ally asked.
Caleb had just finished unpacking his bags in his cabin for the cruise. It was going to be a long ride to Germany, and longer as their student band traveled to play in multiple countries. Now, Caleb leaned over the ship's railing, in his favorite leather jacket, staring into the water.
"Oh nothing," Caleb said, "I just needed some air. I've never traveled this far from home before, and definitely not alone."
"Don't be that way," Ally said as she leaned on the railing next to him. Her blond hair was whipping in front of her face so much, Caleb thought her face was beginning to look like a bowl of pasta, which he found amusing, "The cruise is only two weeks. We'll be back in Vegas in no time. Just try to keep your mind off home and you'll be fine. Have fun! Hey, did you see Ant-Man yet?"
"No," said Caleb, "I want to, though. My church youth group back home is going to go see it in theaters as soon as I get back. I heard there was a Spider-Man reference!"
"You want me to spoil it?"
"No!" Caleb and Ally argued over superheroes for the next hour on the deck of the cruise ship. So deep were they in an argument over whether or not Sony let Marvel use Spider-Man, that they didn't notice a pulse of energy heading for the ship. Most people didn't either. They moved about playing their games, discussing their various problems, issues, and interests when it hit them. And when they finally did notice, there was no escape.
The wave of energy was purple and HUGE. Like a massive wall, it seemed to extend up and to either side forever as is glided over the ship. Everyone on it felt it when it passed, getting knocked over, and knocked out as if a physical wall had hit them. Caleb and Ally were on the side of the ship that the pulse landed on first when it hit, the port side.
"Get out of the way!" Caleb yelled, as if one could get away from the pulse, and promptly collapsed from it.
