The Blue Traveler

Deposistion

I feel really light. Puffy. Every sensation is only a trace of what it used to be. It’s exhilarating.

Then I see I’m still clutching Unda’s clammy hand and I let it fall in disgust.

Everything around me is… muted. Grayscale.

Boring, too. I decide to have a look around.

At first I’m putting way too much weight in my steps and I fall forward and stumble around a lot. But then I learn how to get around without bumping into things. That’s when I knock heads with a stranger.

…I said things, not people.

I rub my head. I can’t feel things as much in this place but it still hurts like crazy. Suddenly there’s the really high-pitched voice of someone who doesn’t know when to stop babbling:

“Oh! Oh, sorry! I’m so sorry! Are you okay? I just got here and I wanted to see what it’s like here and then I’m seeing everything and then BAM you’re here and now we’re both here and-”

How can anyone talk for so long without breathing?

“–I just hope you’re okay; I mean, I didn’t mean to do that I really didn’t it was an accident-”

Like I’d bump into her on purpose.

“My name is Stagnum; what’s yours?” she asks. I’m grateful for the pause that follows, but I still have to answer her question.

“My name is Aqua. I also just arrived… wherever ‘here’ is.” ‘Here’ is too misty but it’s also too dry for my liking, and I can’t define any real key features. I’ve been here before I can’t remember.

“Aqua? I know you! Well, not really but… We’re going to be Deposition Partners!” Deposition Partners? Me? Her? The whole Cycle is already an unpleasant experience; I’m wondering if I can’t change things up a little and pick my own Partner this time, but I’ve never been able to. It’s highly doubtful. I wonder where Unda is now; maybe we can make amends. I’d prefer anything over this constant babbling.

Yes, she’s been talking this whole time.

“-so I know that Deposition is when we, the vapor, turn straight to ice; I mean, we aren’t even a liquid we just go right into ice and after that we’ll go back to normal again and that’s called Melting; that sounds like it hurts-- you’ll hold my hand, right?”

“No.”

“Okay, great! ‘Cause-” Blah, blah, blah. We walk and she talks all the way to the Ready Room where we will wait to be Deposited.

…

It is not great.

It’s horrible.

It starts all of the sudden, it’s like Deposition in T-Minus 1 second and it hits me. The weight is pressing down on me and I wish I was holding Stagnum’s hand. It’s so cold. And heavy. Stiff. I can’t feel my fingers and my limbs feel like lead. So cold. Why’s it so heavy? And I can’t move an inch. A sense of panic starts to rise and I try to concentrate but all I can think is Cold Heavy Stiff Cold Heavy Stiff Cold Heavy Stiff Cold Heavy Stiff-

Blackout.