The gateway

1

The Gateway

       Rylie blinked a shimmer from her vision. She sat on a red squishy chair sounded by people. The walls and floors were made of glass and through them she could see the teeming life of an underwater reef. People stood and sat, all clutching a ticket, and all looking as lost as she felt. Shifting her position Rylie realized that she too clutched a ticket.

       The frightening thing was that she did not know how she had come to be in this place. As much as Rylie tried she couldn’t remember what she had last been doing. A school final exam she thought, but that had been hours ago. Besides she didn't live anywhere near an ocean, let alone a reef. Strangely though she wasn't even remotely nervous. Her comfortable chair and the swirling motion of the reef and its inhabitants calmed her.

However the shimmer not had come from the ocean. It still hung in the corner of her vision. Rylie rubbed her eyes, brushing aside her long blond hair as she did so. The shimmer was still there, a sort of hum in the energy of the air.

“Rylie?” said a quite voice near her as a finger pooked her shoulder. Rylie turned to find her friend Rachel standing in a baggy T-shirt and jeans. Bethany frowned, though this attire was not out of the ordinary, she had remembered Rachel wearing different clothing at school.

“What are you doing here?” asked Rylie.

“I was hoping you could help me out with that.” Admitted Rachel, her stormy grey eyes was reflected in her expression.

“Aw… My poor Rachel are you suffering from memory failure?” asked Rylie grinning.

“You’re not?” asked Rachel blinking rapidly.

“Yeah, but I am supposed to be the crazy one.” Said Bethany cheerfully.

“Hey @#$%^.” Coursed a familiar voice. Rylie and Rachel turned to see Dria and Bethany strolling over to them. Bethany looked around and realized that her whole high school (all 20 of them) were scattered through the dazed crowd.

“So what up with all the zombies?” asked Rylie gesturing around them.

“Rylie, you should have known this would happen sooner or later, I mean you only bite people all the time.” Teased Jaya coming over with Yasmine and Sarah.

“Nom, nom.” Said Rylie biting Jaya’s shoulder.

“Ugh! I’ve been infected with you!” Jaya squawked drawing a lot of weird glances in their direction.

“So, just to be certain, nobody knows why we’re here?” asked Rachel.

“Of course not.” Said Dria cheerfully.

“What do you mean?” asked Yasmine.

“Well do you know why we’re in a tank in the middle of the ocean surrounded by sleep walkers?” asked Bethany.

“That's the ocean?” gasped Yasmine looking at the wall as if really seeing the outside world for the first time.

“You didn't notice that!?” asked Jaya.

“I thought it was a projection!” said Yasmine.

“Well technically we don’t know that it isn’t, but-“

“FISH!!!!” cried Yasmine running over to one of the windows with Sarah in toe.

“Oh Yasmine…. You and your moments…” said Rylie shaking her head. Suddenly the lights dimmed, the quite talk that had been going on around the room died instantly. The simmer became more pronounced.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience.” Said a loud voice from some speakers in the front of the room.

“About time.” Muttered Jaya.

“What patience?” grinned Rylie glancing at her friends.

“You’re probably all wondering where you are and why.” Continued the voice. “There is-“

“FUDGE! THERE’S SHINNY STUFF IN THE AIR!!!”

“She’s just noticed?” sighed Rachel.

“I’ll get her…” sighed Bethany disappearing in the direction Yasmine had gone.

“What shinny stuff?” asked Jaya.

“There is a sort of…. Shimmer, in the air.” Expanded Rachel.

“Oh whoa you’re right…” said Dria.

“I totally didn't notice that before.” Said Jaya swatting at thin air. Rylie looked around, there was muttering and pointing all around the room as people became aware of the shimmer. It seemed that if they hadn’t noticed it the very first second it was difficult for them to see.

“Now if you’re done, I shall continue.” Said the voice slightly irritably, “You have all been specially selected to come and have the privilege to enter Mirage.”

“Mirage? Isn’t that like the shinny stuff that shows up on roads when it gets really hot?” asked Rachel.

“No dummy, it’s a car.” Said Miguel as the rest of their high school came to join them.

“Like we keep track of car bran’s.” Said Jaya rolling her eyes.

“Guy’s shut up he’s explaining it right now.” Said Mia.

“-is an enhanced living compound. A wonderful environment where everything is provided in excess. Many people have already been brought into this scientific paradise and we’ve had nothing but success in pleasing those have chosen to stay. If you are interested please line up at the front with your ticket: the gateway will be opening.”

“Oh my gosh this is so exiting I could die!” said Cymantha excitedly.

“How can they just give all that stuff for free?” asked Sarah.

“They can’t, I am sure there is a catch.” Said Rachel.

“Says who? Come on guys think about it? All our needs taken care of. Translation: A @#$% load of food.” Said Dria.

“Dude hurry up guys the gates opening we’re going to miss it.” Said Mike pointing up front where the wall had split down the middle and was opening towards them. The rest of Rylie’s classmates started to rush forward with the crowd.

“Come on Jajabean!” said Rylie as she grabbed Jaya and towed her along with Dria who was already linked arms with her.

“Ah don't leave me!” said Jaya grabbing hold of Rachel from behind nearly toppling her over.

“Bethany!” yelped Rachel catching Bethany’s arm to steady herself. Yasmine and Sarah tried to go prancing by but Bethany stopped them.

“Oh no you don't! We’ll lose you in a second and never see you again.” She laughed as Yasmine whined in protest that she could be perfectly responsible.

They weaved through the crowd in their long chain up to the front. A guard with a strangely blank look in his eyes dipped their tickets in a bucket of water and plastered it to their forearms.

“Go through…” he said distractedly.

“Wait guys don't leave me!” said Cymantha shoving to catch up with them.

“Can you let her though too?” asked Rachel.

“Huh…? Sure…” said the guard, Rylie wasn’t sure he’d really heard her, but he went ahead and plastered Cymantha’s ticket to her forearm like the rest of them and she hurried to grab hold of Dria’s free arm.

“Let’s go!” said Rylie.

“No… let’s stay.” Said Bethany rolling her eyes. Together the 8 of them walked through the dark entryway. As they went the shimmer increased and became increasingly irritating to Rylie. A odd prickling sensation began on her bare skin and the air seemed become strangely humid. All at once they seemed to pass through a wall of the shimmery stuff and an electric current went through their linked hands.

Rylie couldn’t move, she was held frozen in place by a unknown force, but meanwhile her world seemed to be tipping and crunching her inward painfully. The place where the ticket had been placed burned, it felt like a million needles where jabbing her there. She felt Yasmine twitch in her grasp and knew she was experiencing something equally unpleasant. Suddenly Rachel’s hand seemed to be slipping out of her grasp. Panicking Rylie tried to get a better hold of her but she couldn’t move. Just when she thought she was going to lose hold of her friend the wired sensations stopped and gravity realigned itself. Rylie found herself blinking and staring at what looked like the most expensive hotel lobby she had ever seen.

“Hello, and welcome to Mirage.”

Author's Note

Yazzy is NOT dim by the way, she was preoccupied by searching for her friends and she didn't notice the fish. Oh and this was set in my 10th grade year, so it's the old gang.

Reviews

[Imagination-mage]

okay good, cause i am NOT that ditsy anymore!!!

[PokemonFan#1]

A hotel? Hmm....I can't wait to read the rest of this!

I loved it!

KEEP IT UP!!!!