There is no difference between keeping my eyes wide opened, and shutting them tight. There is darkness all around. And it doesn’t matter how many layers of clothes it feels like on my skin; I’m always cold. I run my hands up and down my arms, feeling the soft fabric of my sleeves. These arms don’t feel like my own. My hands found themselves clasped at the end of my arms. Even these hands don’t feel like my own.
I hitch my foot ever so slightly, and run the tips of my toes on the surface that they were standing on; smooth. So I rest the foot on the apparent ground, trusting it completely. I put another foot in front of it, cautiously. It feels solid, the ground. More daring now, I put the other foot in front of it, and overtake the currently front foot with the previously back foot. On and on I repeat the process; walking.
I’m not going anywhere, it sure doesn’t feel like I am. Darkness is never fading, so is the coldness. Perhaps this is my destiny from now onwards, trudging on a path no one has taken, feeling in the abyss for any sign of warmth and salvation.
Then the ground betrayed me and gave way to the void. I feel my jaw snapping open so widely so quickly, and I hear myself scream. The winds from beneath punches onto my body, cuts through my face, yanking onto my hair.
Falling.
Falling endlessly.
It’s terrifying, falling. Even more so when you can’t see where you are falling towards, when will you hit the surface, how will you hit the ground.
Every moment feels like my last, every second filled with regret, every racing heartbeat pumps anguish into my body.
If there is light, I would see myself turning blue. Blue from the cold, blue from the ceaseless free-fall, blue from the fear of the end. But there is only darkness, and darkness alone knows my truth.
Then came a sound of flapping, the sound of fabric battling the merciless winds. It came from a direction unknown and suddenly, sound materializes into form and I was engulfed in it; wrapped in a cocoon, my arms pressed tightly against myself.
The sound of the wind continues to beat against my blanket yet, I no longer feel the cold it brings. It is warm in my little pocket, almost as warm as one can be sitting by a fireplace. I don’t remember the last time I’d felt this cosy.
Then my blanket begins to glow, brighter and brighter. I shut my eyes, pressing the lids against themselves as hard as I can, unaccustomed to the light that had been absent for so long.
It’s getting too bright, far too bright.
For a second I contemplated returning to the cold darkness, the uncomfortable norm that I had gotten used to.
But how long will I last if I were to return before the darkness eats me whole?
Braving the glare, I pry an eye into the tiniest slit, peeking into the new world I am in.
“Hi,” a silhouette greeted, concern lined his voice.
“H-..hello,” I answered, as my vision slowly focuses onto a pair of gentle eyes.
“Annyeong," he adds, decorated with a warm smile.
