The Point of No Return – Graduation Day
Breathe. Inhale deeply, exhale fear. Again… Inhale deeply, exhale the fear. Wrong time to adjust, the hit wasn’t severe, but it could have been. Keep moving. Don’t let up.
*3 Hours Ago*
The armory is empty when Timberlen arrives. Today would be the day. Grabbing gear and moving to the lower levels, only takes ten minutes. Ten more minutes and game on. There was no option for game over.
It begins as they all have, with the opening of the portal. The shock to the system is a quantum effect, therefore, it had been debilitating in the beginning.
Within seconds the shock has passed and the portal is ready for entry. Therefore Timberlen grabs the gear and moves into the portal.
*Now*
Seventy feet and the jump.
*The Jump*
Excellent. Keep pushing. Now the turn.
*The Turn*
The hit this time lands squarely in the chest. Timberlen is knocked backwards so quickly there is no time to catch the fall, and the landing causes unconsciousness.
Waking is painful. Likewise the armor is effective but there is still the effect of trauma. There is still time, also.
Moving again. Breathing is difficult. Keep pushing. Switch to night vision in thirty seconds.
The switch to night vision is disorienting at first. The target is fifty feet away. Until it isn’t.
Trying to stop now is impossible. Furthermore, forward momentum alone is enough to end this brutally fast. The fail safe alarms are blaring somewhere in the distance, but it’s too late for those as well.
The instructors have always said closing the eyes does no good, however, Timberlen decides that isn’t so, and waits for the end.
point of no Return
There is no memory of impact, or distress from cataclysmic harm, as Timberlen awakens. There is only darkness all around.
This isn’t anything remotely close to the training area. This is still the eventure. Looking through the night vision isn’t helping so Timberlen removes the cumbersome equipment, and surveys through real eyes.
In this moment the realization that there is no exit, hits home. In the next moment, the implications of this happening, begin to also hit home. Timberlen has graduated.
*