The Foundation Zone: Extensions by Amber Millard (phonics readers txt) 📖

Chapter 1: The Accident

Marie Summers was out for a walk in James Island County park. The sun was bright, but there were clouds here and there. Marie was enjoying the air as well as the sights that surrounded her. After about an hour the clouds started to cover the sky more and more, unfortunately for Marie her car was sitting clear across the other side of the park. So she made an attempt to hurry back while staying on the path. The storm wasn’t too strong just yet but the clear thundering was an obvious warning. She looked passed the bushes and a few tree trunks to see if the lot where she parked her car was visible. It wasn’t for a few minutes until finally she saw it. Then as she cut through the light brush a dog caught her attention. A scruffy thing, it wagged its tail and barked which took her attention off the area long enough to not see a vehicle approaching. Thankfully the driver slowed and beeped his horn, calling her back to reality. For the time that she was lost Marie could have sworn she felt a slight tug in her chest. After the second set of beeps she looked back at the driver then again to the dog that disappeared. Marie quickly crossed the road into the rocky parking lot. The storm was growing stronger by the minute. The sky was overcast, but as soon as Marie came within twelve feet of her car she was struck by lightning.

She stood there looking at the body unaware of what just took place. Then when she focused on the face she became vexed because the face was hers and the body was hers. She stood there dazed and confused but before Marie could panic, she heard the pop of a string. Marie looked down to see three cords: silver, orange and white. All three were braided together but there were two identical braids: one braid attached to her while the other was attached to her body. Marie saw the cords head on her body had looked frayed, this frayed head is what was attached to the body as if it was glued on. The same frayed head was attached to her, when she turned around it glided against her movements as if it was trying to accommodate her. Marie tried to touch the cord but her hand went through it like a specter going through a wall. She could move any way she’d please and the cord would not interfere. Marie was amazed by this discovery, but she still wasn’t comforted by the sight of her body lying on the ground. Suddenly the orange cord attached to her body had three more smaller threads split apart. Then the orange cord attached to her mimicked the same action and Marie understood immediately what this meant: she is dying!

Beads of light began appearing out of nowhere. When they hit the ground, it produced a light ringing sound. Marie looked around confused but she started to understand when she finally looked up and saw that it was just rain pouring from the sky. It had a strange natural rhythm to it. The longer she kept her eyes off of herself the more she noticed her surroundings. There was light and sound emanating from the trees. The light wasn’t so bright but Marie could see it was like the outer shell of an aura for each one. There seemed to be a unifying color for all trees which was yellow but also a secondary aura color that depended on the tree’s condition. The sound coming from the trees differed by the type she was looking at. Oak trees gave off a subtle low hum while pine trees sounded a few pitches higher. It was amazing. The rain itself was beautiful, drop after drop of crystals casting multi-colored light. Marie looked up to see the gray sky dancing with billions of drops pouring or ready to fall to the ground. Those that remained in the clouds worked in harmony producing different colors, giving the gray sky a colorful iridescent look, but as soon as they broke off to fall each droplet twinkled on its own. Maries entire surrounding seemed to look brighter than usual.

Suddenly another pop from the cords called her back to attention. But the cords started settling back onto her and formed a tight grip on something lying in her chest. Marie started to feel hot and slightly hollow. Finally what emerged was a dimly lit gold orb, no bigger than a fastball. As the glow brightened she became attracted to it and touched the orb. All Marie remembered seeing was a bright light.

Saatswei’ell was horrified when he discovered he was calling in an extension carrying a live test subject! He assumed that when he had disconnected the cord from the main bunch and hooked it up to the converter that it was deceased.

“Dazed and confused” is what the console answered back on the monitor.

Saatswei’ell wasn’t about to accept this, it was a mistake.

“She couldn’t be alive, that bolt had enough power to fry her a hundred times over!” he blared but the console replied

“The hit did not last long enough to kill her, as of now the subjects life force is en route here while the body is en route to the nearest hospital.”

Saatswei’ell squealed “What?! She has to go back; all I have to do is…”  

The console quickly cut him off, “It’s too late Head Saatswei’ell the subject known as: Marie already passed through the foundation wall and will enter in less than one minute. On the bright side the council might view this in your favor.”

“What do you mean?” the exhausted Head asked.

“You practice on deceased beings, so your results will always be one sided, maybe this will broaden everyone’s perspective of the humans including yours. I’m sure they are curious to investigate a live subject. This can be an experiment within an experiment, see if you are able to deal with an outsider; make the first the contact, become friends, discuss future relations…” the console retorted.

“Well I suppose it’s better than, wait what future relations?”

“The relationship between your beings and theirs, it would be the first in a few millennia. Takzens and Humans are not so different from each other, just one species evolved before the other.”

“Yes however humans can become easily distracted, relying more on outside stimulation rather than focusing on the matter at hand.”

Another voice joined in siding with the console, “Were we so different friend? All we did in redeeming ourselves was actually taken heed to the warnings of our prophet, after the great battle. Thankfully we turned our energy not on each other but to the underlying issues.” Aaksaun entered into the chamber with a small cylindrical object and smiling.

“Just give this one a chance Saatswei’ell, you’ll never know. You may thank us one day.”

“I knew it; you both are plotting against me!” Saatswei’ell wailed. Aaksaun and the console sighed simultaneously.

Chapter 2: Leaving Home

Marie stood still as a statue under a hypnotic daze while watching her environment draw away from her like a memory. The colors and sounds of her surroundings were coming in crystal clear. She didn’t really pay attention to her departure at first but when Earth was looking more and more like a diminishing blue ball, reality settled in rather quickly.

“This isn’t supposed to be happening, is it?”

“I’m dreaming right?”

She couldn’t move her body, the most she could do was breathe and blink. Earth was looking beautiful from a distance, a rainbow of colors formed thin shells around the planet; some shells had bright patches that grew more prominent than others and the sound made by the planet was that of a high baritone. The moon was different; it had a faint white shell and barely produced any sound.

“I must be dead.” Marie thought confidently.

“But where am I going?”

What really caught her attention, after Earth disappeared rapidly was the sun. It was enormous compared to the Earth; the two main colors coming from it were white and red. Its sound was a sharp high ring; both the colors and the ringing were pushing Marie’s senses to the limit. Fortunately, the orb’s walls closed in to muffle both sound and sight. When the orb was moving back into the safe zone with its subject it opened its walls again. Suddenly Marie noticed she was leaving the galaxy very quickly! She noticed planets which varied in size and color, some sound more bass while others sounded more baritone and the stars were far sharper in sound as well as color. Marie seemed a little surprised to see her hand rising to touch the objects outside, but she couldn’t touch them because of the invisible shield between her and space.

“What’s going on?” Marie finally asked out loud.

“You’re being transported.” A voice blurted out of nowhere.

“Where?!” she asked caught by surprise

“Who are you and where are you taking me?!”

“Patience please, the Head will explain everything. In the meantime please enjoy the ride.”

“I’m not settling down until…” Marie’s rebellion was cut off by the sight of a distant galaxy. It made a great high hum and its colors both natural and aura like were beyond words. It was an elegant looking spiral galaxy. Off to the side was another of a different shape and it had a bright spot which grew brighter and brighter, then dimmed. The shell surrounding the bright spot was a great crimson circle. After the event the orb began exiting space at an exceedingly fast rate! Before she left the universe entirely Marie saw the great line leading to her galaxy, she noticed others had a great line attached to each as well. The orb slipped through the great bundle, made its way to the center, disconnected itself from its cord and floated freely upwards, afterward it bolted through the transporter that instantly took the orb to the grand main line atop a mysterious silver dome.

“Caes Saatswei’ell, nca hotxapn ceh evvufas.” Marie’s mind went blank hearing the foreign words.

“Please turn around and stand on the black plate.” Marie stared at the plate, she was unsure about leaving the orb.

“I promise you won’t feel a thing but you have now reached your new destination; you will be greeted by Takzen liason Saatswei’ell.”

“Does it speak English?” Marie asked with a nervous chuckle.

“He does, Saatswei’ell is very good at adapting to different languages and dialects. Some say this should have been his field of study.”

“So what should I call you?” Marie was curious to know the name of the unusually calm companion on her trip.

“My designation is Mcen; I’m Saatswei’ell’s A.I. companion.”

“What, really?!” As soon as she stepped onto the plate Marie was instantly transported to another room, much bigger than the orb but with a vibrant silver color to it.

“Marie has just stepped through, be sure to greet her kindly, you know the protocol and you’d better behave!” Aaksaun threatened as the three moved quickly to the chamber labeled Ring of Light