The Valley was a vast, lush expanse of grass that stretched out in all directions, as if a shimmering green carpet of silk has been carefully draped upon the earth. Tall beech trees lined the borders of the area, surrounded by the occasional oak and red maple. In the center of the Valley, nestled in the grass, sat a village comprised of huts, cabins, farms and shops. The buildings were made of a variety of materials, from wood to stone. A cool breeze fluttered across the open plain, the air sweet with the heavy scent of wildflowers and berries.
A large, smooth wall encircled it all. The wall did not look like it was made of natural materials, almost like something out of a sci-fi movie, composed entirely out of tech. The wall stood firm, its high altitude casting a long shadow over the Valley. It stretched along the horizon in each direction, eventua;ly disappearing from view into the infinite grey. There's no way around it, and no way over it.
And yet, the Valley had all that the people could ever need.
It was breath taking.
Everyday, the sun rose up over the walls, bathing the rolling hills in an orange-yellow glow. It was the closest thing to paradise on Earth. It was the perfect place to live, not a single flaw in sight. Nothing bad ever happened there, and nothing unusual seemed to be in store. No surprises, no drama, no conflict. It was endless bliss.
But something about it felt off. Almost.. unnatural. Like an enclosure.
In fact, every single component of the landscape seemed to be perfectly in order. Every leaf on every tree, every blade of grass, everything had been carefully crafted to look orderly, without even the slightest bit of chaos in the environment beyond the occasional breeze sifting through the fallen autumn leaves.
Trystan Ivanov stood amid the peaceful scenery, his hands tucked into the pockets of his olive green field jacket as he observed the idyllic environment. He could make out the sound of wildlife, hidden from sight in the nearby woods, bird chirping, insects buzzing, an d an occasional low branch cracking under the pressure of the dense foliage.
A vast sea of green grass danced with the wind and sparkled with the droplets of early morning dew. Trystan opened his grey eyes to a clear blue sky, the sun shining in a perfect circle of fiery wonder above his head, warm light dancing over his pale skin. Thick clumps of flowers crinkled under his feet, holding colours that were almost artificial in their intensity. The air was clear, and a fresh breeze lightly stirred his already messy black hair.
He looked around, taking in his surroundings. Another gust of wind tickled of face, this time accompanied by the smell of freshly cooked eggs and warm bread. Trystan walked towards the village, mind foggy. He found he couldn't remember... well, anything.
He walked between the huts and cabins, glancing around occasionally, until he reached an open space where the citizens were sitting by a bonfire. The children were running around, playing with wooden toys, their joyous laughter filling the air. Trystan stood still, running a hand through his dark hair, grey eyes drifting to the wall.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit him, and his knees buckled. Visions were overwhelming him. A dream - or maybe a memory - of white corridors and masked faces, of voices whispering through earpieces. He saw the wall. But there was something.. different. He wasn't in the Valley. He was watching through a window.
Trystan snapped out of it, eyes wide. What had just happened? How odd. He stood up slowly, looking around. People waved cheerfully as he did. Smiles. Hugs. Laughter. All genuine, but all too clean. Like characters in a play who never missed their cue.
In the open space, there stood a large, lone tree. A group of children were gathered under it, looking absolutely fascinated by the woman that sat in front of them all.
She was a rather small, tough looking woman who seemed to be in her mid 40s. She had long, curly black hair with streaks of silver in them, calloused hands, kind blue eyes, a thin lipped smile, and tan skin. She looked.. familiar. She wore a brown jumper, white jeans, and brown boots, and held a plethora of hand puppets.
Trystan walked towards them.
“...and then the dragon swooped down,” The woman said, hands in the air. She was holding a bright red dragon puppet in one hand, and a doll in the other. “but Mary didn’t run, oh, no. She stood tall and yelled.., 'Stop, dragon!'"
"Oooh, I know what happens next! I know, I know!" A child squeaked, practically vibrating, jumping up and down in his seat.
"Jaq! What did I say about interrupting?" The woman chastised, flicking him.
"Sorry, Ms. Jay." Jaq said, looking sheepish.
Jay, Trystan thought. He'd heard that name before. Jay.. Jay.. Jay.. Jay... He swore he'd heard it before.
She was sharp eyed, though, noticing Trystan and raising a eyebrow at him. She had a kind of fire in her that the others in the Valley lacked, and it was intriguing.
"You there." Jay called, and Trystan realized with a start she was talking to him, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Yes, you. Youngling. I haven't seen you around here before." She said, looking thoughtful.
"I'm.. new." Trystan said, looking unsure and little dazed.
Jay's gaze softened.
"I see. Welcome to the Valley. Alright, my children, that is it for today." Jay said, starting to pack up her puppets and earning a groan from the children.
"Oh, hush. You'll hear what happens to princess Mary tomorrow. Off you go." She smiled, standing up and walking towards Trystan.
"I don't know why I'm here." Trystan said, awkwardly, as they walked together through the village. Jay looked unfazed.
"Mm, don't worry about it, love. We have a lot of those. People who show up here out of the blue with no idea why. I have no idea how they got over that godforsaken wall." Jay mused.
"What's your name, boy?" She asked, as they approached a cabin surrounded by pine trees. The roof sloped gently, topped with moss in places. A narrow stone path led to a smooth, wooden front porch just wide enough for two chairs and a dangling windchime that whispered in the breeze.
Trystan had to think for a moment. What was his name?
"Trystan.. Trystan Ivanov." He said, after a few moments. "What's yours?"
"Ah, Russian, are you? I hear the accent now. We don't have a lot of those." Jay grinned, as they stepped into the cabin. "Joanna Manderion. The kids call me Jay, and you can too. This is your room now. You'll be sharing it with Ronin."
The cabin was made entirely out of wood, and the air smelled faintly of pine and ash. The space was snug but warm, made for two and nothing more. A fireplace sat against the far wall, its black iron belly still warming the room from last night’s fire.
To the left, there was a small washbasin and a foggy mirror. There was already one toothbrush in the stand. Ronin's, Trystan thought.
No clocks, no screens, no distractions - just soft lamplight, and the sense that time moved slower here.
There were two beds beside each other, separated by a small nightstand that was littered by pages and pages of notes. One bed was scattered with crumpled dark clothes, a half empty packet of cigarettes, a blue notebook, and an ink pen.
Jay tutted, gathering the papers and tucking them into the notebook.
Trystan sat down on the empty bed slowly, taking off his olive green jacket and revealing a loose, grey t-shirt, and a silver chain around his neck.
"What now?" He asked, rubbing his head. He still felt dazed, as if he had hit the ground really hard.
"Now, we eat." Jay said, walking out of the cabin and gesturing for Trystan to follow her.
Trystan walked out behind Jay, shutting the cabin door and looking around curiously. The pine trees were an unnatural shade of deep green, so tall they surpassed the cabin roof. They headed back to open space of grass, and the wall caught Trystan's eyes once more.
He groaned, knees buckling again, hands going to his temples.
Red lights flashed. Memories. More came back in fragments. He remembered a hallway, long and dark. The words 'Lucid Foundation' resounded in his ears. He saw himself in a mirror, wearing a white lab coat with the letters 'LF' sewed into the front pocket. He’d worked for them, once.
He was so overwhelmed, like a hundred things were hitting him at once. Project Sentient. A man-made utopia. He remembered objecting. Watching more people in lab coats giving innocent, unsuspecting subjects anesthesia. Wiping their memories. He saw Jay.
He remembered saying it was wrong. The subjects weren’t lab rats.
And they had punished him. Wiped his own memories. Dropped him in.
Into the Valley.
He was one of the experiments now. Suddenly, the memories stopped. And it all went black.
Trystan snapped out of it, grey eyes wide. He was being shaken awake by the shoulders.
"Woah, easy there, grey eyes. Can you hear me?"
A girl was standing over him, Jay looking worried beside her.
The girl had long, wavy, red hair, a tall, slim body, wideset green eyes, pale skin, heart shaped lips, a slightly upturned nose, and angled eyebrows. Her jaw was sharp, cheekbones high. She wore a red, sleeveless hoodie with fingerless black arm sleeves, dark blue ripped jeans, and red converses.
She snapped her fingers in front of his face.
"Lucid Foundation." Trystan mumbled, sitting up slowly.
"Pardon?" The girl raised an eyebrow at him.
"Trystan, this is Wanda Mayfield. She's our medic. Are you okay? You blacked out." Jay asked, eyebrows furrowed.
Trystan looked panicked suddenly, standing up, air coming out in short gasps.
"Project Sentient." He said, hand on his forehead. "I.. I remember."
More flashes. Watching the Valley from behind a screen. Arguing with a woman in a black lab coat.
'You’re playing God.'
'We’re creating peace.'
'This isn’t peace. It’s a lie.'
And he sprinted towards the wall.
He was dimly aware of Jay calling out to him, Wanda following. But he found he didn't much care. He stuttered to a stop at the base of the wall, breathing heavy, the side of his fist pressed against the cold material. A few moments later, Wanda and Jay were standing by his side.
"Trystan." Jay said, gently.
"Has anyone ever gotten out of here?" Trystan asked, ignoring her, running his fingers over the wall.
Jay shook her head. "We mustn't. It's the one rule we have around here, love. Nobody leaves the Valley."
She shook her head, patting Trystan on the shoulder and heading back to the village. Wanda stayed.
"Come with me." She said, curtly, sprinting off towards the forest.
Trystan was surprised for a moment, but he followed, running through the trees.
Trystan followed Wanda to an old greenhouse. Mold bloomed in the corners, but beneath the cracked tiles was a ladder that led into a hollowed-out chamber lit by electric lanterns - more modern than anything else in the Valley.
Two others sat around a table, one girl and one boy. The girl was tinkering with something, fingers covered in oil.
“This is Kal,” Wanda said, gesturing to the girl. “Resident gearhead. Meet Trystan.”
Kal flashed him a small smile, holding out a stained hand for him to shake.
"Kalinda Faduola, nice to meet you." She said, standing up. She was short and slender, with defined features, a delicate nose, full lips, and a skeptical look. She had smooth, tanned skin, long, jet black hair tied up in a messy bun, and brown, almond-shaped eyes. She looked to be in her mid 20s.
"Nice to meet you, too." Trystan said, thought he looked confused. "Wanda, why-"
“Ronnie de Fontaine.” Wanda cut him off, giving him a look. "He started this whole thing. Bossiness and neuroticism personified." She grinned, to which the boy rolled his eyes.
"My name is Ronin. Nobody calls me Ronnie." He said, shaking Trystan's hand unenthusiastically.
Trystan returned the energy. So, this was his roommate. Ronin was thin, grumpy looking, had dark eyebrows and dark eyes, with a stub nose. He had olive skin, shaggy black hair, and sharp features. His mouth seemed to always set in a thin line. He looked young for the look. Too young.
"Ronin started the Resistance Group, and he was one of the first few to be put in here." Kal said, crossing her arms and leaning against the table.
Trystan frowned. "Resistance Group?"
“The ones who remember,” Ronin said. “Pieces. Flashes. We don’t know everything, but we know the Valley isn’t what it seems.”
Wanda slung an arm around Trystan's shoulders.
“And you, Trystan Ivanov, are our ticket out of here.”
"How?" Trystan asked, quietly.
"I know you remember. The way you collapsed.. that's what happened to the rest of us as we started to get our memories back. The flashes, the snippets. It was triggered by you seeing the wall."
"All of us, in this room, we know the truth. We've seen it, somehow, we've seen it. You're part of the Resistance now." Wanda said, pushing back a strand of crimson hair that came loose from her poorly tied ponytail.
"How much do you know?" Ronin asked, leaning back in his chair.
Trystan sighed.
"Everything." He said, which clearly wasn't the answer they were expecting.
So, he told them everything he'd seen. The white corridors, the masked faces, earpieces, the dark hallway, The Lucid Foundation, the white lab coats, Project Sentient, wiped memories, the screen from behind he watched the Valley, the way he had fought, being thrown over the wall.
The room was silent for a moment, taking everything in.
"I worked with them." Trystan said, turning to Wanda. "I worked for them. To put all of you here."
"Then, you know how to get us out." Kal said, putting a hand on Trystan's shoulder. "You said you're here because you defied them, because you didn't want to stand for this."
"You're one of us, Trystan."
"They’re losing control,” Ronin said. “The simulation - it’s decaying. Something's wrong, and this might be our only chance to get out of here.”
When Trystan looked confused, Wanda began.
"A few days ago, I was standing near the fountain, washing my face in the water. I saw a butterfly with.. with flickering wings. Like bad reception. And when I touched it, it.. glitched. It shifted into a square of code for just a second.. before it disappeared."
"The pine trees in front of my cabin. Flickering in the night, when no one was around to see. Glitching." Kal added, nodding her to the trees above and around. "It's.. out of the ordinary. Something wicked. Unnatural."
"Up in their snug headquarters, the people who put us here are having problems. They've messed something up, and until they get it fixed, we have a window. When they're back in control, it'll be impossible to leave. All eyes will be on us. We have to make our move tonight. We might not get this chance again."
Trystan nodded slowly.
"Okay. Okay.. how do we get out, then?" He asked.
They all sat around the table.
"First," Ronin began "we need proof. We need to call a meeting, tell everyone else what's going on. But they won't just believe it. We need to SHOW them."
He turned around in his seat and reached into his backpack. He pulled out a broken security camera.
"There are a bunch of these all around the Valley, hiding in things that shouldn't have cameras in them. I have them all mapped out. We need to get them, and show them to the village. Make them SEE. We need them on our side. Four people can't pull this off." Ronin said, crossing his arms and staring at the group.
"But, a hundred-and-twenty-three people can." Kal grinned.
"So, step one, find proof and tell the village. That's on you, Tryst. We'll help get the proof, but you have the first hand memories. Make them understand. It won't be easy, though. This is the unbreakable rule we're talking about. They've been taught not to cross the wall, and there will be some.. push back. But try. Try to show them."
Trystan nodded. "And step two?"
"Step two, Kal comes in. She's been building up a whole arsenal. We tear down that damned wall." Ronin said, hands balled up in fists. "There's enough weapons for the whole village. We fire together, we break it down."
"Step three, find The Lucid Foundation and get everyone's memories back." Wanda chimed in.
"And, boom, home free." Kal grinned, leaning back in her chair.
“You guys have been busy.” Trystan whistled, impressed. "And these weapons, they'll work?"
"Who do you think built half the cabins in this Valley?" Kalinda raised an eyebrow.
"They work, I promise. But if you'd like to test them out, we could always shoot Ronnie."
Ronin rolled his eyes.
"Get ready. We gather the village at dusk. You better be prepared, Ivanov. Don't screw this up for us." He muttered, standing up, climbing up the ladder and into the greenhouse.
"Let's go bust some cameras." Kal grinned, patting Wanda and Trystan on the shoulder, handing both of them a list of locations and bounding up the ladder.
Trystan raised an eyebrow, amused.
He and Wanda walked up the ladder slowly, out of the old greenhouse, and finally out of the pinewood forest.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm going to miss this place." She said, thoughtfully, as they walked towards the village.
Trystan nodded, though he'd only been there a day. At least, it only felt like a day. They stopped outside Trystan and Ronin's cabin. Trystan pushed it open, and Ronin was already inside, packing up.
Wanda stood outside thoughtfully as Trystan went to retrieve his field jacket.
The three of them left the cabin.
"Be at the Eye in a few hours." Ronin said, nodding curtly and walking off in the direction of his assigned cameras.
"Good luck, grey eyes." Wanda said, ruffling Trystan's hair and running off with a grin.
"You too." Trystan said, in amusement, pushing his hair off his face.
Okay. Time to find some cameras.
The air was cool, and the sun had began to set. Trystan had found about six cameras, holding them with effort. This was where the last one was supposed to be. He squinted. And there - across the field - was a metal glint. He crept closer, heart pounding, until he saw it.
Black as night, slim, hidden in a tree trunk. A camera lens rotated with a soft whir, scanning the valley.
Trystan took a step back. His breath caught.
Suddenly, flashes of memory overwhelmed him - wires, computers, rooms filled with observation screens. He saw his reflection in glass, standing beside a woman with cold eyes, blond hair and a clipboard.
“You’re hesitating, Trystan. If you don’t believe in the mission... perhaps you’d be more useful inside the valley.”
Trystan gasped, sitting up. He'd passed out again, clenching his jaw at the dull pain in his head. He walked over to the tree, and yanked out the camera right through it, wires sparking. He looked at in distaste, holding it with the others and heading to the Eye. It was the large tree where he'd first met Jay.
Kal and Wanda were already there, and Ronin was out gathering the villagers. Slowly, the people started to pool in, looking distraught and annoyed. Trystan took a deep breath, standing up on one of the ginormous roots so he could everyone. They stood in the center of the valley. Over one hundred people, wide-eyed and frightened, facing a large heap of weapons Kal had piled up in front of the tree.
Okay. Trystan took a deep breath.
Step one.
"Valley! Listen up!" He yelled. "We've brought you here tonight to tell you something that will change your life. Something that will blow everything you've know right off the face of the Earth. Change is scary, it's different, it's hard to accept, but I need you to stand and listen now."
"Look around you. Have you ever noticed anything odd? Things glitching, reality slipping? Have you ever stopped to think? Have you ever thought.. 'Why?' Do you not question why we're stuck behind this wall?" Trystan's voice rang out through the night air. Nobody made a sound.
"This is simulation." He said, voice shaky. "This is an experiment. They took our lives, our memories, our freedom. The memories in your head aren't your own. The Lucid Foundation took them. Have you ever felt like something is.. missing? That empty space inside that makes you feel.. hollow. You've wondered, I know you have. Now, you know why."
"There's no way out, but through there. So, help us break down the wall. Break the unbreakable rule. Please. Stand with me, with us, and we'll take down the simulation. We can't do this without you."
"Who's with us? Who's ready to get your lives back?" Ronin bellowed, standing up on the root beside Trystan, a unnaturally large gun slung across his shoulder. Nobody moved a muscle.
Kal grabbed all the cameras the group had collected, throwing them at the feet of the people.
"Do you see these?" She shouted. "They've been watching us! Testing us, observing our every move. We all had lives outside of this godforsaken place. Maybe you were someone's daughter, someone's son, someone's sister, someone's brother. Mother, father, nephew, niece, grandparents. All that was taken from you. They took you from your homes and your lives and made you forget all you hold dear. You're subjects in some sick experiment, and we're giving you an opportunity. Stand with us and fight!"
Jay stepped forward, picking up a gun. She grinned at Trystan, who returned it with relief.
"Valley! Let's get our lives back! Let's break this shit apart!" Jay yelled, raising her gun, and the people yelled with her, whistling and screaming.
It was an outpour of anger and confusion and determination and relief and so, so many emotions. But the people would help, that much was clear. They stepped forward, picking up guns of all shapes and sizes, multiple grenades, torches, hundreds of small bombs.
As they faced the wall, for the first time since he'd met him, Trystan saw Ronin smile. "Not bad, Ivanov. Not bad at all." Ronin laughed, slapping him on the shoulder, and Trystan returned it with equal mirth. "We're really getting out of here."
Time for Step 2.
"On my command!" Wanda yelled. "3, 2, 1!"
The wall exploded, coming down with a scream of wires, concrete, and metal.
Dust clouded the night. As it settled, Trystan blinked through the haze. Silence fell, and then everybody gasped.
It looked nothing like the Valley. Nothing at all.
There were no forests, no wildflowers, no wood cabins and pine trees and small animals and colorful fish.
Only black buildings.
Towering metal structures.
Satellite dishes.
Blinking lights.
Cameras. So many cameras.
At the center stood the biggest building of them all. Unlike the others, it was warm ivory, with stained glass doors and large glass windows. And, right in front of them, stood dozens of suited personnel with foreign looking guns. Almost.. futuristic.
A woman stepped forward.
Blue eyes. Pale skin. Blond hair. Steel-grey hair in a braid. Black lab coat.
Trystan staggered, another wave of memories hitting him. He.. remembered.
"You." He said, voice hoarse.
She smiled, though it wasn't friendly. Not by a long shot.
"We've been expecting you. Welcome home, Trystan."
React
