THE WORLD OUTSIDE

The day of the field trip had finally arrived.

It would be a lie if I said that I wasn’t excited for this day to come. I was always fascinated about experiencing the sea. Considering the fact that it was very difficult for anyone to cross the barrier and visit the outside world, it was only a mere wish. You needed permission and a valid reason for that.

It would have been great if I could get some sea vibes through one of those MT chips. But, what could I expect from my very useful grandpa.

I scanned the bus. It was a beast of a vehicle, aptly named the Golden Rifle. It was an automated bus, manufactured and owned by our own school. Not only it could autopilot itself, but also it had plenty of interesting features. At least, that’s what I heard. Its sleek, bullet-shaped body gleamed under the morning sun, with golden metallic plating etched with intricate designs that seemed to shift and glow.

The buzz of chatter filled the bus as I slumped into my seat, groaning under the weight of my field trip bag. Vir sat beside me, his legs bouncing nervously like he was auditioning for some percussionist role.

“Garp…” Vir whispered, leaning close, “What if something happens to the oxygen outside the barrier? I don’t want to suffocate out there!”

I sighed and leaned back. “Relax, we’ve got oxygen masks for that.”

Vir visibly sagged with relief, only for me to casually add, “And even if they don’t work, we’ve got oxygen cylinders as backup.”

His eyes bulged. “Wait—why would the masks not work?!”

I shrugged. “I mean, you never know. A sudden malfunction, or maybe sand clogs the filters. That stuff’s everywhere outside the barrier. You are a science guy. You should know it.” Of course I didn’t knew what sand clogs meant. I just made this term out of the blue to scare him. After all, the poor guy still thought I was the science club vice president.

He started gripping his seat like it might fly out of the bus. “Sand? Malfunction? What kind of death trap are we heading into?!”

Across the aisle, Ms. Lorn turned her sharp gaze toward us. “Garp, stop scaring him.” Her voice was clipped, the kind that could quiet an entire classroom in an instant.

“But I’m just preparing him for worst-case scenarios,” I said with a mock-innocent grin.

Ms. Lorn sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Vir, calm down. The oxygen masks are tested rigorously. You’ll be fine. And Garp, behave yourself.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, though I didn’t bother suppressing the smirk.

As soon as her attention shifted back to the other teachers, Vir turned to me again, whispering, “Garp, do you think the drones would notice if someone, you know, stopped breathing or got lost outside?”

I patted his shoulder. “Probably.”

“Probably?!” His voice cracked, drawing a few stifled giggles from the students nearby.

“Relax, man. The bus itself is airtight. Even if all else fails, you’d only pass out for a few seconds before the system kicked in and started pumping air back in.”

Vir looked ready to faint. “Pass out?! Seconds?!”

“Vir, if you don’t want to pass out, maybe stop hyperventilating,” I said. “I think you’re using up your oxygen reserves right now.”

“I’m going to die before we even reach the barrier,” he muttered, sinking into his seat and pulling his knees up to his chest like a kid.

Golden Rifle chose this moment to chime in, its voice was smooth and playful. “Relax, kiddo. No one’s dying on my watch. My sensors are top-notch, better than the old junk drones that used to patrol these roads back in the day.”

“See? Even the bus says you’ll be fine,” I said, laughing.

Vir glared at me, though he didn’t look particularly reassured.

Golden Rifle continued, now addressing Ms. Lorn. “Miss Lorn, you’re looking particularly stunning today. I must say, your strict demeanor only enhances your allure.”

“Shut it, Rifle,” Ms. Lorn snapped.

“Oh, come on,” the bus teased, “you’ve got to admire my honesty. Most buses wouldn’t dare speak their minds like I do.”

The students burst into laughter, and even the other teachers tried to suppress grins. Ms. Lorn, however, looked like she was ready to unplug the bus entirely.

“Focus on driving,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Of course, my dear. Anything for you,” Golden Rifle replied smoothly.

The students were in stitches, and even I cracked a grin. The Golden Rifle wasn’t just a mode of transport. It was a performer.

As we started moving, holograms of little dancing figures popped up along the aisle, entertaining the students with silly jokes and trivia. “Did you know,” the bus said, “the Solaris Coast has more glowworms per square mile than any other place on the planet? Shining brighter than my chances with Ms. Lorn!”

Vir seemed momentarily distracted, his knee bouncing less violently. “This bus has too much personality,” he muttered.

“Better than yours,” I said, smirking.

“That’s mean”

I shrug my shoulders and my eyes landed on a rather interesting sight. Mirai and Meiroko were sitting beside each other. Yep, it must have been an accident. But I couldn’t help but crack a smirk think what kind of interaction they might have considering the fact that one is narcissist and the other is an addict. But they didn’t seem to be talking to each other at all. What a shame.

As the Golden Rifle glided through New Gold City, I took a moment to admire the view outside. Towering spires of shimmering gold reached into the sky, their surfaces reflecting the sun like colossal mirrors. Everything here gleamed as if dipped in liquid gold.

Centuries ago, massive deposits of a mineral called Aurilium were discovered beneath the city. Unlike regular gold, Aurilium emitted a faint, golden glow, even in darkness. It became the backbone of the city’s economy, powering everything from its lights to its hovercrafts. Over time, the city adopted the glow as its identity, transforming into the radiant metropolis we now called home.

It was beautiful. It was blinding. And it was hiding more than it let on.

“Everyone, masks on!” Ms. Lorn’s voice cut through the chatter as we neared the barrier.

I pressed the button on my chest harness, and with a soft hiss, the oxygen mask deployed. It wasn’t just a mask. It was a sleek, helmet-like device that enveloped my head in a transparent dome. Blue circuits traced the edges, displaying my oxygen levels and environmental stats.

The bus itself sealed up, a shimmering energy shield wrapping around it like a bubble. The windows darkened slightly to protect us from the harsh sunlight outside.

With a low hum, the Golden Rifle passed through the barrier, and took off into the air.

Nothing but endless dunes of shimmering golden sand stretched as far as the eye could see. The heat was palpable, even through the bus’s protective shield.

As we gained altitude, I noticed movement below. I could see people who were barely clothed, their skeletal frames glinting in the sunlight. They were crawling across the sand while searching something with their hands digging the endless sand feverishly.

“Ms. Lorn,” I asked, unable to tear my eyes away, “what are they doing?”

“They’re searching for Lumorite Crystals,” she said, her tone unusually heavy. “They’re the key to our city’s glow. Without them, New Gold City would plunge into darkness.”

I also saw a few cube shaped drones with four long legs standing tall around them. They are very few but their size was huge, almost made the size of those people like a small pebble.

“Why are they the ones doing it?”

She sighed. “They’re the unfortunate ones, consisting of orphans, criminals, the poor. The drones you see, are here to monitor their work. Every person here has to collect at least twenty Lumorite Crystals per day. If they do that, then those drones would give them one nutritional capsule and a small pouch of water. And those who fail to do that…” Her voice hardened.

I looked back at the scene below. A lot of skeletons were laying under the scorching heat. And their numbers seemed greater than the living.

Fights broke out over crystals, desperate hands clawing at one another. Some didn’t move at all, their bodies blending with the skeletal remains scattered across the dunes.

“It’s survival of the fittest,” Ms. Lorn said quietly. “A harsh truth, but truth nonetheless.”

I wanted to say something, to protest the injustice, but what could I say? The world was what it was.

After a while, the bus landed with a gentle thud on the Solaris Coast’s pad.

“Welcome to paradise!” the Golden Rifle announced cheerfully.

I stepped off and froze.

The Solaris Coast was breathtaking. The sea stretched endlessly, its waters shimmering with bioluminescent hues of blue and green. The beach was no ordinary sand, it glowed faintly, casting an ethereal light. Massive machines stood in the shallows, extracting seawater and purifying it for the city.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the air, and the salty breeze carried a hint of something metallic.

“Wow,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the symphony of the sea.

For a moment, the world’s harshness faded, replaced by pure, unfiltered beauty.

CHAPTER 14 END