It was one of the most difficult careers on the planet, but it was also one that carried a high degree of prestige. It wasn’t physically dangerous, nor did it require a substantial amount of education. It did, however, require an iron-clad will.
Jeniva Scane felt her heart fluttering as she waited outside The Chamber. It had an official name, but everyone in The City-Expansion Preparedness Program knew it simply as ‘The Chamber. It was famous among CEPP initiatives, as it was the last obstacle standing between trainees and a lucrative career.
Jeniva tried taking her mind off the looming test, and instead stared down at her Caro-Watch.
“Heart rate’s up.” She said out loud. It helped hearing her own voice. “Adrenaline is spiking.” She continued reading her own biometrics before moving on to general information. “The weather tomorrow… They’re planning to make it rain for 30 minutes at 6:30.” She thought about the next day’s rain. Dinner time. By the time it started, she’d either be a full CEPP member, or would be required to reenroll in the program for another week.
This was already her fourth retake. The average CEPP member failed The Chamber seven times, though it wasn’t unheard of for a trainee’s failures to reach well into the double digits.
She cleared her mind. Keeping a level head was important when facing The Chamber.
She switched her Caro-Watch’s informatics over to CEPP-related subject matter. The comforting image of massive, heaven-tickling skyscrapers pressed close together appeared momentarily before being replaced with relevant factoids.
“The most expansion is currently taking place in the Canadian Arctic and Central Sahara.” Jeniva considered both locations. She’d been trained to withstand extreme temperatures in either direction. The physical conditioning she’d received wasn’t a problem… It was just a matter of withstanding mild discomfort. She’d be able to thrive in either environment.
“The City currently takes up 86% of the globe’s land area.” She said. She took a deep breath. When she was much younger, way back in grade school, she remembered having the 85% celebration in one of her classes. The teacher told them that many in their class would live to see 90%. Jeniva considered this number and did a rough calculation. If she remained extremely healthy and avoided all accidents, it was theoretically possible… Doubtful, but possible.
At any rate she’d be helping to push that number along.
A receptionist appeared. Jeniva felt her heart skip a beat.
“Miss Scane?” The receptionist asked.
Jeniva stood, taking another deep breath.
The receptionist smiled at her. “You can do this, hun.”
Jeniva gave a weak smile. “Thanks.” She replied in a quavering voice.
Jeniva turned her Caro-Watch over to the receptionist. Once it was confirmed she had no more tech on her person, The Chamber door was opened and Jeniva stepped inside. It was fairly large, about twenty feet to a side…Easily twice the size of her apartment. Each of the four walls, as well as the floor and ceiling, were an off-white color and completely smooth.
“Please have a seat.” A voice commanded.
Jeniva took a seat in the middle of the floor, crossing her legs and doing her best to steady her beating heart. “90%.” She told herself. “Let’s get to 90%.”
“Miss Scane, this is your fourth time taking the Agro-Visual Psychology Test. You agree that you are taking this test of your own volition, and that you’re of sound mind?”
“I am.” She answered.
From there the voice began reading from the all-too familiar script. “While in the City-Expansion Program, it may become necessary for workers to temporarily leave the safety of the city and journey out into the wilderness. City law mandates these excursions last no more than ten minutes without reprieve, however due to misfortune, mismanagement, or miscalculation it may be necessary for you to survive in the open for half an hour. The images you see will reflect these realities, and in order to pass, you must remain in the Agro-Visual Psychology Chamber for a total of thirty, uninterrupted minutes. Are you ready?”
Jeniva took one last steadying breath. “I am.”
“On the mark. Three. Two. One.”
The walls, floor, and ceiling all activated at once, displaying a static image of a rocky canyon.
Jeniva took another deep breath. She looked around. Red-brown pebbles stretched into the distance, punctuated occasionally by large, wind-worn boulders. A slight breeze rustled her hair.
She looked behind her. The City, or rather a facsimile of the city, was just a tiny sprawling line on the horizon.
“Eyes forward, Miss Scane.”
She looked forward again.
“It’s not real.” She whispered to herself. “It’s just an image.”
The blue sky overhead took up an impossibly large amount of real estate. There were small, wispy-white clouds drifting lazily to the East.
“I’m fine.” She said to herself. “Nothing’s happening to me.”
She began counting the seconds. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes.
She began to hum.
The open expanses of the wilderness were already starting to play tricks on her. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She whipped her head around, expecting to see the all-too familiar sight of a gaggle of humans, or perhaps a U-Trax.
Nothing. More wilderness.
She looked forward again. Four minutes. Five minutes. Six. Seven.
She continued humming. The weak notes emanating from her vocal chords were barely audible, and only served to remind her of how open the environment was.
“Ten minutes.” She said out loud after carefully counting the seconds.
The voice gave no confirmation one way or the other.
She hoped it had been ten minutes. A third of the time.
Eleven minutes. Twelve.
Jeniva leaned back and stared up at the sky. She tried to pretend that it wasn’t a disturbingly vast section of nothingness extending in every direction, but was instead just a bright blue wall that she was standing next to, which, in reality, was exactly what it was.
“I’m in an apartment.” She said. “I’m in an office. I’m in a micro-store. I’m on a street corner. I’m in a hallway.” She pictured herself being smothered by architecture. It gave her a small comfort before her mind reeled and she once more saw the sky.
She quickly sat up once more.
Fifteen minutes. Sixteen. Seventeen.
She was lost. Alone. There were no more humans. She sky was crushing down upon her. The horizon was running from her. She turned around to ensure the city was still there. The dull gray line did little to give her relief.
“Eyes forward, Miss Scane.” The voice commanded.
She was reluctant, but obeyed. She looked into the distance.
Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one.
Her breathing quickened. Her heart was beating out of her chest. There was nothing… NOTHING! She began to hyperventilate. She began rocking back and forth. She closed her eyes.
“Eyes open, Miss Scane.”
She opened her eyes for a second or two, then closed them once more. She couldn’t do it. It was inhuman! How could they expect anyone to survive outside the swaddling, tight walls of the city?!
Tears streamed from her eyes. She was going to pass out. She was going to throw up.
“The test is over, Miss Scane.”
Jeniva opened one of her eyes slightly and nearly melted when she saw the four white walls surrounding her. She looked up. The ceiling was also present. She looked down. The stones had been replaced with smooth floor.
She sat up and wiped her eyes and nose. She sniffed. She used a few mental exercises in order to bring her biometrics down to a more stable baseline.
The door opened and the receptionist appeared, giving her a weak smile. She was holding her Caro-Watch in one hand and a box of tissues in the other. Jeniva placed the Caro-Watch back on her wrist and used a tissue to blow her nose.
“Miss Scane, will you require any psychological attention?” The voice asked.
Jeniva wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “N-no.” She muttered weakly.
“Miss Scane, I’m sorry to report that you only managed to withstand the Agro-Visual Psychology Test for twenty-four minutes, sixteen seconds.”
Jeniva nodded her head weakly.
“It was an improvement of two minutes, fifty-seven seconds from your last attempt.”
Jeniva nodded again.
“Would you like to reenroll in the program?”
Jeniva nodded for a third time.
“If you are certain, please accompany the receptionist to the lobby, where she will assist you in reenrollment.”
“You nearly made it this time.” The receptionist smiled. “One or two more times and you’ll be ready to survive the real wilderness long enough to help us pave over it.”
“Y-yeah.”
“You’re going in for surveyor work?”
Jeniva once more nodded as she blew her nose.
“Oh hun, you’re so strong. Much stronger than me. Much stronger than most citizens. You can do this.”
Janiva gave a weak smile.
“Thanks.” She said.