After hearing that Mr. Akiya had found the main road, I sat back and let out a sigh of relief. It looked like he wouldn't need me to guide him for much longer. He would be able to find his way to Shuijing himself.
And I was tired. I hadn't slept all day. And so I thought that it would be okay if I closed my eyes and rested for a while.
And I fell asleep, and dreamed.
I was back in town, and it was late; the stars were out. I didn't know what I was doing there, but it must've been something important. A letter was in my hand. And I heard someone call out my name.
"Darius? Darius, dear, is that you?"
I turned, and saw my mother standing at the other end of the sandy street. Her hair was messy from the wind, and her skin looked like it had been worn down by the sand.
"I'm here."
"I've been looking all over for you, son. Where have you been?"
"Just around town."
"Let's go home." She put her arm around me, and I shoved the letter into my pocket, and we began walking back. I hadn't realized that I was taller than her now…
She had kept dinner warm for me, and she sat across from me, watching me eat. It was tasteless, and covered with sand, but it was for me, so I ate it, and tried to pretend that she wasn't staring at me.
I finished, and brought my plate to the sink, turning on a small stream of water to cleanse it. Water was valuable…
"Where are you going now?" my mother asked, standing behind me.
"Oh, I thought I'd go out for a while."
"Be back soon," was all she said.
The door was left open behind me.
I went down the street, hands in my pockets, trying to ignore the caged sky above me. There was the playground which I used to play often when I was a child, so I went over and sat down on one of the swings, which was rusted with time. The street lamps glowed softly, and I took the opportunity to take out the crumpled letter from my pocket.
To Darius:
You seem like an intelligent being. So let me take this opportunity to tell you a couple of things.
First, look up.
And so I did. At first, there was nothing, but then something streaked across the sky, a light, and then was gone. I turned back to the letter.
After you read the following sentences, the street lamps will go out, so be cautious when you make your way home. Or you could stay where you are. It is probably for the best.
But anyway. I shouldn't waste anymore of your time. When you wake up hopefully you will still remember this.
The lights are going to go out soon, so I'll condense everything of importance into one sentence:
You will go outside soon, so come to Shuijing City for a visit.
I'm sure it'll be right up your alley.
But before I could read the sender's name, the street lamps went out, all at once, just like the letter said. I looked up, just in time to see another one of those streaks fly across the sky.
And that streak hit the side of the cage and exploded.
There were no more stars in the sky, only explosions, reflected in my eyes, like fireworks, all loud and bright and promising of freedom…
But gaining none.
It was only when there was an explosion that shook the whole cage and the ground beneath me when I woke up.
I covered my eyes with one arm, not wanting to see the darkness yet. What a wonderful dream…
A terrifying, wonderful dream.
The letter…
Shuijing…
I slowly opened my eyes, blinking, the haze of the monitors before me. Right…
And then I sat bolt upright. Mr. Akiya! What time was it? Where was he? Furiously I tapped the side of my headset, calling: "Mr. Akiya? Mr. Akiya! Where are you?"
A lot more interference than before. Then:
"I'm on the road."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Is it day?"
"It will be soon."
"Any trouble?"
"Just some heavy winds."
And he was silent, leaving me to ponder over the meaning of the dream.
I wasn't really the type to dream often, and if I did, it certainly wasn't as vividly. So this one, it had to mean something…
That letter wasn't something that my mind could have conjured up.
Was it someone trying to contact me from outside of the dream? If so, whom? And was it even possible?
It could have been possible long before, but as far as I knew, magic was long gone.
There were no more Magic Users.
But if what was written was true… Whoever it was, they had been right about the lights. So what if they were right about me going outside? What then? Would I have to go to Shuijing City?
First of all, the chances of me actually going outside was low. And second of all, why in the world would I want to go to Shuijing? That was a place populated by androids. I wanted nothing to do with that filthy crystal city.
Though, Mr. Akiya was going, and at this point, I had pretty much memorized the route there…
No. I didn't want to go. Not there. I remembered the face of my mother, soft and worn, and the taste of her food in my mouth. I was not going to leave her.
Though I hadn't visited in so long…
Upon more reflection, I realized that perhaps I didn't want to venture outside because I was afraid.
Afraid that everyone was already dead and gone.
And knowing this world, that was probably true.
Even though the cage prevented us from going outside, it protected us, shielding us from android attacks and explosions of war, keeping the oxygen within, helping us know where the boundaries were.
I had never left the cage. And now, I never even left this room.
I would only go to Shuijing if I was the only person left.
Some more hours passed, and I checked in with Mr. Akiya again a few more times, until near noon, when he was the first to speak.
"I'm here."
"What?"
"I'm at Shuijing."
"Already? Good for you…" A pause. Then, "What's it like?"
"Oh…there's a glass bubble around it. Two androids at the entrance. There's—" He was cut off by a few seconds of interference. And then there was silence.
"I guess this is goodbye, then." I tried to keep it professional. "Radio waves don't reach inside."
"Yes…" Mr. Akiya was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Thank you, Darius."
"Hey, no problem." Any more words and I wouldn't be able to speak.
"It's been nice talking to you. Thank you for bringing me here."
"My pleasure. It was nice talking to you too."
"Well…I guess I should be going now."
"Yeah…I guess I'll see you around, if I ever go to Shuijing."
"Sure." There was a smile in his voice. "It would be nice to finally see you."
Yeah, I would like to see myself too. But I wasn't going to Shuijing, and he wasn't…
No.
I mustn't think that.
"Well, then…shall I hang up? Or…?"
"I'll do it." And then there was just crackling. So swift, so sudden, to avoid any more words to this unnecessary goodbye.
And inside, I felt more alone than ever.
Why did it have to be so soon?
And now I was going to be all alone again…
But I smiled to myself in the dark, because honestly, wasn't that what I deserved?
A life stuck in darkness.