L.E.A.P.: Alpha (Being rethought/done)

L.E.A.P.: Alpha Chapter Six ~ A Garden of Wonder

The rain patters serenely against the concrete, leaving small dark marks that seem to glitter as the light refracts off of them. It is more of a heavy mist than a rainfall, adding to the tropical feel of the small path that winds through the grove of trees.

I take in deep breath after deep breath, happily taking in the fresh air. I can barely feel the rain that peacefully splashes onto my head, the small cooling sensation feeling like an entirely new discovery every time one makes it through my hair.

I can hear other people talking to each other, as we tramp through the small forest, and I assume that we are heading for the building that looms in the near distance, growing closer every step I take. From what I can see, it seems to be a depressing building, or depressing in contrast to the happiness I am feeling from finally being in the wonderful world of nature. There is absolutely no colour on the building, it is simply a grey stone structure. It is not specially designed in any way, simply a square mass of bricks piled up to make some sort of building. A few dark windows are visible against the grey backdrop, but not many.

The thick grove of trees we have been walking through disappears suddenly, and I hear a few people take deep breaths as we look around at the scenery. The path is now leading us through a beautiful flower garden. It is the only thing now between us and the building, and now that I am closer I can see some vines at the back snaking up the dull stone walls. The flowers appear to go on forever, to both the right and left, with what must be hundreds of different, magnificent, varieties. The vivid colours create a stunning setting, the rain dripping off of the petals and leaves adding to the beauty. A small stream winds through the garden, and as we pass over a miniature bridge I spot a school of multicoloured fish swimming by.

I stop for a moment to stare at a patch of flowers to my left, in awe of their majestic petals that flutter a little in the light breeze. A droplet of water runs down one vibrant red petal, falling to the ground silently. I'd look longer, but I feel some grab me by the arm and snap me out of my trance.

“No time to look,” says Adam. “But those flowers are beautiful.”

I nod in agreement, and continue walking while staring once more at the beautiful flowers only a pace away. There are flowers of easily every colour, a few daisies spotting a large patch of sunflowers. It is so beautiful that I have to fight against myself, to keep from stopping.

Adam, still walking beside me, snaps me once more out of my wonder. "Well, either this is an extremely elaborate trick to gain our trust, or I'm having the best dream of my life. No, make that a dream that cannot be compared to any other."

I take a look at him, a small drop of rain rolling off my nose and falling peacefully to the ground below. “Yes, though I doubt that this entire place is a dream. But, well, I just can't see these people doing all this,” I say while waving my arms in both directions, “just out of the kindness of their hearts.”

Adam melds his face into an expression of thought, and we delve once more into silence.

The building grows closer and closer every step, and it isn't long until we have passed through the garden and stand outside of the building. Now that we're closer, I can see how high the building really is. It seems to reach into the sky, a structure of stone that is clearly not natural.

The group slowly makes a semi-circle around the man, Malcolm Bennett. He stands formally in front of a steel door, facing us, and he clears his throat.

“Perhaps I should introduce myself once more. I am Malcolm Bennett, and I was chosen to bring you here, to the local meeting building of the corporation Malex. We at Malex have a very high policy of perfection, and helpfulness, and we work to make the world a better place. I am the department head of our recon unit. We heard that a rival was using illegal human testing, and thus we have rescued you from them.”