In response to last week’s Sunday Photo Fiction prompt..

The SlipStream

“What’s the only thing you need to remember?” Ash kept pace with his leader, eyes pasted on the thick yellow line beneath his feet. He was trying not remember anything, least of all about what lay inches from his feet.

“Don’t black out.” He mumbled, without looking up. Don’t black out. At least he remembered one thing from giving up five years of his life to the academy.

“Don’t sound so excited, kid.” Blayne looked over at his new recruit.

Ash’s visor was pulled down over his face, shoulders bunched up over the small backpack- the life kit which would keep him going for at least three days- depending on where he landed. He wasn’t a talker, this one.

“Most people will never come close to dreaming about the things you’ll see. So cheer up.”  He leant over and jabbed a playful finger into him arm. Ash grabbed the jump bar to steady himself. His next words drowned by the scream of an alarm, as yellow light flooded the room.

“Here we go” Blayne pulled his visor down and stepped over the yellow line onto the gridded metal floor.  “Hold on tight kid. Got your pills?”

Ash nodded. He rolled his tongue over the tiny balls serum inserted into his teeth, as a countdown sequence started up somewhere in the room.

Here we go.  He gripped the bar tight as the floor dropped open beneath his feet, filling everything with a blinding white light. His hands were glued onto the bar as he hung suspended over the gateway to the multiverse.

Just close your eyes and jump. His heart was about to burst out of his body, as he fought the urge to run. He would have run, but if he let go now he’d end up in the void.

Blayne was signaling to him as a voice in his earpiece told him to go.

He ground his teeth, breaking the tiny pills which would keep him conscious during the ride, and let go.