The existence of God has always intrigued me. Ever since I was a child, I would gaze at the stars and wonder if there was a divine creator behind them. I would read books and watch documentaries about different religions and philosophies, trying to find answers to my questions.
But none of them satisfied me. They all seemed to be based on faith, tradition, or authority, rather than evidence, logic, or reason. I wanted more than that. I wanted to know the truth for myself.
But now, a glimmer of hope sparked in my chest. Could this be the opportunity I had been waiting for? A chance to discover the truth about God and the universe?
Kazu, out.
◇
I have never been in a coma before.
However, this must be what it feels like to be at death's door.
My eyes flutter open, and a strange place greets me. It is a forest, but not just any forest. It is the same forest that I know so well. Tall trees tower over me, fresh and fragrant air fills my lungs, and soft and warm light caresses my skin.
Meanwhile, a man sits on a huge rock nearby. He wears a kimono and a katana, and his hair is tied in a topknot. He looks like a samurai from a long-gone era. His face is calm and serene, as if he is waiting for something.
Or someone.
Leaves drift down slowly, as if time wants to freeze this moment.
My heart skips a beat as I look at him. He has the same face and features as my father.
Strange and inexplicable things happen to me one after another, leaving me no time to think or process them at all.
"Who are you?" I ask him, hoping for an answer.
I feel a surge of confusion and bewilderment.
He keeps staring at me with an intense gaze. He does not budge an inch. He seems to be brooding about something or deep in thought, making me feel very uncomfortable and creeped out.
"Is he here to take my soul and bring me to heaven?" I wonder, feeling scared and curious.
As if!
Dad is still alive and well, living his best life.
"Hey, who are you?" I yell at him. "Why are you here? What do you want from me?"
No response.
I frantically wave my hands in front of his face, hoping to get his attention.
Nothing.
I snap my fingers near his ears, trying to make some noise.
Still nothing.
I give up on verbal communication and resort to other methods. I dance around him, making silly faces and gestures. I sing a song that I learned in school, hoping that he would recognize it or join in.
He doesn't react at all.
What about mathematics? This is supposed to be a universal language, right? A language that can transcend any barriers or differences.
I look around for something to write with. I spot a stick on the ground and pick it up. I use it to draw some symbols on the dirt, hoping that he understands them.
I write 1 + 1 = 2
He glances at it, then looks away.
Does it work? Does he understand? Is it too simple?
He surprises me with an amazing feat. He conjures a bright ball of light between his palms. Inside the ball, there is some kind of geometric pattern, like a hologram or a projection.
There is a symbol on it. I have never seen that kind of symbol before; can I read it or decipher it?
"u r a piece of s-h-i-t?"
Great. I can't read it or understand it at all. It looks like gibberish to me.
Maybe I should draw a triangle on the ground? Maybe that would be more clear and universal?
He seems to be finished with what he is doing. The ball of light shrinks, turning into a red stone. It has a strange symbol on it, like a seal or a mark. He motions for me to come closer and take it.
When I touch the stone, it goes into my body. It sends a tingling sensation through my body… It is a weird and unsettling feeling.
◇
We talk for a long time, using the red stone as a kind of translator. The red stone merges with me, allowing me to understand his words and thoughts.
However, his questions come at me like bullets, one after another.
Shouldn't I be the one asking questions? I want to know what is going on and why I am here.
He asks me about my life, especially on Earth.
I feel shocked and confused. Is he an alien?
Sometimes he asks weird questions that could be considered red flags. What the hell, man!
◇
I feel a surge of irritation and annoyance. Hours have passed. He just keeps talking and talking. I crave a break. I long for some space. I need some answers!
◇
I lose my patience and snap at him angrily. "Enough! I have some questions too. You never stop asking, are you crazy? Have you ever heard of the saying 'Give and Take'? Do you see these fingers? Do you want me to stick them in your nose?" I show him my two fingers, which are trembling with anger.
"Oh, crap!" I gasp, feeling a chill run down my spine. I crossed the line. This guy can do strange voodoo, and I start to feel anxious and regret my words.
Survival should be my priority, right?
The silence is killing me. Should I apologize?
Before I can say anything, he beats me to it. "Right," he says, forcing a smile. His eyes are cold. "Sorry, I've been so absorbed that I've ignored your situation. I'm too interested in what you're saying."
He gestures for me to sit down. "You can ask me anything now. Go ahead."
At last!
I blurt out without thinking. "What is this place? Where am I and why do you look like my Dad?"
"Welcome to Draft Space," he says. "This is…"
I tune out his words as he tries to explain the technicalities of this place. It sounds like gibberish to me. He says something about this place being able to make whatever I imagine possible, maybe like a virtual world on Earth that is shaped by our thoughts and creativity. Here, we can create and interact with anything we want, from animals and plants to buildings and magic.
I rub my temples as I try to keep up with his explanations, but they only make me more dizzy. He spouts out words like divergence, resonance, and space layering. How did he come up with the name Drop Shit? Wrong translation? Apparently, the translator works mainly through emotional immersion.
He claims to have pulled me into this space, and because I am mended with the elements he untangled me. That might explain why I felt shit.
The place is a lush green forest, filled with towering trees, fragrant flowers, and chirping birds. The air is fresh and cool, and the sunlight filters through the leaves. He looks eerily like someone I know - my dad. He says it's to calm me down and prevent me from panicking. Or to be more precise, as I was given access to this space, I dreamed about my dad's hobby. And when I woke up, voila!
I shrug. Dude, after what I experienced so far, nothing can surprise me anymore. Or so I think.
But, is this even real? Maybe a dream within a dream? I don't know.
Anyway, he claims to be a world-creator. A maker of realms for souls to explore and experience. How is that possible?
A lot of what he says is hard to understand. Is he then a God?
"From your perspective, I might seem like a God," he says. "But I am not."
Is he being modest or honest?
He says that a word like God might be what I think of if I am in my universe. This is getting absurd. Does he mean this is not my universe? Where the hell am I then?
He says that different rules apply in different universes. Things are getting more and more complicated. How many universes are there? How did I travel between them?
He answers many of my questions, but not all. I am still puzzled in the end. Is he hiding something from me?
◇
He fires one question after another at me, and I answer on impulse, without pausing to reflect. I also throw in some queries of my own now and then, but his speech is still difficult to grasp, and I frequently ask him to explain or restate what he means.
I take a breath.
Are you saying that all the things I went through were real?
◇
Finally, he reveals the truth. The Octave is the only one who can truly help me. He sounds like the master of this whole operation. So be it. Let's go meet your boss!
He waves his hand dismissively, as if I'm no longer important. His eyes sparkle with excitement, like a child eager to play with his new toy.
I feel a surge of frustration.
◇
Woahh…
A tunnel of swirling colors and patterns surrounds me, resembling a portal to another dimension. Curiosity and wonder fill me as I travel through it.
Are these galaxies? Clusters of stars and planets appear in the distance, shining with different hues and shapes. They are so beautiful and majestic that I want to explore them all, but I know I have to keep moving.
Look, a black hole! A dark spot in the tunnel catches my eye, as if it's a hole in the fabric of space and time, sucking everything in its vicinity. A chill runs down my spine as I realize how close I am to it. I hope it won't swallow me up.
So many stars. More and more celestial bodies dazzle me along the way, like jewels in the sky, sparkling and dazzling. I stretch my arm wide while still drifting inside the tunnel. I even try to glide and spin, feeling free and happy.
Swoosh! Swimming maneuver… I pretend to be a fish in the water, gliding and spinning. It is fun and exhilarating, but also a bit silly. I laugh at myself for being so childish.
What is that?! A whale? In space? A huge creature glides past the tunnel, unlike any whale I have ever seen. It has wings and scales, and it radiates a soft light. It looks at me with kind eyes, as if it knows me.
The scene is so spectacular and wonderful that it leaves me speechless. I witness things that I can only dream of or see in science fiction movies. But this is real, or at least it feels real.
A bright light shines at the end of the tunnel. I slow down and emerge into a different kind of space, all white. Well, not white; it just seems that way because of a huge white ball that glows like a star. Its light is gentle and soothing.
Without me thinking of anything, words form in my mind.
"You have been lost; brace yourself for the journey ahead."
◇
"Hahh!"
I gasp as I wake up on a bed.
A dream? No, this can't be my room; the ceiling is tent-shaped. Am I in a hospital? An IV tube is attached to my hand. But why a tent, outside?
Damn it! I thought it was over already! Or maybe that was the dream and this is the reality. I quickly touch my body everywhere. I even pinch my cheeks and they sting, but being there also burned at some point, so I can't use it to gauge my state.
I see several injured patients in other beds. I am not alone in this tent. Some of them have lost their arms or legs. This is horrifying.
Why am I here? Has there been an earthquake or something?
"Nurse? Hello!" I yell. There is no staff. What is going on in this place?
Without the patients, I would think this hospital is deserted. Have they left the patients behind when they evacuated?
Every patient is sound asleep.
I remove my IV and go outside to check the area.
As soon as I step out of the tent, a blast of hot air hits my face. It feels like a furnace outside. The sun is scorching and there is no shade anywhere. I squint my eyes and look around.
I see a scene of chaos and destruction. There are burnt cars, collapsed buildings, and smoke everywhere. It looks like a war zone, but I don't see any soldiers or weapons. It is eerily quiet, except for the occasional sound of sirens or explosions.
Fuck me! I curse out loud. What the hell is happening?
I look around me and see nothing but ruin and devastation. Has this been the result of a nuclear attack? A terrorist strike? A natural disaster? I have no clue.
Is this the apocalypse?
I see buildings that are shattered beyond repair as if they have been hit by a powerful earthquake. But that doesn't explain why some of them are completely gone, without any trace of debris. How is that even possible?
I notice some newspapers lying on the cracked road. I pick one up and read the headline. It makes me freeze in shock.
The headline says: "The End Is Here. Repent Now." I quickly scan the rest of the newspaper to find out more. But I see some words that make no sense at all.
"A mysterious being attacked different parts of the world." That is the main article. There are photos of giant creatures that look like animals but are taller than skyscrapers. There are also photos of humans who have strange abilities, like flying or shooting fire from their hands. Is this 2053? Is this the future, 20 years after I had left?
What has happened to Earth while I was gone?
But I will not find an answer to that question anymore.
Because suddenly…
Aaahh!!
Something sharp pierces my chest. A spearhead? I feel an intense wave of pain that makes me gasp for air. But it is useless. I can't breathe. I can't move. I…
I die.
Tell me… this… is also… not… real, right? Ughh…