Work Text:
Chapter 1: The Humble Beginnings
I open my eyes. The overwhelming brightness of the shiny white walls hits my eyes once again.
Unsurprisingly, I survived the sleep time here. Can't really say night, since time seems to be a concept unfamiliar to this place.
I stand up, taking the lab coat I used as a makeshift blanket and wrapping it around my waist like a skirt. I sigh. Time for some more exploration I suppose.
Walking through the white hallways, the only thing I hear are my own footsteps, echoing maddeningly.
Am I ever getting out of here? And do I really WANT to get out of here? This place seems strangely calming, so removed from the hustle of my regular life. Lost in my own thoughts, I nearly stumble into a large hole that suddenly appeared in front of me.
"Jesus fucking Christ," I exclaim, taking a look down. This thing has to be at least a mile deep. Needless to say, the fall would probably kill me.
In front of myself, I notice a strange looking box, with something swinging trapped inside of it. It appears to be a pendulum, suspended in there by unknown means. I want to explore it so much, but the death-hole separates me from it.
I look behind myself for a bit, and as soon as I look back, the pendulum box is gone. I cover my face with my hands.
"What is even going on here," I mumble exasperated. I was used to things making sense, that is why I chose this path. That is why I chose to be a scientist. But this place? Nothing seems to make sense here. Nothing.
Not even thinking, I take a step forward. I do not know what prompted me to do so. I quickly come to my senses, expecting the typical off-balance feeling, like stepping off a stair without knowing there was one. But it never comes.
I open my eyes, only to see a platform that I could have sworn was never there before, supporting my foot. Cautiously, I take another step, this time with purpose. The platform extends, catching my other foot. I walk towards the other end of the gorge, starting to laugh.
Finally, I made sense of something here. I am not sure how this works, but it does. And that is all that matters right now. With every single step I go a bit faster, quickly breaking into a full on run, as I cross the weird self-constructing bridge. Finally, I am on the other side. Finally, I am making some progress.
