Chapter 3 Part 8

Darkness. Emptiness. Only a screen giving off the light in this void. The screen was the same from that one time, the time where Cris died to that wolf. It was his kill report of how he died the only difference was that the points were pending and would be printed out.

For Cris that did not matter the only part he was staring at was the death time.

[23:59:45]

Less than half a second. Why? JUST WHY? I had 299 points. JUST WHY!

Cris was just staring aimlessly at the emptiness of the void, he did not realize that he was back in reality and was staring at dark screen of his VRV. He felt sick in his stomach, it felt like a brink that was sinking in. His throat had a pit that he could not swallow. Tears stream down his face but he did not let out a cry.

Cris just sat there recalculating, rethinking and replaying everything that happened. That maybe he might of made a mistake that maybe it was wrong. No matter how many times he went through it, it all ended up the same. The current situation where he was one point short of passing.

A knock was heard and an envelope was placed in the bin in his cube. On the envelope it read “Test Results”. Not wanting to leave but knowing he could not stay Cris managed to get up and take the envelope.

Collecting his things and making his way out of the building he saw crowds of people waiting for the applicants. It was bright outside, it was not even noon considering that the applicants spent a full day taking a test. Cris looked around and saw no one was waiting for him.

That’s right. It was not like we were that close anyway. Maybe I should just leave?

Taking one last look he saw his group sitting on a bench away from the building. They were all eating ice cream or frozen yogurt. Noticing them Blue wave at Cris to come over. Cris did not want to face them but now since they saw him he had no choice.

He began his long trudge towards them, mentally preparing himself for the results he will have to face. Blue was the first to ask about the test.

“Hey, that doesn’t look like the person who passed.”

“I uhhhh. Heh. Uhhhh.”

“Don’t be shy. What kind of test was it?”

“Survival.”

“Ah, those are the worst and the best. You get so much freedom.”

Loco noticing the envelope unopen in Cris hand went over and snatch it away. She gave Cris an unusually look when he did not react to her brash action. Taking the envelope over to the light to read the results Blue followed over.

The sickening feeling which Cris thought that could not get any worse just became worse by a hundred fold. He felt like passing out now from the shear nauseating feeling. He heard a joyous laughter coming from that direction but it was odd it belong to Blue.

“Hahaha, told you. Looks like I win.”

Wait? That is Blue laughing. He lost why? Why is he laughing?

“I wouldn’t be laughing he barely passed.”

Passed? Hold on!

Cris ran over to where Loco and Blue were talking and took back the letter.

[Congratulations on passing. Need points to pass 150 points. Points obtain 150. Please follow the direction at the link. Please keep this paper as receipt. Enjoy your residence in Axis.]

The nauseating feeling did not vanish but was mixed with utter confusion, twisting his stomach in knots. He stood their dumbstruck staring at the paper that told him he passed. He should have been happy but instead his mind was racing. Looking for any way that he miscounted his points but it again always fell short. Should he report this, tell his group that he did fail? At most, he was half a point shy of the cap. Did the proctor round up or was it a fluke? Loco broke his train of thought as she shove the results back into Cris hands.

“Well a bet is a bet you guys can stay as long as you work got it? I don’t want freeloaders.”

“Yayaya. Right kid?”

“...”

Bruno came over to join the group and slap Cris in the back, completely bringing back down to earth.

“Congratz Cris. Now we can do some business if you want.”

“Anyway let’s get back. I was not going to shut down the restaurant for the day. Let’s head back for the lunch rush.”

The three of them left, leaving Cris behind staring at his test results unsure what he should do. He looked up at his group who were about to leave him behind. They were trashing their empty cups of ice cream. Bruno missed his toss and the cup bounced off, he ran over and threw it away manual. Watching this something clicked inside of Cris.

That final fight in the cave and the proctor instructions at the start. He said something about harvesting resources which was an odd word. Wouldn’t collecting resources be more accurate but then again picking up resources as loot would that count. It did not when he looted the trio he did not receive any points. Cris then remember about the tree he cut down. He thought it was odd that he received points from hitting the tree and not picking up the wood. Cris eyes widen as he finally might have figured out where the missing point came from.

“THAT’S RIGHT!”

His pickaxe did hit something but it wasn’t the purple hoodie who killed him. Before he died he saw he had no fresh injury or otherwise he wouldn’t have caught up so fast. So if my pickaxe did hit the deposit that would count as a point.

If my pickaxe hit the deposit that would be considered as a point. SO THAT MEANS. I HAD 300 POINTS.

“Yo, Cris get a move on.”

Finally accepting the results Cris ran over and join the rest of the group. The dreadful feeling he had was all gone. He hoped that he would never would have to feel this kind of feeling ever again.

End of Chapter 3.