Estimate C

A light cry

Alarm blazed in the room and Percy rolled out of his bed in fear. As he gained senses, the alarm became quiet, in fact, it was only like a ring in the ear, but his sleep was so sound that it seemed like an explosion.

He noticed a food tray appearing and thought that his idea about the automated food delivery was right. Warden hadn't come to visit him and he felt his mood dampen by the thought. He opened the boxes and saw the same food as yesterday. He would much rather exchange it to have Warden, anyone here besides him. it's been merely a day and the thought of being alone grew only stronger.

After taking some pieces he put the tray back in the opening and.. stared out the front window. The corridor, the room felt all the same. He wasn't even sure if it was actually morning.

For a moment, he rested his head against the warm window. He felt as if it also had extreme cold in it, but it may have just been his increasing frustration. It finally got to the point where he just lashed out and smashed the cell entrance.

The door suddenly slid open as if from impact. Percy stepped back quickly and stopped breathing. The cell couldn't have just given out like that, could it? But the window had parted, he was free to roam outside so he poked his head to look around the empty space.

The area was unlit apart from the bridge and the walkway to his cell, that was extended. All of it was inviting Percy to come out and see what is to see around here. But he felt hesitation, a great fear to step out and be immediately punished for it. What if Warden is playing games or testing him? There was not a single reason he could come up with why, though. So the thought of balance between go and stay were at the boiling point and slipping towards going because the door was STILL NOT CLOSING! Percy started panicking. He grabbed the glass panels and started pulling them together, but the doorway remained open.

His room was filled with cool air with the same electric scent. He had already stepped out just to try and close the door, but all futile. Percy sat against the furthest wall, staring out the opening and contemplating the possible consequences.

The doors remained open.

Deep inhale, slow exhale. Percy stood up.

- Agh, what could be the harm, really? It's just... a really dark hallway.

He approached the exit one more time, took another deep breath and

stepped out.

He felt like taking a leap of faith, but he didn't land on a cushion. The walkway had small railings, but it was still possible to fall over.
Lime colored lights lit up the narrow ground below. He took one step at a time, breathing in and out as he moved forward.
It took him well over a minute to slowly walk from his cell to the main bridge. There, the ground was wider, but no less a frightening feeling.
He looked back at his cell, the doors were still open and the walkway extended. He could go back.

But should he? Now that he finally made it so far. Percy slowly reached down to the floor trying to feel the ground, as he touched it he started to kneel down and sat. He felt as if reaching a goal of lifetime. The stress in his veins, heart and every other part of his body was off the charts, but finally he could calm down.

That was until he heard that dame sliding noise and looking up he saw the doors to his cell closing, though barely as it was dark all around. He nearly froze, but managed gathered himself and rushed back to his cell, though far too late. The entrance was sealed and he was locked out. Percy started pounding on the door, yelling

- Let me in please! I'm sorry, i won't... I... p..please

Percy wasn't sure if asking to be let back in his cell made sense. But it certainly was safer than out of it. The walkway he was standing on now began to retract back in the main bridge away from the cell. Now, he was truly out and alone.

Both ends of the bridge were dark and he couldn't choose to walk neither, he was just too scared.

- Pull.. yourself together. Just pull...

Percy repeated to himself. He looked over his shoulders, left, then right, and decided that if he will be walking now, then he will be walking to the right.

He Stood up and started the walk. It was a much easier walk than on the walkway. The bridge was way wider and sturdier, but also longer. He couldn't see the end, all he could possibly do was walk, carefully put one step ahead the other. minutes passed and he was still just walking. his legs started to hurt. He hadn't been physically active for a while now and here was the toll. The journey seemed too much, but his brain could only concentrate on the road ahead, long since forgotten about his cell. Was he still not done? How much further must he walk?

It was getting sickening. All this time and he still hadn't reached the ex-

Percy felt a wall.

He started to grab around it and could make out an opening. Yes! he finally reached the exit of the long cell area. Now to just.. dammit another door and this one's closed. Maybe it will open like the other one. Percy looked all over it with his hands, but there was no way further. It was locked and he had no way to open it. For a moment an idea popped in his mind to go back. He didn't mind, he came all the way out here and for no reason, he might as well go back now.

That was his plan until he made one step back almost fell in the abyss. Now the bridge was gone. Percy managed to grab the railing and hold on. He got back on his feet and kneeling started to feel around the ground. He only had around square meter of space left, the rest vanished. He couldn't see any further, maybe the bridge was there and he just couldn't see it. But he couldn't risk jumping across an unknown distance.

yet again the only option was to wait. Percy felt his heart racing more and more as the thought of abandonment crawled back in his head and pushed him down completely on the little ground he had left.

He cried, he was hopeless and scared. Dangling on a tiny bit of deck over a dark, empty space. The time was not moving forward from his view. The darkness seemingly enveloped him from inside. He could barely hear his own cries as they were practically absorbed into the nothingness.

What vile trick is this? Why let him out and then leave there? Percy covered his face in his palms in hopes to make a small, safe environment. One where he could barely trust himself.

- I should have stayed in the cell. I should have *sniff*... shouldn't have.. why... why did I leave? *sniff*

As he drifted into soft madness he saw light. A very dim yellow green light. It was deep in the abyss. But as he took off his hands it disappear. It was clearly a figment of his mind.

He put on his palms again and wanted to cry, but the light was there again.

-What is thi..?

He couldn't finish muttering as he saw his hands glowing with that very same dim light.