The Oblivion

the wall

BROOK WORKS. KEEP following the sun's direction on the right. Brook Works. Keep following the sun's direction on the right. Brook Works. Keep following the sun's direction on the right.  Brook Works—

Those words repeated in my head silently in my head in the morning as I waited for Ariana to wake up, along with Arch, sleeping peacefully on the ground to warn us from predators.

When I decided I couldn't wait longer, I swung myself down the tree and turned right instinctively. The sun shined in my eyes, and I knew where to go, in the first time in a month.

Knife in hand, I kept walking, terrified of what to expect. I was walking for at least 15 minutes.

I came in contact with a cave, like old Ross's one I had an encounter with. I peered into the darkness, the hope in my chest dying away. The cave looked young and not crumbly, so it was possible that someone sought shelter there. The air smelled rusty, and my nose was stung by the constant smell of wood and metal.

"Don't move."

I spun around.

A human figure coated and hidden behind a cloth of the darkest shade of black had drawn an arrow that rested on a bowstring, aimed directly at me. I swallowed and raised my hands, showing defeat.

"I come here with no harm," I croak.

"Whats your name?" said the deep, authorized voice with a husky tone. Could it possibly be a female...?

I didn't know if I should tell the person my real name, but I didn't think either, "Cimber Coalers."

"Age?"

"Fourteen."

"Any idea of the disaster?"

"A little, but—"

"Where do you come from?"

I just spurted out answers, "Corpsejay, but—"

"Any weapons?"

"No," I lie "but—"

"Whats that handle in your pocket then?"

"Can I talk?" I bellowed before I could stop myself. I saw the grip on the face-hidden persons hand hold the bow more tightly, and I could see danger on its way.

I decided to take my chances and waste possible dignity by asking, "Are you...Brook Works?"

Moments of what seemed like forever of silence past by. The hooded person lowered his/her bow, and loosened a hand from the arrow rest, "Come in."

The figure led my way into the cave, revealing a matchstick that then became scraped against the wall. Well, it turned out to be a torch, lighting up the whole place. The cave gradually lightened up as the person lit up more torches.

Countless designs of unique bows stood boldly against the sienna walls, with lots of sharpened, beautiful arrows on the other side. One made of traditional pure wood, one of harsh black metal, one of smooth birch wood, and another of silver metal, almost as beautiful as Ariana's...

All the same, all of the bows looked mortally extraordinary. I would never have believed that anyone could create such a collection.

"Sit," the hooded person demanded, tapping at a chair. I sat obediently, while my opposite person did too on another chair. We stared at our knee's in silence, both thinking hard.

"You said your name was Cimber Coalers," said the person.

"Mm," I replied uselessly.

"And you said my name was Brook Works."

"Mm," I retaliated, unsure of why she was asking me rhetorical questions. I wanted a greater reception, wanting to shake her for answers.

"I saw you in my dream last night," I looked into the black cloth, expecting to see a pair of beautiful blue eyes look back at me from behind it.

"Dream?" the person echoed. "It was no dream."

So she was Brook, the young girl I see in my dreams.

Brook snatched off the cloth and hood, to expose her face. Her eyes were the first things that attracted me, a brilliant shade of blue, so vibrant and alive. Then the accurate lines of her pursed lips, and her small perfect nose, her unusual straight teeth. Silky golden hair that was glowing in the hollow of the cave. I felt something prick inside me. Envy. Even so, she looked as old as Ariana was.

"You may have been dreaming," she continued, "but I was not. I was deep inside a world of what we call The Oblivion."

"Oblivion?" The word sounded strange on my tongue, "That still doesn't make sense. Who are you? How did you walk in my dream? How do you know me? What did I see in my dream? What happened to the world?" I burbled uncontrollably.

"Don't ask, I don't know either," she silenced me, putting a stop to all my hopes.

All this time I knew that there was no way out of this abyss of madness, but I thought that there would be at least a hint of answers, but no one seemed to know them.

"So what is this Oblivion?" I pressed.

"I'm not quite sure either, but you were in it too. I thought I was the only one who could walk through the halls of Oblivion, a strange, silent place. But i'm warning you, Cimber, don't let the silence fool you. Its fatal to death and even the strongest cannot get pulled into the voices of Oblivion. All of it is a consequence. If The Oblivion wants you to die, you die. Full stop."

I stared at her, perplexed, " I don't understand. So you can die in dreams?"

"Unfortunately so. But I think that in The Oblivion there is a place where you can find relief, which it can be useful."

"Who made Oblivion?"

"No one. Well, maybe. Testers. Something like that. But the tests have been put ten to an end, but I learned how to cross boundaries"

A bunch of idea's crashed down onto me, "Testers? Boundaries? End? What?"

"Yes, Testers. The NG and GW?"

I stared at her blankly. As soon as I heard NG I felt miserable, but lightened up with her knowledge, almost frightened. GW?

Once Brook saw my impassive face, she explained, "You want the truth, Cimber, well here you have it."

The truth. I wonder how the words feel like on Brook. The words slipping from her tongue. The sentence I have been waiting for since the time the tornado took place in the city. Tensed, I leaned forward, feeling myself brace myself for the truth.

"You're not in the real world. We are in an isolated half on earth, split by a dark wall we can't fathom. We all are."