𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 ✧ (𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝) [on hold]

✧ Chapter 4 : The Emptiness ✧

The Emptiness. Pitch black all around me, again. Yet, I could see myself so clearly, like a beacon surrounded by a black sea.

Am I back in that dark, empty place? Am I in a coma again? I can't remember a damn thing, what happened? Did I have another accident?

I spent what felt like an eternity wandering in the void. An ocean of loneliness I felt like drowning into. I wasn't in pain, yet I tried to call out for help. There was no echo, only silence screamed back at me.

I wasn't feeling anything but self-aware. Just the very faint and oppressive sound of my heartbeat and my own footsteps. It was like everything was pitch black but me, how odd.

And suddenly, a light appeared at the horizon. It was faint but still lightened the dark world I had somehow dived into, revealing no specific shape.

It wasn't the kind of light that had led me out of coma, which indicated me that I either was far from waking up, or I just wasn't in a coma at all.

This light wasn't bathing me or dragging me upwards like the previous one had. No, this one was much smaller and dimmer, and seemed to want to lead me somewhere.

"Hello?" I called.

I foolishly expected an answer. As the light moved, I followed it in hope of finding something. Answers? Someone? A way out? I don't know. Anything. Anything was better than the Emptiness.

I walked hesitantly and stopped when the light did. The light vanished, leaving me alone again.

"Why?"

I was startled by the faint voice that had just echoed, that wasn't mine.

I am not alone in here.

The voice sounded genderless - maybe it was a bit more on the masculine side though. It had betrayed no emotion at all. It seemed to me that it had come from everywhere at the same time. So far and yet so close.

I span around to find the person who had uttered that, but every direction I looked at was absolutely the same. And then I heard the voice again.

"Why did you do that?" the voice whispered in my ear.

My whole body shuddered, and I immediately turned around. I had felt no breath against my neck, no one; I couldn't see anything, and yet I had heard it so clearly in my ear. I had felt that... disturbing, unreal presence. My most primal instinct told me that there was someone dangerously close.

"Who are you?" I called out. My heart was beating so fast, and it was hard for me to stay calm.

"You betrayed me. Why did you do that to me?" the voice uttered, ending in a breathed whisper.

It came from every direction, far away. How was it possible? It was whispering in my ear two seconds ago ! The voice was still emotionless but, in the words, pierced a feeling of betrayal.

"I-I don't understand? What did I do?"

I started breathing heavily. This is all so oppressive. I looked ahead and saw - no, felt - a presence. I decided to trust my instinct and chase the silhouette. But it vanished.

"Why..." it breathed out. The voice seemed to spin around me in stereo. It was both taunting and scaring me. I made out a silhouette far from me. I started running towards it.

"Where are you?!" I asked as the silhouette seemed to be fading away. I stopped and looked around, confused.

"Why?" I heard in my ear again. I turned around but didn't have the time to do anything.