PACIFYING THE FORCES (Escaping Reality Series BOOK 1)

2nd Episode (Disbelief)

Normal POV

The massive meteor hit Earthal and completely wiped it off the face of the universe. Are humans now doomed to extinction forever?

Earthal remained nothing but a cluster of rocks, spread in every direction you can think of. You cannot even know that it was once a planet. Well, no one would know considering the fact that humans have now officially vanished. Well... that is what it seems to be. Is it?

...

On a faraway planet, reddish in color and which can support minimal life, was a survivor of the cataclysm that just occurred. He wasn't in good conditions. His physical and mental states are unstable. Only normal, anyone would react the same way as he did. As Albie did.

Albiex

I woke up with my head spinning all around me. I think I might have a severe migraine.

I slowly opened my eyes. All I could see was a reddish surface, dust all in the air moving from one place to the other.

Instinctively, I closed my eyes again and pinched my cheeks because I know I am dreaming. Ouch! I opened my eyes again and looked around, disappointment and fear overwhelming me. I am not dreaming, this is reality.

I stood up and paused. I am speechless. Where even am I? Reddish plains stretching all around me was all I could see. I spun around, checking if it really was just land that can be seen.

I almost turned 360 degrees when I suddenly stopped, squinted my eyes, and smiled to myself. Is that water?

I ran tirelessly to the source of water I saw. I ran and ran and ran until I finally reached it. I was about to reach out my hand to scoop the water when suddenly I saw someone in the reflection of the water. Before you ask, it isn't my own figure that I am seeing but of a girl's. She had black hair that was tied into a ponytail on the back of her head and she wore a pink T-shirt with a baby blue "Loved" label imprinted on it and white jeans. Someone else survived!? That's a relief... I seriously thought I'd live in this solitary place alone and desolate for eternity!

My heart suddenly skipped a beat, she was so pretty! I touched her chest to make sure her heart was still beating. I would have a crushed spirit if she turns out to be dead. Fortunately, her heart was beating normally. Thank goodness!

Badump. Badump. Badump.

I carried her away from the water and to land. I quickly scanned the area to see if there are any resources such as rocks or even trees. But to my utmost dismay, I only found a single rock which was submerged in the water. It was soggy, probably because it was soaked in water for who knows how long and it was blackish in color. I just put it in my pocket and sighed.

I sat down and took a breather. I let my inquiries in my mind go wild. Where am I again? Is this another planet I am standing on? Reddish terrain and pitch black skies covered with stars? How did I even get here in the first place? How am I stil alive?

Cough! Cough!

The cough caught me off-guard so I swiftly looked to the girl beside me. She had her hand on her chest and she was coughing. I squatted and looked at her as she twisted and turned almost like she was on her bed.

I poked her face to fully wake her up but to no avail.

I shaked her shoulders, making her mumble,

"Mom... I don't want to go to school yet..."

I was very amused. The cute expression she had on her face was priceless... Wait, what am I even saying?

I decided to shake her shoulders a lot stronger than I did before.

She turned and took a peek from her right eye. She blinked her eyes a couple of times to indicate that she was beyond perplexed.

She suddenly lifted herself up with her arms and she rubbed her eyes. After rubbing them, she looked at me with a deadly glare.

"Who are you? And why are you in my room?" Her voice was firm.

"Uhh... I am A-Albie, your secret admirer." I sarcastically said.

She stood up, glowered at me, and slapped me in the face.

"OW! What was that for!?" I looked at her sharply.

"My secret admirer!? In your dreams!" She pushed me, knocking me back on the dusty floor.

I held the part of my cheek where she slapped. Man! She slaps like hell!

I sighed. Never mind that, words cannot explain how happy I am right now so I hugged her. Earning me the second slap of her vicious hand. Owwww...

"What the hell is wrong with you!? First you enter my room and now you hug me!? Get away from me you freak!" She shouted and then turned away from me. She began walking the opposite direction I stood.

Honestly, I don't know why but I was very hurt by what she said. Why am I even hurt? Do I have feelings for her?

I quickly brushed off my thoughts knowing where my reverie will end. I just ran after the girl who looked roughly the same age as me. I think she heard my footsteps so she looked back and shot daggers at me.

"Please, let me explain," I struggled to breathe so I took a deep breath. "I am not what you think I am. I was just joking from a while ago!"

Her eyes subtly changed to a more welcoming look. "Look, I am not someone who slaps someone for no reason," she turned around and walked closer to me. "But... may I just say that I am sorry? I just got shocked a while ago." She smiled.

I smile in return. I feel so warm right now, her smile is just amazing!

Hic!

I thought I heard someone hiccup so I looked at the girl. I examined her face and realized something. Tears were uncontrollably flowing from her eyes. Much like me when I got the standing ovation in the talent show.

She looked up, "Why are you... crying?"

I gasped silently. "Oh... nothing, just a memory. How about you, why are you crying?" Only then did I realize that I was starting to tear up.

She wiped her tears with her hand. "I pinched myself plenty times already. Hoping that this is all a dream... but it isn't," she sniffed. "I am stuck somewhere uncharted. I am stuck somewhere faraway from our homeland that, scientifically speaking, is now shattered to pieces." Her voice trailed off.

It all suddenly came to me. She was right... Earthel was hit by that fiery light. Highest probability is that it is now gone. Everyone, my supportive family... my beloved friends... they are now dead. As much as I hate to admit it... it is true. I couldn't control my tears anymore. So me and her just stood there crying about our past.

A couple of minutes later, we stopped crying. I held out my hand to her. She offered her hand as well as we shaked hands.

"Friends?" I asked.

"Friends." She stated with a smile.

As they say, at the end of a storm comes a rainbow. Well, at this scenario, it is more like a storm of tears comes before a friendship rainbow. My imagination is just weird today! No, it has always been weird.