first trial initiating...
biosphere 1 selected for trial...
- biosphere 1:
diagnostic - satisfactory
containment - satisfactory
enviormental variables - tropic jungle
human population - large
beast population - large
artificial ecosystem balancing - off
- Trial completion criteria:
Annialation of human population or domination of beast population
Apex beast formation
Apex Human formation
Estimated trial time... unknown
Probability of trial completion... guaranteed
Probability of unexpected results... low
logging data...
starting trial...
Squinting against a blinding light I try and make sense of my surroundings. Green and brown the smell of humid air and rich dirt fill my nose and the world spins in distorting colors and smells. I feel myself fall to the ground. I cant even feel my body, as I wretch and squeeze my eyes shut trying to ease the vertigo.
Slowly everything falls into place, and I can focus on something other than the urge to empty my stomach. Dense, vibrant foliage surrounds me on all sides, and everything is quiet except for the sound of the wind in the trees.
Suddenly the first sound hits me, a single bird chirps and all chaos breaks loose. It was like everything took its first breath all at once. birds, insects, predators, and prey all crying out at once as life was breathed into the jungle.
'Where am I, who am I, what am i?' these thoughts and more swirl in my head at lightning speed, but one thing surfaces above all the others. Survive...
Bringing myself up on shaky feet and quickly scan my surroundings. The small clearing I'm in is part of a scar that travels on quite some ways through the jungle. A kill path, every preditor can see me, and I cant see them. Picking a small opening I stumble out of the clearing into the shade of the towering trees.
The Jungle is in chaos, clashes between beasts great and small have already begun. nearby I even see foliage shaking and loud cries if what sounds like a tiger. Paling at the realization I'll soon be next I start to run. Beasts are fighting and running all around me. A cold feeling slowly grips at my heart as I duck under tree limbs and foliage, stumble over roots and stones. I earn cuts and bruises as the reward of my mad dash.
The world slightly dims and I come to a slow stop. My own laborded breathing and the sound of flowing water is all that is left now. For some reason this part of the jungle is calm. There are still distant cries, but for now, I can rest.
My throat burns, as I slowly begin to stalk my way towards the sound of water. Staying low and scanning my surroundings I pull aside foliage seeing a waterfall feeding into a river. Treading forward carefully, my feet sinking slightly into the mudded bank with quite squelches.
Carefully dipping a cupped hand into the clear stream, each gulp of water is a sweet nectar. I have survived for now. Glancing up at the sky the sun is still high. The same questions pound on the inside of my skull but are pushed back again. Water, food, shelter...
This river is a blood vein of the jungle. Every beast needs to drink, so the river is also a source of food. All that is left is shelter, glancing at the rocky cliff of the water fall, I stand up and start my search.
Some kind of alcove, really just an open in the cliff face would do. Out of the weather, out of sight. Wincing slightly as pain surged through my scraped and bruised feet, I climb over rocks and search over the cliff. Slowly I start to find a misbegotten path, winding up and doubling back on the cliff.
About 15 feet above the river the path flattenes into a little platform with a small opening into the cliff face, perfect. As I carefully walked twords the opening I kick a particularly sharp stone leaving another frustrating cut on my foot. But, on closer inspection, I start to dig out the object. Under a few inches of dirt an old spear.
Puzzled, I inspect the weapon. it was obviously old, but somehow had managed to survive. It was simple, a sturdy, wooden pole, split on the end with a blade shaped stone wrapped with some kind of plant fiber attaching it to the pole. on further inspection, the only thing that made the weapon look old was the still moist soil clinging to it. The sharp stone had a sort of glimmer to it unlike the rest of the rocks nearby.
Glancing about again, I realized that this could have been a camp of some kind. However, any other traces of its existence seemed to have been erased by the passing of time. Taking my newfound weapon with me I again, slowly walk into the opening.
The first thing that hits me is the smell of fresh blood. Crouching down, I take a small step backward as I lower my spear. Before I can take another, I hear a low growl originate from the darkness. In the dimmed light, two shining eyes lock with mine.
Fight, or run those are the only two options. Run, no shelter, the beast knows my scent, potentially get hunted down. Fight, risk injury, but secure food, shelter, and one less preditor near my potential home. 'I will fight. The risks are too large.'
In, and out, in and out, with each deep breath my muscle tense a little more. Somehow I felt myself and the beast both understood that this would only be a single clash. One strike to decide life or death.
Before I can even think, the beast lunges at me opening wide its claws and mouth. Slightly flinching, I thrust my spear forward and step back.
Our bodies clash togethor, and with a grunt I fall as the beast lands on me, loosing my grip on my weapon in the process. Struggling with all my might I try and fight it off of me. Getting out from under the beast I fly backwards away ready to react once more, but it lays still.
The light from the entrance illuminated the body. It was a lone wolf, which didnt make any since. Wolves shouldn't be in the jungle, but this one seemed born for it. A more lithe body with moddled greens, razor sharp claws, and a low to the ground body. Gazing over the fallen beast I see it's back right leg had been all but bitten off. My spear laying squarely in its chest, giving the jungle wolf a swift end.
I had been very lucky. If it and been so quick without full use of a leg... I must be far more careful in the future. It had also found the small cave faster than myself had. Camouflage would be a dire need for the future.
Though at least some had delivered itself to me. My eyes having adjusted to the dark, I take another look around the inside of the small cave. Other than the pool of blood from the wolf, the rest of the interior is quite tidy. A few bowls chizled from stone lay in a corner to themselves, and further back there is a narrow crack leading deeper into the darkness.
This was once a home. One that was most likely not abandoned willingly by the spear being left behind. Whatever end the previous owner of this humble cave had, I can only pray to not share it.
I must work quickly or the smell of blood will attract more trouble than I can handle. With some effort, I heft the still bleeding carcus on my shoulders, grab a stone bowl and begin hauling it down to the river. Stumbling slightly as I travel down the path once more.
Arriving at the bank of the river, I make swift cuts along its body removing the hide with precision. slowly I shift back into my thoughts back to the bigger question again as I get lost in dressing down the animal.
Despite trying hard to remember anything before that insufferable virdigo. Nothing comes to mind, not even the feeling of having forgotten something. As if I wasnt, and then I was. I also dont know why I know the things I know. It's as if I had been living in this environment all my life. I knew the beasts, and plants and animals in the jungle very well, and how to use them all to survive. But I dont know how I know.
I also know how to form words and communicate with my own kind, but for some reason there are none here. Am I the only one?
Unfortunately these questions wouldnt answer themselves, and my task was already done. The pelt was decent in size, and would need to be cured. The meat would last on it's own, and feed me well. dumping what remained of the animal into the river hoping the blood and carcass would be pulled further down river. I took the meat filled bowl and pelt and started on a number of other tasks needing to be completed.
Taking a look at the sky again, the sun was already starting to dip. Just as suddenly as this first day began, it was ending, and there was much to do before the first night.