It's Wednesday, July 5th, 2031. About two weeks have passed since the catastrophe began and roughly a week since the United Nations meeting. Most of the resolutions have been implemented: all military operations have ceased, and research committees have been formed, although some countries have yet to begin their investigations. For the general public, this situation is bizarrely ironic. After the world emerged from the fear of an imminent nuclear war, it immediately plunged into a worse panic due to these strange, supernatural phenomena.
In several news stations, reporters roam the streets to ask people their opinions about these events. In Britain, a BBC journalist walks through the streets collecting people's statements. Some say it's a punishment from God for humanity's corruption, while others claim these are cosmic phenomena with scientific explanations. Suddenly, a homeless man appears in front of the camera, screaming hysterically:
"They're back! Our ancestors thought they got rid of them, but they've returned after thousands of years! This is the end, and all of this is just the beginning!"
He then collapses to the ground, trembling and vomiting, and in a horrifying scene, breathes his last amidst a state of shock and panic. His words and his appearance, marked by misery, weakness, and madness, terrified everyone present and those watching.
In Egypt, where it all began, the army continues to surround the area of the pyramids. Unfortunately for Mohammad Abdul, a member of the military force besieging the area, it's been about two weeks since the siege started, yet the soldiers still don't understand anything. Despite their confusion and fear, they are not here to ask questions; they are here to blindly follow orders and barely get any rest.
The next morning, a white jeep arrives, and an older man, looking like he's in his sixties, steps out. He wears a faded green shirt and trousers, with white hair, a small beard, and expensive glasses. He walks towards the soldiers and says:
"Hello, I assume you're the force besieging this area?"
Mohammad, who was standing guard, replies:
"You're not wrong, sir. If I may ask, who are you and what are you doing here?"
The man replies:
"My name is Joseph Stallone, and I'm an American physicist from NASA. I was chosen as part of the team tasked with researching the zero-gravity phenomenon around the Great Pyramid."
Mohammad responds:
"Welcome, Mr. Joseph. I'm Private Mohammad Abdul."
Joseph replies:
"Nice to meet you, Mohammad. Please, could you take me to the commander or the supervisor of this area?"
Mohammad checks his ID and documents, and after confirming their authenticity, he takes him to Colonel Mustafa Mohammad Mustafa. They enter the colonel's office, where Mohammad salutes his commander and explains Joseph's situation. The colonel orders Mohammad to leave and lets him speak to Joseph in private.
The colonel starts speaking sarcastically:
"Hello, Mr. Joseph. So, you're the team we've been waiting for. Honestly, I expected the team to be a bit larger."
Joseph responds:
"Sorry, Colonel. The United Nations hasn't sent the rest of the members yet. This is mainly because there aren't advanced research agencies in Egypt, unlike most other countries where these phenomena occurred. Therefore, it will take more time to provide the necessary equipment, personnel, and scientists, most of whom will come from foreign countries."
The colonel replies:
"So, why did you arrive early? And how long do you think we'll have to wait for the others?"
Joseph answers:
"I was already in Egypt conducting some research before this phenomenon occurred, so the agency directed me to come here early. As for the others, based on the information given to me, they might arrive in a few days."
The colonel laughs sarcastically and says:
"So, you just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Despite this incredible luck being hard to believe, we're not in a position to accuse anyone of anything. Also, Mr. Joseph, I assume you want to do something before the rest of the team arrives, otherwise, you would have waited for them. No one would want to stay in this desolate place for a few days doing nothing."
Joseph smiles and says:
"Well, you're not wrong at all, Colonel. In fact, I was hoping to convince you to start the research process now without waiting."
The colonel, surprised, asks:
"Why do you want that?"
Joseph replies:
"Well, you might find my reasons somewhat personal, but I simply want to be the first to discover the cause of this phenomenon. It would be the greatest achievement of my life and would etch my name in history books."
The colonel laughs sarcastically and says:
"Seriously? Do you expect me to risk the lives of my soldiers just to satisfy your ego?"
Joseph responds:
"Come on, think about it, Colonel. You and your soldiers will stay here executing orders from the research team, and then what? Nothing. No one will know about you, while others will take the glory and credit for your work. You'll get nothing in return. I'm confident in what I'm doing and guarantee that everything will go smoothly, and if anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility. Anyway, I won't force you into anything. The decision is yours. Think about it and let me know within an hour. Otherwise, you can forget we ever had this conversation."
Afterwards, Joseph leaves the colonel, giving him time to think about the offer. However, he had hit a nerve. Unbeknownst to Joseph, Colonel Mustafa always felt inferior and craved fame and promotion. He was willing to do anything for it, even if it meant losing some of his soldiers. An hour later, when Joseph returned to hear the colonel's decision, he found him fully on board. As they shook hands, the colonel said to Joseph:
"We're now at the point of no return, and if one of us falls, the other will too. Do you understand me?"
Joseph nodded in agreement, fully aware of their situation. The colonel then ordered all soldiers in the area to gather at one point and prepare to attempt entering the zero-gravity field. After everyone arrived, the colonel said to Joseph:
"Well, we've made our preparations and gathered the soldiers, but it seems we got too excited. We still don't have any way to enter this field."
Joseph replied:
"Not yet, but I'll find a way quickly."
Then, everyone heard a loud voice say:
"Why don't we simply crawl under the sand?"
Everyone turned to see who said it, finding it was Private Saeed Haridy, known for his stupidity and slow comprehension. Although his idea sounded ridiculous, it made some sense. Indeed, everything above the sand level floated, while the sand and what lay beneath it remained unaffected. Well, Saeed wasn't really stupid but was often high, as he smoked hashish frequently.
Despite the seemingly trivial suggestion, it was indeed useful. The only challenge was how the soldiers would dig paths in the sand about 500 meters long while crawling on their stomachs. The colonel ordered the 100-man squad, including himself and Joseph, to be divided into ten sections. Each section would have a soldier at the front digging a path in the sand deep and wide enough for one person to crawl through, with the rest of the soldiers following behind until they reached the Great Pyramid.
Although the task was physically demanding and risky, the soldiers were not here to question orders. In the Egyptian military, the primary rule is blind obedience to superior ranks. Unfortunately for Mohammad again, he was chosen as the digger for the fourth section. Besides being the most physically challenging task, what worried him most was the responsibility for any harm that might befall his comrades.
Over ten hours had passed, and the soldiers were still digging. The trench reached a depth of half a meter and a width slightly more, barely enough to keep a soldier safe. By midnight, the soldiers tried to get some rest before resuming their work at dawn. After about 24 hours of continuous work, the soldiers finally reached the Great Pyramid. Upon reaching within ten meters of the pyramid, they found gravity returning as if inviting them in. After Colonel Mustafa and Joseph arrived, the soldiers were given an hour to rest before entering the pyramid.
During the rest period, Mohammad sat with Saeed and said:
"Honestly, I have a very bad feeling about what we're about to do."