The Doorway Into Oblivion
Posted on Wed Mar 3rd, 2021 @ 3:08am by Lieutenant Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell
Mission:
The Jungle
Location: Jungle and then Not Jungle
Timeline: Current
The Doorway Into Oblivion
“Access Granted.” The computer chimed. The rock and stone wall dissolved to reveal a door. Then the doors parted way revealing a long and dark tunnel into an interior. She hefted the rifle and engineer pack onto her shoulder, stared the darkness in the face and entered.
“Sir.” A meek screener called out. “Sir, we may have a problem.”
“What? What is it now?” His focus had been on the main characters and not on those he deemed boring to the audience. Instead they were left to the screeners to watch. When anything important came up, the cameras would change to show only the juicy bits, all for the ratings.
“Well sir, subject 2309 has entered backdoor 37B, sir.” The screener added.
“And who, pray tell, allowed that to happen unseen?” He seethed.
“Um… I am the screener in charge of subject 2309, sir, but sir…”
“No buts. I was under the impression two hunters were sent to deal with your minor problem. Where are my hunters?”
The screener jumped into gear, rewinding the video to show what had happened to the hunters. As they watched together the screener was enthralled and scared for her own job at the same time. When the video ended, just as Bonnie entered the tunnel, the screener turned to her boss white faced.
“Um… looks like the hunters dispatched each other, um, sir.”
“Yes. Yes it does. Inform their families of the loss, and punish accordingly.” He stood, anger and disappointment filling his head. “You’re fired. Get this slime out of my sight, and for the sake of my ratings would someone PLEASE send security to access 37B, before I lose any more hair!” The room stared at him briefly, causing him to shout some more. “Now people!”
She entered the tunnel and allowed the doors to close shut behind her. The helmet still blinked and indicated a path in the HUD. She heeded the warning the hunter had shared with her. Her first priority was to hide and her second was to find an access terminal. She needed to gain access to the playing field, and she needed it fast.
Whispering into the helmet as she crept along the tunnel, she asked the computer, “Show me a grid view of access hatches and tunnels near me.”
The helmet responded with a chirp and then showed an interactive blueprint grid for her to follow. There was an access hatch 10 yards up and on the left. There were also two blips on the screen showing potential security coming to drag her back to the game field, or worse. She had to hurry.
She ran, or more like awkwardly hobbled towards the hatch. Her left shoulder burned and she regretted not taking the time to make a sling for it. But time was of the essence. Using the helmet, she activated the hatch controls so that it would be open before she entered.
She reached the small hole in the wall, took a look at the two blips who had quickened their pace, then dove head first into the hatch, bonking her head as she entered. Shaking it off, she pressed the close hatch switch, and once the door was closed, smashed the controls.
The blips walked around the corner just as she disappeared from their sensors. She was there, and then she wasn’t. She knew she wouldn’t have long until they found her, but she was going to make use of the time she had. “Computer, show me the nearest console.” It chirped its affirmation then displayed the nearest three access terminals. One was close, now all she had to do was get to it.
TBC
