"Okay guys, don't be afraid. There is nothing to be afraid of here, we are just testing how you can survive by going through difficult stages so none of you will be harmed." Emerson spoke from behind the darkness.
Of course, his speech did not comfort any child here. Even if I know that the first phase is survival, I don't know anything about what will happen.
"I want my mother."
"Stupid…Are you still a coward after your age?"
"Please someone turn on the lights."
After a short silence, the lights of the application hall lit up again. When I looked at the stage, Emerson had left. Before I had a chance to examine my surroundings, a scream came from somewhere near me.
"Aaaaaa! Karin!" When I turned my head in the direction of the sound, I saw the man lying on the stool, covered in blood.
'How could this be?' I was trying to think when another scream came from the opposite direction of the sound. The same thing happened again, someone else was lying dead on the stool. Even if I tried to think of things and look for a solution, it wasn't working. Emerson's voice began to echo through the Hall's megaphones.
"I'm sorry to greet you with something like this, but you have to be strong to be accepted into the ISS. The first stage, as you know, is Survival. You all know how endless space is, so you should feel like you're in a malfunctioning spacecraft."
[Room Pressure Value being reduced!]
Fuck…
I can't breathe…
"First of all, I would like to tell you why our deceased friends died, please don't see me as a bad man… They were the children of the family that betrayed me at the time. Then let's continue with the details of the first stage. Here you have to survive for 10 minutes with a low pressure value. You are completely free to use different methods of breathing during this time… Good luck to you all."
This shit-faced guy is a real sadist.
First of all, I need to keep my calm somehow. I can still breathe, but the oxygen in the room is not enough, so my lungs cannot store enough air.
I experienced dizziness and blackouts as I tried to stand up from the stool I was sitting on, but it didn't last long.
I know you're watching me from somewhere.
I can clearly see all the children screaming and writhing in pain as I try to walk to do something. No one even knew that they would face something like this, myself included.
I was not prepared. Even though I've been here many times with my mom and dad, I never thought this place would do something like this.
I started to look around me carefully. Every second I spent was so important.
I need to somehow supply the room with enough oxygen to balance the pressure. As I was looking around the corners, I noticed the ventilation flaps.
If I remember correctly, when I first came here with my parents, an attendant was turning on the air conditioners by directing the ventilation flaps. I don't know where the button is, but I have to hurry.
Emerson Reynolds Pov's:
The intelligence of all the children here is above average, but the scenery is not bad at all. The so-called smart kids are crying for their lives right now and needlessly consuming the air.
These children can't even have anything to do with infinite space. No one who doesn't get out of here alive never takes a single step in space. I kept my eye on Dane Tyler as I thought. This boy was strange, fearless and courageous just like his father.
You must have thought of something already, right, kid? I can't wait to see what he can do.
"Sir, isn't this a bit of a tougher test than last year? And what are we going to tell the families of the children who died here?" Even if I want to ignore the assistant type guy standing next to me, I guess I won't be able to do it.
"It's okay, we can explain it to their parents somehow." I replied with a short answer.
An involuntary smile formed on my face as I noticed Dane Tyler slowly making his way towards the air vents. This boy is really attracted to his father.
Come on, show me what you can do, lad!" I brought my hands closer to the monitor and decided to watch more closely.
At that time, the assistant-type man next to me was looking at me with an expression of disgust, but I don't care about him at all.
The monitor's screen now seemed brighter to my eyes.
I was happy as I began to understand what Dane Tyler wanted to do, because the same thing happened when I used this test against this boy's father.
Finally, another hero joins us, and he's just like his father.
Dane Tyler Pov's:
I don't have the strength to stand anymore, there is no place I don't look for, but I can't find the button. Since the ventilation flaps are locked, no clean oxygen enters, which causes the pressure to drop constantly.
I fell to my knees and almost passed out.
Biiiiiiip….
"Ahhem... Ahhemm... Well guys, I know there are still some unconscious among you, but you're all alive, right? I would like to say that normally I should disqualify you all, but if I do, we will not be able to accept new students at our school, so for now we will let you rest until the next stage."
I relaxed as I began to feel the clean oxygen filling my lungs. I started taking deep breaths.
I was so tired that I couldn't even stand up.
So I failed.
I could have been a little calmer, I was too hasty. Damn…
After cleaning the sweat that had accumulated on my forehead with the back of my hand, I stood up with support from the ground and started to watch all the children crying from the stools they were sitting on.
After a while, after all the children who had passed out, woke up, everyone gathered together. A boy who thought he was brave stepped forward and began to speak.
"Did you see? Again, I'm telling you all, these are pure tests, they're not really going to kill us."
"Then why did those kids die?"
"Didn't you hear they betrayed Mr. Emerson"
"Anyway, if you follow me from here on, we'll definitely get through the rest of the steps."
After a short silence, I joined the conversation.
"Are you talking about passing a test where our failure is admitted?" After walking through everyone, I stood in front of that boy who knew himself very well.
The only purpose of this child is to pass the stages successfully by using the children next to him.
"Who are you?"
"I'm just a regular teenager trying to come up with a solution while you all cry like you've seen ghosts."
"Haha… I was Crying? what the hell are you talking about, bitch. I was thinking about something too."
He knows that he is completely lying.
"Everyone, open your ears carefully. If anyone wants to go and die with this man, I won't stop them. But if you are with him, you will most likely die."
As I was leaving the group, after hearing the voices of a few people behind me, I felt the need to turn around and look behind me.
"Why are you following me?"
"Can we complete the next phase together?"
I thought before I started talking that something like this could happen. He was looking at me angrily as I turned my eyes to the boy who saw himself as the leader.
"Are you going after a stranger who hasn't even introduced himself yet? Don't you know my father is the minister?"
I don't even care what this kid is trying to say. If anyone wants to follow me, I won't be a hindrance, more than one intelligence is always good.
"You can follow me but just the two of you, I don't want anyone else." By answering, we all left the other group together.
Biiiip….
"It seems that friendships have already begun to be formed. Now that you're resting, how about moving on to step two gradually? Due to your failure in the first stage, we implemented minor changes in the second stage. I will tell you about these changes as the second phase begins, please follow the stairs in the opening door behind you."
Finally the second phase begins but I can't think of anything about what kind of plan this man has come up with, I guess it will be hard to believe without seeing it.