It's fucking dark.
All around me, there is nothing but an inky blackness that seems to swallow everything. Where am I even?
My mind feels foggy like I'm trying to remember a dream that's slipping away.
I was in my room, wasn't I?
Reading something... But what was it?
The harder I try to grasp at the memory, the faster it seems to fade.
"Ugh,"
I groan, frustrated.
"Nevermind. I can't remember."
The darkness is oppressive, pressing in on me from all sides. I can't see my hand in front of my face; I can't tell if my eyes are open or closed. It's disorienting, like floating in a vast space.
Suddenly, something catches my attention. A faint glimmer in the distance? No, it's moving and coming closer.
"What's that?" I mutter to myself, squinting into the Void.
The glimmer grows brighter and more defined. It's not just light; it's an object. Flying. Towards me.
My heart starts to race as I realize how fast it's moving. It's like a comet, trailing light behind it as it hurtles through the darkness. And it's aimed right at me.
"OH FUCK, It's fast,"
panic creeping into my voice.
"It's gonna hit me!"
Self-preservation kicks in. I have to move. I need to get out of its path. But as I try to run, to dodge, to do anything, I realize with growing horror that I can't move a muscle.
"Agh! I can't move!"
The flying object is incredibly close now, filling my vision with its radiance. Time seems to slow down as I watch it approach, helpless to do anything.
"It's going to hit me," I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut and bracing for impact.
In that moment, everything changes. A flash of light so bright it sears through my closed eyelids envelops me. It's not just light—it's energy, raw and powerful, coursing through every fiber of my being.
"AGHHHHHHHHH!"
my voice lost in the roar of energy surrounding me.
"IT HURTS! STOOOP!"
The pain is indescribable. It feels like I'm being torn apart and put back together, cell by cell. Every nerve ending is on fire, every thought consumed by the agony.
And then, as suddenly as it began, it's over. The light, the pain, the darkness—all of it vanishes in an instant. I feel a sensation of falling, of being pulled in a thousand directions at once, and then...
Nothing.
I'm no longer in that dark, empty void. I'm... somewhere else.
Consciousness returns slowly as if dragging myself out of quicksand. The first thing I notice is the pain—a dull, throbbing ache that seems to encompass my entire body. Then, sensation. I'm lying on something hard and uncomfortable.
"Ughh," my voice hoarse and unfamiliar to my ears.
"My head..."
I clutch at my temples, trying to ease the pounding headache. Slowly, cautiously, I open my eyes.
Gone is the all-encompassing darkness. Instead, I find myself in a dimly lit room. As my eyes adjust, details start to come into focus. And what I see makes me wish for the darkness again.
"Where am I?" pushing myself up to a sitting position.
"Wasn't I in that dark place a few moments ago?"
This time, though, I'm not bewildered or confused. Well, not entirely. Something in the back of my mind tells me that this isn't normal, that something strange is happening.
I don't remember who I am or how I got here, but one thing is crystal clear: I don't belong in this world.
As I stand up on shaky legs, I take in my surroundings.
"What a mess,"
I say, wrinkling my nose in disgust.
The room I'm in is a disaster zone. Trash bags are piled everywhere, some split open with their contents spilling out onto the floor. Half-eaten food containers litter every surface, giving off a smell that makes my stomach churn.
I put my hand to my nose, trying to block out the stench. It's hard to breathe, the air thick with the odor of rotting food, and who knows what else?
Carefully, I pick my way through the mess, looking for... something. Anything that might give me a clue about where I am or how I got here.
As I look around a particularly large pile of garbage, something on a nearby table catches my eye. It's a small, rectangular piece of plastic.
An ID card?
I reach out and grab it, wiping off a layer of grime to read what's printed on its surface.
Name: Aidan Geraldine Age: 16 Academy: Nerissa Academy
"Aidan Geraldine?" staring at the unfamiliar name.
"Is that... me?"
The face on the ID card looks back at me—a young man with messy black hair and red eyes. Is that what I look like? I wish there was a mirror in this little room so I could check.
I turn the card over in my hands, looking for more information.
The back is blank except for a strange symbol—a stylized eye surrounded by what looks like flames.
"Nerissa Academy," I mutter, trying to jog my memory. The name doesn't ring any bells, but it must be important if it's on this ID card.
As I contemplate the mystery of my apparent identity, a wave of dizziness washes over me. I stumble, catching myself on the edge of the table. The room spins around me, and for a moment, I see a flash of that dark void again.
In the void there seems to be a mirror.
A mirror? why is there a mirror in that place?
in the mirror I see a person resembling that on the ID card, black hair, bloodshot red eyes standing on a podium in a great hall. Is that me, I ask myself.
When my vision clears, I'm back in the messy room, but something's changed. There's a... presence. I can't see anything, but I can feel it. Like someone's watching me.
"Hello?" I call out, my voice shaky. "Is anyone there?"
No response. But the feeling persists. It's not necessarily threatening, but it's not comforting either. Just... there. Observing.
I shake my head, trying to clear it. Am I going crazy? First that dark place, now this filthy room, and now I'm imagining things?
"Get it together, Aidan," I tell myself, using the name on the ID card. It feels strange on my tongue, but I need something to call myself. "You need to figure out what's going on."
I take a deep breath, immediately regretting it as the stench of the room fills my nostrils.
Okay, first things first. I need to get out of this disgusting place and find some answers.
I spot a door on the far side of the room and make my way towards it, carefully stepping over and around the piles of trash.
As I reach for the knob, I hesitate. What's waiting for me on the other side? More strangeness? Danger?
But I can't stay in this room forever. Steeling myself, I turn the knob and push the door open.
Bright light floods in, momentarily blinding me. I raise a hand to shield my eyes, blinking rapidly as they adjust.
As my vision clears, I find myself looking out at...
A hallway.
A perfectly normal, clean hallway. The contrast to the filthy room behind me is jarring.
Pristine white walls stretch out in both directions, dotted with doors similar to the one I just opened. The floor is polished tile, reflecting the fluorescent lights overhead.
I step out, half-expecting alarms to go off or for someone to shout at me. But the hallway remains quiet and empty.
Looking back, I'm shocked to see that the door I just came through looks just like all the others. There's no sign of the mess that lies beyond it. If I hadn't just walked out of that room, I'd never believe it existed.
"What is this place?"
I wonder aloud, my voice echoing slightly in the empty corridor.
The ID card feels heavy in my hand. Nerissa Academy, it said. Is this it? Am I in some kind of school?
As I stand there, trying to make sense of my situation, I hear footsteps approaching from around a corner. My heart races. Should I run? Hide? But where?
Before I can decide, a figure rounds the corner. It's a girl, probably around my age, with long black hair and striking blue eyes.
She's wearing what looks like a school uniform—a crisp white shirt, a klein blue blazer, and a white pleated skirt.
She stops when she sees me, her eyes widening in surprise. For a long moment, we just stare at each other.
Finally, she breaks the silence.
"Your name is Aidan, right? What are you doing out here? The ceremony is about to start!"