The Plane

be just like each other if you were trapped between them.”

“I... guess? Okay, it's not a big stretch. Let's see the rest. A part of everything. Pass. All of nothing comes before me. Pass. Also, the way it's worded sounds like it's about grammar. If you were trapped... yeah. Yeah. You're right. It has to be it. It does fit better.”

Four out of four. Now all she had to do was to get ready for the next one. There couldn't be that many more. The challenge so far had already been difficult.

Cold closed her eyes, and tried not to think of anything.

“We're done.” A pause. “Fhew...”

“Did you submit?”

“Yeah, just now. It was the last one.”

Cold let out a breath.

“And you're sure that, if we had answered anything wrong, we would have died right away?”

“Yes.”

“And... you know all of this instinctively?”

“Yeah.”

For a few moments, neither of them said a word.

“Cold?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think we have been put into this place? Or could it... could this be the only world there is?”

“No.” A knot was forming in her throat as she allowed herself to fully realize the grimness of their situation, but at least she could truthfully give this answer. “There has to be another world. A world with several people living together. This place alone could not function.”

“Then why are we here? Do you think it is a punishment? Are we criminals? Could we... could we have murdered someone?”

“I don't think that's likely. Sure, it's possible, but there are a million other reasons why someone might do this to us. Don't assume the worst.”

“And... do you think we will ever get out of here? We have completed three challenges so far, but nothing has changed. Maybe completing them doesn't change whether or not we die, but just when we die. Maybe there'll just be challenges until we fail at one.”

“Maybe. Yeah.” Cold's lips quivered. “But we might also get out with the next challenge. And talking about this doesn't help us to progress.”

“I know, I know, I just... I just wanted to talk to you about it before I die.”

“Mhh.” Suddenly, every gulp Cold took was accompanied with short stitch of pain. “I know. I can understand that. But you can't give up hope.”

“I won't.”

“Okay.” Cold looked around, until she located the glimmer once more. “How's the puzzle coming along?”

“I'm not sure. I think