Soon My Friend

A few days later after the whole underwater episode, I was briefed on all the equipment on the land rover that we will take when we land on Mars. It was going to take at least weeks to learn all of the buttons, switches, and what to do in case something happens to it.

The day of the first test run seemed quite strange. Some of the workers I overheard talking were saying the tattooed man completed this course in a matter of days. But that can't be right.

I focused at the task at hand by going to the outside hills and jumping on the rover.

The entire place was marked as a course, and I would have to take it through various levels that were implemented in the hills.

First, it was an endless amount of steep mound that I would have to drive up and up. And all the way down. This tested my ability of getting the gears right in the rover and stopping when it was necessary.

Secondly, a straight stretch of land, only it had an absurdly amount of bumps. Randomly digged holes and boulders were placed all over this stretch of land. This was to test how well I could manage driving in such terrain and making the rover's suspension be used optimally.

Third and final course took place in the biggest part of the course. It combined both terrains from the previous levels and then some. Hills twice the size of that of the first course were cover in holes and boulders.

Measuring the distance between me and the end of the course, I knew I could do it. It just took meticulous driving and steering.

I started at the bottom of the hill where the tire meet the rocks. I revved the engine to give it a go, only to have the rover become stuck.

"Damn it!", I shouted out loud to myself.

I got out of the rover and thought of all the ways I could clear this.

I thought of backing up and hitting the hill full speed and maybe get a boost up. So I climbed onto the rover, backed up all the way, revved it, and hit the gas. I could hear the engine as I put my whole foot down on the gas pedal.

Feeling the dust from the tires kicking the dirt up, I anxiously anticipated for this to work, as I went faster and faster towards this hill. I was going at least thirty miles an hour and knew I could clear it.

I was about ten feet now from reaching the point where it was either make or break my idea. With much anticipation I reached the point where the hill started, then bam. The rover hit a huge hole that wasn't seen from when I was speeding towards the hill. The hole swallowed the tire, and the force of the tire falling into the hole catapulted me into the air.

I was launched from the rover about 15 feet in the air. Thank goodness for this suit otherwise I would've had really bad bruises.

Landing face first onto the gravel, I felt the suit absorbing the blow. I still felt the impact only not as severe.

"That's gonna leave a mark," I said as I dusted myself from the landing.

Running out of options, I became quite aggravated as I did when I was in the pool.

"I'm just going to have to resort to my powers, they helped me get this far. Might as well practice them."

I walked beside where the rover stopped. Took a deep breath and concentrated on the hill that stood before me.

The ground began to shake and rocks began to roll down the hill as I began to flatten this hill. I kept on concentrating on this hill only to make a small indent on it.

Realizing forcibly trying to flatten it won't work.

"But there has to be some sort of way," I told myself in frustration.

Sitting on the rover and having no other way of doing this, I closed my eyes and whispered.

"If you're out there, give me strength to do this."

Suddenly a dim light could be seen from my chest. It grew brighter and brighter and flickered faster and faster.

A voice surrounded me. I'm not sure where it was coming from, but I knew it was him.

"I will help you when the need arises my son. This will be the first of many times I will be in contact with you. When the light in your heart brightens, that means you temporarily gain access to powers only deemed to those with unimaginable skills."

His voice faded away, the light still bright and flickering. I got off the rover, concentrated once again. And now the hill violently started shaking as if the ground was to be split in two.

The hill now became more and more flattened as I concentrated more and more. I knew I could keep going, I didn't want to just flatten it a little. I wanted it to be completely flat.

With all my might I concentrated on this hill. More and more it became flattened until it had become flat as I wanted it to be.

"This is something that could come in handy," I said out loud to myself.

I got onto the rover and drove to the exit. The final stage of preparation was next.

The chamber of isolation was something I was not looking forward to at all.