Elise, the Alternate Universes, and the Time Paradox

∞ 1 - Arrival

The sound of rain buzzes through Elise's ears at 2 am. A knock is heard on her door.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"Elise, I know you're still up. But relax, my child, as the night is still young. Relax, there is nothing to be afraid of in our neighborhood. There's only rain and thunder, you see. Rain and thunder, the rain, which drops every few days, finding itself into nooks and crannies and feeding the plants we see in our daily lives. The thunder, which booms itself across the neighborhood, striking itself and making itself clear to all humanity. You see, we are all individuals. Ah, what am I doing? Going on a life philosophy tangent again? I'm sorry Elise, but, please, just try and get some better sleep. Your sleep schedule has not been so well as of late. Remember these words, Elise. Actions have repercussions."

Elise says nothing but understands what her mother is trying to say. For every object or thing in existence in her life, there are always repercussions or things that have felt it. Thunder makes humanity know it's there. Rain makes the plants feel well. As she continues thinking, her eyes drift, slowly, but surely. That is...

until she felt her ears ringing. She opened her eyes again. She was no longer in her room. It was no longer night time. Instead, she was in a bright tunnel that all just appeared to be white. She didn't know where she was, but she was still laying down. Actually, what was this sensation? She couldn't move. The emptiness around her felt surreal. It was just white around her. It was blinding. There was only white noise in her ears. It was ear-piercing. The pain was all she felt while she was in this white void. She couldn't move a muscle in her body.. yet she felt she was moving. She felt like there was some sort of wind blowing past her. But she closed her eyes again, just for a few seconds, and she felt the surroundings differently. The white noise stopped and it eventually faded into the sound of nature. Nature was calling her.. birds chirping, the sound of dew hitting the grass, and water rushing down a grotto. Then came the sense of smell. It smelled like a freshly mowed lawn. She opened her eyes. She was no longer in her room, nor that white void.

She was in another universe.

· ∞ ·

She suddenly just recalled her mother's thoughts. For everything in life, there is always a repercussion for it. Every action has a repercussion. But what does this have to do with what is happening to her now.. thinking about it, this does all feel sort of weird. Being transported into this lavish jungle just by closing her eyes.. what has happened? She had so many questions in her mind.. one question being: is her mother still present with her? Does her mother know she is in this.. world? No, it can't be happening, can it? Maybe it's just all illusions, maybe she's just hallucinating again and she's in her room.. or maybe it's reality?

"It all feels so real though."
That's all she thought about as she looked around her. Still sitting in the grotto's meadow, she pondered to herself for a good couple of minutes, until she stood up. "Ah, the sun is shining so bright.." Her eyes do not deceive her nor do her five senses. This all feels so real. "I guess it is reality, isn't it?"

She stepped forward and felt the grass beneath her bare feet. "This is reality. I'm in a jungle." She was lost, and confused, but alas she decided to wander anyway. There was a waterfall nearby, she knew this because of the sound of water hitting the pond. "Actions have repercussions. Remember those words that your mother told you." That's what her mind is telling her, which makes sense because the sound of the waterfall is making its way to her ears. Anyways, the jungle was humongous, it almost felt like a labyrinth with no end. It just felt like an endless cycle of wandering between sticky mud and thorny vines. And all she heard was water trickling down a river. Birds chirping everywhere. Her footsteps. But then, she finally hit a stop. There was a gate, that sort of looked medieval. She pressed the button on the grand stone wall.