It was a cold winter night in New York City, snow slowly drifting down from the sky onto the streets below. Sitting on his couch Mason Decker stared out the frosted windows drink in hand. How did I end up like this he thinks as he swallows the last dregs of the drink from his glass. No matter how much he drank, he never felt anymore alive. He hadn't felt much of anything for the past 3 years since he was practically jailed in this stupid apartment, and that fucking cocksucker... It's better not to think about it to much.

  Mason let out a long sigh and walked to his kitchen where he went to pour himself another drink. He picks up a bottle of Scotch and tips it over his glass. Well, looks like the scotch is empty. Guess it's time to open the vodka. After filling his cup a little too generously, Mason walks out onto the balcony and looks up at the night sky, letting the snow fall on his face before letting out a long sigh. "I wish I could compete in anything, just one more time. I would even take Pickleball at this point" he whispers into the gloomy void around him.

  Turning away from the sky, Mason sets his drink on the table beside him and steps over to the balcony. He stares at the street 131 floors away from him, observing the throngs of people wandering around the maze like streets below. The cars shining like stars, traffic backed up as far as the eye can see. At least I don't have to drive anymore, I always hated those metal death-boxes, made me feel so confined. Although I guess I'm pretty confined right now huh.

  After observing the ground so far beneath him, Mason grips the cold metal railing of his balcony, slightly wet from the falling snow and slowly pulls himself over the side until he is dangling over the edge, his left foot and left arm the only things stopping him from falling into the abyss below. This had become a ritual for mason over the past months, whenever things got really bad he would dangle himself over the edge of his balcony, hoping that he would feel self preservation. However, as with all his previous attempts, he felt nothing; He did not feel any fear when he thought of letting go, he wasn't nervous when he looked down and saw the ground over a thousand feet away. No he felt nothing, absolutely nothing.

  Something is definitely wrong with me, Mason thinks and shakes his head. But right before Mason was about to pull himself back onto the balcony, he felt something. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. "That" feeling, the one he had felt countless times before he was trapped here in this glass cage. The one he felt the first time he got into a fight when the odds were against him, the one he had when he was fighting against the previous world boxing champ for the title, and the first time he almost died. Before he could figure out what was causing this feeling, the answer was brought in front of him.

  [System integration initializing...]

  [System integration complete. Planet analysis complete:

  Magic Levels: low

  Maximum Base Stats: low

  Skill Acceptance: moderate-high

  Dao Understanding: low

  Overall Rating: E-grade

  ]

  [Attention! All sentient lifeforms on planet R-381904 also known as "Earth" will be transported to the White Room in 30 minutes. Please evacuate all buildings before the end of this timer. The safety of those still inside when the timer ends cannot be guaranteed.]

  Mason stares forward, reading and re-reading the blue boxes that opened in front of him "What the fuck are these. I really must be going crazy" Mason says, chuckling to himself. Despite that his heart is thumping as the adrenaline pumps through him like it always does before a big match. The feeling won't go away no matter how much he tries to tell himself this isn't real and he must be going crazy.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  He flips himself over the railing as fast as he can and runs into his living room before turning on the TV. Every channel, every broadcast, It's all talking about these blue boxes and this "System". People are already talking online bout how it's a conspiracy and the government implanted chips in our brains so they can show us advertisements all the time. Other people are talking about how this is gods punishment to the sinners.

  Mason turns off the TV before slumping on the couch and starts laughing to himself. "What the fuck is happening" he mumbles. "Wait, shit, what about Sophie and Ben!" Mason shoots up form the couch and grabs his telephone before dialing his sister Sophie's number. "Hello, you've reached Sophie's voicemail, please fuck off and don't leave a message" Mason quickly hangs up the phone "figures she wouldn't pick up at a time like this" he starts dialing his brother's number. "Come on Ben, pick up the phone" Mason states anxiously while pacing back and forth. *click* "Mason, are you ok?" Ben asks nervously. "Yeah, I'm fine Ben, have you heard from Sophie? She won't pick up her phone." Mason asks. "No, I haven't heard from her. Listen, I think we should all meet up in Chicago, I have some frie-" Suddenly the line cuts off. "Hello? Ben?" There is no response. "Shit." Mason slams down the phone and leans on the counter his head in his hands.

  [Attention! Due to unforeseen circumstances the timer is being reduced by 15 minutes. New time remaining 5 minutes.]

  "what!" mason shouts. "Fuck, I have to get out of here." Mason runs to his room and opens his closet before grabbing his emergency backpack. He always had one ready in case he decided to try and hide away in the woods. He runs out of his room and down the stairs before ripping open the door to his apartment and running into the hallway

  He practically flings himself down the hallway, other confused people still lingering in the hallway though most of them have evacuated. He finally makes it to the elevator before slamming his hand into the button repeatedly. But nothing happens, there is no response. He tries to turn on his phone but it won't turn on either. Fuck, electronics must not be working.

  [Warning! only 3 minutes left until transportation to the White Room, please evacuate all buildings now for your safety!]

  Mason stands still staring at the message in front of him. there is no way he can make it to the bottom floor and out of the building in 3 minutes using the stairs, even he isn't that fast. He starts pacing back and forth his mind racing at a mile a minute trying to figure something out. He closes his eyes before shooting them open a crazy smile splitting it's way across his face. "Fuck it" Then he starts racing back to his room. he sprints through the hallways like a madman, whizzing past people who are starting to panic and scream. He races up the stairs to the main area of his apartment before walking onto his balcony. he takes a second to catch his breath, all that running catching up to him even with the adrenaline helping him. He looks over onto the small table his glass of vodka still sitting there. I'm gonna need some help for this one. He chugs the remaining alcohol in the glass before throwing onto the ground, glass shattering everywhere.

  [Warning! only 1 minute left until transportation to the White Room, please evacuate all buildings now for your safety!]

  Mason takes a deep breath before walking towards the edge of his balcony and pulling himself over the edge like he has so many times before. The cold of the balcony feels like the chill of death this time, and looking down makes him feel queasy. A small smile splits across his face. "Well, I got what I wanted I guess." He says, his voice shaking.

  [Warning! only 10 seconds left until transportation to the White Room, please evacuate all buildings now for your safety!]

  Mason takes a deep breath in, then lets it all go. Gravity seems to halt for a second as he soaks in the moment of weightlessness. Then, it all comes crashing down. He can feel the wind blowing through his hair as he plummets down the 1550 feet to the streets below. His heart is pumping, he feels like he's about to walk on stage in the greatest show match of his life. He continues to fall, feeling much slower than he expected. Though eventually things start coming into view.

  [3]

  He can see the cars more clearly now, still stuck in traffic. Even falling through the sky he's still glad he's not in one of those things. Maybe I really am crazy.

  [2]

  He can see the people walking on the street and the people in the cars now, their faces. They can also see him, fear and confusion on their faces. Whether that's from the magical blue boxes appearing in front of them or the 230 pound man falling from the sky is unclear.

  [1]

  Finally, The ground is all Mason can see. He's inches away from the concrete, it whispers his oncoming demise. He imagines himself splashing all over the pavement. The news covering the suicide of Mason Decker. He imagines how he was just crazy, or how this was all just a dream. However, none of that happens. Right before he hits the ground there is a tugging sensation then all he can see is white.

  Welcome to the White Room sentient number 18,965,772, and welcome to the multiverse.