The two of us went to the hill after eating our lunch. Again, Arya was in her favorite white summer dress with a different design. I decided to go with a casual outdoor attire of plain shirt and short. Along the way, I explained to her what happened last night. Since Arya had fallen asleep, I just told her what the flying creature was. After hearing what the mystery was about, Arya started complaining that I should've woken her up like a child. It took quite an explanation before Arya finally calmed down.
With enthusiasm feeding both of us the energy that we need, we managed to reach the top of the hill for about an hour. As we inspect the surroundings, we found ourselves surrounded by nothing but tall grasses. At the very center of the top was an old big warehouse covered in rust.
"So, this is the last mystery. Let's go." I announced cheerfully. Finally, we will finish this adventure and clear all the mystery. Just thinking about that filled me with excitement like a child being given a gift.
"Yeah, this is really the last." Arya murmured. It was the same as last night. There's this subtle hint of loneliness in her tone.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Let's go!" Arya said in her usual cheerful voice like that sadness I felt just a second ago was an imagination.
We went towards the said warehouse. It was big enough for a plane to fit in comfortably. The outside frame of the said warehouse was filled with rust and vines climbing it, proudly displaying its age. Its pull-down gate was slightly open, enough for a person to crouch into. Even from afar, we can already smell a strangely familiar scent of oil and rust.
"Wait, didn't the mystery said that there should only be one to enter?" Arya reminded as we were about to enter the said warehouse.
"Ah, you're right."
"Would you mind if you let me enter first?" Arya pleaded in a soft voice as if she doesn't want me to find something out.
"Well, since this was your idea, sure. But if anything happens, be sure to call me, okay?" I said as I agree to Arya's proposal. But before Arya could even enter the warehouse, I called out to her. "Arya!"
"Hmm?"
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"You look kind of sad."
Upon hearing this, Arya paused for a while before gently smiling at me. "I'm okay. You have nothing to worry about."
"I see." I said as I watch Arya entering the warehouse.
I somehow felt like I should've stopped her. Seeing her lonely back like that, I felt like I shouldn't have agreed to her proposal. As if accompanying the sight of Arya's lonely back, it started to rain. I immediately opened my umbrella as I wait patiently for Arya.
The gentle rain didn't stop to pour as I wait outside. Oddly enough, despite the continuous pour, the smell of the supposed familiar soil wasn't there. As my breathing matched the slow drops of drizzle, my senses dulled. It felt like there was nothing in there except for the unceasing sound of those gentle rain droplets. Yes, it felt like I was in a dream. As my consciousness continues to match the rhythm of the only sound I was hearing, I was brought back to reality by a sweet call.
"Reve."
"Hey, did you found it? I didn't hear any music. What happened?"
"Yeah." Arya replied as she went outside the warehouse. After looking at me, Arya slowly presented the music box she was holding. "Reve, I'm sorry. I lied to you."
"What are you sa-"
As soon as I saw the box, my head started to ache. It's as if a lot of information started to bombard my brain. Several images flashed through my mind like several memories came slapping me on the face, I was taken aback. I dropped the umbrella as I hold my head with both of my hands.
"A-Arya?"
"I'm sorry..."
"A-Arya. Why am I seeing these things?"
"You have to remember, Reve."
Every single memory of the adventures of Arya and me has been intertwined with my older memories. Memories when I was a child crying in a police station, memories of me playing in a newly opened convenient store, memories of my childhood started to flow in my mind rapidly like a bursting dam. As if reality has finally started to open its doors for me to enter, things started to become clear.
"The-the first mystery... the time when we encountered a lost child. That lost child was actually me back then." I muttered as I catch my breath. My eyes were shaking and I was feeling a chill down my spine.
"Yeah."
"That was the time when I first met you. And you consoled me at that time."
"So, you started to remember."
"I was also the one who asked Mister George about being a gangster." My voice continued to crack.
"He was really shocked back then."
"The story of the manager at the convenient store. I was the one who kept on asking about that 'Taste of Heaven'."
"Mmm." Arya nodded in agreement.
"The fireflies. I was the one who waited for them to appear. I really wanted to surprise you with it."
"Mmm." Arya nodded again as she cries.
"Even the sea monster at the lake was also another one of my gimmicks to surprise you. I was the one who threw that card into the lake. Also, whenever we have a fight, we would reconcile by offering each other ice cream."
"You're right."
"And, the one who was afraid of the dark was actually me. I was also the one who invented the story of the dragon."
"You really are a scaredy cat."
"That pendant we found during the 6th mystery. That was supposed to be my gift to you."
"I know how much you loved that pendant."
"Arya? Why am I remembering this stuff?" I asked, this time, I was also in the verge of tears. As if waiting for its cue, the music box started to play. A sweet nostalgic melody filled my ears like a lullaby guiding me in my slumber. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind. "I was the one who made that mystery notebook?"
"Looks like, you have to go deeper into your memories." Arya said as she drew closer to me. Slowly, she touched my forehead with hers. The warmth I was supposed to feel as Arya's forehead touches mine was replaced may pain, like a zap of electricity.
And with that final gesture, like the key for a treasure box, the final piece of a puzzle had finally been placed. The final hint for this 10 yearlong riddle has finally been stated. This life of pure joy and ignorance will finally come to an end.
My memories of the final moment of my childhood's consciousness were flashed right in front of my eyes. It was our summer vacation that day ten years ago. We were 8 years old at that time. I really wanted to surprise Arya with a new adventure so I decided to go around the village to list all the mysteries I could find. I even asked Maya and Drew to help me find these mysteries. We went around the village to find anything interesting. With nothing but my childhood curiosity and two trustworthy comrades backing me up, I continued my search. After only finding very few mysteries, I decided to make my own. I threw a trading card at the lake. I dug a hole at our school storage room and hid my gift for Arya there. Still feeling that something was missing, I went to the hill. And that's when I discovered it, the abandoned warehouse. After walking around the warehouse, I step on something and suddenly a music started to play. I found myself scared. I was all alone in that warehouse. I started crying. To my surprise, Arya arrived. After consoling me, we decided to leave. But suddenly, the warehouse made a creaking sound. We were engulfed in darkness. My body was under a pile of debris. I tried to move but all I got was pain. And then, that's when it hit me: "Where is Arya?". As my consciousness fades, I desperately tried to find Arya. Everything went black after that.
"Arya... what was tha-" My words got caught in my throat. No, this isn't like the time where butterflies filled my stomach that I wasn't able to talk to Arya properly. I wasn't able to speak for the words I should utter were nowhere to be found. It felt like something or someone was strangling me.
"I'm sorry Reve, for lying to you."
"Arya, I-I…"
"I am not the Arya who's your childhood friend."
"N-no…"
"I'm sorry for tricking you all this time."
"W-?" As I spout gibberish words, Arya continued to apologize.
"I'm really sorry. But I'm sure this is for the best, right?"
"But -"
"You've been sleeping for 10 years now. It is time for you to wake up."
"No…"
"I can't hold unto you forever, after all. You don't belong here."
"Ary-"
"You still have a life ahead of you. You can still pursue your dreams."
"Sto..."
"You still have a lot of adventures to take."
"Don't-"
"You still have a future. You can still live."
"Wha-"
"Reve, this is good bye."
"Arya!" I shouted the only word I could muster to utter. As that name found its way out of my mouth, the feeling of being strangled also disappeared like the chain tightly wrapped around my neck started to loosen.
"Huh?"
"You can't just say good bye like that."
"It's useless now..."
"We still have a lot more adventures to take! No matter how crazy your ideas may be, I will always accompany you. So don't say that this is a good bye!"
"I'm telling you it is impo-"
"Don't you feel the same way?! Do you seriously think I would just accept that all these years with you is just my dream?"
"Of course, I-"
"Tell me how you feel, Arya?!"
"That's unfair." Arya muttered. "I'm just a fragment of your mind. Why are you making me feel like this?"
"Arya?"
"If you keep on thinking about me like that, then I'll…" Arya paused for a while. "Of course I love you. I want to spend more time with you. I don't want our adventure to end."
"Then-"
"But it is impossible! Do you think you are the only one who feels that way? I also want to continue my adventure with you! I also want to laugh with you, to argue with you, and to spend more time with you! But it is impossible!"
"Why do you keep on saying that it is impossible?"
"Because it is! How can a ghost from your past that is just made by your brain be able to do that?"
"We still don't know!"
"Why do you keep on insisting something that is impossible? Even I want to believe that a fictitious memory like me is also capable of loving, but I am telling you that such delusion won't come true!"
"I love you!" I shouted, leaving all logic and truth behind. "I still feel the same way. I do still want to marry you! I don't care if you are not the Arya I have met when I was a child. I don't care if you are a memory fabricated by my brain. I don't care if I'll just sleep forever, I don't care if I won't wake up anymore. I don't care if this becomes my reality! Heck, I didn't even understand any of that nor do I plan to understand them. For me, you are real!"
With that burst of emotion from me, Arya covered her face as she tries to stop her tears. After a while, she just gently smiled and calmly said, "Why don't we make a wish then?"
Without waiting for my reply, Arya went closer. She held both of my hands, and slowly kissed my forehead. A lovely and sweet kiss like a gentle rose petal brushing my skin. And yet, it felt bitter.
"What are you-" I asked in puzzlement, but I soon noticed the thing I was holding. "The music bo-"
What's the music box doing on my hand? Did Arya hand this to me? After realizing, I quickly looked at Arya.
"Reve, bye bye."
With that final word, the surrounding was filled with light orbs. The world that once was my reality started to crumble. I tried to reach for Arya but I ended up touching nothing as I see Arya disappears in front of me. I was left alone in that crumbling world, crying. I hate this. No matter how much I want to scream, no voice can be heard. I hate this. Slowly, my tears and cries stopped. I hate this. And before my consciousness completely fades, I heard a soft, gentle voice saying "I love you."
And as the 10 year long dream comes to an end, my reality finally started.