Veridis Quo

Chapter 52 - Vixenhole

Summer was the best season to go to the beach. The climate in the world varied, the seasons were flipped in the northern and southern hemispheres; when it snowed in the US of A, you could cook an egg on a sidewalk in Australia. Although, that was possible most of the months in the land down under.

The hottest time of the year warmed the shores, the warmth of the sun primed for tanning and admiring hot bikini babes. And the icicles, don't forget those! There was nothing else like chilling at the beach, basking in the rays of the deadly fusion reactor the size of a gazillion Earths, licking a cold treat lewdly...

Except for the last part, I didn't know what came over me.

I've grown to enjoy winter in its own right, but summer was great too. Unless the AC was broken, then thoughts of despair raised the internal temperature of the core. Thankfully, the cooler wasn't broken.

How did I know that, being outside? I didn't.

It wasn't hot.

An unusual phenomena was happening at the beach. There wasn't a wisp of cloud in the sky, the sun's influence absolute and relentless. By all means, I should've been burned to the first degree and become a bipedal tomato. But after lying on the towel for hours on end, my skin was in pristine condition. No numbness or any indication of cellular damage.

Besides the odd weather, the beach was prime estate for tourists and taxed entry. When a gorgeous place becomes known to the public, it's only a matter of time before something or someone ruins it for everybody. I bet there was a law of the universe for such occurrences.

Yet, I was the lone occupant of the sandy shores, the tilted umbrella casting an elliptical shadow next to me. Unless I was in a remote part of the world, there should've been more people here.

Not that I was complaining. The quiet was nice, waves swept the bordering sand, the salty scent nostalgic.

I sighed, my chest rising and falling.

Today was a good day, I should enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Gazing at the sun without protection, I was about to doze off when it clicked. I was gazing at the sun, directly at the deadly space laser. And it didn't hurt.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I rubbed my eyes – tried to. My body didn't respond to my commands, lying in the same position.

What?

And I couldn't speak. My voice was heard by me yet nothing came out of my mouth. A sense of urgency should've swept me but I remained eerily calm.

That was when a valid inquiry popped up.

When did I arrive at the beach?

I didn't remember coming there. In fact, why was I at the beach?

A blink later, I gaped in bewilderment.

The sun was setting. Just like that, the sun went from noon to evening, rapidly descending. My neck strained to keep my head up, the confusion fueling the will to endure the discomfort. I could literally see sections of the sun disappear before my very eyes, a grater shaving crescent slices of fiery plasma.

Then, just as it was about to vanish from sight...

It bounced upwards, albeit lower than its previous height.

As though encountering a trampoline hidden from view, the sun bounced a couple more, malleable as wet clay. My eyes traced the pattern, up and down, the dizziness disproportional.

As nausea began to marinate in my spit, the sun bounced for the last time, disappearing beyond the horizon at last.

Let there be darkness.