Earth, it was a normal day like any other. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over everything. Birds chirped merrily in the trees, children's laughter echoed across playgrounds, cars hummed along busy streets. In cafés, people sipped their coffee, lost in conversation, while commuters drifted from one place to another, moving through life on autopilot. The world felt serene, as if nothing could disrupt the peaceful flow of the day.
A man waiting for the bus tugged at his jacket, trying to shield himself from the cool breeze. His eyes glazed over as he watched the world move around him, his mind lost in thoughts of a recent argument with his wife. He wished he could shake the lingering frustration, but all he could do was stand and wait, his foot tapping impatiently as he glanced at his watch for the tenth time.
A woman walked her dog, her pace leisurely as the dog bounded excitedly at her side. She was preoccupied with the looming presentation she had at work. She wished she could stop thinking about it, but the nervousness gnawed at her. At least the sun was shining today. That small comfort helped her ignore the pressure of her upcoming challenge.
An elderly man sat alone on a park bench, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky. He was content, relishing the quiet moments. He spent some time reminiscing, thinking about his youth. A quiet sadness lingered in his eyes, a feeling of time slipping away with each passing year.
A teenage girl with headphones in her ears jogged through the park, her focus entirely on the rhythmic pounding of her feet on the pavement. Her mind raced with a mix of excitement and dread about the weekend party she was planning to attend. Her breath quickened as she pushed herself harder, as if the exertion could clear her mind.
In a nearby café, a young barista wiped down the counter, his eyes darting toward the clock. He was due to finish his shift soon and couldn't wait to get home. He had been thinking about the argument he had with his roommate earlier that morning—again about the same old thing. He was angry, but more than anything, he was tired. He just wanted to unwind. The constant stress of his daily routine felt like too much, and he longed for a break, though he knew he wouldn't get one anytime soon.
Deep beneath the earth's surface, in a top-secret government facility, things were anything but calm. Inside the facility, alarms shrieked, red lights flashing, casting a blood-coloured hue over the chaos unfolding. Scientists and personnel scrambled, their movements frantic as they dashed about, trying to make sense of what was happening.
"What are the readings?" a woman shouted over the sound of the alarms and surrounding chaos and confusion.
"I can't get a stable reading! The sensors seem to be malfunctioning!" another scientist called back, his frown deepening due to stress as he adjusted dials on a console.
In the center of the chaos, Dr. Samuel Keaton stood motionless, staring at his computer screen with wide, horror-stricken eyes. His hands hovered over the keyboard, unsure whether to type or to run. He swallowed hard, feeling the knot of panic twist in his stomach. He'd been working on this project for years, and now it had gone terribly wrong.
His voice was barely audible given all the background sounds.
"Oh crap" his voice trembled. His screen was blank aside from a line of text.
"Location confirmed, arrival imminent"
Without warning, there was a bright flash, blinding in its intensity. The white light surged out in all directions, engulfing the facility, and the rest of the world in an instant.
---
A young man had been deep in sleep when it happened. One moment, he was nestled in the warmth of his bed. The next, he was jolted awake, as if someone had flicked on the light switch. He rubbed his eyes, trying to dispel the lingering grogginess, but something felt... off.
The light. It was so bright, so blinding, he could hardly see anything else. It wasn't the soft golden glow of the sun, nor the shine of a light—it was pure, unyielding white, stretching out into every corner of his vision. He squinted, but nothing changed. There was nothing. No walls. No ceiling. No floor beneath his feet. Just endless, all-encompassing whiteness.
His heart raced, confusion flooding his mind. He stood, slowly, testing his balance expecting the ground to disappear beneath him. But there was no ground. No sense of up or down. He was... floating?
"Hello?" he called, his voice sounding distant and strange. There was no echo, no response. Only the vast emptiness stretched out before him.
As he turned in circles, trying to make sense of his surroundings, a sudden flicker of blue appeared in front of him, cutting through the whiteness. A screen, floating in mid-air, glowing with an eerie otherworldly light.
He blinked, momentarily stunned. He struggled to keep up with the changes taking place around him.
"You have been granted one wish, use it wisely, or don't, it is up to you."
"You may ask as many questions as you want, however, not all of them can be answered."