(Viewpoint: Roum)
The corridor opens onto a large, transparent bay window.
Not a regular pane of glass. Something thinner, almost non-existent.
When you cross it, the air changes.
Really.
It is colder.
More alive.
He hits me in the face like a gentle slap.
I blink.
Before me, the Dome stretched as far as the eye could see, really very close and encountering someone became more and more race-like the further we went into it.
Suspended platforms.
Open footbridges.
Artificial vegetation areas mixed with light-colored metal.
The sky is not a sky.
But it has the color. A pale blue, crossed by slow, luminous lines, like programmed clouds.
– … Is it outside? It looks different in here, I asked stupidly.
Ela smiled.
– Here, yes. As close to reality as possible, but it's not outside.
I breathe deeply.
My chest rises more easily than when I'm inside.
As if my body recognized this space.
The air is very light and pleasant, I would even say delicious, it makes me want to eat.
"You see," she said, walking in front of me, "here we train, we test, we observe. No walls to hold us back."
A large open space opened up at the end of the corridor. I didn't follow her across it; everything was transparent and didn't reveal the end of the platform. I didn't really want to fall into the void.
– That doesn't reassure me that much…
– That's normal, I'm scared the first time too.
She stops near a low, circular structure, open to the void.
In the center, several modules are aligned.
Uniforms.
They are suspended in the air, held by invisible fields.
Neither armor nor civilian clothing.
White, supple fabric, covered with fine, almost imperceptible luminous lines.
– There you go, said Ela. The field uniform.
I'm keeping my distance.
– I thought it would be… more impressive.
– It is, when you wear it.
She approaches a module and lightly touches the surface.
The uniform slides towards her, unfolding slightly.
– It adapts to you. At your pace.
I frown.
– at least I can be useful
She hesitates for a fraction of a second.
– Don't make that weird face.
Super.
– I'm still… bad
– Then he will do his best to keep you balanced.
I look at her.
– You're saying that to reassure me
– No, come, come and see for yourself.
She hands me the uniform.
I take it with my fingertips.
It's lighter than I expected. Almost lukewarm.
– Put it on.
– Here? Now?
– Yes. Nobody's looking at you.
I glance around us.
Silhouettes pass in the distance, on other platforms.
Some stop.
I can feel their gaze, even without seeing it clearly.
– You were saying earlier… that we don't communicate.
"Not verbally, since we can't hear anything," Ela corrects. "But gestures, postures, presences... everyone feels that."
I swallowed
– They're going to see me naked?
"Hha~," Ela breathed, "place it right at your neck level."
She placed it on me and the uniform began to cling to me.
The fabric glides over my skin and covers what I was already wearing.
It adjusts immediately. To the shoulders. To the waist. To the legs.
A strange feeling, as if something was bothering me…. .
– It's a bit tight…
– Breathe, say Ela
I breathe.
And suddenly…
The pressure disappears.
I blinked in surprise.
– … Okay. That's disturbing.
Ela smiled, visibly satisfied.
– Now, move.
- To move ?
She grabs me by the shoulder and turns me around as if I weigh nothing and throws me
– HHAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAAA, HOW DO I DO IT? HOW DO I DO IT?
I was frozen with fear.
– let yourself go
– I'M FALLING. ELAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
With eyes closed
– MOVE
I made a gesture.
Then another one.
The uniform follows. And tightens.
When I raise my arm, it doesn't resist.
And I pull myself up, I no longer lose my balance.
– ahahah~That's too easy…, I started laughing
– It's not meant to be difficult. It's meant not to hinder you.
I approach the edge of the platform.
The void is there, immense.
Below, layers of structures, of lights, the dome.
– I could fall.
- Yes.
– And…go inside the dome?
– impossible, the uniform would react.
Silence
– How should we react?
– you will be rested.
He asked me.
– I saw my life flash before my eyes.
- at first.
A silence falls.
A strange, heavy silence.
Then I feel something.
Pressure.
Not on my skin.
Inside.
- Ela…
- Yes ?
– Tell me the truth.
She turns towards me.
- Which ?
– Why am I here? Why is Alpha-1 keeping me?
His face closed off slightly.
- I don't know .
I lower my eyes.
– I suspected as much.
Ela approaches, closer.
His voice drops.
– Don't be sad, others shouldn't know, you're just joy, it's for your own good.
–.. ?
I remain silent.
– we'll go back in a little while…she resumesMoving away towards the edge
I'm not ready to be thrown at me again.
– I know. (laughing)
Ela shakes her head.
- evil .
She stares at me.
– I love teasing you.
A shiver runs through me.
I look at the artificial horizon.
A sharp noise resounded behind us.
Footsteps.
I turn around.
Chetan.
He approaches slowly, hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on me.
He stops a few meters away.
– You're everywhere, it's annoying
"Fascinating," replied Ela, "you're so insightful." A smirk crossed her face.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" Ela continued.
.
I freeze.
– no need to get upset, we weren't even going to leave
Ela positions herself slightly in front of me.
– That's enough, we're not going anywhere, you go train, I'm coming.
Chetan looks me straight in the eyes.
I move away without breaking contact.
He smiled coldly.
takes a step back and follows Ela.
Then they walk away.
Silence returns.
Heavier.
I look at the uniform on me.
The Dome.
The void.
I don't know if that reassures me.
I feel that something is waiting for me.
Even though I don't know what yet, should I run towards him?
or to move away from it.