Chapter 2 Exams

Chapter 2

Exams

 

There was fire. He was in a building running towards a door. He heard screams and war whoops getting closer and closer. He had only one thought and it kept repeating itself. Find her, find her, find her. He got to the door and opened it.  

“WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP.” Theta jumped out of the bed ready to fight or flee. But he realized it was just some hologram of a scientist with a balding head, glasses, was rather pudgy, and only came to Theta’s chest.

“Good, you’re awake. I am Dr. Garb and today we begin your testing.”

“Wait testing.” Theta said with emphasis. “You said I only had to do a test. As in one test.”

Dr. Garb looked at Theta with bored annoyance. “It is like a standardized test. So we have many subjects to cover in one test. Do you want us to call it a really big test or a lot of smaller tests?”

He continued to speak but Theta ignored him.

Theta got up and went to the sink to wash up instead of answering this so called “Dr.” While looking in the mirror he realized he was a wreck. Not knowing his exact age he placed himself at his early twenties, having a scraggly sprinkling of facial hair, his face wasn’t anything to look at just normal,  he had bags under his eyes even though he felt rested, he was about six feet tall, had scraggly brown hair that was trimmed and unkept, he hadn't noticed it yesterday but his he could see the outlines of his muscles through the shirt, and the strangest part was that his eyes were red. Not in the tired sense but his irises were a bright crimson. In a part of Theta’s mind he knew that wasn’t normal.

Then it hit him. They were the same color as the suits visor.

This was strange and most likely not a coincidence.

He turned to the scientist, interrupting him in what was probably a very meaningless speech.

“What is that suit in there?” Theta questioned.

Dr. Garb smiling rather proudly, apparently forgetting being cut off said, “Well, that is something I would love to explain and am rather certified being the one who built it.”

“Liar.” Said a young male voice that seemed to come from thin air.

“Do not talk while I am explaining and I did build it. More or less” Dr. Garb grumbled. “You know what I don’t have time for this. Just say, suit embrace, and figure it out.” And with that he left.

Theta walked to the closet and took out the suit and set it in the middle of the room. He backed up a bit. Looking around to see if he was doing it right.

Receiving no such instruction he proceeded.

“Suit embrace.” He said. Then surprisingly the suit looked around. When it saw him it turned around and jumped at him, backwards. Which was so ridiculous he would have laughed. Had it not been jumping, at him. It latched on and began closing up. When everything had locked in place, his visor lit up so he could see and a slew of information came over his screen. Thermostat, external temperature, vital signs, proximity alarms, and current suit capability.

“Whoa. Cool. All it is missing is a horn.” A split second after he said that a program came up and questioned. “Activate horn?”

Theta paused a moment and said, “Yes.”

Then his suit began to play ‘La Cucaracha’ with its speaker.

Theta thoroughly impressed turned to leave. Right before he got to the door a thick metal plate blocked his path. Effectively covering the only way out.

“Test number one. Strength test.”

It was Dr. Garb. Theta, annoyed, responded with “What do I have to do?”

“Just punch it down. Easiest test you will have.” This was the younger scientist again.

Dr. Garb yelled angrily, “Be gone with you child! Now all you have to do is. Well actually just- just punch it down.”

Theta liked that scientist.

Theta walked to the door and said, “Suit, punch.”

Nothing happened.

“You actually have to do it. Imbecile.” Dr.Garb criticized.

“Well you didn’t give him any instructions. You can’t blame him for thinking everything goes by voice.” The younger scientist countered.

He could almost picture Dr.Garb pouting.

So Theta reassessed the door. Reared back his hand and sent it flying into the door. Thinking it would hurt he closed his eyes, silently praying.

The metal crumpled beneath his fist. With another the door and blast door went flying. He stepped through his newly made entrance. He dusted his hands, a little impressed with himself.

“Congratulations. Now begins test number two. Speed under stress.” Dr.Garb said through the suit.

“Ok this isn’t that bad. What do I have to do?” Theta said.

“Just run down the hallway as fast as you can.” Dr.Garb explained.

“Well there is the speed but where is the stress, and how far do I have to run?” Theta questioned.

“How observant. Well I was going to let it be a surprise, but since you asked. Once you move down the hall the ground below you will begin to fall away and the faster you move the faster it falls away. However the slower you go it will still fall away at the same rate if you were moving fast. And the distance is about three miles.” Dr.Garb explained.

“So it is best to keep moving. Very fast.” The younger scientist added.

Theta groaned to himself. This was a very large leap in difficulty. He went up to the line and got into a sprinters stance. He breathed in and out preparing himself. He closed his eyes and prayed again. Begging God for speed.

He looked up and shot forward. He moved his legs as fast as he could. His suit seemed to boost the speed. He snuck a peek back and saw that small rockets in his back were boosting him forward. He also saw that where the tiles fell a bubbling, sickly green liquid ate the tiles in a matter of seconds.

Acid he thought.

Theta turned and realized he was running out of time, for at the end of the tunnel the ground was rising and beginning to block off his exit. He increased his speed. Pushing himself to his very limit. When he was close there was only a foot and a half of clearance. So without stopping he jumped forward and straightened his body. He heard a slight scraping noise and then he was through. He somersaulted to a standing position looked around and yelled, “That just happened!”

Then he bent over and began taking in huge gulps of air.

“Good job. You have successfully completed today’s speed under stress test.” Dr.Garb said rather dryly.

“Now get your rest we have a surprise for you later. Oh yes, and here is you lodging for the time being.” The younger scientist added.

Theta really had to find out his name. Maybe tomorrow at the “surprise”.

A door opened to his right about five feet away. He walked in and saw that it was the same room he had been in earlier, or it was exactly identical.

He had no idea what time it was, but the run and near death experience had really drained him. He just was going to lay down for a moment, but decided that in his current situation a lot of sleep was a good thing. So he slept.

And Theta dreamt of fire and screaming. And there was girl. Maybe as old as he was. The smoke and fire obscured her.

She said, “I await our meeting with bated breath.” Her voice was beautiful and it was filled with wisdom.

“But we have met, here. Haven’t we?” Theta questioned

Theta heard her laugh, a sweet laugh, as if at a joke. Then the dream became hazy. And Theta’s dreams submerged into blackness.