"Oh, wow, would you look at that?" I said sarcastically, smirking deviously at Cassi with my finger pointed at the projection screen. More specifically, at Korbin actively choking out some possessed, incredibly spiteful drill sergeant in some office.
"You do realize I wasn't hoping Korbin would lose, right?" Cassi replied, finally meeting my eyes with an eyebrow raised. Of course she hadn't, none of us wanted each other to lose for obvious reasons.
"That's why I'm the only one who didn't look like they got caught sneaking out in high school when he passed out, right?" I said, turning my back fully to the screen to face our team in totality. Lonni's eyes dropped to the floor, no doubt feeling way more shame than I intended for. Derrick on the other hand, was none the wiser to my words, instead sitting in the corner of the waiting area tinkering with his halberd's rune.
"Sure Tom, your unwavering loyalty to Korbin is truly unshaka-" Cassi snidely replied before her words completely trailed off.
"Okay, let's relax with that shit. I just think you guys are too…" Before I could clear up that WILD accusation of some sort of blind fealty toward Korbin, I noticed that Cassi's face drop into shock as she stared back at the projection. Lonni mirrored her concern, even Derrick's attention locked firmly onto the screen behind me. Confused, and frankly a little concerned now, I slowly peered over my shoulder up at the projection. My body spun around to face it as I watched Korbin stepping through a dark puddle on the floor, his chest covered in the same muck.
Korbin wore his usual smug grin as he strutted toward the exit, wearing a rather typical military uniform. One I remember him mentioning had stunk of sweat, mud, and blood at all times by week 2. Just as the memory emerged however, Korbin stepped completely through the floor mid-stride and began plummeting into an endless abyss.
"Oh shit!?!" Lonni blurred out, grazing my arm while shuffling closer to the projection. Korbin very quickly faded from view as he fell into darkness, with only the sound of wind whistling throughout the room to fill the silence. Not that it worried me overly much, considering there's no way an objective could seriously just kill off contestants that easily. Plus, Korbin's not exactly frail, none of us are.
"Alright, I'm going to meditate. Let me know when our reception's fixed." I announced, scooting past Cassi and Lonni. As I headed toward my usual spot, I noticed Derrick had also quickly lost interest in staring at a blank screen, resuming his mana intensive work on his halberd. Settling down in my spot, a smile fully formed as I peered up at Cassi standing nervously in front of the screen.
As admirable as her care is for our success, I have an itching suspicion Derrick getting fully eliminated has pushed her watchful eye into a paranoid glare. Which I can't say I blame her for, she's already one life down herself. All the same, Korbin hasn't lost a single life yet, meaning he's got at least one free mistake before we had to really worry. And, I mean come on? This is Korbin, the guy who's had a hand in pretty much this entire party's growth. If anyone's going to handle whatever weird fever dream this Labyrinth's Objective is trying to embody here, I imagine it would be Korbin. As reason brought a new resolve washed over my mind like a wave of relief, I realized my eyes hadn't moved from the pitch black screen for nearly 3 full minutes. But, delays are nothing new with this fucked up Labryinth anyway.
…he's been gone for a while though.
——————————————————————
After a couple years of low altitude night jumps, one begins to grow a kinship with hurtling through pure darkness. Especially given the absolute nostalgia-trip it was to both see and finally get my hands on Sergeant Peters. Granted, it wasn't really my egotistic drill sergeant of old. Which honestly made the moment all the more gratifying, considering I've really never regretted remaining passive yet firm with Peters because, well, fuck prison.
What's more, duking it out in my old uniform with a liquid imposter of my drill sergeant allowed me to glean two very key factors already. One, this Objective is going to try fucking with my head, maybe channel my memories against me. The second factor, and inarguably the most pivotal detail, was the fact the system could access my memories like that. At the very least it's been watching, long enough prior to our integration to make note of everyone in preparation. Not to mention it weaponized my past against me, and for a second it…kind of worked.
*THUMP*
A heavy, hollow gasp ejected from my lungs as I felt myself slam against whatever hard surface was under me. My head snapped back on impact, ricocheting twice off the floor and instantly birthing a splitting headache. As my eyes fluttered open, tiny blurry lights peppered the sky above me. Sitting up, a cold chill crept down my neck as an icy wind blew against my back. Cars of all colors and types surrounded me, many rows split by small trees and walkways. Looking up, countless stars glistened behind a thin cloud above, the moonlight illuminating its edges.
What the fuck? Am I…
Turning around, a massive building glowing white stood tall with dozens of people sitting or walking around inside. Several ambulances sat parked just outside the building, one with the back doors wide open as doctors collectively struggled to unload a passenger lying on a stretcher.
…why am I at a hospital?
Curious, and antsy to get this weird ass objective over with, I began heading toward the echo of society's largest source of cough syrup and debt when I felt a vibration at my thigh. Looking down, seeing myself in a pair of dark sweatpants and a thin, long sleeve shirt nearly sent me into a panic to find my battle axe.
Getting pretty tired of this shit taking my gear.
Feeling at my pockets, a surge of anxiety flooded my mind realizing I once again possessed a fucking cellphone. One actively ringing, with my fathers face plastered across the caller ID.
Sure, I'll bite.
Removing all sense of attachment to this simulation of what our planet once looked like, I decided to hear the system out and answer my 'father'. Of course, if I was going to play along, I might as well treat them like the real thing too.
"Hello, you've reached a number that is no longer in s-"
"Korbin, get the fuck up here!" my fathers voice interrupted, totally spoiling my joke.
"You know, the real one would at least let me finish before ignoring everything I said." I replied bluntly.
"What?! Just get up here, they're both flatlining and they won't let us in to see either of them!" My fathers voice frantically begged, his tone carrying an unrecognizable panic.
"Woah woah, slow down. Who's flatlining?" I asked as the sliding doors opened automatically at the hospital entrance.
"What the fucks the matter with you?! Get up here NOW!" He bellowed before hanging up the phone. Annoyed, I picked up the pace heading toward the check in desk at the front.
"Hello, welcome. Are you here for an appointment?" The lady asked, sitting behind a clear glass wall. She wore a blue and white top, her dirty blonde hair parted down the center of her head.
"Visiting." I said, trying my best to recapture the excitement I had just moments ago for this objective's next 'surprise' callback.
"Okay, what's the last name on file?" She asked. I paused, realizing this was no hospital I'd ever been to. Much less my father ever berating me on the phone outside of it.
"Uh…Erickson." I said, feeling my curiosity slowly rising once more. The lady looked down at her computer screen, her fingers gliding across the loud mechanical keys.
"Alright, for Erickso-" the lady's eyes shot wide open as she read her screen.
"OH!? Room 203 and 204, sir." She said solemnly, through incredibly sad eyes.
"Thanks." I said, locating the nearest elevator. As I walked away, the lady at the front desk called from around the glass wall.
"Please try not to attack our doctors again sir, or I'll have security remove you from the premises permanently." She said in a hush. I nodded, confused at the accusation but unwilling to argue with a simulation of customer service. Instead, I continued into the elevator and made my way up to the second floor. The elevator, its buttons, the weird guy standing way too close to me while laughing on the phone, all of it felt so…familiar. And yet, I have zero recollection of this place at all.
As the elevator doors opened, nearly a dozen of my family members from all over filled the hallway, extending from a waiting room. Spotting my sister, I quickly ran over hoping to get the scoop.
"Cindy, why the hell is everyone here?" I asked in a hushed voice. Cindy turned to face me, her face glistening with streams of remnant tears as she clutched a tissue.
"That's not fucking funny." She viperously replied, turning her back and walking with her face buried in her hands away before I could press further.
Okay, fine. I'll 'investigate'.
Shuffling through tearful family members, I finally scooted my way to the waiting room when I spotted my father. He was pacing back and forth, my mother sat behind him wearing a thousand yard stare.
"Hey! What's going on?" I asked him as I made my way over, being sure to sound more genuinely concerned this time.
"They had them stable when you went back down to call your folks, but the both of them started coding when we went in to visit. I don't think we have much time, please tell me you've made a decision?" My father asked, tears welling in his own eyes more and more with every word.
Wait, MY folks?
"I'm, I'm not understanding. This is…all so much." I said, realizing I can't just ask this pretend dad outright who was the one apparently dying, and what the fuck he meant by 'my folks'.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I know we're asking a lot but, you're the only one compatible with both of them. We…she needs one of them." My father replied, flicking his head up and looking over my shoulder. Turning back, I nearly jumped out of my fake-sneakers seeing Anna standing at nearly my chest. Her hair grew past her shoulders, as she stood clutching onto a dirty white stuffed bunny. Before I could start rushing over and give the codified copy of my daughter a much needed hug, I noticed a look of confusion in her eyes seeing me. Not that she didn't know me, but my own smile was somehow unnatural for her to see.
Wait, he said one of them.
"I still don't understand what you're asking of me. Who's in there?!" I asked, feeling all patience for this crisis charade escape me fully. Those sad eyes my daughter's copy wore were too far for me to care for the system's little game anymore.
"You can't be serious, you were in the car with them. Are you sure you're not concussed?" My father replied, rapidly scanning my face.
"I don't remember, please tell me." I demanded. My father paused, holding his fist to his lips as tears began to stream down his cheeks.
"It's both of them, Tom. Kaitlyn and Korbin are both in critical condition." He said.
Why did he just call me…
Immediately, my head went on a swivel to find anything reflective until I zeroed in on a window outside an 'employees only' section. Jogging over, a whole new sense of disgust blossomed as I finally saw the man in the mirror. Sure enough, I'm that ugly son of a bitch. Furious, I stormed back to my father.
"What do they need?" I asked, my nostril twitching as I struggled to bury my rage.
"They both took that drunk bastard's bumper through the windshield, crushing them against you and Anna in the back. Both of their hearts are…they said they're too damaged I…" my fathers voice cracked under his own mourning, something I'm not comfortable with seeing out of his typically stoic self.
"…you're the only match, and…somehow you fit both of them." He finally spat out after clearing his throat. Immediately, my previous assumption of 'stealing memories' expanded to trying to outright play philosophical musical chairs. Because of course, a medical anomaly of epic proportions from the perspective of my friend, how could I forget this summer?!
"Okay, so you're asking me to choose? I um…I'll save Korbin." I said, figuring this was the natural answer that would otherwise be clouded in emotional tethers and uncomfortable decisions. The thing is, none of this was even close to convincing enough.
"Okay, thank you, Tom. I promise you, your family will be taken care of." My father replied.
"Yeah I'm sure, thanks. So when do w-"
"Dad?" A soft little voice called out from behind me. Looking down, a little boy no more than 5 years old stood tugging at my sweatpants.
"Uh, hey little guy." I said, wondering if this objective was glitching out or something by creating some extra kid.
"Tom." A woman's voice sternly called from the waiting room entrance. There stood a young lady with curly brown hair and sun-kissed skin. A backpack was slung around her shoulder, a purse clutched in the other hand. A diamond ring shimmered under the room lights, the band wrapped around THE ring finger.
Don't fucking tell me.
Looking down at my Tom-hand, the metal band around my ring finger invoked a surge of emotions that felt…foreign…
"We need to talk." She said, a mixture of rage and sadness filling her welling eyes under her furrowed brow.
"Um, I can't right now." I said, nervously.
What the fuck, why am I nervous?
"So you're just going to die for these people without even talking to me? What you're family, what about Edward?!" The woman I could only assume the system decided was Tom's wife angrily shot back. Before I could muster any better excuse, the little boy's tiny arms wrapped tight around my leg.
"Please don't leave, daddy." An unbearable pain shot through me like a skyscrapers was just dropped on my chest as his little words echoed through my mind. All at once my vision sunk deep behind my eyes as the world around me rapidly blurred into nothing. No sound, no light, not even darkness. Not even my inner monologue was racing, instead feeling incapable of thought itself.
Utter absence.