HUUFF...!
I opened my eyes in terror.
"Dear..?". A gentle older woman's voice appeared near my ear.
"What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?". She asked while embracing and caressing me as if to comfort her scared child.
'W..what? Who is she..? Why..are my hands so small and.. my hair! It's.. brown and there's a strand of blonde?!'. I stared intently at the sudden change and the woman next to me furrowed her brows out of concern.
"Honey..if something is bothering you, you can tell mama. Okay?". While patting my head.
'So.. she is my mother, i assume. But that's not the main point! I think i am in a car. A jeep to be exact.' I examine my front-view and the surroundings. Two men were in the front, i assume the man on the passenger seat is my father and on the driver's seat is the driver or some kind of tour guide?
I looked outside the windowless frames, a vast desert is seen. Grains of sand pulled up by the wind blew past me as i lean closer. A question arise within me. 'How did i GET here, how did i BECOME like this...?'.
URGH!
A splitting headache appeared.
Everything. It felt. Like. My head is getting split open. I could feel like my ■■■■■ is being pulled out.
Blood spilled out of my mouth. An amount enough to kill me. It was like a red lake was pooling out of me.
URK!
HUFF..HUUFF..
I breathed in and out, my hand on my forehead trying to ease the pain. "So painful..pain..i don't want this..". Like a kid, i looked for comfort, i looked at my guardian. My mother.
My teary-pained eyes widened.
"That's not my mother." I mumbled.
The surroundings, the desert became pitch black, the skies turned vibrant red. It felt like the car was flying on top of a void. On my left, my mother who was paying attention at the front, was now staring at me.
Her eyes. They. Watched me..intently. Her face was pitch black except the eyes.
For a split minute, everything was frozen.
Until, suddenly it all changed back to normal. She was now facing forward, but seeing me in a dazed and off way while gazing blankly at her was enough to make her ask me.
"Dear..is the ride. Making you uncomfortable?". She asked while hesitating.
I remained unresponsive. The shock was too..great. 'Why..is she asking so casually? Didn't i vomit a whole lake of blood?..'.
I gazed down, at my shirt, hands, the car's floor. The blood was all gone.
Cold sweat started pouring out of me.
"I will tell the driver to slow down a bit, okay.". Quickly, she told the driver and i felt the pace of the car slow down. I tried calming myself.
I feel strange. I feel like the me in this body is getting twisted and forced in this body. I feel like the body is..in a way trying to mix with me but paradoxically, repel me. The body is fighting against me along with something.
It..feels weird. I act like a kid but at the same time. I don't.
I try to act like myself.
I wipe the sweat pouring down. 'I feel exhausted from having a momentary asthma.'.
'What is going on..?' I asked myself while leaning against the windowless frame. I watched the sand get grinded by the tires of the car.
'....'
'Have i...been..transmigrated?!'. This conclusion i had while racking my brain felt strangely plausible.
The weird situation from before to now. It all made sense if i put it in a fantasy way. But..one thing.
Everything that happened now except the weird, creepy..unexplainable moment made me get a sense of familiar, deja-vu.
'I..i think i have...transmigrated into..■■■'.
'...'
'Why..'
'Is..it blurred, no..blurry? But..how can i..recall it?'.
'how can i...?'. I felt a jolt of pain strike through me. Bearable but it felt like when you stubbed your toe or stepping on a pointy object.
'Urghh..odd.'
'I..guess this is like..those electric punishment devices used in influencer videos..'.
'Is..recalling that like some taboo topic?'.
It made sense.
I felt relief wash over me. My curiousity has been satisfied, but now.. what?
As i turned my eyes to gaze at the environment infront of me, watching the two men talk and see my mother enjoy the ride, i relaxed a bit after everything that happened. 'Honestly..like hell.'
But that moment of me releasing my guard was the worst choice.
BOOM!
A loud sound invaded my ears. My ears became deaf. A splitting sound enveloped me. I widened my eyes. The sand flew up because of something.
My mother suddenly embraced me in that moment, i sensed her maternal senses panicking and preparing for the worst. My father infront panicked gazing at me and my mother. The tour guide panicked over the walkie-talkie that lost connection. And suddenly, everything was dark. My eyes shut tightly, sand going in my eyes.
But after that. I never opened my eyes again.
itwasdarkagain.DARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
DARKDARKDARKDARKDARK
All my senses, it felt like it was cut off like that moment. When i ■■■■.
=== It was like that for..i don't know how long. HOWLONGWASIT?HOWLONGWASIT?HOWLONGWASIT?HOWLONGWASIT?HOWLONGWASIT?HOWLONGWASIT?HOWLONGWASIT?
I think i.. am becoming mad. Insane? But.. i still think like me.?
WHY?WHY?
WHY?WHY?
WHY?WHY?
WHY?WHY?
WHY?WHY?
===== I felt something. In me. Throbbing. It was warm, but painful too. A gentle pain. Not like that pain. I feel like clutching my chest.
Suddenly, my senses came back to me.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The first thing i saw was the blinding yet flickering lone light. It looked old and worn out but still hanging on.
I tried to move my body, but it felt numb. The only thing i could move was my head.
I turned my head around to determine where i am.
The walls were teal yet they have since lost their vibrancy. I saw tall cobwebs in the corners. No windows to be seen. Then, as i looked to right, an empty steel-framed bed with a worn out white sheet is seen. 'Am i, in some worn out hospital near the countryside??'.
'Did i get sent to some nameless containment facility or prison from ■■■?'. Many speculative thoughts arose in my anxious head.
Slowly, i felt my senses come back to me.
I sat on the bed, albeit with some effort. Suddenly, i saw a standing mirror. 'Did i not see it because it was hidden within my blindspot?'.
I finally could see what i looked like now.
I saw a teen boy, about the age of 14. Short brown hair with streaks of blonde inbetween, yellow eyes with eye bags visible. Despite that, he looked very beautiful. Graceful.
'H..how lucky am i..'. My head quickly flashed the doorprize moment and now.
'Did some God approve, i am eligible for luck?! WOO!!'. That cheerful exaggerated thought helped take my mind off the..
"..."
"...."
"....."
'Where are they?'.
I looked around. Altough i had no attachment towards them, this body definitely does. My body staggered out the room. I felt the brightness of the moonlight that night. Outside the room were many corridors with lots of rooms all without doors or even any window just like mine, not even a single light bulb in the corridor only in the dim rooms with flickering lights. They all looked identical.
The eerie silence in the dark. It felt comforting, nostalgic but dangerous. I didn't try to move further, this time my body complied with me. My fear really wins.
Seeing the outside. I felt like i awoke from a slumber like sleeping beauty staggering here and there. heh'
I should..
Rest.
I will explore and find a way to satisfy this body.
====
As i slept. My consciousness started to fall into sleep.
Then.
I heard a noise.
The sound of someone coming in the room.
Their steps eerily quiet and soft.
I wanted to open my eyes at that moment. But my already drifting consciousness didn't let me.
====
The next day. My heavy eyes opened slowly. Before it could relax itself after the sleep, it widens in shock.
A figure looming over me. My body try to move, but due to it having just adjusted last night the numbness returns. I could only stare at them.
My eyes twitch. I can feel my eyes tense up as the figure gets near my face. Their breathing touching my eyes making them blink.
Infront of me, a teen boy approximately the same age as me smile. His smile felt genuinely impostrous. a short yellow korean fade, the pigment of his hair felt unnatural. But i can't complain, i think my hair too is unnatural.
I scrutinize his face. He looked handsome but not at a model's level, probably more than an average person. Suddenly he opened his mouth.
"Hey! yer my new roomie eh?'".
"...". The silence felt piercingly intense as i couldn't move my mouth.
"Ah..yer mouth can't speak..sorry bout' that!". He added cheerfully.
"Erm..lemme introduce myself! My name is Theo."
'Theo..?'.
Isn't he..■■■■'s friend? Did i fall into WhiteHalls.inc..?
Suddenly an iron smell invaded my nose. Blood fell to the side running to the worn out white sheets. I stared blankly at Theo.
Theo panics like a maniac and runs outside. Screaming for someone named Arietta or Miracle.
Then as he leaves like a madman screaming in each room. I gaze outside. It was like a total change. The vibrant unnatural soft pastel green grass, pale blue skies with picturesque clouds, and the sun shining over the sound of children playing outside.
Then the sound of people coming in and a female voice scolding Theo. "Theo! Don't panic! If you panic then your roommate might panic too and he might faint!". Then another female voice agreed and added, "Yeah! And don't scream to everyone! You know, me and Arietta will always sit at the picnic site talking with the others.".
Then i saw them, a slightly tall female with a soft beauty, and another who looked cute. The tall girl smiled softly and opened her mouth. "Excuse us! Sorry to interrupt you. Our dear friend and your roommate might've scared you with his screams trying to find us but don't worry. We assure you, that you will be fine!". She uttered in a tone to calm and comfort me.
I can see Theo sweating bullets because of a piercing gaze by who i assume is Miracle.
'Huh..pretty familiar figures here..'. I thought while Arietta helped move my body and rise my head so i won't bleed anymore. The nosebleed doesn't matter anymore to me unlike the incomparable pain. It was almost like that time.
She then suddenly reach out her hands toward me, followed by Miracle. My body felt light but my eyes weren't. I saw a dark cloud along with tentacle-like masses come out reaching to me and wrapping around my body. Squirming.
'Ugh...gross. I didn't expect her Card to be like that..sigh..'. I should've stopped my friend from writing their Cards.
'I wanna vomit...'.
Then suddenly. The black dirty mass retract back into the dark cloud. "Hmm..that should be it!". Exclaimed Arietta happily.
Theo looks relieved and guilt-free. The three of them looked at me gazing at my blank face before Arietta and Miracle stare at Theo.
"You..are you gatekeeping such a beauty from us..". Said Miracle interrogatively.
Theo becomes his usual scared kid look and shakes his head furiously fighting for his survival.
I laughed softly. Everyone in the room became silent staring at me with a look saying "W..wwhat?!" while i imagine their eyes in a goofy way.
I then tried to sit upright on the bed and gazed at them with my usual nonchalant blank expression. I coughed to clear up my voice, "You..really think i'm beautiful? Even with eyebags?". I said with my blank face that seemed to be able to intimidate.
The two females in the room go silent before Miracle responds, "Yeah you are! I think..you would fit to join the Modeling Club!".
I coughed even more. I thought they wouldn't.. even respond. Let alone a response like that!
'Unexpected Brutal Hit!'. I exclaimed in my inner heart while imagining me leaking blood from the mouth.
Arietta and Miracle look at me and their face suddenly looked like they got a lightbulb moment. "Ah..right! We always forget to introduce because of the situation. I am Arietta. No#19.".
After listening to Arietta's introduction, Miracle joins along. "My name is Miracle. No#03!". Exclaimed in a bright manner.
Theo coughs and introduces himself again, albeit properly. "I'm Theo! No#27. I will be yer roommate!".
"Now that yer able to move and talk now, mind introducing yerself? But.. for the number part.. you will be assigned one later, hihihhi!". He added mischievously.
I nodded and opened my mouth, "My name is Kang Yeo-." Before i could speak any further Theo forcefully closes my mouth with his hands and signaling me to be quiet. I look out. Something was about to descent.
"In Eden, we don't use our real names. Only names that feel like names." Explained Arietta.
Theo then let go of his hands once the thing had ascended. "How about we try that again?". He asked in a playful yet worrying tone.
I nodded.
'I forgot this was even a rule in the ■■■.'
"My name is Corwin."