After arriving in a new town with his mother and sister, 18-year-old Daniel finds a mysterious corridor under his new house, and beyond it, a mysterious old man who traps him on the other side. There, Daniel finds another dimension filled with nothi...
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Daniel entered the bright white room. In comparison to what he saw in the tunnel, it was refreshing. His eyes hurt a little from the overwhelming light, but it was worth it. The light came through the open windows. Endless patches of grass were behind them, and the wind blowing through waved the see-through curtains. Only then did Daniel notice what was in the room. Lots of sanitary equipment. Shelves filled with medicine and many strange bottles with their purpose hidden behind names Daniel couldn't understand. On the left side of the room stood a bed, with a woman lying on it. It was Daniel's mom. She was lying there and looking at him as if she saw a ghost. Daniel's heart started pounding. He didn't know what to do. Turning around he saw Raven standing in the tunnel waiting for him. He understood why she wanted to stop him. Daniel wanted to leave, he wasn't ready for that meeting, but at the same time, he knew he might not get another chance. With all the willpower he had, he turned around and walked toward his mother. As he got close he could see she was smiling, yet her face looked weak. Four more years of pure age, and four long years of mental torment. It took a toll on her and Daniel could see it right away.
-I don't know if I'm seeing you because it's my time, or if you are real. - she said. -You didn't change at all. That's maybe because it really is my time - she said. Her voice was weak, yet in peace with what was about to happen.
-Mom. - Daniel broke into tears, kneeling beside the bed she lay on. - I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you and Maisie alone! I didn't! - the emotions flowed through his words like a waterfall. They were quick, abruptly hitting his Mom with reassurance.
-I always blamed myself for your disappearance. I wasn't the best mum, I wasn't treating you the way I should from time to time, but I'm glad to hear that you didn't leave because of that. It keeps me calm. - she gazed over the window as the sun shined bright.
-I want you to do the same. Keep calm about me. It is not your fault that I've been through so much. It is me who couldn't handle your absence, after all.
-Mom... - Daniel looked into her eyes as the image of her with the whole room around them turned into golden dust and flew into the air, disappearing completely. Daniel was again in the dark tunnel, tears still in his eyes. Raven was standing behind him, silent. When he noticed that, he quickly stood up brushing away his eyes.
-You said, you could only guess where we are. That sounds like you know something.
Raven stood in front of him, holding the wound on her head.
-It might be something that the Prophet called Point Zero.
-Point Zero? - Daniel asked, remembering as he read this name in the journal.
-He told me about it once, describing it as a reality that functions like a blank canvas. When he first entered the corridor, that must have been the world he saw, before turning it into a wasteland.
-So he could control it?
-You seem to be able to do that too. - Daniel looked at her confused.
-Well, I didn't create that white room.
-I feel like I didn't do that either. I wasn't thinking about it.
-It's not always about conscious thoughts, Daniel. Sometimes the things that are really deep inside our minds are the ones that choose to appear.
-Sounds like you're talking from experience. - Daniel said in a noisy voice.
-Shut up. Let's just keep going. - she brushed him off and turned around.
Silence surrounded them as suddenly a wave of wind broke out from one end of the tunnel. A faint light highlighted a being that started coming at them. Its body wasn't solid. It was made of a translucent mass of darkness, light, shadow.
Hatred. Daniel could feel it standing a great distance away from it. Before he knew it the darkness zapped towards them and surrounded him and Raven. It was overlapping again and again with everything that surrounded him and Maisie. They stood up, trying to do something to escape their imminent fate, when suddenly from the swirling mist of emotions came a silhouette of the prophet himself. He rushed at Maisie like a hunter attacking his prey. It was brutal and fierce. Like he was following an instinct that also made him miss the presence of Daniel at all.
-You traitor! - The Prophet screamed at Maisie, throwing her at the wall. - After everything I've built. Everything I have sacrificed for you.
-I... I... - she couldn't speak. The emotions The Prophet felt were running through her like electricity. It was hurting. She was slowly being crushed by the sheer mass of his hatred and anger.
-Leave her alone! - Daniel screamed, and to it, the prophet turned his head around.
-You... - he mumbled in a growly voice. He turned to the Raven again. - You help out our enemies, now. - He zipped towards Daniel momentarily, grabbing him by the neck and lifting him into the air. He could snap his neck. End it at this exact moment. End his own suffering.
No. He couldn't do that. He knew that. In that moment of doubt, Daniel saw a window he needed to use. He saw the prophet wasn't blinking like before. Daniel raised his hand and with one swift and powerful blow bashed the hammer he had in his hand into the prophet's skull. The prophet let Daniel go and looked back at him. Pain in his eyes. Blood rushed down his forehand. He was hiding his face as he took all the mist of emotions that surrounded them and fused it into the wound. There was no swirling mass around them now, but the prophet started phasing out of reality again. Trying to fix his wound he rushed down the tunnel, taking all his hatred inward.
Daniel rushed towards Maisie.
-Are you alright? - he asked in worry, but she wasn't responding.
-I... I... - repeating the same thing over and over again. Her gaze was clueless, skin pale. Eyes drawing in blue tears.
Daniel helped her stand up, she could do that. He marched with his sister leaning on his shoulder in the direction the prophet took.
He needed the answers. He needed to get out. That was all he thought was left to do.
END OF CHAPTER
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