Draeyer Academy (Rewrite)

Peek: The Outside is Scary

It was dark and tight. But it was also warm and cozy. Threads of light reached their hearts. One contained excitement, anticipation, and love, showing a big crimson figure with two large points. The other thread showed emotions of happiness, contentment, and love, containing an image of a big blue figure with small points. The two figures were so comforting...and safe.

Parents. Draes. The thought echoed in their minds. The figures were Draes, and so were they.

They did not know what it meant, but they were warm and safe so it was okay.

Time passed and they remained in that dark and tight space. They instinctively knew that they were going to come out soon. If they waited, it wouldn't be so tight anymore.

They continued to bask in the warmth. Sometimes, the threads would come back and send them the same feelings. They wanted to return the same...but they did not know how.

Yet.

They could not wait to learn.

They waited and waited. The day to leave the tight space would come soon.

But then something happened.

From outside of the tight space, they heard growls and groans from the parents. Unlike the warm and kind sounds before, they were...

Angry. Wary. Worried.

A thread came back. The big crimson figure feeling...sad...determined...love and sacrifice.

They could not understand.

The warmth and coziness disappeared, making them feel cold as they went away from the big red figure. The blue figure was the only one around them. Another thread came...sadness...sorrow...reluctance...love.

Sacrifice.

What is Sacrifice? Why did they feel...scared?

The thread of their parent slowly started to disappear. They tried to reach out, to ask what those things meant. Where were they going?

The thread paused, moving towards them one more time. Comfort. Inside. Safe. Patience. Freedom.

They still did not understand.

Outside. Scary. Unsafe—

Something came through the thread, making them squirm and throb.

Pain. Extreme Pain.

The thread was cut off, causing the pain to disappear. They waited and waited, like always. But the thread did not come back. Both threads never came back.

They understood then.

The outside is scary and painful. Never go outside.

Time passed, and they felt themselves being moved once more.

DO NOT TOUCH US! DO NOT TOUCH US!

In their distress, power coursed through from inside and covered the tight space...no the barrier protecting them from the outside. It was cold. As cold as the day they felt pain.

LEAVE US ALONE! DO NOT TOUCH US! THE OUTSIDE IS BAD!

New threads started to reach out, but they were unfamiliar. Not parents.

DO NOT TOUCH US!

The new threads retreated, leaving them alone.

Time passed and they fell asleep. It was tighter now compared to before. It was getting harder to breathe. They had to leave for a new space.

But outside is scary.

One day, they felt someone come near. They were about to use their power when they paused. Something brushed against their barrier, gently, like their parents used to do. It was so familiar that they...wanted it to stay.

But the touch disappeared.

Come back! Come back!

But it did not come back.

Time passed again, and they could not stop themselves from breaking their protection anymore. They were about to go outside.

Outside is scary and painful. No more protection.

A new thread crawled to them. They were about to shout at it to leave them alone but then stopped. The someone who felt like their parents had come back!

"Come out, little one. The world is waiting for you." Concern. Warmth. Affection. Freedom. Love. It showed a figure very different than their parents. Smaller. Different shape. But still a new parent.

They contemplated...

Outside is scary.

Outside is painful.

But...

Outside is a new parent.

A parent is coziness and warmth.

A parent is protection and space.

A parent is freedom.

A parent is love.

It was still scary, but the new parent said to come out.

So they did.

----

I know...I'm so cruel.