The Journey

Day 1:

I was awoken by the chitty-chatty noises around me. However, I tend to keep my eyes close even when my mind is awake as I wait for the very minute my alarm rings. As you guys know, the bed has this magic attraction that draws you to it every morning when you have to get up for work.

“WAIT. My alarm is not going to ring. I AM ON A MISSION RIGHT NOW,”  The thought came across my mind and suddenly I was wide awake. Immediately, I opened my eyes.

OH  W O W.

My belongings and the size of my room seems to have enlarged GREAAAAAATLY. I think I have successfully reduced to the size of an ant. The effort all these while to solve the overcrowding problem in this current society seemed to have paid off as we see this little improvement.

As I looked and wondered around my strangely familiar surrounding, I seemed to have found out the source of the chitty-chatty noises: the black computer monitor screen. I stuck my ears close to the screen for verification.

I wondered who could be talking behind the screen… The little RGB pixels…? I decided to start up the computer to find out.

I forgot the fact that I am now very very small and no matter how hard I press the start button, it just does not seem to work!!! Out of frustration, I jumped on the button REALLY REALLY HARD. Then, I felt the vibration coming from the drive start-up. I saw a glimpse of hope.

The familiar sound coming from the system suddenly sounded so deafening to my teeny-weeny body now. I regretted not turning down the volume of the speaker before I consumed the pill to embark on my mission. 🙃😑

Deep in my thoughts, I was brought back to reality by many pairs of eyes staring right at me. WOAH WAIT WHAT.

Those pairs of eyes are…..

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  1. Those pair of eyes were those little RGB pixels staring at me blankly… there was a pin drop silence. And then all at once, the pixels started buzzing and chattering amongst each other. There were clusters of pixels scattered across the screen, making it seem like a rave party.

    https://freesound.org/people/NoiseCollector/sounds/42236/ 

    In my tiny voice, I shouted, “HELLLLOOOOO!!!!!!!!”

    A red pixel responded excitedly bounced up and down in front of me. Beckoning me to come over and join them. Surprised that they had understood my language, I followed the red pixel.

    It led me to a hole at the corner of the monitor. That’s curious. I peeked into the hole and I was star struck. The world I saw inside was so advanced but crowded. I did not realise there was another realm hiding behind to be uncovered.

    Image of the Pixel World

    A sudden notification popped-up in front of me. It said:

    SIDE QUEST – Follow the red pixel and meet the CEO

    And below had two buttons “ACCEPT” or “REJECT”. And I pressed…

  2. A quest? What could it be? I had barely got to know this place and here I am getting a chance to meet the creator of this realm. But as much as I was excited to meet the CEO, I knew I had greater priorities ahead. The overcrowding issue back home was getting out of hand. I had to find a solution quickly. I pressed the reject button.

    Red pixel looked at me intently, as if asking me if I was really sure with my decision. I nodded. After all, what’s the worse thing that can happen? Instead, I asked red pixel to give me a tour around the place.

    This world was equipped with the most advanced technological systems; everything functioned on its own on a different level of efficiency. Buildings could be built instantly in several dimensions without running out of space and travelling was made a lot practical with roads that appeared only when cars were using it.

    This was it. The solution to the despicable parasitic condition back home. If this world could house these millions of pixels and nothing went wrong when I landed in this realm, this could be the big breakthrough my team and I had been working on for years. Imagine if all the people on the other planet were shrunk to the size I was, living in this tech-savvy world without having to worry about the rest of the days. Everyone would be so happy. I had to report back to the chief in charge about my findings.

    But wait, how do I get out of here? Somehow the entrance I had entered from was no longer there. The clusters of pixels I first met were no longer there anymore either. What happened?

    Just then, red pixel started jumping up and down again, this time more anxious than before. I saw this black figure inching closer to me. When it finally came into view I was stunned…

     

     

  3. I could not believe my eyes. It was him. The famous Dr. Tetracels who went missing 30 years ago. I had only seen him in pictures and documentaries. Some say he was abducted by aliens, others said he died an unknown death. But no one really knew was what happened.

    He was know for numerous contributions to my world such as the reverse hairdryer, automated-driverless cars, the dual pen, the instant kill laser and many more. He was the pillar of inventions back in my world and we owe most of what we have to him. Without him, our world would be less efficient and convenient, Even though it couldn’t be compares to the high level of technology here, life was still made better thanks to him. I heard when he was still around, he would constantly generate new ideas to curb the over crowding problem. He was the creator of the floating houses and underground city.

    Ever since he went missing, the science and discovery world has since gone stagnant and the over crowding problem has snow-balled to what is is today. My people has always dreamt of his return one day, to restore our land to what it was be his disappearance.

    Words cannot describe how happy I was to see him. Now that I know he still exists, there is hope for the problem back at home. Just as the happiness was rushing to my head, it hit me…

    What on earth was he doing here? What had happened to him in the last 30 years? Why was he dressed like that? (Like a  Grim Reaper that is) I had so many questions.

    Before I could do anything, Dr. Tetracels motioned for 4 armed men to “escort” me away. No amount of struggling could free me from their grip. They brought me towards a massive tower and dragged me to the door.

    I watched as the ginormous door open, revealing…….

     

  4. A long cylindrical see-through tube that leads all the way up to the top of the building. The rest of the area in the building were just made up of many many wire-like strings, with one end attached to the side of the tube and another attached to the wall of the building. At first glance, I honestly had no idea what it was, neither do I know the reason why I was dragged here.

    Everything happened within split seconds. Before I even had the time to digest any information that was presented to me, I was pushed into the tube. I thought I was never going to make it back to my world again as I see the door closed. Feeling helpless, I squatted down.

    Soon after, I felt my body cells separating from one another, that excruciating pain which I felt could not be described in words. At that point, I had given up. I knew most likely that I was about to die.

  5. Day 2:

    As I opened my eyes, I saw several pairs of eyes crowding around me and staring right at me. There was a sense of déjà vu at that very moment.

    It did not take long before I snapped back to reality and sat up.

    “WELCOME!” a voice sounded from some sort of surround sound system.

    I was feeling a little confused but at the same time, really surprised to know that I was still alive. I wanted to find out who was talking and why I was brought to this place. Hence, I posed those questions to the one who was speaking over the sound system.

    “I am Dr. Tetracels. I am sorry to have given you a shock. What you have experienced earlier on was the identity verifier machine which I have invented to prevent any potential incoming threats. May I invite you to have a talk with me? My pixels will bring you here. All the doubts that you have now will be cleared when we meet,” the voice spoke once again.

    1. Can’t seem to get over my shock, I wobbled my way out of the tube. The pixels immediately opened up the path, showing the way to Dr Tetracels. His grey-white hair around his balding, mottled scalp. The map of wrinkles on his face told the most incredible stories. His eye lines told of never-ending sight for the future. His wizened face brimming with genius ideas, with his back slightly hunched. He waved his hand, beckoning me to come forth to him.

      “There are so many questions, problems. But so little time.” Dr.Tetracels said in a sigh. “But now that you’re here with me, I can finally proceed to the final phase of the project.” He clapped his hands and hurriedly walk towards his lab.

      I was dumbfounded. Still processing what he said, I quickly followed after him and asked, “What final phase? How do you know I was coming? Why did you go missing?…” Questions after questions were rapidly firing like a machine gun. But I was silenced when he raised his hands to stop me.

      “Your purpose here is to solve the overcrowding issue which is the same goal of mine. Now you need to help me to go retrieve a Qubit from the Quantum Realm. It is the only answer I know that can save us all.” Dr Tetracels said calmly.

      Dr Tetracels briefly summarised his project and his findings that he spent many years under the digital realm. I was soon suited up and ready to go. 

       
      I stood under a similar cylindrical tube that I was in before when they were “identifying” me. The feeling of my cells being split up was even more tormenting than the previous one. Within seconds, I had arrived in the Quantum Realm.

       All I see around me was microscopic particles. I was lost. Dr Tetracels did not gave further instructions on how to proceed. At a distance, I saw something glinting…

  6. I swam my way towards the thing that was glinting in the distance. The Quantum Realm was all but microscopic particles and thick viscous fluid; it took me a bit of effort to move around. I stood in front of the “thing”, turns out it was a cube the size of a fist. Despite this, it emitted strong blue rays that made it attractive and irresistible, almost like it had some magical power. 

    I reckoned this must be the Qubit, since there was nothing else in this realm. Only an object so important could exhibit such mystic force and power. Just as I was about to lay my hand on the Qubit, the microscopic particles started closing in on me. The space around me started shrinking, and everything turned blurry at once. I couldn’t think more. I immediately tried to grab the Qubit and head for the tube. But the Qubit wouldn’t budge! As if gravity was even acting in this realm, something seemed to be weighing down on the Qubit that made it extremely heavy. With my sole strength, I could not possibly move it even an inch. 

    By then, it was getting harder to breathe in this space. I could feel my lungs contracting and every short breath I tried to take, I could only count up to 2 seconds before I exhaled. It became clear too that if I did not manage to escape, I would become the meal for those microscopic particles resembling superbugs. I felt pressure acting against my body, and I was about to lose my consciousness.

    Then, within my suit, I felt something squirming and fidgeting in my pocket. It jumped out. Red Pixel! How could I forget! He was with me throughout the entire journey. Because of its small build, it managed to move through the particles quickly. It retrieved the Qubit and shoved me to the exit. The particles caught up with us, and they tried to seal the way to the exit, but thankfully we made it out, with the Qubit in our hands.

    “Dr Tetracels!” I shouted as I dragged my body across the floor, picking out the goo that was stuck to my suit, panting. He stared at the Qubit in my hands, his eyes brimming with tears as he forced a smile of relief. He patted my back. “You accomplished a great task, now you must hurry back. Take this Qubit back home and put everything back to its original place. You must remember, not to let it fall into the wrong hands.”

    “Wrong hands? What do you mean?”

    “The overpopulation problem, it was intentional. Someone did it to breed a race full of perfect elites just like him. If you give this Qubit to him, he will eliminate those who are imperfect, and defected. I trusted the wrong person, that’s where things are now.”

    “But now, you have the Qubit. It will help solve everything. You must go.”

  7. Dr Tetracels strapped me to a chair and handed me a box. “This box contains the instructions as to how to use the Qubit. Please keep this with ultimate care and not lose it. I will stay here and work things from the inside. In any case, DO NOT EVER LOSE IT.” I looked at him and nodded.

    Dr Tetracels went behind the control panels and worked his magic. With a final push of the button,  I was sucked into the head gear and I was knocked out.

    When I regained my consciousness, I realised that I was back in my bedroom. Remembering the box, I took it out and opened the box. There was a letter inside. From what I make out of its contents, it said to lure Octatron near the computer and make sure he touches the monitor screen. Dr Tetracels will take care of the rest. As I was about to read on further, I heard a herd of footsteps nearing my room. I hurriedly close the box and shove it in the secret compartment under my bed. I thought. At that moment, the door barged open and an army of white-clad soldiers stormed in. Leading the group was a black coloured one.

    https://coffeeandgeeks.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/roberto-roberts-redesigned-darth-vader-stormtrooper-fan-art/

    The black-clad figure stepped forward and introduced himself. “Welcome back. My name is Dr. Octatron, andI am sure you know me. I will not beat around the bush. I was the one who created this overcrowding problem by accident during one of my… Experiments to make a better world. I know you have the Qubit. Together we can solve the overcrowding problem and restore our land to how it was before. I will not hurt you. You just need to hand over the Qubit and we are all good.”

    Dr. Octatron, ITS HIM?! Dr. Octatron is the leading scientist ever since Dr Tetracels went missing. Like Dr. Tetracels, he helped to invent many equipments which has helped create a more convenient world, he was also the ambassordor for curbing the overcrowding problem. He was such a good person in the eyes of the public, I cannot believe he is the one behind this whole thing.  I will not believe any of his lies anymore. I just needed to get him near my computer.

    “Its not with me anymore. I lost it” I lied.

    In a strained and oddly patient voice, Octatron tried to get me to hand over the Qubit again. I refused. We are all doomed for if he gets hold of the Qubit.

    “HAND IT OVER!” He boomed. Octatron did not bother to fake his good man personality anymore. He wanted the Qubit.

    I needed to get him to touch my computer before he takes me away. Think. Think.

    LIGHTBULB!

    He reached out a hand and tried to grab me, but I avoided him. I repositioned my self infant of the computer and continue to taunt him, making him angrier.

    “I won’t give it to you, you liar!”

    He was clearly enraged. He stormed towards me and tired to grab me by force again. But this time, I swiftly ducked from his reach and went behind him. With all my strength, I pushed him into my computer and there was a bright blinding flash….

     

     

     

     

     

  8. His body was slowly dissociating as if he was being absorbed into the monitor screen as tiny little particles.

    There was also this seemingly familiar painful scream. I guessed this was similar to my scream when I was put through the identity verifier machine. Within a minute or so, he was out of my sight. His army of white-clad soldiers had miraculously disappeared into thin air as well.

    I thought that was really close. I heaved a sigh of relief and laid on my bed. It was not even a minute after I laid down that I stood back up again.

    Oh right, the Qubit. I had to work out how to use the Qubit. I went back to the secret compartment under my bed and took out the box again to continue reading from where I left off.

    The paper read, “Hold the Qubit in front of the monitor screen and wait for a change.

    And I did as instructed. After a while, the Qubit was disappearing. I panicked a bit, was this the change that I was supposed to see?

    The moment the Qubit disappeared, someone else’s presence could be felt in the room. I turned around.

    “You’re back! Welcome back Dr Tetracels!” I exclaimed in joy.

    He let out a smile on his face. This time round, the smile appeared a little different from before. It carried this weirdly evil feeling to it.

    “Thank you. Thank you for throwing my dear ex-partner Octatron into the Quantum Realm AND most importantly, aiding me in coming back to this world,” Dr Tetracels said, “I’m sorry to do this to you but there should not be a second person in this world who should know about my plan.”

    Before I had any time to react, I felt this excruciating pain yet again. Had I… trusted the wrong person?

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