[NO LONGER UPDATED] AVEM → A Different World

Chapter 1: Lost in the Dark

Time: 10/09/2113 18:28

POV: Averyn_NEUTRAL

The streetlamps were flickering on and off as I dragged my legs past. Kicking off the scattered rocks that were blocking my way, I reached my fingers into my hoodie pocket, and took the key out. A rusty key without any special marks carved on it was, being so unremarkable and unattractive as I was.

No one cares about you anyway, a voice in my mind screamed, as though it was piercing the air like a real knife. And it's all your own fault. You were never fitting in, either. No wonder nobody likes you. All you care about is your drones and stuff.

I fit the key into the keyhole, and gave the old wooden door a hard push. It slowly creaked open, and a long flight of stairs took form in the dim, flashing light.

"Ugh. Still stairs to climb." I muttered, and clambered up the stairs. Finally, the door of my apartment showed up, and I pushed it open carefully so that it would not fall off.

I sat on the worn-out chair, settling my key on the desk and staring out of the window behind it. It wasn't a big window at all, and the old glass was going very unclear, but I could still see movement out of the building. A piece of yellowish light danced across my view, going in loops and loops. Another red light flashed on and off, and moved away in a hurried manner. Although I couldn't really see the people's faces or what they were doing in exact, I could sense a feeling of dread and fear radiating from every light, and every object I saw in front of me.

Just below the window, a small glint came to my eyes from the corner of the messy desk. It was one of my unfinished drone projects, labeled PROJECT 248 earlier on, but was left to waste in the corner because I thought it looked too strange to be really flying. It looked like a weird mesh of several triangles glued together, and a circle in the front which I first designed to be a light. It looked more like a ball of triangle boards than a drone that could actually fly.

I could not recall why I designed it in the first place, though. Giving that one a design was almost like an unreal dream. Like I knew how it looked in the first place...

Many strange things happened to me. I had a weird talent, many unclear memories from when I was really young, and a strange pendant on my neck since as far as I could remember.

A blue symbol which could glow like a nightlight after some charging under the sun.

I picked it out again and studied it. "The mysterious AW symbol", I had named it, because of the shape. I didn't know where it came from or whatever that meant, but taken its delicacy and beauty, I kept it fast around my neck and would polish it once in a while. I didn't show it to anyone else, neither the other students at school, nor anyone in this whole dull place. I was afraid that they might take my precious pendant away, or even just having the thought of it.

Blinking in the dim half-light, I suddenly felt very drowsy, as if something was dragging me down to oblivion, keeping me from being in the waking world. I made my way to the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

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I was walking down another dull, gray alleyway. I was mostly alone, with the occational strangers passing by, none of them I recognized. I didn't want to reveal myself to them, either; I wore a mask and left my hood on. I just wanted to pass through this dreadful place quickly.

It was just when I realized that I could never achieve that goal; the alleyway was indefinitely long, as I saw dark shadows of buildings stretching endlessly before me.

That was when I started to feel helpless. And cold, cold to the bone.

I told myself to give a pause but I couldn't. My legs seemed to have a mind of their own, they kept moving on and on, carrying me forward against my wishes.

The already cloudy sky turned darker as I moved, hinting the following time would be even harder to cope with.

That was when I heard... something. Out of this unnerving silence.

Singing.

Someone was singing.

Although the voice was distant and unclear, I could sense the deep sadness within it. It was a girl, perhaps just like me, singing from some distance from me.

"Where are you now?"

The voice sounded so beautiful, and it reminded me so much of myself, all the things that I have been through.

"Atlantis,

Under the sea."

With all of my strength, I ran towards the sound. Wind rushed by my sides, making me even colder, but I didn't care. All I wanted was to find the person who was singing the beautiful song.

Run, run, run. Don't stop until you reach her...

Don't stop...

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I blinked my eyes open, still weary from the dreadful dream. The piercing sound of sirens cut into the silent air as a beam of bright red light shone into the room.

So... that must've been what that woke me up from my sleep, I thought, annoyed and confused at the same time.

I was wandering around the room when loud knocks sounded on the door. My whole body tensed and I just froze in middle of the room, still as a statue. I didn't dare make another move. What if the person – or even people – meant harm to me? From the sound of their knocks, they didn't seem friendly. What if they wanted to...? Another knock landed violently on the door, this time more threatening, almost knocking the old, fragile door to pieces.

Panic surged inside my mind. Hide! Go hide! A voice inside my mind screamed. Hide before they knock the door open! I spun around to find places to hide. There was a small gap under the bed. I kicked my legs into the gap, followed by my arms, finally my head. Just enough space for me to fit in. Ialmost choked on the dusty air underneath the bed when a deafening crash sounded from the door.

A/N: Things are getting thrilling quickly! What will happen to Averyn next? Oh and may the potato be with you!! 🥔