New Year, New World

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"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
    The collective cheer of all the joyous celebrators was so loud, it nearly shook the whole apartment building. Harvey didn't partake in the vocal exclamation of excitement, but rather held up his glass with a small smile and took a big drink from it.
    Some people were hopping up and down, some clanging pots and pans, some making out with people they'd only just met at the party; Harvey chose to step out. He escaped to the balcony, into the cold winter air, and leaned on the railing. He drew in a deep breath and let it go in a big sigh, looking out over the city. Distantly, he could hear the music and celebration of the New Year's party in Times Square. 2016 was looking up to be... Well...
    Not so great.
    Although 2015 wasn't good either.
    And 2014 was the worst year of his life right up there with 2003.
    Honestly, he would rather jump off this balcony than live through a year even worse than 2014. But maybe it would be better... He dreamed of a hope that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, or a star in the sky to be seen; but in New York City, you were more likely to see a superhero than a star.
    Harvey leaned his chin on his hands on the cold metal railing. He hadn't even wanted to go to this party; Brice had dragged him to it, knowing he needed to socialize. He wasn't wrong, Harvey knew, but he just didn't feel like being around people. Ever.
    As he suspected, he was already feeling miserable and it wasn't even five minutes into the new year. Why was it that every new turn in his life led to something terrible?
    "Harvey! You coming in?"
    Harvey glanced back half heartedly. "Yeah, in a minute."
    "Alright, just don't stay out here too long. You look so bloody lonely." Harvey looked back out at the city as Brice walked away. He didn't blame his friend for bringing him along. Both knew he needed this; he just couldn't get into it. It was getting harder and harder every day for him to find motivation. His day job was boring as hell, he only had Brice for a friend, and ever since that one day he had felt like he wasn't good enough for anyone, ever.
    He straightened up, running his fingers through his hair with a sigh as he turned around.
    Then he stopped. Where the door to the balcony had been, was now a rectangle of shining white light. Harvey furrowed his eyebrows. He glanced down at the glass of champagne curiously, wondering how many times he'd refilled it. He looked back at the white rectangle again with one eyebrow raised. He was altogether believing it was a hallucination.
    He could hear faint whispers, but they were in some other language. The sounds of the party within the apartment had gone away, like the apartment was no longer there. Harvey wondered whether he was even awake.
    "...What are...?" He reached out to touch the light and his hand when right through. It was cold, like he reached his hand into falling snow. He pulled his hand back quickly in surprise, tilting his head in confusion. He already heard a buzzing in his head that faded now but was strong before. Well... He didn't really have anywhere to go, and he knew the apartment was through that hallucination of a doorway.
    Harvey huffed and closed his eyes before walking through. Immediately, he felt cold touching his skin, and then warm again. He opened his eyes and only saw a blur of dark yellow-green and black before his footing slipped on a more dirt-like substance than the hard wood of the apartment and the next thing he knew, he was tumbling down what felt like a hill.
    Finally, as the slope flattened, he landed so hard on his chest he skidded a few feet before finally stopping. He groaned as he felt bruises already forming and several scrapes all over his body.
    He looked up, squinting, and saw a landscape of flat green, grassy land spread all around for miles. His eyes narrowed in confusion and he glanced behind him just in time to see the white rectangle he'd come through close up.
    Harvey stood quickly, looking around him. He ran back up the hill, feet sliding with the slight buzz he had from the party, until he reached the top and looked around; but the doorway was nowhere in sight.
    He bit his lip as he looked all around him, and only saw grassland. "Well..." He sighed. "Fuck."

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