I was in a dark room. I felt around earlier but I couldn't find any walls. It was just a pit, blackness, silence.

A churning feeling was growing in my stomach and I sat down, bringing my knees to my chest. I was alone, probably going to die. Going to die? I chuckled rubbing my eyes after realizing they were wet. Such negative thoughts...that's not good…

"Maia Taris. Welcome, to the Black Box. You will be asked a series of questions. If you fail to answer them right, the walls will advance towards you. Answer enough wrong; you will die. Answer enough right; a door will open and you will be able to leave." A monotonous voice spoke from somewhere in the room, I couldn't pinpoint the location.

The gut twisting feeling I already had only got worse. "I'm not doing that!" I protested.

A loud scraping sound echoed throughout the room causing me to jump. "Failure to comply will result in the movement of the walls."

My eyes flickered around the room, searching for anything–anyone, that'd help me. But I found nothing and was forced to consider the first option; not dying. "Alright," I said timidly, "what's the first question?"

"What is your birth planet?"

That's easy. "Terra." I held my breath–even though I knew the answer was correct I couldn't help it–waiting for the sound of the walls drawing nearer. But there wasn't a sound.

"Next question; who is the leader of the Nova Empire?"

I pondered over that. I wasn't really educated on leaders and the like. If that's what the questions would be on, I'm definitely going to die.

The sound of the walls moving startled me. Once I calmed down I shouted, "But I didn't give an answer!"

"Failure to answer in time will result in movement of the walls."

I huffed. "This is stupid. Next question." There was silence for a few moments. Then,

"What is your purpose for being here?"

I was taken aback by that question. "W-What do you mean?" The walls shifted again, I felt I could see them now.

"What is your purpose for being here?"

"I...I don't know, my father's here-" The walls moved again and this time I knew they were indeed within sight.

"What is your purpose for being here?"

Frustration and panic taking over I screamed, "I don't know! Ask me something else!" Suddenly, there was a loud grinding sound. Louder than the previous ones. The walls were moving closer, I saw their towering and seemingly endless surfaces. Unlike the other times, they wouldn't stop. The space I was in kept growing smaller and smaller until each side was pressing against me.

I was claustrophobic; knowing that I was going to die while able to feel every bone in my body breaking, the pressure on my skull until it finally explodes. I began to hyperventilate, my was heartbeat racing, thumping so hard I felt nauseous.

"S-Stop! Please! Please...stop…" I trailed off breaking down into sobs.

"Stop the simulation."

A voice, not monotonous like the other one, broke through my terror. And I wasn't sure if it made me even more frightened at the fact that I recognized it. It was my father.

My shaky breathing was slowly becoming steadier once the walls stopped moving. I was still scared as the walls were so close to me my arms were pressed to my sides uncomfortably. A hissing sound echoed throughout the room and one by one, the walls dropped at lighting speed into the floor. Lights clicked on and I squinted, rubbing my unfocused eyes. I found I was in a large room, but not as big as I had originally thought. It was rectangularly shaped, if I had to guess the dimensions I'd say 20ft. x 40ft.

Talking drew my attention to the left corner of the room. There stood a group of people. Some wore the attire of the people who'd kidnapped me but without the masks. I knew their faces, they were people who worked here. I saw Doctors Slovak and Mirrow. Other people whom I've come to know were gathered in one spot. And in the middle of it all was my father. I was overjoyed at the sight of the man who raised me. Without considering what he might be doing there, I raced over ready to throw myself in his arms.

"Stop!" My father sharply called out. I slowed down, my head tilting in confusion.

"Father, what's...what's wrong?"

He walked briskly past his coworkers stopping in front of me. I half expected a pat on the head but I knew from his furious expression that's the least I would get. A hard poke in my chest was enough to send my small figure reeling. I collapsed to the floor and coughed once, catching my breath.

"You!" He seethed. "You are what is wrong!"

I stayed on the floor, trying to make myself small under his terrifying glare. "What do you mean father? What have I done wrong?"

My father threw his hands up in the air and started pacing. "Ever since I picked you up on Terra I raised you as my own in hopes you'd respond naturally to the environment you were in. But even with giving you a sense of true panic nothing happened. Apparently you're just another failed experiment, something that I've wasted both my time and effort on." He stopped and turned to look at me. "And do you remember what we do to failed experiments? We expunge them."

It took a few seconds to process what he was saying. By then a man had already thrown me over his shoulder and was walking away. I kicked with all my might, and screamed bloody murder. But he, the man who raised me, just watched impassively as I was carried away to die.

"Father...Dad! Please! I promise I won't be a failure anymore! I'll meet your expectations! Just...don't send me away please!"

My pleading produced no reaction. And I was given a cruel wave of farewell before the door slammed shut.


Betrayed. Scared. Alone. Broken.

I was a 10 year-old but more mature than I would've been if I'd grown up on Terra. On Terra, I could've had a real family. A dad that'd spend time with me. A mom to teach me how to braid hair. Siblings to...well just to have. I don't know what siblings are good for but the more the merrier. At least my make believe family on Terra wouldn't backstab their kid and try to kill them.

I had been shoved into a small room to await my death. Maybe it was from earlier but I was paranoid that the walls were going to start closing in on me. I rubbed my chest to try and get rid of the tight feeling there. It didn't help. I exhaled as smoothly as I could to try and calm my nerves.

I must've closed my eyes at one point. For I don't remember the next second sitting there. Just, darkness.