Her brother's whereabouts were shrouded in mystery. She was adamant to thrust herself into the maws of untold horrors if it meant getting him back.
A whirlwind of turbulent emotions spiraled around improbable ideas formulated by unlikely idealistic connections, this ongoing battle for internal supremacy was held in the mind of a world-hailed genius. A progenitor of a superior version of humanity. The previously meticulously organized room was now littered with papers and various holographic devices highlighting different pieces of information. Occupying the entire northern wall was a transparent top-to-bottom glass, now functioning as a writing board. This was made apparent by the formal and finely legible writings. A small section of the eastern wall had become a drawing board with multiple notes and pictures interconnected by a spectrum of strings.
At the center of the room, Alex sat on the cool marble tiles in a lotus position with her knuckle supporting her face while her elbow dug into the skin above her knee. She ruminated on her next course of action while wondering why the government hadn't placed a ban on the targeted age group from leaving their residences.
There had been over three thousand different occurrences in countries worldwide, now she had to wonder why she hadn't taken note of this sooner and why decisive measures had not been put in place. It was glaringly evident that a power beyond her understanding was at play here, a power strong enough to influence the thoughts of an entire planet's most intelligent inhabitants. It was not possible for an alarm to not be raised when the children of both high-ranking officials and the poor were being snatched away by a phenomenal force. It was plausible the government could have suppressed it to avoid widespread panic, yet I find the possibility that they would be able to stop the spread of terror when such a thing was happening in front of the public.
She had gathered three key things:
°Golden ray swallows every single being and object in its targeted area. No one can see through the beam from the outside. The beam only 'transports' those at the ages 17, 18, and 19 a day above or below that is rejected. Those who don't go with the beam are unable to remember the entire day's events and find themselves in any location they consider their home. The beam arrives and departs instantaneously. All inanimate objects on the people transported seem to have been transported with them.
°Locations are always containing majorly those of the targeted age group at that particular moment.
° There is a 24-hour interval between the disappearances in each country, across countries is seemingly random. No city has experienced the disappearance twice.
Five days later...
'Dmoire's local library' the grandest public library in all of California was a hotspot for college and university students. She boarded her pure white helicopter and flew herself to California where she had already made living arrangements close to her desired target. She had passionately stalked the stately construct. Engraving every detail about both the exuberant exterior and wooden interior, the staff, and the books themselves. She had concluded that this would be the most likely place for the next abduction, if she was wrong she would simply go to another country that had fewer options for those in the specific age range.
Following her routine, the young CEO walked into the library an hour after it opened, her signature lifeless expression enough to deter anyone from unnecessarily approaching her. She wore her black hoodie a mask and grey sweatpants, her brown contacts made her unrecognizable. Upon reaching the exquisite reference desk, she studied the individual opposite her. She stared deep into his deep bronze irises as he sat seated staring at her as well, though his gaze seemed purely curious. Something about him was... different. She lifted her lip to speak, however, the smiling librarian interrupted, surveying her, his expression suddenly became impassive almost robotic even. As though that was not enough, the few who had occupied various positions in the library, attendants, and a few dedicated students had disappeared from her view. She tilted her head to confirm this observation and her shock was fleeting as she returned her gaze to the man in front of her.
Disrupting her meteoric formation of theories; a heavy toneless voice reverberated throughout the building. It's a source she could not pinpoint.
" Welcome, participant 001, you have become the first eligible inhabitant on planet 6579Stemma to fruitfully seek the trials. Therefore you will be granted an entrance test." Alex's lips pursed, why did she have an entrance test when other people had a free express ticket? Worst of all, her gut was telling her this entrance test would seriously endanger her life. The voice resumed its death sentence, its source remained undetectable. " Difficulty chosen: Impossible. Test chose: ' Deciphering Delphic Tomes '. Time limit: 672 hours by 6579Stemma time flow." It paused, its mechanical voice seeming to gain a bit of life " I wish you good fortune," with the termination of the voice, the fake librarian began, once again hindering her from gathering her torrential thoughts.
" Any attempt to disclose the information you just received will result in your immediate death."
He paused, an obvious tactic to instill fear and trepidation within the girl, noticing his childish ploy was of no effect he continued.
" All that is required to complete your objective is located within this building, inability to accomplish the objective before the time elapses is an automatic failure." His voice took a grave tone as he ended his speech.
The next thing she knew, she was standing outside the grandiose library. There wasn't a soul in sight. On her hand shone 671:59:56. She proceeded back into the library as she certainly did not have time to question every single thing.
" What was the need to throw me out, just so I can walk back in here when nothing has changed?" Her question was directed towards the upstanding librarian. His expression perfectly masking his thoughts and emotions, in the eyes of any other mortal that is. Alex however felt disdain and mockery in both his posture subtle gestures and tone. She took her eyes away from him and began to study the library for any deviations.
Minutes later she stood before a bookshelf a head taller than her. With one glance she could outrightly tell the entire shelf was different. All the books were different and the shelf itself showed signs of aging like all the others but lacked the nail markings that should have been on the side of this particular shelf.