DYSCHRONOMETRIA

CHAPTER 9 - Something Or Nothing

Lianna gasped, waking up to reality. She was sweating bullets and trembling. She lifted her hands and stared at it, that face of anger, it was clear as day. Immediately she stood up, grabbed her pen and notepad and wrote down everything she remembered. She apparently took down notes of whatever this is. "It's madness anyway," she spoke. "But come to think of it, why did I dream of that? It's always the why's." she was as alert as a dog barking at a robber. After she wrote everything thing down, she dashed to get the Watch. She compared it to the symbol of flag that kingdom had. She gasped at the results, "As expected. . . They may not be completely the same but, they are identical!" she had the urge to tell this to Collins, but she paused midway. "What if he says that this is all nonsense? That everything I say--isn't real?" Lianna looked out at the window. She expected the hot sun and some birds chirp--but that wasn't what greeted her.

The sky was red.

She stared at it wide eyed. There were murmurs of people concerned about the current phenomenon happening right in front of them. Lianna assessed her surroundings-- birds aren't in sight, the sky is horribly red, the clouds blended with darkness, the trees' leaves were falling. It's still spring,not autumn.

"7 am..." she checked the time, mornings are supposed to be beautiful, right? "But apparently this one isn't." she voiced out.

She got herself a quick change of clothes, a tan shirt, vest, pants and travel shoes. She also worn her goggles. She took her large side bag and stuffed all her pens and notes, some extra clothes, papers, personal items and the watch in. She let her hair lose, and finally she inhaled,then exhaled.

She mentally prepared herself for what is going on. She knows this has something to do with the watch.

"Something's happening and I'm pretty sure that's something I definitely won't like."

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"Oh, hey Lianna!" Collins greeted her with a warm smile. "Hey Collins!" the woman reciprocated his greet, though she was in a hurry.

Collins followed her but he couldn't keep up with her speed.

Lianna stopped at the room where the portal was resting at. He noticed her travel bag at her side as she stepped closer to the dismantled machine. But somehow also stepping back. He didn't understand why. "Hey uh, Lianna?" she didn't respond.

Once again, the memory of Lianna being cold to him resurfaced in his mind. But he shook it off.

"What a coincidence, you worn a vest too?" again, she didn't respond.

Her hand kept inching closer and farther, back and forth. As if doubting whether to touch it or not.

"..... Fall into the hands of sorrow... Drawn by the darkest bay..." she whispered. Her green orbs staring sharply at the machine.

"Uh hey Lianna?" he nudged he shoulder, but she ignored it.

".... Walk into thr pit of... silence. I am the one calling your name..."

She kept chanting words and Collins was worried she was losing her mind- perhaps she did--or let's just put that aside.

"It's calling me..." she said after the chant. "Who's calling you?" he questioned. "The memory... I need to search for the meanings of this all-- the watch, the portal, the red sky, the memories! I need to piece them out!"

"W-what?" as a man, he of course cannot understand a woman, specifically this one. She's a zany. And that's why he loves her--  "Ah ah ah! You can't!" he said, Lianna looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Without me of course!" now her face turned into a baffled one.

"You can't!"
"Why?"
"Because it's... "she tried to think of a reason.
" Because?"
"--Dangerous! Yes, it is dangerous!"

Collins gave her a poker face. He wasn't fooled for that.

Lianna sighed in defeat," Fine. But though, it may be a dangerous journey ahead. And you aren't that aware of what's happening. Especially that the watch only shows the memories to me. " she whispered the last sentence. Collins immediately went to get his bag, Lianna waited for what seemed to be forever--20 minutes--and now he's back. Thank goodness!

"Well, I'm now here, m'lady." he winked at her. "What took you so long?" she got annoyed of all the waiting. "What?" he asked, confused. "No, never mind." she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Um,what will we do now?" he fidgeted his backpack straps. Lianna touched the corners of the socket. "Well, we will uncover the mysteries of the red sky, the origin of the portal, the memories, and this pocket watch." she showed him the watch. She looked at it and caressed its surface.

"Memories? Since when?" he munched at his crispy chocolate wafer bar.

"Well, since the time I found this thing, the watch. I know it's od but remember the time you saw me disapper? When we argued?" she continued to inspect the machine.

"Mhm. And I don't want to remember that." he was horrified at the experience.

"Well I was teleported to a memory at that time." she gently tapped the machine.

"Wait, really?!" he stood up from his seat,and sat back down again.

"Yeah. Though this is getting a little long. We don't know of we have much time yet."

"Oh, Lianna. We have so much time in this world!" he waved dismissively.

"Well, you cannot be sure." she replied. Collins quieted at her sentence, he didn't know how to respond. The young woman kept tapping at the machine, and then she decided to go to the socket. She narrowed her eyes, doubting the area.

"Hm, let's see what we can fi--"