"Before you claim your prize, you need first to reach victory"
LOCATION: Galaxy TIME: Unknown
I sighed and held onto the glass capsule. I took courage, that is what I should think. Let's investigate. I went back and forth with my memories and that was all I remembered. The ceremony until that boy pulled me to a relatively secluded place which is the school's garden. That boy is my classmate. We are not too close, we also do not talk much at school, except when there are group activities, but that's all I remember about him right now.
I am still standing here inside the transparent glass capsule floating in the middle of nowhere. I don't know how but I feel comfortable and can breathe well inside. Gradually, others woke up and there was a look of shock on their faces. Some continuously punch and kick the glass capsule, a girl is crying, others are confused, some even faint. And their eyes were asking for help. We are 24 whom I estimate was about three meters away from each other as we formed a huge circle. I noticed something strange about their clothes, so I looked at myself as well. I'm wearing a school uniform. White short-sleeved blouse, dark blue necktie, dark blue skirt with stripes, and black shoes. This is my school uniform—the last clothes I wore after the moving up ceremony and before I went here. We are all in school uniforms but from different schools. Other's school uniforms are familiar to me. It looks like we are all teenagers. We are 12 girls and 12 boys. I also noticed that we're placed in pairs. A boy and a girl have the same design and color of the uniform and are placed adjacent to each other.
Then, that should mean…
I immediately turned my gaze to my left. No, the school uniform he's wearing is different from mine. I turned to my right, and I got shocked. I saw my boy classmate. He was the one who pulled me to go to the school garden then suddenly pulled out a necklace that shone until the last thing I remembered was that I was stuck here.
What is he doing here?! Anxious question of my mind. How can I not be angry with him, when he's the reason that I am here? Or was it really him? I have no idea. If he has something to do with my current situation, then what could it be?
If our condition is real and not a dream, magic, or hypnosis, I can say that we are not on the earth but in space. No one knows how we got here because I also do not know how long I lost consciousness. If I think that we are indeed in space, not just in a laboratory that scientists are experimenting with or inside a movie or a prank show, I don't know what to do. I looked at my classmate again. He is squinting his eyes from waking up. I would have liked to shout at him, but I am trapped here inside. It is scary to move too much because apart from this glass, you cannot see a solid ground below, but only the dark, blue-colored abyss that makes my knees tremble. When he finally came to his senses, our eyes met. He frowned as he looked at me. I stared at him, but his eyes appear to be innocent. He seems to be asking for help and is also confused by our situation. He may have forgotten what he did to me. I strongly feel that what happened to us in the garden and that necklace has something to do with why we are here. I need to ask him about this.
***
After a few minutes, everyone is awake.
*bell rings*
I was startled because of the sound that I heard which entirely broke the silence. It is the sound that students often hear at school during classes and breaks. I immediately turned around and the sky lit up for a moment, so I closed my eyes. Moments later, I opened my eyes. There is a hologram coming out in the middle of the 24 glass capsules circle. The image released by the hologram is a white screen with a large letter A at the center.
"Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening," a voice came out with no one to see who speaks.
We did not see anyone speaking. The voice is also strange because it has a male, female, shrill, low, scary, and echoing voice, so I also don't know if the speaker is male or female. Even with a glass capsule enclosing us, I could hear what the thing is saying audibly.
"Greetings everyone, it's good to see you, the battle 24." I frowned at what it was saying. "As you can see, you are in the middle of space. It is not an illusion, it is reality. 12 boys and 12 girls, a total of 24. By pair, a total of 12. 24 students from 12 different schools."
So, we're really here in space? Impossible. I don't want to believe it but, here I am. If I'm here in space, am I supposed to just believe it?
"6 pairs from private schools and 6 pairs from public schools. You are the lucky 24." What lucky 24? I never wished to be here in the first place.
Suddenly the glass capsule disappeared, the reason why we were locked up. It appears that it dissolved, and I could see each other more clearly. I felt an inexplicable horror. The atmosphere here is somewhat different compared to the earth. Enormous space, pure mixed colors of black, blue, and white with a hint of red, yellow, and white scattered dots. The air is dense but calming and cold. I keep myself reminded of this beautiful view in case I tremble with fear every time I look below that triggers my fear of heights.
"Hey, just wait. What kind of gimmick is this? Why are we here? What are you saying?!" asked angrily a boy with his silver-gray hair raised. I can hear clearly what he said even though we were far apart.
"Keep your cool. Well, I understand that you are all wondering where you are standing. That is the source of gravity, so your body doesn't float."
I tried to calm down because of what the hologram replied.
"Answer us! What's in it?" a girl with long light brown hair insisted.
"Okay. You, all of you. You were chosen to play this game because each of you experienced a lot of tragic events being a teenager. You are the victims physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually tortured. You've been chosen based on your past that pulled the trigger for you to enter the game. And I know that all of you desired to change your life. A life that is better than your old rotten world."
I was left stunned by what the hologram said.
We? Selected? Me? Why? Did something bad happen to me that's why I was chosen for this? If so, what is it? How did the hologram know who I was when I can't even remember all things about myself? It also mentioned the game. What kind of game?
This is big nonsense. I should not believe what the hologram says. I pinched myself, it hurts, I am not dreaming. Maybe it's true that we are in the middle of space, but it can all be just an illusion.
"But before you claim your prize, you need first to reach victory. And that is to play the tri-games." the hologram added.
Victory? Tri-games?
"We have no idea what you are saying! Bring us back to our world!" a tall, tanned boy shouted.
"W-What about the people we left behind? Can't we live normally?" worried question of a girl who looked modest.
The hologram spoke again. "You are here with a purpose. You are all chosen because you have been strong in the battle of life. You are the most desperate not just in life, but for life. You have dreams, goals, and plans but the world has become an obstacle for you to reach that. This game is the remaining key to fulfilling your dreams."
Have I been unstable in life? How did I become desperate to the point that I went here to this point?
A boy with red hair asked. "Why do we even play something we're not motivated to play with?"
The hologram responded. "Your minds are still recovering so you might not be motivated enough and refuse to play the games. But remember, your major motivation to keep playing is your life." Does this mean our lives are at stake?
"But before the game starts, you will live first in the nth planet. A planet that's next to Neptune or maybe Pluto?" the ambiguous hologram promises to play with our minds.
"What planet are you referring to as the 'nth planet'? As far as I know, there is no Pluto, so there should be only eight planets," replied a relatively chubby boy.
"The nth planet is a planet supposed to be next to Pluto, but it is said that Pluto is not a planet, therefore the nth planet is a planet next to Neptune." It's a naughty answer.
nth planet. From the name of the planet the hologram mentioned, it seems like a planet without a name. Similar to math problems and equations, often 'n' is the letter used in the missing value or answer like 'x'.
"The name itself, does it ring a bell?" No one answered. "Of course, it is! I know you are all clever, so you have a clue on the planet you will live from now on."
"What? We'll live there on the nth planet you say?!" a girl with black short hair asked with an irritated look.
"You heard it right. You will leave your ex-planet called earth and you will be living on the nth planet whether you like it or not. You will leave your loved ones and sentiments on your former planet, including your memory."
Wait, so I don't know myself very well because I lost my memory?
"I'm sure you are all bewildered about yourselves. But when the time comes, when the game starts, you will regain all your identity."
I no longer hesitated to speak and asked the hologram. "You mean we lost our memories? How?"
"I'll just leave it to your imagination and go find the answer yourself."
My fist clenched because of its answer. How annoying! What kind of answer is that?
"What kind of planet is the nth planet?" my classmate asked. I kind of didn't expect him to ask either. He looks serious but I know he's just building himself up.
"You have nothing to worry about because the nth planet is like the earth too." The fact that we're not on our planet right now is enough to give us a panic attack. "Composed of both living and non-living things. The only difference is, it is far better than earth. The impossible things on earth are made possible on nth planet. Delusions and imagination can come into reality. A place where feelings and emotions created it. The nth planet was born because it lives through how everyone in the world feels. Grief, delight, loathe, anxiety, depression, fear, all of them! Only you, the battle 24, know that the nth planet exists."
I don't' know if I should be glad to know such a thing.
"What? Are you crazy or something? That's far beyond scientific explanation. If only us, the battle 24 know that such a stupid planet exists because of your worthless information, then do you think we will believe your non-sensical theory?" asked a boy with eyeglasses. His tone is serious and stoic that you will notice right away that he is knowledgeable.
"Good point. You are a genius, no doubt about it. It has never been wrong that you've been chosen." The hologram stopped talking for a moment then continued. "Like the name itself, nth planet—an unknown planet. You must be the one to search for the real meaning behind it. A planet where unbelievable things exist through people. The things you think are not possible now become within reach. The things that you think are impossible are hidden in your hearts, called feelings and emotions."
How come such a hologram can speak deeply like this? Is there really such a planet that exists because of how people feel and think?
"All the impulsive thoughts of every person in the world, on the nth planet come true."
I was struck by what the hologram said. It's like, it's almost impossible. No, it's impossible. It has to be impossible! All of this is non-sense.
"nth planet does not exist in the world of erudite. It exists through the heart and mind of people and that's the reason why things are made possible."
I could not believe what I heard. The truth is, I do not want to believe everything it said. What are we going to do? Are we just going to do what the hologram tells us to do? If not, what can we do?
I am still grateful somehow that I am not the only one here. Fortunately, I have 23 people to make friends with and we can help each other discover the so-called nth planet. I don't even know them and should not be trusted immediately, but we are supposed to work together because we have no other choice. Right now, we should live on the nth planet which is the only solution I can think of. The hologram also mentioned that we will play tri-games. I have no idea about it, but I really can't do anything. Everything is vague so I will clarify it by gradually exploring this matter. I am trapped in a situation where stone or walls do not prevent me from getting stuck, but this inexplicable situation forces me to shut myself up and follow the hologram's orders. Maybe if I obey what the hologram says, all my memories will return. This might solve the mysteries about my identity. If that's possible, then I will be able to live peacefully. This is the only way I can think of... for now.
"How can we live there?"
"Let me go!"
"What are we supposed to do? What type of game are you referring to?"
"Why do we have to play the tri-games?"
"That's insane!"
"What are you plotting on us, huh?"
"Get us out of here."
"I don't wish to stay there. Now, bring me back to where I belong."
"What are you, anyway? What gives you the authority to do all this?"
"Y'all bullsh*t! No one's gonna buy that!"
The hologram continued to speak, and others asked more questions. The hologram has said more about that stuff that I can't grasp. They kept on asking questions while some resisted and opposed the hologram. My hearing is fading. I'm getting dizzy. My knees are becoming weak. All these statements, queries, screams, and pleas are making me feel like I'm going to puke. I cannot tolerate and absorb all of this. It makes me physically, mentally, and emotionally sick. Everything went into chaos after the moving-up ceremony. How I wish I could stop time and be stuck on that moment. This is too much to bear. I don't want to hear any more of this that I don't refuse to believe. I no longer knew how I should feel. I do not know what I should believe in.
This is tiring me... help me… please. These must be all dreams that I should wake up.
"Go and live" Those three words were the last thing I heard from the hologram. When it said that, what happened to me here in space suddenly flashbacked.
I kept closing my eyes probably because I feel sick. My body has given up and my mind is slowly giving up. Why does it get to be like this? What did I do to deserve this? After all those conversations, what got me the most is that there's a call for survival in the new world we're going to live in. If this is the end of my life, even if I am forced to live on another planet or whatever it is, even if I play the tri-games, even if I will be going to have a hard time...
I promise to myself, I will live.