"Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?"
As this voice echoed, myriads upon myriads of others began chanting. Filled with peace and joy, Arféiniel let herself cry.
"Do not weep..."
**
"Niel... everything is fine, don't cry."
Huh? Is that Mikha's voice? What's going on?
Arféiniel woke up, indeed crying, just like in her dream moments ago. But she was convinced it wasn't a dream. No, she was sure it was a memory!
She was still crying, and Mikhaïl was sitting by her bedside, looking worried.
"Mikha? What's going on? What are you doing here at my place?"
"We're not at your place, Niel. But before we talk, sit up and take your time to fully wake up. A lot has happened. We need to discuss everything calmly. You've only just woken up."
What Mikha was saying did nothing to reassure her. On the contrary, it made her more anxious. But she made an effort not to panic. She took the glass of water her friend handed her, glancing around the room. She quickly realized she had no idea where she was.
"Okay, listen to me carefully, Niel. What's the last thing you remember?"
"I passed out in my apartment."
"Alright... Between that moment and now, a month has passed."
She must be having hearing problems, she thought with a nervous laugh. A month? That's insane! How could she have been in bed for a whole month when she had no health issues?
"Hello? Earth to Niel! Did you hear what I said? It's been a month. You were in a deep sleep, and we couldn't wake you. The doctors concluded that you just needed time, since it wasn't a medical problem."
"No, that can't be. I didn't mishear you, did I? Okay, explain what happened."
"That morning, when you went back to your apartment, I was still worried about you. So, I decided to follow you. I arrived just as you screamed in pain. I broke down your door and found you unconscious on the floor. I immediately took you to the ER. After several tests, the doctors found nothing wrong. Since you weren't in danger and just asleep, I brought you back to my place."
"Okay... Thank God you were there. Thanks. But this isn't your place!"
"No, we're in French Polynesia, specifically on the island of Rurutu."
"WHAT? But... the FP closed its borders after gaining independence. No one's allowed in except residents."
"Exactly, and luckily, you're a resident. That morning, I came to get you because we had to leave immediately. Actually, I found your parents, Niel."
A lot of things had indeed happened. Between her collapse, this mysterious trip, and now… her parents? She could feel another headache coming on.
"Please, Mikha, be quick and as concise as possible. My head hurts! Okay, you found my parents, but I'm too exhausted to feel anything about that right now. Even if you did find my biological parents, that's not a reason to travel to the other side of the world."
"You're right. I wouldn't have made you leave in your current state, but we had no choice. It was the only way to keep you safe."
"What do you mean?"
"The world, Niel... it's gone mad."
As she heard those words, Arféiniel's demeanor completely changed. Her face hardened, her gaze sharp and focused.
"Explain," she demanded.
"The world has gone insane. All the world's powers have decided to wage war against each other. Every nation is brandishing its nuclear arsenal. There's no safe place left... except here, in Polynesia. Fortunately, the relative safety here is a well-kept secret. Otherwise, I don't know how long this country would last."
At this point, Arféiniel wasn't even following Mikha's words anymore. Her mind was racing. If all the world's powers were turning against each other, this was a sign of the beginning of the end—a sign of the Apocalypse.
"When was the state of alert declared?"
"Two weeks ago."
"Have there been any other major events? Natural disasters?"
"Not that I know of. Just this war frenzy that's swept the globe. It's like a plague of madness has descended upon the Earth. Oh, speaking of plagues, strange diseases have been reported in Eastern countries. In poorer nations, where famine already existed, more than half the population has fled. There's truly nothing left to eat or drink. Compared to the rest of the world, we're living in a small paradise."
"A small paradise, indeed. But not for long. The time has come."
"What are you talking about?"
After everything Mikha had just told her, she was certain of it: the end times were here. What scared her the most was how certain she felt, how she couldn't explain this truth, but she knew it. She was terrified. She didn't even realize she was curling up into herself, her eyes wide with fear.
"Stop, Niel! You're hurting yourself. Stop pulling out your hair, please. Talk to me, explain what's going on. I know something's wrong, but we can face it together. Trust me, and talk to me."
"You wouldn't understand, Mikha, you just can't..."
"Let me be the judge of that, okay?"
Knock, knock, knock. Someone tapped on the door. Frustrated at being interrupted, Mikha gently let go of Arféiniel, whom he had been holding in his arms to calm her down. Before leaving to open the door, he laid her back on the bed.
"Rest a bit more and try not to think about anything else," he commanded. He didn't leave her until she had fallen back asleep.
Certain that she wouldn't wake for a while, he stood up, kissed her forehead, and, with a deeply saddened look, murmured words that only the shadows could hear.