The King and Queen's Prerogative: The Rule of Three Part 1

By M.M Melthafa

Reuben and his friends wake up in luxurious offices, after having a strange dream. They explore the executive floor, of the strange building they're in, and discover an apocalyptic scene outside of a window. The building is now the young men and women's only sanctuary. However, the dangers inside pose an even greater threat, than whatever destroyed the world. Tensions rise as old memories resurface and the truth is revealed. Reuben forms a Party with his sister and his friends, in order to face the enemies and allies of a world that resembles a video game. They unlock powerful abilities and rediscover the technologies that took their memories and changed the world forever. Will Reuben and his Party recover their memories in time? Can they beat the game, before the world ends?

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.M Melthafa
• Release date: Dec 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215301784

M.M Melthafa

M.M Melthafa is a South African writer living in the city of Drakenstein. He graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and immediately began working on his debut novel. The young writer has already published a web series that has grown in popularity recently. When not writing or editing, M.M enjoys sketching, reading up on the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs and practicing his archery.

Book preview

The King and Queen’s Prerogative

The Rule of Three: Part One

By M.M Melthafa

© Melthafa 2023

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold

or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person,

please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did

not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your

favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard

work of this author.

Chapter 1: Out of sight, out of mind.

The African young man parked the car and turned the engine off. He tapped his foot anxiously and stared at the suburban home across the street. The master bedroom’s light switched off and the nervous young man reached underneath his seat. He fumbled and felt around for a metal switch and flicked it. The machine hummed and his anxiety faded away.

The street lights shone brighter and the cul-de-sac became more colourful. Reuben inhaled slowly and the wintry air chilled his lungs. He exhaled and the heat from his breath gave him goosebumps. The young man’s entire body felt like it was vibrating. He slouched, smiled, sighed and immersed himself in the familiar sensation.

So, it wasn’t a dream? It’s real. Reuben whispered with relief, and his consciousness drifted out of his body. The car’s roof drew nearer, and he passed through the fabric and metal. The ghostly figure turned over quickly and the young man raised his right hand. He cracked the window open and his Astral body stuck it’s left hand through the gap.

Reuben touched the glass and felt an invisible force, similar to two magnets repelling one another, between his fingers. He tightened his grip, and the resistance grew stronger. The young man pulled himself closer to the scrappy black sedan. He placed his feet against the car door, stared at his body and controlled his breathing. Suddenly, a bright blue light illuminated the inside of the car. His wrist watch had projected a holographic monitor across his lap.

Shit! Reuben thought, and he slapped his left wrist harder than he meant to. The young man covered the wristwatch and blocked most of the light. That was close. he whispered. Reuben switched his H.U.D to private mode.

The monitor popped up in front of his Astral body and he started the timer. The young man took a deep breath and minimised the monitor, before he dove backwards like a swimmer.

A teenage boy slid an upstairs balcony door open and Reuben turned his head to the right. He noticed the narrow holographic band in front of his eyes and the two holographic discs near his ears. The teenager took a deep drag from his electronic cigarette, before he minimized the video game that he was playing. The boy noticed something out of the corner of his eye and he turned his head to the right as well.

The teenager frowned, in disbelief, and the colour drained from his face. He held his breath and stared at the unnaturally tall man in a shadowy cloak. Reuben locked eyes with him. He raised an abnormally long grey finger and brought it up to the pitch-black hole where his face should have been. The teenage boy dropped the electronic cigarette and coughed involuntarily.

He’ll have a scary story to tell. Too bad nobody will believe him. Reuben said, with a chuckle. He placed his hands and feet on the ground and the electromagnetic forces grew stronger. The tall man skittered across the street, over the lawn and through the front door. The teenager’s eyes bulged. He stepped back, tripped over the threshold and fell. The boy scrambled to the sliding door and closed it as quickly as possible, while the young man crawled through the passage and up the stairs like a spider.

What? What! Do you have any idea what time it is? No, what you need to do is quit smoking that stuff. It’s rotting your brain. Stoner idiot. a teenage girl hissed. She hung up and tossed a golden bangle onto her bedside table just as the tall man crawled past her bedroom door.

Told you so. Reuben whispered, with another chuckle, and his smile faded away. Who am I talking to? the tall man wondered. He stopped abruptly, tilted his head to the side and blinked.

The young man opened his eyes and found himself skulking in the corner of the master bedroom. He had been watching the couple sleep for what felt like hours. The middle-aged woman slept like a log, while her husband tossed and turned. A ghostly breeze blew across the room and disembodied voices whispered incoherently to one another. Terrible thoughts raced through Marcus Wildemann’s mind, and he opened his eyes quickly.

My girls. the middle-aged man whispered in a panic. He sat up and a large grey hand pushed his head down. A terrified young woman appeared before Reuben and he fought against the invisible forces that bound his hands to her neck. A nausea inducing rage filled his chest and the young man closed his eyes. He controlled his breathing, and Marcus sighed with relief. It’s just a dream. he whispered and Reuben gave in to his rage.

The young man opened the door to a dark shipping container that smelled of urine and sweat. He stepped forward and a group of terrified women huddled together in a corner. A dozen case documents and missing persons’ reports popped up in front of him. Reuben compared the cold and pale faces on the monitors to the women in the shadows. He clicked on the medical examiners’ reports and scrolled down the long list of wounds.

A dream? Yes, this is all a dream. One that will never end and one that you will never remember. an unnaturally deep voice said to the middle-aged man. His eyes darted to the right, and he noticed the tall shadow in the corner. The faceless giant leaned forward. His back touched the ceiling and half of the bedroom was shrouded in darkness.

The young man pressed down harder. He wrapped his long grey fingers around the back of Marcus’ head and drove his middle finger deep into the base of his skull. Reuben reached out into the vast darkness and plucked a black string. The hunched giant uncurled its right index finger, and he plucked another.

The young man strummed the black cords, and they wrapped around his fingertips. He tried to pull himself free, and the strings became taut. The unbreakable cords raised and suspended him in the middle of the ocean of darkness. The shadows shifted, the black strings drew blood and the invisible forces moved his body against his will. Reuben blinked again and Marcus’ white t-shirt had been cut open. The hunched giant lowered a long crimson index finger excruciatingly slowly. He made a Y incision on Marcus’ chest and the middle-aged man wet himself.

A crimson hand reached into the shadowy cloak. The young man struggled desperately and the icy cords cut deeper into his flesh. The crimson hand dug its fingernails into his left eye socket. It severed the nerves, with a pinch, and plucked out his eye. Eight black spider legs burst out of the bloody eyeball and it skittered up the giant’s arm. The invisible forces pried open Marcus’ ribcage, with a crack, and tears rolled down his temples. The one-eyed spider hissed and the crimson arm reached elbow deep into his chest.

"The nightmare has just begun." the crimson giant said in a deep rumbling voice. Reuben blinked, and the shadowy puppet’s long slender arms had become more muscular. His pitch-black talons were bone white and the cloak of shadows had engulfed the rest of the bedroom.

Was that my voice? the young man wondered. His train of thought was derailed by the high-pitched ringing in his ears and the sharp pain in the back of his head. He winced and blinked. Time jumped forward again and Marcus’ wounds matched his victims’. Reuben’s eyes looked down and the crimson fingers sewed his chest closed.

What is this? Why is this happening? the young man asked, and the connection to his body was severed. The middle-aged man’s eyes oscillated like a pendulum. The blunt needle pierced his skin, with a dull thud, and the black thread was pulled through the hole, with a sickening squelch.

Reuben noticed the dozens of reddened eyes and pale mouths on the black walls, floor and ceiling. The grey men, women and children chattered their teeth and whispered curses under their breath. The crimson giant pinched the thread, and the young man looked up at him. The tall man’s eyes and mouth had become endless passages of light. Marcus and Reuben panicked.

It’s not over? It’s not over! the two men realised and the giant leaned forward. A purple sun rose behind them and the pale light hit the giant’s malnourished body. He wore a bone white mask that had an iridescent sheen and three hollow horns poking out of the forehead. The mask’s smile was unnaturally wide and the left eye had been plastered shut.

The sun drifted away and constellations darted past the black room. Geometric shapes, violent images and broken memories were uploaded into their minds, while hot became cold and pain turned into pleasure. The crimson giant pried their jaws open and the corners of their mouths tore slowly. He gagged and hundreds of millipedes, cockroaches, beetles and maggots poured out of his bright white smile. The insects gnawed on their flesh, burrowed into their eyes and crawled down their throats. They agitated the one-eyed spider and its black legs squeezed their hearts.

The angry insects devoured Reuben and Marcus, while galaxies rushed past them. The high-pitched ring and a deep rumbling voice grew louder in the background. The black room trembled violently and the rumbling invocations drowned out the chattering, whispering and ringing. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the nightmare ended. Marcus woke up drenched in sweat. His teeth were cracked and his gums were bleeding. The rumbling stopped and his wife’s voice snapped him out of the trance.

Marcus. Marcus! Sweetheart wake up. It’s just a nightmare. You’re just having another nightmare. Anna Wildemann said lovingly. She wiped the sweat off of her husband’s brow and placed her hand on the top of his head. The bedroom door creaked and the middle-aged woman noticed the terror on her teenage daughter’s face. Go to bed. Your father’s fine. she said reassuringly. Mom, what if it wasn’t just a--go to bed Emily! Anna snapped. The teenager stared at her father for a few more seconds. Emily noticed the wet spot on the blanket and the terror in his eyes, before she left.

Anna returned from the bathroom, with a damp cloth in her hands. She stood at Marcus’ bedside and looked up. His terrified gaze was fixed on the small black spider on the ceiling. W-what did you dream about? the middle-aged woman asked softly and she placed the cloth on his forehead. I can’t remember. the middle-aged man replied, with a blank stare. Anyway, you can’t sleep like this. Come on. Let’s get you changed. Anna said and Marcus tried to ignore his paranoia and anxiety. He brought his right hand closer to his chest and scratched it involuntarily.

*

The universe stopped moving. The dark room grew colder, and the walls closed in on the skeleton. The shadows enveloped Reuben’s carcase, and he sunk deep into the abyss. Was that a dream? But it felt so real. What is a dream? the young man wondered. A vision of a subjective reality. A glimpse into an imperfect mind. two feminine voices replied in unison and he sunk deeper.

I do not understand. What is this place? Am I drowning? Are my eyes open? This darkness is...familiar. No. I cannot stay here. I do not wish to be here any longer. the young man thought, and the strength returned to his limbs. You must sleep. You must awaken. the voices instructed. Greet the dusk. Greet the dawn. they added.

I see it. the young man replied. He swam towards the light in the distance and the darkness grew colder. His skin cracked and his body became too stiff to move. "Awaken. Awaken." the deep rumbling voice decided calmly. The black water sparkled like diamonds and the multi-coloured lights flared. The young man thrashed around desperately and he banged his knee against the bottom of a wooden desk.

Ow! Fuck! Reuben shouted, and he sat down quickly. Where am I? the young man whispered. He rubbed his right knee and blinked erratically. Reuben squinted and his eyes adjusted to the brightness. He was sitting behind a small wooden desk in the middle of a two-by-two metre office. The young man noticed the framed certificates on the wall and leaned forward.

Do those have my name on them? Reuben wondered out loud. He stood up and walked around the right-hand side of the desk. The high-pitched ringing and the searing pain returned. He closed his eyes and a debilitating dizzy spell forced him to his knees. Reuben crawled for a few seconds, before he stood up slowly. The young man kept his head down and reached out. He put one foot in front of the other and his fingertips touched the door.

That took longer than it should have. Reuben whispered. He raised his head, turned around and opened his eyes. The first thing that the young man noticed was the expensive wrist watch sitting on top of a black envelope. Were those always there? Where am I? he wondered. Reuben walked towards the desk and the room expanded, with each step that he took. He looked around, with an emotionless expression on his face, and marvelled at the office.

PhD in neuroscience, PhD in psychology, physics, engineering, biology, chemistry, anthropology...these can’t be real. This, can’t be real. What the fuck is going on here? the young man asked and the walls drew nearer. He stopped dead in his tracks and walked backwards. I’m either dead or I’m losing my mind. Reuben said, and the corners of his mouth curled upwards. He sprinted back and forth, inspected each corner for gaps and placed his left ear against the white stone walls.

I don’t hear any machines or contraptions, so this isn’t an optical illusion. the young man deduced. He sat down on the wooden desk, stared at the blue carpet squares and the ceiling tiles. Reuben picked up the envelope and tilted his head to the side. He lowered his gaze and his heart started racing. The diamond encrusted watch had somehow wrapped itself around his left wrist. A letter slid out of the envelope and landed on his lap.

Try again? the young man read out loud and a wave of excitement, fear and guilt filled his chest. Sure, why not? he thought jokingly. What is this place? Where the hell am I? Reuben asked in disbelief, and the letter disappeared mysteriously. Go for it Champ… …that’s it…stick and move… …don’t let her corner you, keep moving. a voice instructed and the young man stood up quickly. Dad? Is that you? a second voice whispered back. He walked towards the door, pressed his ear against the wood and closed his eyes.

…she’s bigger and stronger than you…so you have to keep moving. the voice advised, and Reuben found himself back in the abyss. He was standing in the middle of a lineup, with four dark silhouettes to his left and four more to his right. A spotlight fell on a blonde young woman to his right. Dad? Dad! she shouted. Wait! What? Hello? the young man called out in shock, but nothing came out of his mouth. Natasha sprinted towards the ominous orange light in the distance. How do I stop her? Reach out? Who said that? he asked, and the darkness sparkled.

Never give up, Champ. the voice urged, and the blonde young woman sped up. She felt a gentle hand on her right shoulder, ignored the orange light and spun around. Natasha sprinted deeper into the darkness. She tripped over something heavy and the ominous dusk engulfed her from behind. The blonde young woman stretched out her hands, touched the tarry road and a chaotic battle erupted.

Neon white fifty calibre rounds burned through the dilapidated buildings, on either side of the street, before they whizzed past Natasha’s head. Soldiers wearing heavy suits of armour became blurry streaks. A cascade of crystal warheads hit the ground and the deafeningly loud shattering drowned out the bangs, booms, clings and clangs. The atomic bombs cracked open and their contents shone, before waves of light and heat spilled out.

The young Fighter covered her head, with her arms, and the shock waves rolled through her. She raised her head slightly and witnessed the horrors of war. Men, women and children screamed as they were erased by the atomic blasts. The billowing brown clouds crashed into the buildings and the radioactive dust flooded the streets.

Natasha closed her eyes and braced herself for the worst. She expected the tsunamis of dust to bury her alive, but nothing happened. The young Fighter waited for a minute. She opened her eyes, stood up and brushed off the thick layers of dirt. Natasha inspected herself and found that she was completely unharmed. The young Fighter stepped forward. She missed her step, pulled herself back and looked down the mountain of corpses below her.

Natasha stared at the deep craters, and the sea of rubble scattered all around the mountain. She started hyperventilating, and a corpse grabbed her right ankle. The soldier’s body had been cleaved in half by a very sharp blade and a round had punched a gaping hole through the middle of his face.

Get off. Get off! I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry…but I have to survive. Natasha thought frantically and she kicked the dead soldier. His arm snapped off and his body rolled down the mountain. The young Fighter stood up and heavy footsteps shook the world. The severed hand’s grip tightened around her ankle, and another corpse grabbed her left wrist.

The sun screeched and set slowly. It melted the battle-scarred terrain and turned the mountain into a pyre. The raging ball of gases split in two. A fiery giant emerged from the centre and she strode across the oceans of lava. The two stars became her wings and the high-pitched ringing grew louder. The second severed arm twitched, before it transformed into a white snake. The pale serpent slithered up Natasha’s left arm and sunk her fangs into the young Fighter’s neck. 

The noise. I want to wake up. I need to wake up. I am so tired. Is it time? I am not alone. I hear them. seven voices whispered incessantly and Natasha leapt back, with a terrified gasp. She woke up, stood up quickly and fell off of the five metre tall seat.

Reuben covered his ears and winced. The fiery giant’s screech was horrible, and her presence seared his skin. He roared, and a glittery purple light shone through the cracks in his body. The ominous orange light was washed away, the seven young men and women were driven to the furthest corners of the abyss and the incessant whispering stopped.

The Party woke up inside of luxurious and incredibly large offices. They inspected their surroundings, with blank expressions, and found the expensive wristwatches on top of their giant desks. The Party read the names on the certificates and tilted their heads to the side. The young man heard a loud thud, followed by angry swearing. He cracked the door open, poked his head out and looked around.

Hello? Reuben whispered. He stepped out into the atrium, walked towards the glass railing and peeked over the edge. Below the young man were two more floors and a lounge, with colourful chairs and sofas. He turned to his left and noticed the door to the stairwell and the glass wall that stretched down to the lounge. Reuben glanced at the three receptionist desks at the foot of the wall. He leaned forward and stared at the lone security desk, in front of a short and narrow passage, on the other side of the ground floor.

Is it a public holiday? Where is everyone? the young man wondered out loud. He slid his hand along the railing and walked around to the door facing the glass wall. Nine including mine. Who builds an atrium this big, just for nine offices? Curious. Reuben asked out loud, and the door creaked open. Jesus, this thing weighs a ton. Are you just going to stand there? Natasha asked through the gap. They heard a loud bang, and he ducked for cover.

Are you seriously afraid of a door slamming shut? the young Fighter asked, with a grunt. Better safe than sorry. Where did it go? the young man replied and he stood up. What? What are you talking about? Natasha asked, and she slipped through the gap. The door slammed shut and the young Fighter approached Reuben. She peeked over the railing, raised her head and stared at the glass wall. Natasha turned around and saw the bare white wall behind her.

Oh, I’ve seen this trick before. You just have to find the gap and then push the right place to open the door again. It’s somewhere...I just have to...what the hell? the young Fighter whispered, with a blank expression. She placed her ear against the wall and knocked gently. That’s what I was talking about. the young man replied. He faced the glass wall and stared at it, with a faint frown.

Shit, what time is it? I need to...um. Fuck! What was I doing? Natasha asked out loud. She closed her eyes and thought hard. The young Fighter remembered the darkness and her father’s voice. I think I was fighting. I knocked her out with a leg kick. I won my first professional fight! she remembered, and the corners of her mouth moved slightly. Natasha ignored the horrible dream, and she forgot all about the fiery giant, while Reuben tilted his head back and gave it some thought.

Wasn’t that fight two years ago though? the young man asked, and the last door on the third floor opened slowly. Thank God. It’s just you two. an African woman said, with relief. Good to see you too, sis. Reuben replied, and she smiled weakly. The young woman stared at the young Fighter and the two locked eyes for a few seconds.

The young man noticed the subtle smile on his sister’s face. He opened his mouth to say something and the other doors, on the floors below, opened as well. Natasha cleared her throat and Ophelia brushed her braids behind her ears, before she looked away. The young Fighter leaned on the railing quickly and Reuben held his tongue. He heard the sound of heavy raindrops against a glass window and tilted his head back.

Looks like we’re in the middle of winter. the young man said, and he stared at the dark grey clouds through the skylight. No, my H.U.D says that it’s January. a bearded young man replied. Reuben leaned on the railing and he recognised the faces below. Do you have any idea where we are or why we’re here? he asked casually. Hey, are you guys alright? a Japanese South African young woman asked. The young man frowned faintly again. The concern in the short young woman’s voice did not match the emotionless expression on her face.

I’ve got this massive headache and my throat’s really dry. a tall young man replied and he massaged his temples. Hungover as usual. a beautiful young woman said snidely, and she adjusted her corset. Why are we dressed like we are going to a funeral? a burly young man asked curiously.

More importantly, why am I dressed like I work in a brothel? Who still wears corsets? Sabrina asked, and Grace snapped. Don’t ignore me! Are you alright or not? she shouted and everyone mumbled. Reuben’s expression livened up. He chuckled and let the corners of his mouth curl upward again.

The glass railing shattered. The young man watched Natasha fall, before he realised he was falling as well. She landed on her neck and Reuben heard a sickening snap. He then heard the loud thud of his own body hitting the ground and rolled over onto his back. The young man stared at the skylight in shock and jagged shards skewered his body.

Chapter 2: Revelations.

No! Huh? What? Get back! Reuben shouted frantically, and he pulled the young Fighter away from the railing. Ow! What the hell is your problem? Natasha asked and she yanked her arm free from his painfully tight grasp. Uh...we fell? Hold on, what? the young man replied, and he nudged the railing gently.

What’s gotten into you? the young Fighter asked, and she scowled subtly. You’re welcome-I mean...never mind. Reuben replied with a curious smirk. He peered over the railing and stared at the lounge. Was that a vision? How? Jason said his H.U.D, but that can’t be right...can it? the young man wondered. He blinked hard and his dead body appeared on the ground. Reuben blinked again, and the two broken corpses disappeared.

I’m going to the lounge. I don’t like all of this shouting. a tall and intimidating young man said with a feint scowl. The Party made their way down the stairwell and past the bare receptionist’s desks. Reuben glanced at the lone security desk. He looked down the narrow passage, and it stretched mysteriously.

Curious. the young man whispered. He squinted at the gold inlaid wooden doors at the end of the passage, turned around on the spot and chuckled at the size of the atrium. Cheers. Video call me, when you’ve figured out what happened. Aaron said, and he walked towards the narrow passage.

So, you’re running away again? Aren’t you tired of being a coward? Sabrina asked, and the tall young man spun around on the balls of his feet. Whoever owns this building isn’t going to be happy to find a bunch of hungover students in their offices. Also, I’m not a coward. I just don’t want to waste my life living with someone that thinks the world revolves around them. Aaron replied, and the young man approached the glass wall. Oh...shit. he whispered and the tall young man seemed pleased with himself.

Sometimes a man needs to be free, to explore--nobody cares, come check this out. Reuben instructed, and the Party lined up next to him. Hurtful. Aaron whispered, and Sabrina snickered. The tall young man glanced at her and the beautiful young woman looked away. They pressed their faces against the glass wall, stared at the dusty brown sky and the war-torn ruins of a city. The nine young men and women squinted and magnified their vision instinctively. The glass wall disappeared, and they landed near the rusty wreckages that littered the streets.

It feels so real. Reuben whispered and he brushed the dust off of a burned down sedan. The Party wandered around and noticed the fossilised skeletons inside of the wreckages, beneath the rubble and the thick layers of ash. They stood in front of the ruins of a primary school. Their eyes bulged and the blankets of apathy fell off of their shoulders. Waves of confusion, fear, rage, guilt and grief swelled in their hearts.

W-where are we? Aaron whispered, and he cleared his throat. Sabrina folded her arms and Jason placed his hands in his pockets. Grace lowered her head, and Bruce placed his left hand on her right shoulder. Natasha and Bartholomew clenched their fists angrily, while Ophelia and Reuben glared at the bullet holes in the tiny fossils. What happened? the intimidating young man added and the burly young man turned around.

We have to go back, if we want to find out. Bartholomew replied, and he pointed at the only building left standing. Where’s the glass wall? the young woman asked. And why doesn’t it have a scratch on it? the young man added angrily. The heavy rain drops snapped the Party out of the trance. Do you still want to go outside? the beautiful young woman asked softly and everyone tilted their heads back. Reuben lowered his head, and the Party frowned or raised a single eyebrow at the grey clouds.

This is impossible. Grace whispered in disbelief. Nothing is impossible. Look at your wrists. Jason said, and he played with the hairs on his chin. Reuben brought the diamond encrusted watch up to his face and a holographic monitor. Popped up in front of him Is this--a more advanced and compact version of the H.U.D? Yes, and that’s not all. Guess what the network’s called. Jason added, before the young man finished his sentence.

Why do I feel so restless? It’s like I’m late for some- a very loud pop-up advertisement played suddenly and Reuben’s train of thought was disrupted. Hourglass is proud to announce that the Holographic Universal Device is now available for pre-order. So lose those contact lenses for good, recycle those wireless ear buds and enjoy the comfort and ease of the H.U.D’s built in reality augmenting technology. a seductive voice announced, while men, women and children did their best to seem displeased with their current devices.

"And if you’re worried about being watched, simply place the H.U.D in private mode. Now you can catch up on your reading, answer an intimate call, access private emails and bank accounts in public without any fear. Hourglass’ new and improved psychic link provides a stronger and clearer connection over longer distances-which means you can stay connected to the Network forever." an ominous voice whispered and the Party exchanged surprised looks. The sound was distorted, the colour drained from the actors’ faces and their eye sockets became empty holes.

"Hourglass’ new interface does not require a painful and invasive surgery. We proudly present the future of neuro-technology. A machine that is so safe and simple that a child could use it." the seductive voice added and the advert continued playing. Men, women and children performed various chores and tasks, while the strange voice whispered incoherently in the background.

A child opened a basic natural sciences programme. They scanned the caterpillar in their garden, enthusiastically, and ran right into their parents’ arms. The child showed them the results, and an elderly man approached gingerly. He bent over to hug his grandchild and a naked man, with a contorted expression, appeared behind him. The ominous figure pointed at the camera and struck the old man with crippling back pain, before he disappeared.

The androgynous child smiled menacingly and the screen faded to black. The little girl scanned her grandmother and sent the results to their family physician. An emergency response team arrived in minutes and the old woman smiled at the camera. She was loaded into the back of an ambulance and the Party saw the old man’s ghost in the rear-view mirror. He was standing behind the ambulance with a pained expression on his pale face.

The ultimate tool for the ultimate tool user is now available in over twenty-four models that can be customised to suit everyone’s needs and preferences. So don’t wait and don’t dawdle, make sure you pre-order now and you too can--join the Ultimate Club! the actors shouted. The camera zoomed out and tilted upwards. Three buildings came into view and the neon hourglass, on the tallest one, switched on.

Table Mountain appeared in the background and a shooting star dyed the sky an ominous shade of red. The fiery meteor crashed into the mountain and the buildings. The people of Cape Town screamed in a panic and the footage skipped a forward few hours. The camera man wandered around the dusty ruins and coughed involuntarily. They stopped in front of the lone building, collapsed onto the ground and the recording stopped playing.

Bartholomew slid his finger across the bottom of the monitor and rewound the advertisement. He noticed the glass wall near the top of the tallest building and the young man’s vision became blurry. He rubbed his eyes, with his left hand, and a blackboard sized opaque monitor wrapped around him. Hundreds of applications, programmes, folders, files and tabs opened at once. Reuben’s stomach lurched, the lights flickered and the room spun.

Fucking hell. They must have a massive budget. Do you want to watch it, when it comes out? Aaron asked, and the young man swung his arms erratically. He leaned backwards, fell onto his back and Grace rushed to his side. Are we in another universe or maybe we’re in a simulation? What if we were preserved and then woken up in the future to deal with some kind of world ending crisis? Jason asked excitedly. Reuben’s eyes shifted from left to right, like a pendulum, and the short young woman frowned.

We should check ourselves for scars and needle marks. Grace suggested, and Natasha’s eyes bulged. Why? Do you think we were drugged? she asked nervously. We shouldn’t jump to any conclusions. We need to investigate our surroundings, if we want to find out what’s going on. It wouldn’t hurt to find something to eat as well. Bartholomew suggested jovially and everyone calmed down.

Grace and I will take my brother to the medical centre in the Underground Labs. You guys should investigate the rest of the building so long. Ophelia suggested and Sabrina frowned. Whoa, wait. What medical centre? What lab? she asked, and Aaron stepped forward. Hold on, we’re not actually splitting up, are we? he asked quickly.

According to the map, there are five Hub Zones; the Archive, the Residential Building, the Security Department, the Exposition Building and the Underground Labs. the young woman replied and the tall young man threw his hands in the air. There’s a cafeteria as well, but it looks like it doesn’t connect to any other floors or passages like the other Hub Zones do. Anyway, we’ll meet up again in the Residential--no, I’m fine. I just got dizzy for a second. the young man said and he stood up slowly.

Look at this. It’s all in this little watch. Maps, apps, a biometric scanner, a few games and an abilities list… Jason said, and his eager smile faded away. What are you talking about? the short young woman asked, with a hint of irritation, and Reuben regained his balance. The Hourglass holds the answer. he replied ominously. The young man focused on the yellow silhouette in the bottom left corner of his monitor, and everyone else stared at the Hourglass logo on their desktops. 

Whoa! Jesus. What the hell, man? Aaron, Natasha and Sabrina shouted and mumbled. Reuben let out a booming laugh, while the eight young men and women regained their balance. Biometric readings, skills, techniques, spells and traits. Did I open a video game menu by mistake? Grace asked, and she swiped left. The short young woman discovered a large hourglass watermark, with a white triangle in each half.

Spells? Like magical spells? Bartholomew asked, with an intrigued smile. I have stamina bars. Is this a prank? I’m not going to lie; I was scared for a second there. Natasha said, and she started laughing as well. No, this is all real. That’s what makes it so funny. This is life now. Mad, isn’t it? the young man asked, with a big smile. He clicked on the yellow