Unspecified location –
29th October 2015
The execution was swift, one life over, another began.
Jason woke up in a dark room and after allowing himself ample time
to panic, realised he was in some sort of pod. He couldn’t move
his arms, nor could he move his legs and whenever he tried he seemed
to hit a cold metallic wall.
“Let’s try that one more time shall we Jason?”
“No! No!”
A blinding light, and then darkness once more, followed by a
stream of light shining down the end of what appeared to be a moist
cave.
“Congratulations, you’ve given birth to a healthy baby
boy.” Came an unfamiliar voice.
Thirteen years later –
29th October 2008
“Happy thirteenth birthday!” Screamed Jason’s
parents as they burst into his bedroom. They wore party hats with
elastic under their chins and their hands were laden with gift
wrapped boxes. “Whose birthday is it, that’s right it’s
our newly turned teenagers birthday!”
Jason, with his new found hatred of mornings, climbed out of bed
reluctantly, but soon found plenty of spirit when his eyes focused on
all the boxes with his name on them.
Downstairs in the living room Jason hungrily tore away at the
wrapping paper, revealing a game console, a toy robot you could build
from scratch along with board games and other things that Jason
really appreciated.
“Oh, this came for you too Jason. It’s from your great
Aunt Theresa in Australia.” She handed Jason a backpack with a
combination lock keeping it shut. Inside a pocket on the backpack was
a note.
Not to be opened until the
morning falling on the 29th of October 2015
29th
October 2015 – Morning
“Come on man! Get up! Let’s get smashed!”
“Go away guys…”
“Awh come on Jase, at least show a little enthusiasm!”
“Where are we even?”
“You seriously don’t remember? We’re in
Amsterdam you nut head. Remember? 18th birthday
celebrations?”
Jason vaguely remembered fleeting conversations about going to
Amsterdam for his 18th birthday, but they felt like
nothing more than dreams. He rolled over in bed, his eyes fixing on
the backpack that he had forgotten about, the backpack that he had
been gifted on his 13th birthday. He didn’t have the
combination to open it though, so unless he were to tear it open it
wasn’t going to be opened today. He did have one idea of what
it could be though. Jason pushed himself up from bed and rubbed his
tired eyes and stalked over to the backpack leaning against the wall
on the other side of the room. Bending down, he held the combi-lock
in his hand and flipped the dials to read 2910, the 29th
of the 10th month and tried to pull the lock open to no
avail. Trying one last thought, he flipped the final digit to 5 so
that the combi-lock read 2915, the 29th of the month of
the year 2015. The lock clicked open. Jason’s heart beat
against his chest, he was not expecting that to work. He pulled the
bag open and peered inside where he found an envelope sat on top of a
plastic bag. He pulled the envelope out and tore it open.
Good morning Jason. If you’ve
done as you were told then the date will be the 29th
of October 2015. Inside this backpack is a carrier bag containing the
sum of 10,000 euros, you are to transport this bag across Amsterdam
to Isolatorweg, how you get the money there is at your own
discretion. Be on your guard.
29th
October 2015 – Afternoon
Jason boarded the metro train on line 50 destined for Isolatorweg
much to the protest of his friends, but Jason assured them that he’ll
be back soon, the journey was a two hour round trip so he’ll be
back with plenty of time to go out later with them. On the train he
noted the unusual vacuity of the train, surely it should be bustling
with commuters at this hour, but he was the only person on the train.
He took a seat near the door and the train started to move.
“Excuse me sir?” Said a tall man in a black and white
suit with a face that Jason couldn’t quite focus on.
“Yeah?” Jason replied.
“Is your name Jason Hollister?”
“What’s it to you?”
“Quite a lot, actually. 10,000 euros I hear.” The man
stood over Jason like a tree standing over a snail, no matter what
Jason did he couldn’t escape this man.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The man pulled a pistol out of his inside jacket pocket and
pressed it against Jasons head, the cold metal stinging his skin.
“The money, now, and I will spare your life.”
Jason slided down the chair and the man fired into the headrest
that Jason’s head was resting on just moment ago, with one
swift movement Jason rolled underneath the gentlemans legs, spun
around on his heel and pulled out a pistol on the man, aiming
squarely at his head.
“You don’t want to do this.” Said Jason plainly.
“You’ll find that you’re outgunned.” Said
the man.
“You’ll find that so are you.”
All at once, 18 versions of Jason sprung up from behind seats and
locked doors, all with pistols, all aiming at the mans head. “I’ve
lived this moment many times, strategically placing myself around the
train so that at the right time I can beat you.”
There was a mighty explosion as every pistol in the carriage fired
at once, including the gentleman aiming the gun at Jason. Jason fell
to the ground, bleeding out of a hole in his head, the gentleman fell
also. The other versions of Jason evaporated into thin air in a cloud
of mist.
“Simulation failure. Reset imminent.”
The bodies of Jason and the Gentleman evaporated.
“Reset failure, unable to exit program.”
The bag containing the 10,000 euros remained
on the train seat, the combination lock open, waiting to be
discovered.
|