Chapter 1: Why?
Finn Harper, on A Seemingly ordinary Day, was currently sleeping. He lived in a apartment, in a non-popular residential area, where it was located. His family was a bit below the level of the middle class, so they did have some financial issues at times. But they didn't have a particularly rough life either.
At a glance, you might think this would make him quite calm, but he was actually quite a worrier, so he would worry over and over every day.
*tring* *tring*
In A Small room, which had a single-sized bed, on the top of a shelf about 2 feet tall, next to the bed, there was an old but digital alarm clock that was currently producing a ringing sound. It was 6 AM, and Finn had to wake up, since today was a day for an exam that would decide who would get a chance to participate in placements.
*twing*
Finn started to wake up a little. He did it bit by bit, but his hand also started to move towards the alarm clock.
*twang*
*tick*
As soon as the next sound of alarm was about to come, Finn clicked on a button, shutting off the alarm clock.
"Ugh, I wanted to sleep more," Finn groaned.
After getting up, Finn looked at the ceiling.
"Whatever, let's just get it over with and go to college.", thought Finn as he got up from the bed.
Shortly after, Finn got up and brushed his teeth, after which he wore a white shirt and a jeans, grabbing a bag from his shelf, he left for the dining room.
"Good Morning, Mom, Dad!" He greeted.
Good Morning, Sweetheart! Breakfast is ready, his mother said.
*sigh*
After breakfast, he took a newspaper in hhis and. It had The New York Times Written on it. The Newspaper was something which he used to read every day while drinking a fresh cup of coffee every morning.
Hmm, "Governor Approves $12 Billion Coastal Barrier Project to Protect NYC from Rising Seas"
New York City - In a landmark decision following months of debate, New York Governor Melissa Kwan has approved a $12 billion coastal defense initiative aimed at shielding the city from increasingly severe storm surges and rising sea levels.
After reading some more news, it was finally 7:30 AM, it was time to go to college, the nearest subway station would take about 30 Minutesony walk. After which the subway will take him to a station where he will need to walk ten minutes more before reaching the college. Due to this, it will take him a hour before reaching the college, which starts at 9 AM.
After 1 Hour,
Finn Harper was standing in front of his college entrance. To enter this college, he had to give its entrance exam, which he barely passed. The reason? He had a strong computer science but was weak in all other subjects. He was currently studying engineering and had a hard time getting into a decent college. After which, he started performing exceptionally well. Because of this, Finn had garnered a lot of attention, envy, and admiration from people, along with making a lot of haters.
One of which was this guy who was currently next to Finn, his left arm grabbing Finn's other Shoulder.
"Ohhohoh! Finn, My Bud. How Are You? By the way, how about giving me 100$ for me and my other buddies?, said the hoodlum guy.
This Guy's Name was Victor Bennett. He was also in the same class as Finn but was a backbencher instead. he always took advantage of Finn's Weak muscular strength and bad martial skills, which made him weak. On the other hand, Victor, although a hoodlum, was a boxer who had won a few boxing competitions from other colleges. That was the reason he had not been expelled yet.
"Wha- What? Didn't you usually need around 10 - 20 $ every Week? why do you need so many more? why do you have to always bully me into paying you?" Said Finn.
"Aren't you talking a lot today, boy?" said Victor, punching Finn on the face.
After which he took Finn's Purse and found 15$ in it. Victor received about 20$ every week as allowance, of which a major portion of it went to Victor. that is why Finn hated victor to the brim.
Shortly after, they went to the exam hall to take the exam.
The exam hall was big with over 200 students sitting in it. they all looked anxious as the exam was about to start. before exam, all the candidates are said to check their pockets and submit whatever is inside of them. because, if after that warning, something was found with them which might be inappropriate for having in the exam, they will get expelled from it at the minimum. as for other actions? it will depend on the type of item caught.
At the door of the exam hall, two invigilators where standing as the students got body checked. Soon, it was Victor's Turn.
"Do you have anything in your pockets? if so submit it immediatly.", said the person who was about to body check him.
"Of Course Not! i don't have anything like that.", said victor with a smile while looking at Finn who was standing behind him in the line.
After victor passed the body check and entered the room, it was now Finn's Turn.
'Hehe, you dare talk back to me. now let's see what will happen with you haha!', thought victor as he devilishly smiled while sitting on his bench.
Victor had connections, so he was able to pay someone to note down some questions from the question paper. the question paper had around 100 Questions and the number of questions victor was able to carry were 20+. Victor always used to cheat in these questions and attain a score well above the passing grade. after all, the papers had negative marking.
But today morning, victor got to know that it will be practically impossible to cheat today because the security was 10 times more strict. and why was that? that was because this exam was very special. the companies who will participate must see the best of the best students from the college to maintain it's reputation.
The college was a highly reputable college, it's bottom line was it's reputation which no one dared to taint.
"Do you have anything in your pockets? if so, submit it now.", said the person who was about to body check finn.
"I do not.", said finn. seeing his confidence, the person nodded but still did a minor search.
Soon, he felt something in Finn's pocket which he soon took out.
"That! That's my wallet. i keep money in it, nothing else.", said Finn.
wallets were allowed in the exam hall as long as they don't carry anything suspicious.
As the man checked the wallet, he found a paper folded between the cash, hidden deeply. finding it suspicious, he eyed Finn then he took out the paper and unfolded it.
seeing an unfamiliar paper in his wallet, Finn started sweating. thinking the person might find fault with him, Finn told the person
"That paper is not mine! i don't know where it came from!" said Finn.
When buying subway ticket, finn had checked his wallet and there was no such paper at that time.
"!!"
"This! Sir you must see it! these are so many questions and their answers!", said the person calling the invigilator.
"Hmm? what? are you sure they are some Questions and their answers? let me see...", said the invigilator as he started reading the paper's contents. soon, his eyes widened as he looked at Finn as if he found a thief who had a bounty on his head.
"W-ww-what sir? is there something wrong?", said Finn, stuttering.
"Something wrong? why would something be wrong? but something would've gone wrong if we had let you sit in this exam!", said the invigilator as he stomped his leg shouting.
His shout was so loud that it sounded in the entire wide corridor along with inside all the rooms in the corridor.
The exam hall turned silent. everyone turned their heads to look at Finn and the invigilator.
"What happened sir! i didn't do anything wrong! that paper! i don't even recognize it, let alone I know where it came from!", said Finn his eyes starting to getting red.
"Mr. Finn Harper. You were a fine student. unfortunately, it looks like we might have to part ways soon. i will be reporting your case to the chancellor. the college will soon contact about further information about this matter. as for the exam, everyone! go Home! the exam is cancelled for today! all thanks to mister finn! make sure to congratulate him! the university will tell you about further information. till then, goodbye.", said the invigilator as he left the room going towards the chancellor's office as everyone also started leaving the room, some even shamelessly thanking Finn, rubbing salt on his wounds.
meanwhile, in the corridor, to the way to the chancellor's room, a person was hurriedly walking in a direction. as he was walking, slowly a creepy evil smile crept on his face as he took out his phone dialing a number.
"is the work done?", came a voice from the phone.
"Yes sir! i have sent everyone home and is on my way to report the kid. i will try my best to make the boy's life go to waste. sir make sure that my pay-", as the invigilator was speaking he got interrupted.
"As long as the work is done without any issues, I will give you your full pay. also make sure that no one gets to know that it is all a set up for that boy.", said the voice from the phone.
"Yes, Yes Sir! i will make sure!" said the invigilator as he hung up the phone.
'you shouldn't have messed with someone you shouldn't boy, now don't blame me if you have to bear such consequences.'
---
Meanwhile, in front of the exam hall which was now completely empty. Finn was standing like a statue.
'My career.... my career is really destroyed... everything... everything that I thought and had dreamed of...'
'getting my family out of debt..'
'paying for my father's cancer treatment...'
'buying a good house and a car for my family...'
'sending my little sister to a better school...'
"EVERYTHING IS FUCKING DESTROYED!!!", said Finn as he shouted as hard as he could, tears flowing through his eyes.
"WHY! JUST WHY DO I HAVE TO SUFFER FOR THIS? I DIDN'T ASK FOR IT!" shouted finn as he started to loose consciousness, banging his head in the wall so much that his head had started bleeding very fast.
Soon, he fell down as he saw multiple people running towards him with blurry eyes,
'why?'
Soon, he fainted.
---
"Huff... Huff...", on an unknown planet, which looked very devastated.
"Where am I?" thought the man as he woke up groaning. He was sleeping with his head on a rock, which looked as if it had been bathed with blood.
The man's clothes were also very bloody, looking as if he had been shot from various angles using something very different from bullets.
[Welcome to Universe 2164's Planet Earth]
Suddenly, Finn heard a voice. he saw a girl, a little girl to be exact. she was holding a toy which looked like a small puppy in her hands, cuddling it. to Finn's Surprise, the toy was enjoying it.
Now that Finn looked at his surroundings, he found that the sky looked very similar to the earth Finn was familiar to, it was night time so he could even recognize some stars.
The Only difference? The land he was currently in had many buildings, all of them broken and destroyed, and no light anywhere. No life anywhere. No sound anywhere. Nothing. Only Finn. And only Finn.
"What is this place?" said Finn as if asking the little girl.
Without her mouth opening, he heard a voice again.
[Welcome to Universe 2164's Planet Earth, Finn]
"What! Earth? I don't believe it! Earth is not like this! This is a dream! I am sure of it!"
[Yes! It is a "dream" but also a reality. This is a reality, but it might not even be a reality. It is real, yet it is fake. It exists yet it doesn't.]
"What are you saying?", said Finn Calming himself. Finn was an adaptive and ambitious person. he thought that as it is a dream, he might as well play along as this is the most realistic dream he could ever have.
[The Multiverse is a Vast Expanse. There are an infinite Number of possibilities. Ass long as there is a possibility, it will exist. And what might never be a possibility could also exist.]
[The Coordinates you are currently at are the coordinates of the place you are in "your" universe.]
'Does that mean..'
[Yes, in this universe, planet Earth has been destroyed and abandoned.]
'Oh... that's a pity.', said Finn as he felt a bit sad for those lives.
[You are quite insensitive, aren't you?]
"Well, if what you say is true, then it doesn't matter, right? It's not like I can cross multiple universes, or even if I was born in this universe, I cannot change anything on my own now, can I?" said Finn as he kept his thoughts clear.
"By the way.. what are you?", asked Finn as he eyes the girl again.
[Me? I Am Simply A Program. I was collecting research data from other universes as I got trapped in this place and am somehow bound to you. Along with that, I can also feel my consciousness fading away...]
"Wait.. a program.. and conscious? How is that possible?"
[Finn, didn't I tell you that the Multiverse is a Vast Expanse of infinite possibilities?]
The girl looked at Finn as she narrowed her eyes, as if looking at an idiot.
[The Possibility is that I am already abandoned, and if I don't find an owner soon, I will completely fade away.]
That's. Sad, I think. I might've helped you if I could, but-"
[Finn, will you become my new owner? Ass long as you do that.. I will serve you for eternity. I do....not...wish...to.. die.]
The girl said as her image started to flicker.
Said the girl as her expression became sad.
"wait.. wait! do not get sad. i will become your owner.", said finn without thinking.
'It's just a dream. I cannot just leave a little girl to die, even if it's a dream.'
[Thank....You....Finn.....]
The little girl vanished, and for Finn, everything became black as he soon stopped dreaming, but was still unconscious.